Getting a dog to do what you want them to do is hard. Dogs need help understanding English or any other human language very well. Yet, we talk to them and tell them our thoughts and ideas on how to behave.
"He just doesn't listen when I tell him to stop barking (… get off the couch … no jumping … leave the cat alone … go potty, etc.)," owners say.
As a dog trainer, I never assign homework or practice sessions to the dogs. I always, every single time, assign it to the humans instead. There's a good reason for this approach: Dogs do not understand English, but most of my human handlers do. My goal in training is to train the humans how to "speak" to their dogs in a way they will understand. This is primarily done through body language and emotional expression, which dogs are very good at understanding. It is about what you say, when, and how you say it. You are speaking, as such, not in just a foreign language, but you are communicating – back and forth – with another species.
Pretty cool, right?
Now, generally, dogs cannot believe you are actually "speaking" to them when you first try. They need to see that you know what you are talking about before they trust what you are saying consistently. Does my mom really mean she wants me to sit when she moves her hand and makes that sound, or did I read that wrong?
A dog needs a lot of repetitions of a skill done exactly the same way every time before they will believe their human actually knows what they are talking about. Researchers believe the number of needed repetitions falls between 120 and 200 times when doing a skill exactly the same way and receiving the desired outcome. Dogs are too cunning for anything less. They may do a skill perfectly the same for 100 repetitions, but they will test you a few dozen times during the training process. I wonder if that "leave it" sound Dad makes at home means the same thing at the park? Let's find out!"
Remember, when I say 120 to 200 repetitions, I do not mean to do that all in one training session. You should spread training into multiple short sessions, 5-10 minutes at a time. Do them over a week, and when they are good at doing a skill without distractions, then do more repetitions with distractions. Then, it is the time to practice "leave it" at the park so your dog will understand that "leave it" means to leave it everywhere. Many short sessions with success are the way to advance your dog's skills. Why? Because dogs are busy! The younger they are, the busier they will be in learning about their world.
You may realize by now that dog training is, and should be, about people training. There are training programs called "board and train" programs where owners drop their dogs off for a few weeks with a skilled instructor and hope to have the dog they want upon completion. However, the dog I want is one that is bonded to me and understands me as well as I understand them. The better you, the owner, knows your dog, and the better your dog understands you, the better for both. I have spent so much time with my dogs that we could seemingly read each other's minds. We know each other's glances, sighs, and posture. I could certainly get my dogs to respond to the most subtle physical cues, such as a deep breath or glancing at the floor, but I swear I could get my dogs to do things by staring at them and just thinking about it, as well. That's the kind of dog I want, and the only way that happens is to train them yourself.
As an owner/trainer, your dog wants to see a certain level of commitment from you. By consistently sticking to the program, your dog will find everything you ask them to do rewarding. Rewarding the behaviors you like will convince the dog to adhere to those behaviors. If you do not consistently reward your dog's good choices, the dog will find other behaviors, such as jumping on grandma to hear her scream or counter surfing during mealtime more rewarding than listening to you as you yell, "Nooooo!"
Positive reinforcement dog training is all about rewards. A behavior that is rewarded will be repeated, and a behavior that is not satisfying to the dog will be forgotten. Remember to reward the behaviors you like and try to ignore the ones you do not, or offer the dog an alternative rewarding behavior to do in the situation instead.
As an owner/trainer, listen to what your instructor is teaching you about communicating with your dog and ask questions. The best-trained dogs are the ones whose owners fully understand the subtleties of a skill. Dogs are very detail-oriented in their own language, and they expect you to be as well before they trust what you're asking. Consider when two dogs meet for the first time. To the trained eye, a plethora of information is exchanged between the two dogs. The position of the ears, lip licking, head turning, posture, tail wagging, and even the hairs on their backs communicate to the other dog. So, don't think they don't notice what you are consciously or subconsciously doing or not doing when you ask them to do something.
Of course, being in training class is important in order to understand those details and to be able to ask questions. My job as a trainer is to help owner/trainers fully understand communication between human and dog. By being present, I can better understand where the pitfalls are while watching an owner and dog practice. It doesn't do any good to train repetitions with your dog if you're doing it wrong and getting mixed results.
Consistency in working with your dog's skills at home is another key factor in a successful outcome. Training at home should take little time. A few minutes of training in a few sessions spread out during the day is all you need. However, it would be best if you stuck to it. Dogs value consistency in mealtime, playtime, potty time, and sleep time. Training time is no different.
Consistency should also be a part of the communication between the dog and all the household members. Stocky little pug Maximus will never learn not to jump on the sofa unless everyone around him agrees it's unacceptable. The same is true for Clarice, the German Shepherd who used her cute puppy eyes and odd-angled puppy ears to secretly get food from a single family member under the table at dinner. Clarice will always be there, begging and becoming more demanding as she gets bigger and bigger for some table scraps.
Another tip to help you become a better dog trainer is always coming to class prepared. First, you will need a dog. This is hugely important in dog training. A dog that is a little tired and has had a potty break before class is even better. Second, have the dog on a leash and bring training treats. It is essential that the dog likes the treats, so please test that before coming to class. Bring something to put the treats in that is easy to access because the timing of treat delivery for many skills is important. Please bring a good, relaxed attitude in yourself, too. Emotion travels down the leash, and your dog will likely be more frazzled if you are frazzled. Lastly, respect what your trainer suggests. While it's true that you, as the owner, probably know your dog better than anyone else, your trainer has probably known many more dogs and their assorted general behaviors and the tried and true methods for working with them. If your trainer is like me, understand that the job is not about the money, and they are there only because they love what they are doing and would instead want to do nothing else than to see you succeed.
I hope this blog helps you understand a bit more about your extraordinary animal. Thank you for reading and for wanting to know more about dog training. Our goal at Awesome Dog Academy is to facilitate that bond and ensure both a happy owner and a happy dog.
Hope to see you soon!
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