Dog training troubles? Here’s a list of 11 common mistakes to avoid!
Waiting Too Long to Start
Training should begin the moment you welcome your new dog into your home, regardless of his age.
Despite the popular saying, an old dog can learn new tricks. But, when it comes to dog training, if you have a young puppy on your paws, it’s better to teach him what to do now versus waiting until he’s picked up bad habits that you’ll have to correct later.
From crate and potty training to basic commands, the only way your pup is going to learn what’s acceptable in your home is if you carve out time each day to work with him.
Not Train Often Enough
Are you guilty of working with your pup for a few days, getting busy with something else, and then dropping your training sessions altogether (as if training were a new toy that you played with and then got sick of)? Perhaps you take your dog to obedience school, but you don’t work with him in between classes. Or maybe you assumed since your dog sits when you show him a treat, training is over.
Practice makes perfect and here’s the thing: While training should begin the day you welcome your pup into your home, it never ends. We need to consistently work with our pups every single day to make progress and keep their skills sharp.
Running Training Sessions Too Long
Instead of one long training session, you’re better off breaking it up into multiple sessions throughout the day. Puppies have short attention spans and working on the same commands can get boring. Each time you work with your pup, cap training sessions at 10 to 15 minutes.
If at any point you notice you or your dog getting frustrated, call out one last simple command (a slam dunk to end on a high note) and then move on to something else.
Not Staying Consistent with Command Names
When it comes to dog training, consistency is key. Inconsistencies simply lead to a confused dog and frustrated pet parent. For example, if you usually tell your dog Down when he’s jumping on a guest but suddenly tell him to Get Off then he isn’t going to understand what you want. Make sure everyone in your household is on the same page when it comes to training rules and cue wording.
Only Training in One Place
When you first begin command training, it’s best to take your pup into a quiet, distraction-free room. But, once your pup has mastered a particular cue in that space, your work isn’t over. Rather, that’s just Step 1. Next, it’s important to work on that same cue in different rooms of your house, your backyard, and, eventually, in public places. The goal is to slowly increase the distraction level and get your pup to listen no matter what’s happening around him.
Not Using the Clicker at the Right Time
Many trainers suggest using a clicker to mark desired behaviors. In case you aren’t familiar, a clicker is a small, inexpensive, handheld device that features a metal strip inside. Once you press the clicker’s button, it makes a distinctive click sound. When used correctly, the clicker can help speed up the training process. Here’s how it works:
- You call out a cue and your dog does the desired action.
- That exact moment, you mark the good behavior with the clicker. (Only click once!)
- Once you click the clicker, immediately reinforce the good behavior with a treat.
The timing of the click and the subsequent treat is essential (it should be within a second of the desired action). If the click and reward come too late, your dog may associate them with another action.
Only Giving Treats and Forgetting About Praise
When you first welcome a new puppy into your home and begin training sessions, treats quickly become your best friend. You use them to lure and reward. But, just because your pup is getting a yummy prize, doesn’t mean you should skip the verbal praise and petting. A sweet-sounding “good girl” or “good boy” goes a long way with dogs since they love pleasing their humans. Plus, once your dog has mastered a certain command, you’ll phase out the treat and rely solely on praise.
Repeating Commands (AKA Command Nagging)
Imagine this: You’re attempting to teach your pooch the Sit command. So, you grab your treat and instruct him to Sit. But, instead of immediately lowering his booty to the ground, he just stands there looking at you. So, you repeat the word, “Sit.” And yet again, “Sit.” You may keep saying it five or six times until your pup reacts.
It’s important to realize: Dogs have exceptional hearing … much better than ours! So, when you call out a command, you don’t need to say it over and over, louder and louder. Your dog does hear you. Continually repeating a command is just going to stress, frustrate, and even confuse your pup. Plus, we don’t want to condition our dogs to only pay attention after we’ve repeated a word several times. The cue is “Sit” … not “Sit, Sit, Sit.”
If your dog ignores your cue, he may not fully understand what you want or he may be too distracted. After calling out a command, remain calm and patient. If he doesn’t listen then take Fido to a quiet spot and go back to the basics.
Poisoning Commands
Just like it sounds, this means you accidentally tie a cue to something negative, so your dog eventually stops responding. For example, you’ve finally mastered the “Come” command, but you only use it when you’re about to give your dog a bath or get in the car to go to the vet. Eventually, your dog is going to stop coming when called … because he knows something not-so-fun is about to happen. When your dog is first learning commands, keep things positive, and avoid pairing it with something he doesn’t like.
Reinforcing Bad Behavior
One of the most common mistakes people make with their dogs is accidentally reinforcing bad (or shall I say undesired) behaviors. Here are some examples:
- Letting your puppy out of the crate when he’s crying
- Giving your dog table scraps when he’s begging
- Picking up and coddling your dog when he’s barking or showing aggression toward someone
- Petting and kissing your dog when he jumps up on you
As tempting as it is to give in to your dog while he’s acting up (so you put an end to the barking or unwanted behavior) doing so only reinforces your pup’s actions.
Comparing Your Results To Someone Else’s
Just like people, dogs have their own unique personalities. When it comes to training, some will learn quicker than others. It’s important to remain patient and calm.
Lastly, don’t hesitate to call in a professional dog trainer for help.
