Persistence In Dog Training

You have to be strongly committed to your goals, more than your dog is committed to their goals. Obviously, we want to be on the same page and working towards the same goal with our dogs as often as possible. But that isn’t always going to happen. You’re going to have friction at some point. You’re going to have pushback. You’re going to have conflict. My goal as a trainer is to minimize how much conflict we have with dogs during training. You can minimize a lot of conflict during training in a multitude of ways, but the #1 tip I have to give to you is to be more persistent than your dog and make the alternative worth their time. Your dog is continually looking for opportunities to better their situation. Opportunities to sniff during a walk. Opportunities to go and check something out instead of recalling back to you. Opportunities to pull ahead on a structured walk. Opportunities to barge out the door, jump on the counter, get on the couch, etc. These opportunities your dog finds success in gains them a step closer to their goals and further reinforces whatever they were trying to accomplish. It brings you one step backward in YOUR training goals. Often I’ll see owners trying to bring their dog back into heel position or stop sniffing during a walk, and after a while of the dog consistently pulling ahead or sniffing, the owner goes “whatever” and checks out. If you want to progress in your training, you NEED to be clear on what it is you want and then stick to it. Be committed. Make the alternative to whatever behavior your dog would rather do be worth their time. Do you want a heel position? Don’t let your dog ever find success in pulling ahead. Don’t want your dog to sniff all the time distractedly? Don’t let them sniff. Don’t want your dog to jump on guests? Barge out the door? Get on the couch? Just simply never let them find success in those behaviors. Be more committed than your dog is.

Om Podcasten

Welcome to the Hybrid Canine Podcast, where we discuss how to achieve success with your dog (and in life) through training and mindset. Our goal is to help you create a bond with your dog that is built on trust and mutual respect, so that you can enjoy a lifelong friendship. We'll be discussing everything from obedience training to behavioral issues, and we'll offer tips and advice on how to get the most out of your dog. Whether you're a first-time dog owner or a seasoned pro, we hope you'll find something helpful in our discussions. Thanks for tuning in!