Common Mistakes Dog Parents Make
Dog training is hard. Even dog ownership itself can be trying. You are essentially trying to communicate to a different species that speaks an entirely different language. There will be incredibly rewarding moments, as well as some frustrating moments. Sometimes it can feel like you’re doing the best that you can, and still not seeing the results that you’ve been hoping for. Being able to recognize that is a good thing, and can lead you to realize where you might be going wrong. There’s a plethora of easy mistakes to make when it comes to dog ownership, and listed are some of the most common.
Not training regularly
Regular training is a key part of dog ownership. Even practicing all of the basic commands daily can make a huge difference in your dog’s behavior. Not only that, but skills can become rusty if not practiced for long enough. Recognizing and following through on commands give your dog an opportunity to think, which is great for their long-term mental health.
Timing of Treats
When training your dog, it’s important to reward positive behaviors. How quickly you deliver treats or praise impacts the results. If you take too long to reward a behavior, they could become distracted and think that they’re being rewarded for something entirely different. It’s also important not to “bribe” your dog with treats, or show them the treats too early. This could lead to an unwanted pattern of your dog only listening when they know they’ll get food after.
Reinforcing the Wrong Behavior
This mistake is likely the easiest to make. When a dog does an unwanted action, it’s our instinct to get them to stop what they’re doing at all costs. However, this becomes a very slippery slope. If your dog repeatedly does something that elicits a specific, wanted response from you, they’ll continue to do that thing. If your dog barks while outside and you immediately bring them in for fear of upsetting the neighbors, your dog will continue to bark to let you know they are done being outside. If your dog pulls on their leash and you let them drag you to whatever they’re going for, they’ll quickly realize that pulling gets them what they want. This mistake can be harder to catch if you don’t realize you’re doing it, but it can be quickly reversed by choosing not to give in to the behaviors.
“Poisoning” cues
It’s important to not call your dog for something negative. If you call them to your side repeatedly for unpleasant things, like nail clipping, taking toys away, or scolding, you’re teaching them that coming when called just gets them punished. Instead, use recall commands for positive things, like treats and praise.
Not proofing behaviors
This one takes a bit more preparation, but it’s an important skill for your dog to have. “Proofing” skills basically means practicing their commands in various environments. Just because your dog will sit on command inside the house, doesn’t automatically mean they’ll do the same outside. Then, when external distractions come into play, it becomes even more of a challenge to get your dog to effectively listen. The proofing process can start in your own backyard, or at a park during a less busy hour. From there, you’ll slowly be able to work your dog’s skills up to the point that they’ll perform them in any situation.
Letting training sessions go on for too long
Most trainers agree that five minutes or less is the ideal time to teach or practice commands. Any longer and you risk your dog becoming bored or distracted. Ideally, your training sessions will be a few minutes long several times throughout the day. This helps to keep your dog engaged and focused on what you’re doing.
Impatience
We live in a fast-paced world where most things are given to us instantaneously. It’s important for us to remember that dogs are learning, just like we all are. Some tricks could take two minutes to teach, while some could take two weeks before it even starts to sink in. Respecting your dog and staying calm helps to strengthen your bond, which is also great for training. Practicing patience could look like switching to an easier command if your dog is struggling, or it could look like giving a command once instead of repeating it too frequently in a short period of time. They will learn in their own time, and we have to give them the space to learn and try things out.
Training a dog is a lot of work. It takes time, patience, and resilience, but it’s incredibly rewarding when you see something finally click for them. Mistakes happen, and you can’t let them dictate your relationship with your pet. Recognizing and correcting your own behavior first is a crucial step in correcting your dog’s behavior. If you are looking for help with training you dog, check out our list of trainers in Springfield and Sedalia.
