There is a phrase I often use; dog training is a journey and not a destination. The reason I tell clients that is that they often want instant gratification. I don’t blame them. Who doesn’t want a fully obedient dog after a couple lessons? Unfortunately, that is not how dog training works.
When I was around eleven or twelve years old, my parents finally relented to my childish demands and signed me up for drum lessons. The teacher, who was quite patient, gave me a pair of drumsticks and a pad to learn on. I didn’t want that. I wanted a huge set of drums that I could smash like a crazed Keith Moon (Google him, kids). I wasn’t willing to put in the time to go slowly and practice every day. For that reason, I never became any good at the drums. It could also have been somewhat due to my complete lack of musical talent, but I digress.
Training step by step
If you want your dog to learn something new, you must teach it to them slowly, step by step. Patience is the key to success. You should never be working against a deadline. If you find yourself getting frustrated at any time, stop and take a break. There are no short cuts to success. I occasionally get clients who want to use an e- collar to expedite training. That is not what e-collars are used for, and you will never see me do that. The key is establishing a strong relationship between you and your dog.
What is a good relationship with your dog?
That is one where your dog knows that you are in charge but also knows you have his or her best interests at heart. I never want a dog doing anything out of fear. I want them to respond out of respect. I also want the dog to know that going along with what I want them to do will pay off for them as well. The first thing I do is gain a dog’s trust as once I have accomplished that, the rest of the training starts to fall naturally into place. Don’t get me wrong, there may be the occasional hiccup at times, but nothing that can’t be straightened out. That’s why my primary goal with my training is to give you the same relationship with your dog that I have with my dogs.
If you have any further questions or would like to schedule a session, please Contact Kenny.