Friend.Vivian Bregman IACP-CDT & the Border Collies in Wayne, NJ
AKC/UKC/ASCA OTCH Goniff UDX 7, RA, retired
And AKC/UKC/ASCA OTCH MsSugah UDX 4, OM3, RN, VER
FIRST IN BOTH OPEN AND UTILITY AT THE UKC PREMIER
INVITATIONAL 2009
Tips On Successful Training
People often ask, “How long will it take me to train my dog?” My answer is usually, “For the rest of your dog’s life”. The actual training process takes as long as it takes for your dog to learn. With good habits in place, all you need to do over the course of your dog’s life is reinforce what has been trained, and use all of the skills your dog has learned.
Whatever behavior your dog has or lacks that you are trying to change will only come about if the people who interact with your dog are consistent and practice on a daily basis.
Dog trainers, while very knowledgeable, cannot “train” your dog in an hour. That commitment is up to you. Dogs learn in pictures and through repetition. They do not generalize information easily. “Sit” in the kitchen, does not transfer easily to “sit” on the front lawn. So that means you need to practice in every conceivable place you can think of.
Hiring a dog trainer is a lot like joining a gym. Just because you paid the money, doesn’t mean you’ll get in shape unless you work at it. Training your dog takes practice. Also like a personal trainer who can make sit ups look effortless, your dog trainer has mastered skills over time. A good instructor will teach you how to emulate those skills, but it’s up to you to practice. My best students are those who ask “why”. Certainly, if you don’t understand the “Why” you won’t know the “when” either!
I’ve never had a client fail to train their dog who:
1. Made a commitment to train their dog every day; whether for a few minutes or an hour.
2. Ask questions when they are not clear about something, or want a more complete understanding.
3. Everyone in the household is doing the same things with the dog. Consistency is the key. Just imagine learning something new from 5 different teachers, 5 different ways. It would take way too long to sort through all the confusion to master the skill.
4. Enjoy the time they spend with their dog.
5. Set clear, attainable goals for each training session.
6. Know their dog and have learned how to read their dog’s body language.
