Whether its your first dog or you've had dogs before there are a number of common pitfalls that owner who train their own dogs tend to fall for. That's not to say that you shouldn't train your own dog. Not only will develop a better understanding of your dog and help you develop a strong bond with your dog, cementing your position as pack leader within the family 'pack'. It'll allow both you and your dog the opportunity to have a lot of fun!
Presented here are the 10 most common mistakes made by amateur dog trainers and owners, I hope by giving you some forewarning you'll be able to avoid most if not all of these. Remember there's no such thing as a bad dog, just a bad owner!
1. Expecting too much, too soon - this goes especially for those with new puppies or older rescue dogs. Remember that as soon as you loose that calm mental state and start becoming frustrated to stop the training and have some fun! I've seen too many people get a new puppy and expect it to understand all the basic obedience commands after a couple of hours! This will never happen. Remember to enjoy the training process, your dog will grow up all too quickly so enjoy these early days and remember that a little each day is all that's needed.
2. Giving up too easily - it takes 18 or so years to train a child! Many people don't understand that dogs especially puppies won't be trained overnight and tend to give up when the dog doesn't instantly get 'it'. Persevere, keep calm and happy and things will work out in the end. Some dogs just like children require more time to pick things up and some dogs are much better at some things than others. Above all be patient and don't give up when things don't seem to be going right. It has a tendency of just falling into place at some point.
3. Hitting or punishing your dog - this is a very difficult subject. Most trainers will say never hit your dog and I tend to agree. I take my cue from a dog's behavior in the wild. In a pack when a dog steps out of line it will be swiftly dealt with. These dressing downs are almost always about a show of force and don't involve any actual violence. Remember your dog is happiest when it knows it's place in the pack. Uncertainty leads to unhappiness. A firm grip, not a punch or a pinch, to a dogs shoulder or neck is more than enough to let them know who's boss. This emulates the grip that a mother uses to scold her pups. Never, never hit your dog, fear is not a training tool. Dominate by being a strong decisive leader not through the threat of violence.
4. Inconsistency - being a strong and decisive leader is key and that leads to mistake number 4. There is no point in being decisive if those decisions have no consistency. It is common for people to treat their dogs like humans and attribute human emotions and feelings to their beloved pet. Keep in mind that a dog won't be able to tell the difference between being able to jump on the bed on weekends and not on the sofa. A dog doesn't understand the arbitrary rules that we like to set. It's ok to jump up on me but not on strangers. It's ok not to always stop and sit before crossing a road. A dog needs consistency, they crave that certainty that makes them feel safe under your leadership.
5. Lack of research - training a dog is not something that comes naturally to most people. It's not something we just know how to do. If you intend on training your own dog you should undertake some research beforehand. Understand the various training methods out there. Understand the various breed characteristics. Make informed decisions about the rules you will set and make sure the whole 'pack' understand them and how to enforce them correctly. This can be a great family activity, learning about your new pet together and making decisions regarding the training can and should be fun!
6. Too much research - at the other end of the scale it's certainly possible to do too much research. Jumping from one training style to another too quickly without giving any of them a chance to work. Mixing training methods often leads to inconsistency. Remember that simpler is often better.
7. Lack of leadership - dogs are pack animals and naturally crave strong leadership. Most common issues stem from the lack of leadership in the family 'pack' and the dog trying to take the role of leader and becoming more dominant. As easy as it is to see your dog as human and treat them as an equal your dog will be happier when you act as a leader. They want and need to be led and are happiest when they don't have to worry about your competence as a leader!
8. Lack of understanding of your dog - by his I mean that dogs, like humans, are all very different but they do have some breed characteristics that if we ignore can cause many issues later on. Work with your breed. If it's a working dog such a border collie then make sure you provide enough mental stimulation to avoid boredom. Remember that some breeds are more difficult to train than others and this should figure in your research and decision when choosing your dog in the first place. Research potential breeds to suit your lifestyle and training ability. If you pick a dog breed that is going to be a challenge to train, be prepared for some hard work and maybe even professional training sessions if your efforts prove unsuccessful.
9. Being in the wrong frame of mind - remember that dogs are very perceptive to human moods and as such you should always start your training when you feel happy and calm and stop the training if you start feeling negative or frustrated. Never continue training when you are frustrated and start getting angry with your dog. You'll be doing more harm than good and you'll just need to work harder next time to undo the damage so do both of you a favor and call it a day, play a game or go for a walk!
10. Not having enough fun - this is the number one, most important mistake people make! Make sure your training sessions are fun for both you and your dog. Switch it up a bit and change the training location, alternate commands, use different objects such as balls, sticks and frisbees. Make sure you keep your dog entertained and you'll see a vast improvement in the speed that new commands are learned.
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