Consistency In Dog Training

I know that we always stress consistency in dog training, and we have even blogged about it several times before.  Bottom line – it is worth mentioning again!  The reason that I am writing about consistency right now is in thanks to a client who absolutely surprised me in class tonight.

This client has had only three lessons with us; two at their home, and one in a group setting.  8 weeks had gone by since the last time we worked with this particular client and his dog, and I expected the dog’s behavior to directly reflect that long gap in training.

As soon as we put the dog through her paces I was immediately surprised.  Things that had been introduced to the dog 8 weeks ago had improved dramatically; the dog was recalling off-leash in heavy distraction, she was staying on her placeboard, and she was walking nicely with her owner (off-leash) on a hike and bike trail.

As I was talking to the owner, he told me that family, friends, and work had been really busy and he had just not gotten the time to bring her out to training classes.  BUT, he walks or jogs with his dog everyday (heel) and he enforces basic manners in the house (come, sit, and place).  Not only did his dog not back slide during his break from training classes, but dramatically improved due to his consistency in his daily life.

Dog trainers can teach your dog how to behave and show you how to improve communication with your dog, but ultimately that will only take you and your dog so far.  On a good week for a group training program, a trainer will maybe see a dog for 2 hours of formal training; that leaves 166 additional hours in the week that you are interacting with your dogs.  This is where consistency is needed.

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