Blog The #1 Reason Dogs Fail Their Training

The #1 Reason Dogs Fail Their Training

2022/03/28


Saw a post on our local FB Group about a dog turning beds into a personal toilet. 🐶🛏️ Frustrating, right? But can a bed-wetting dog learn better? Well, it's a bit like detective work.

First, we need to find out why. Because if we get the 'why,' we can nail the 'how' to stop it.

Think of it from the dog's angle. They've got super-sensitive noses – 300 million scent receptors! Kids (and pups) can struggle with bladder control, and dogs pee where it smells like pee.

So if a bed's been a potty zone (even ages ago), it still smells like it to them! Dogs' noses are like detectives, but we can't switch off their amazing sniffer!

I chimed in on the FB post with some basic, but 101-level advice: "Beds smell like pee. Get a good deodorizer, washing isn't enough. Dogs sniff out the 'pee zone.' Also, consider closing bedroom doors."

But then, the lady said she didn't want to bother closing doors. She thought the dog should just 'know better.' I wished her luck because there's no magic trick here. I get it, that dog doesn't want to bed-wet, but there's a 'why' behind it.

Dog training (and life) is about making success easy and goofing up tough. That's dog training in a nutshell!

And here's the #1 reason dog training can feel impossible: we forget it's our job to help our dogs succeed.

Imagine learning something new at work. Took time, right? And you made blunders along the way. Your teacher probably wasn't the most patient either. You were trying, but it left you feeling like a mess. Not fun.

Now, back to our furry pals. They don't know what they don't know. They're not human; they don't speak our language. We can't debate with them.

We tend to overthink dog training. Ever wonder why? Maybe it's because we forget that if we, who speak English, struggle to learn new stuff, how much harder must it be for dogs who speak 'Dog'?

Here's the deal: If you want your dog to get better but won't change your routine to support them while they learn, maybe a dog isn't your best choice.

From working with tons of dogs and owners, here's what I've seen: dogs progress faster than their owners. Not 'cause owners are stubborn, but 'cause change can be tough.

Let's not label owners as 'stubborn.' That won't help. Change is tricky! And calling someone 'stubborn' doesn't fix the problem; it hinders it.

Here's the point: If you want your trainer to be patient with you, guide you through change and learning, but you won't be patient with your dog, make the changes they need, and you keep calling your dog 'stubborn'...

Well, change will be slower than a snail on a lazy day.

Or, it might not happen at all.

Ditch the idea of quick fixes. I'm not into rushing for tools like e-collars (seriously overused!). Over the years, I've found that the more I support my dog's learning, help them win, the less I need to use punishment, and the better they behave.

It's simple, really. Training isn't rocket science. We humans just tend to overcomplicate it.

Make doing right things easy, and wrong things tough. And remember, your dog's nose is a pee detective – they can smell it even when you can't.

Our dogs aren't stubborn, but sometimes, I think we are.

Wanna connect better with your dog? 🐾🐕

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