Aim for Progress not Perfection

Training a dog. It all seems so simple and straight forward doesn’t it? After all, how hard can it be for a smart, intelligent dog to learn Sit, Stay, Down, Heel and a myriad of other cues that you want them to perfect quickly.

Well, to be honest often training becomes frustrating for both the dog and the owner because our expectations are high ... and the dogs capability to learn and understand is low.   Instead of getting frustrated and giving up, change how you look at training - focus on progress not perfection.  

When it comes training, think of all those times when they gave you reason to smile because they showed glimpses of understanding what you wanted them to do. They might not have done it perfectly, but still, you wanted to punch the air and yell “YES, finally!”  That’s the thing about training, to get from “Here’s what I want them to do” to “YES, finally” is a journey.

First time dog owners and even those more experienced owners who adopt a fur kid into the whānau, aren’t immune to sometimes thinking “OMG, what have we gotten ourselves in for!”   Hey, guess what, it’s a dog!  When we teach toddlers our expectation isn't that we expect them to have perfected and know their times-table or even eat nicely with a fork and spoon at such as young age. We accept the fact that it is up to us to help them positively learn and progress.

Don't underestimate the importance of positively reinforcing not only for the big break through moments but also the small wins you will have with your dog. These small wins are progress and can be as simple as:

• Your dog is regularly making eye contact with you when out walking.

• Your dog places 2 paws on their mat when you cue Mat (2 paws still equals progress before getting all 4 paws!).

• You give your dog the Leave cue and even though it is intent on getting to whatever it is, for a split second or moment, they do leave it alone

So what are the ingredients to successful training? It’s all about the 3Ps:

• Patience (a ton of it as dog's in general have a short attention span. Puppy attention span is even shorter).

• Persistence (never give up on your dog).

• Practice (keep reinforcing and being consistent with the right training).

All 3Ps should be conducted as a positive interaction between you and your dog.

So next time you're training, lookout for those moments to celebrate success – no matter how big OR small.

Remember, focus on progress not perfection.

At K9 FUNdamentals we offer puppy training and socialising for all ages of pups via our Pup Programme, tailored to suit your training requirements and your puppy's age and experiences.  Check us out at www.k9fundamentals.co.nz and make contact if you need puppy training and socialising, we'd love to be part of your training journey with your puppy.