The Often Forgotten Essentials for Successful

Dog Training means different things to different people. Some people want the basics… pee and poop outside, don’t eat the furniture, and don’t eat the neighbors. While others want off-leash reliability, to compete in agility or obedience trails, or the ability to provide Paula Bergeron - Grafton, NH

emotional support or complete specific tasks for their person. Although the intensity, objective, and style of training vary, the foundations for training remain the same, but for many, the building blocks of good training are ignored or not understood. Below are the often misunderstood but essential ingredients for successful training.

When people begin training their dog the focus is on what their dog is to learn. People are quick to identify what motivates their dog and what doesn’t, and their dog’s level of intelligence or lack thereof. These are good things to know when training your dog but what is neglected is that training is not something done to your dog it is something we do WITH our dog. Training is an activity of communication. You provide consistent boundaries your dog can rely on building trust that you mean what you say with the expectation that your dog will respond. Training is not so much exercises in obedience as it is building your communication and understanding of your dog. YOU are more than half of the training equation because you must be relied upon to give direction, consistency, and feedback.

If we agree that the human is more than half of the training equation then it follows that you need to be more invested in the training than your dog. If I had a penny for the number of times I witness humans telling their dogs what to do in a monotone, half-hearted way, I would be the owner of the largest, most luxurious dog sanctuary in the U.S. Even when commands are given with half-hearted intent there is still the expectation our dogs will wholeheartedly comply.

This uneven energy interaction just doesn’t work. Often when a dog doesn’t respond it is because they are actually unaware they have been called upon to act. If you want your dog to pay attention to you then you need to begin by being present in that moment with your dog. This is harder than it sounds because it requires slowing down and making a connection with our dog first then saying a command and paying attention to how your dog responds. If you slow down and make this mental connection I guarantee you will marvel at the difference it will make in your training.

If you now agree that training is more about building a relationship with your dog than accomplishing behavioral tasks, then it follows that training begins when your relationship begins, and only ends when your relationship ends. When my students complete a training class or board and train program I end by saying that the training can now truly begin. When you learn how to train you gain the skills of communication and that is just the beginning. It is very common however that once a course is completed, or a skill has been learned the human retreats from being the leader. They fall away from the intimate connection, of request, reward, and follow through that is the heart of good training. I assure you that as the human retreats from the role of leadership, so too will the dog retreat from following the commands.

Training is the communication that happens throughout the life of your dog. Training can be wonderful fun, it can also be frustrating and tedious but you are never in it alone. Your canine companion is right alongside you doing their best.

Training is about the two of you so if it is not going well it might not just be your dog who needs to step up. Ask yourself, are you making a connection to your dog or are you phoning it in, do you put in the amount of energy and effort establishing and holding boundaries that you expect from your dog in following them, and are you willing to invest in this commitment for the life of your dog?

Understanding that training is not just about your dog but about your relationship with your dog will give you the basis for the best results in whatever training you take on. What is even more exciting is that it will set you up for a truly deep and fulfilling friendship between you and your dog.

Paula Bergeron and the gang at Good Dogma embrace a holistic approach to bringing balance to your dog’s behavioral issues. Exercise, training, relaxation, massage, grooming, play, socialization, and energy healing are incorporated into your dog’s routine. www.Goodogma.com Fall 2022