Disclaimer: Unless specifically stated, any expert comments quoted in this news piece have been taken directly from the Instagram post cited below.
Are you feeling frustrated with your dog's training progress? Do you feel like things have stalled or are perhaps even moving backwards? If so, you're not alone.
Whether it's trying to avoid the most common loose leash walking mistakes or figuring out how to stop a dog from jumping up, training any new skill or behavior takes time, patience, and consistency.
As with anything, it's normal to have good and bad days when it comes to training. Some days your dog will knock it out of the park and other days you'll feel like you're back to square one.
Thankfully, Carolyn, an expert trainer and founder of Good Dog Training, has shared a post to Instagram in which she offers some reassuring words to pet parents struggling with training their canine companion.
Read on as we share them with you below...
1. Remember that training takes time: "Learning a new skill takes time, changing behavior takes time, building new habits takes time," explains Carolyn. "Don't be discouraged when you don't see results as quickly as you want. Progress takes time."
2. Look for progress, not perfection: "Is your dog better than they were a week ago? A month ago? Then you're doing great!," says Carolyn. "It's okay if you aren't 'done' yet.
"How long does it take YOU to learn something new really well? How long does it take YOU to break a bad habit? Give your dog time."
Carolyn says it's important to keep in mind that training results are not instant. Learning is an ongoing process and it's a marathon, not a sprint.
"It takes time. It doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. It doesn’t mean training isn’t working," Carolyn explains.
So next time you feel yourself becoming frustrated with your dog's training progress, be gentle with yourself and remember that it's normal to experience ups and downs.
And if you feel you'd like some additional advice and guidance when it comes to your fur friend's training, we recommend reaching out to a professional trainer for some 1:1 support.
