Whether they bark every time the doorbell goes or try to jump up and say hi to everyone they meet on their daily walk, it's likely that training your canine companion is at the top of your priority list if they're engaging in behaviors that you'd rather they didn't.
Being a dog owner can be wonderfully rewarding, but it's also hard work and requires a great deal of patience, consistency and a very large stash of the longest lasting dog chews to reward your pup when they give you the behavior you've been asking for.
If you're anything like most dog owners, you probably have moments of feeling disheartened when training isn't progressing as quickly or as smoothly as you'd like. But according to Julianna DeWillems, owner and head trainer at JW Dog Training & Behavior there's one simple way to take the pressure off - focus on progress not perfection.
In a video shared to Instagram, which you can view above, DeWillems says that one of the most important parts of your training journey is to put more focus on what's going well instead of what's not working.
"Focus on progress over perfection," she advises. "It seems cliche, but when working with your dog who is a living being with their own feelings, personality, temperament, behavior, it's never going to be perfect and that's ok because what is perfection anyway?"
DeWillems says that you and your dog will always be learning and your relationship together is a lifelong journey.
"Celebrate the small wins, look at how far you've come, know that progress is not linear, and perfection is not the goal."
While raising your fur friend will always come with plenty of challenges, there will be a ton of successes too, so don't forget to pat yourself and your canine companion on the back
And if you feel you and your dog would benefit from a little extra support when it comes to reaching your training goals, we recommend speaking to a professional dog trainer who will be able to offer plenty of advice and guidance that's been tailored to your pup.
It's day two of the Crufts Dog Show and we're bringing you all of the action in our live blog! Be sure to check it out for all of the latest action from the world's biggest and best canine competition.
