Tuesday Training Byte: Having a bad day?

Unfortunately, dogs can be like people in that sometimes they are just having an off day. Because they cannot communicate in ways we can understand, we might continue to try to accomplish our training goals for the day, only to end up frustrated. When this happens, pause and take a deep breath. Then have the dog do something simple that it knows well. Like ask the dog to sit and then to shake or something fun. Praise the dog lavishly and end the session. Losing our patience can cause a further setback. So just recognize that today was an off day and end it early on a good note. Chances are, by the next day your dog will back on track for making forward progress. Training should be a fun time for both of you. If it is not, it may be time to talk with a trainer and evaluate why. Happy Heeling!