04/06/2024
BARRIERS TO LEARNING – WHY SOME DOGS STRUGGLE TO LEARN
“My dog is stubborn, doesn’t listen to me, a slow learner, not the smartest, tries to be in control, will only do it at home, will only behave sometimes, is uncontrollable……” – these are comments that are often heard.
Just like us, dogs need the right kind of conditions to either be able to learn something new or to bring about a change in behaviour.
Dogs are not robots that can be programmed by a set of specific inputs that guarantee consistent results. They are individual, sentient beings that need to be understood.
If we’re feeling stressed, anxious, tired, over excited, too distracted, not feeling well, have no motivation etc. we will find it really difficult, if not impossible to learn something new, change our behaviour or change a habit. The same applies to dogs.
A dog’s emotional state, the surrounding environment, motivation, age (pups, adolescents, seniors) or any health issues all have a significant impact on their ability to learn.
If your dog is having a hard time learning something, look at these factors and see if there is a reason that may be preventing progress.
Maybe your dog is just having an “off” day, just like we do.
Try again tomorrow or next week and set your dog up for success by having realistic expectations.
Learning or changing behaviour takes time, patience, consistency, understanding and the right conditions.
