23/06/2025
7 great points!
COMMON TRAINING MISTAKES
1. Talking to much. Dogs, no doubt, can learn words, but their primary means of communication is not verbal language. The best way to teach a dog is not through verbal communication, but through reinforcement of behaviors you want to see repeated. Do you want to see more of a behavior, such as sitting to greet people? Reinforce that with attention and praise.
Do you want to see less of a behavior such as jumping? Don't reinforce the behavior of jumping. No words necessary. What is reinforced will be repeated, and what is not reinforced is unlikely to be repeated.
2. Moving too much. I think dog owners tend to move too much during training because they have a subconscious idea they need to help dogs understand what they want. To our dogs, this must look pretty confusing. It's amazing they can pick out the important details in what we are trying to teach.
The problem with movement during training, especially the early stages of training, is that dogs are likely to assign meaning to unintentional movements that we as trainers are not even aware we're making. These unintentional movements can become unintentional cues and result in unreliable responses and performance.
Dogs are great imitators. We call this social learning, but we need to be cognizant of what we are teaching them and what they are learning while watching us. It's best to limit movement in the early stages of training and to keep all movement purposeful.
3. Trying to teach the name of the behavior, for example, "sit" or "down" at the same time you are teaching the behavior itself. This only adds background noise to the learning environment and distraction which can interfere with learning.
Trying to teach the name of the behavior, or cue, at the same time you teach the behavior is also likely to confuse the dog and result in a less than perfect behavior. Wait until you see the behavior you like before teaching your dog what it's called.
4. Repeating cues. Notice I said, cues, not commands. Commands are for computers. Cues are for performers. Cues represent an opportunity for reinforcement, whereas commands are orders with an implied threat. If teach your dog a cue for a behavior when your dog is freely offering the behavior, and you use proper timing so that your dog associates the name of the behavior, or cue, with the behavior, your dog will know what is meant by a cue.
If you add try to teach your dog a cue while he is still learning the behavior and you keep repeating the cue, your dog won't be sure exactly what the cue means. Similarly, if you cue your dog to do something he knows how to do and you say the cue repeatedly, your dog will learn the cue is irrelevant.
If your dog knows a cue, and you give it properly after teaching it properly, your dog will respond. If he doesn't, he missed an opportunity for reinforcement and will likely listen better next time - unless you nag. If this happens more than occasionally, you have a training issue, not a dog issue.
5. Using any given cue for two or more different behaviors. For example, "down" cannot mean both 'lie down' and 'get off.' Usually the cue, "down" is reserved for lying down in a sphinx position with the front elbows touching the floor, the head erect, and the hindquarters all the way down on the floor or ground.
A cue can only mean one thing to a dog, however, a behavior can have more than one cue. For example, I taught my dog, Ginger to take a bow on a verbal or non-verbal cue.
6. Expecting too much too fast. Some people want to experience the view from the top without climbing the mountain. In dog training, as in any other skill, learning is required. Learning requires practice. It takes months to teach an off leash focused heel. It takes commitment and practice. The way to get there, if that's where you want to go, is by first teaching your dog how to walk on a loose leash and do a basic heel.
7. Focusing on correction rather than teaching. Most people, whether they realize it or not, tend to focus on what they're dog is doing wrong rather than what they are doing right. That's the way much of our society is built, unfortunately. That's the way most children are taught.
A better way to get the dog and the relationship with your dog you want is to focus on teaching your dog what you want him to do rather than correcting behaviors you don't want to see. Animals learn through success, not failure, so set your dog up for success by building his skill repertoire and teaching him what will work for both of you! Learn to say "Yes!" instead of "No!"
© 2025 Cindy Ludwig, Canine Connection LLC
Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA)
Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA-CTP)
Voted Best Springfield, Missouri Dog Trainer
