Training a dog seems easy when you see a skilled and experienced trainer. However, not all trainers have the same skills or experience, and dog training mistakes are more common than you might think.
If you are thinking of becoming a trainer or starting to train your dog on your own, it may help to know the mistakes that most often occur during dog training.
In this article on our site we will explain what are the 15 most common mistakes when training a dog, keep reading:
1. Using traditional dog training
This mistake is very common among people who follow the traditional training style strictly. This is an education criterion in which predominates negative reinforcement and punishment, with the intention of making unwanted behavior disappear.
However, this method can lead to unpredictable responses from the dog, especially those with severe behavioral problems. Also, it doesn't necessarily eliminate the behavior we were trying to change.
Traditional dog training is present in most pages dedicated to dog education and training. That's why on our site we strive to change this perspective by using positive reinforcement in all our articles.
two. Boost too low
Positive reinforcement consists of rewarding the dog when it performs an order or has an attitude that we like. Reinforcing a behavior can be done through food, caresses or kind words and that helps the animal to remember more easily and improve the relationship it has with us.
The rate of reinforcement should be high when learning This ensures that they stay motivated and allows you to do several repetitions in a short time. Many trainers give too little food "rewards" or play with their dogs, so dogs lose interest in training and focus on food or toys. In some cases, these dogs become frustrated and develop obsessive behaviors towards food or toys. Make delicious dog biscuits yourself by following the advice on our site.
3. Bad timing
Timing is the synchrony between the behavior and the reinforcement (food, toy, etc.). Poor timing means you present the treat before or long after the desired behavior, so the dog doesn't associate the behavior with the "reward."
Most coaches have bad timing at first, but get better with experience. If your dog's training is not progressing, assess whether your timing is adequate. You can ask a friend to watch you train and assess your timing.
4. The punishments
Although there are methods based on negative reinforcement and punishment, generally the only thing achieved with these is to inhibit the dog's behavior and make respond only out of fearThis type of training can lead to aggression problems in some cases or completely inhibit the animal's responses. That is why it is better to reduce the use of punishments to a minimum.
5. Unnatural behavior
When training a dog you have to consider its natural behavior. Not all dogs have the same instinctive behaviors and not all have the same ability for different functions (although all can be trained to behave well and be good companions).
For example, it is practically impossible to teach a beagle not to follow tracks. For a dog that is not motivated by food, games or other reinforcers will have to be used, while a shy dog will need more patience than an extroverted one. This behavior is not always linked to the breed, it is also influenced by the same personality or mental intelligence of the animal.
6. Coherence
To train a dog you must be consistent. If you forbid him to sleep in the bed one day and the next day you allow him to stop whining, you will only be confusing the dog.
Being inconsistent in his education or in his day-to-day life leads the dog to develop inappropriate behaviors or to achieve a role in the home that does not belong to him. We must set the same rules among all the members of the family that we must all comply with and respect.
7. Training sessions too long or too short
It is easy to get excited about learning your dog and make training sessions very long, 10 minutes or more. These sessions bore and tire the dog, demotivating him and making it difficult for him to learn. It's also easy to fall to the other extreme and think that a couple of repetitions is enough. Both extremes are bad and hurt training.
Remember that dog training sessions should be short but allow several repetitions. It's better to spread out three 5-minute sessions throughout the day than to do a single 15-minute session, for example. Find out what a dog training session should be like and some extra tips for you to develop it properly.
8. Wrong choice of conditions for each session
Novice trainers often don't see the distractions that exist during training and don't understand why their dogs take so long to learn. You have to choose the place of training in such a way that it does not present excessive distractions for the level of your dog.
This means that at first there should be nothing competing with you for your dog's attention. Even other people talking to you can be a distraction. As you progress in training, you will include distractions, but always choosing the conditions in which you are going to carry out each session.
9. Do not generalize the behavior
In order for your dog to respond in different circumstances, you have to generalize his behavior to different places and situationsYou should do this gradually but it is very necessary. If you don't, your dog will respond to you only in certain circumstances and places. The repetition of a behavior or command in different environments and times is the key for our dog to understand it and carry it out properly.
10. Do not remove physical rewards
As your dog learns and perfects her training, you have to eliminate the use of foodwith which you reinforce each behavior. Gradually you have to use other reinforcers in everyday situations. Otherwise, your dog will wait as long as you have food in your hand to respond to your commands. The same goes for toys.
Of course, during maintenance sessions you can use food again to improve some behavior, but food should not be a condition for your dog to respond in everyday situations. He also uses congratulations "Very good!", caresses and sometimes no reinforcement. Of course, when you have it well acquired
eleven. Repeat commands
All inexperienced trainers initially repeat commands excessively. Thus, if the dog does not lie down, they repeat "platz, platz, platz…" as if that would get him to pay attention to them. It is something normal, but it should not become a habit, since then the order loses meaning for the dog.
12. Not training enough
This is very common for those who want to train their dogs on their own. They start well but little by little they put training aside until they only train their dogs occasionally. In the same way that you cannot learn to play the piano by practicing only once a month, your dog will never be well trained if you do not train it frequently.
13. Use mixed styles
It is also very common to borrow training techniques from all over the place. Instead of helping, this ends up backfiring as it confuses you and your dog too. Take a single reliable reference and follow it If you use a dog training manual, continue with its techniques. If you take classes with a professional trainer, don't switch to techniques you saw on TV.
14. Don't keep training
Once you have completed a training course, your dog will behave well in certain situations. However, if you don't keep practicing with it, it will gradually forget the good habits and replace them with new (or old) bad habits.
Training is not something that ends in a couple of months. It is something that must be continued throughout the dog's life, although it is getting easier because good habits become stronger in the dog.
fifteen. Anticipate your dog's intentions
Do not start a training session without having planned it. Don't wait for your dog to get used to pulling on the leash to stop this bad habit.
In general, anticipate what you think might happen and plan your dog's training If you wait for things to happen you won't have ability to respond appropriately. You must adequately inform yourself of all the stages of your dog's life to achieve a correct education.
