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The stubborn dog. Something as dog trainers we come across people saying about their companion, or a label which is placed upon certain breeds; English Bull Terriers, Bull dogs, Mastiffs for example. But what if I let you into a secret that enabled success and progress?
Here it is... they are not stubborn.
The Stubborn Dog Re-labelled
So we may label a dog as stubborn for these reasons:
If they don't respond fast enough to a cue
If they aren't completing the task fully
If they have reduced engagement overall
However here are some things they are really feeling:
Over-whelmed
Over-stimulated
Worried
Distracted
They are finding it hard
Struggling with the pressure
Tired
Unwell
In pain
Needing more time to process the information
Not understanding the information given to them
Breakdown in communication between guardian and dog
Breakdown in relationship between guardian and dog
Now I want you to think back to being at school or work, add in one or more from the list above and think about how that would impact your ability to take on information, complete a task, or learn something new...
Any of one of these things would make it harder to perform to the best of your ability and/or impact negatively on the perception of that performance. Guess what? It's the same for our furry companions. We need to ask why do they disengage? Why have they got distracted? It's most likely a coping mechanism.
Dog Training Hack: Stubborn No More
So now we have a deeper understanding of where they are coming from, setting ourselves up for greater success and a deeper connection. But how do we implement this to get the training success we desire?
Helpful Tips To Get Success With Your Dog
Be patient
Give them time
Relax our communication style
Be clear, calm, and kind in communication style
Check for pain
Look at gut health
Relay imformation again
Show them what we want the behaviour to be
Give them a rest
Give them some toy play
Work in shorter sessions
Make the success criteria easier
Increase/improve the reward
Change the way we deliver the information/figure out the way they need information realyed best
Reward for smaller successes to shape into final behaviour
Be more engaging
Reap The Rewards
By implementing these helpful tips you should see an increase in overall engagement and success with your dog. Go on give it a try!
Wanting some extra pointers on engagement boosting? Head to my other blogs to get some Dog Training Hacks!
Need more insentive? Go and check out the wonderful Pip, an adolescent English Bull terrier, smashing her loose-lead walking by us having a deeper understadning of how she processes the environment, using positive reinforcement techniques and fun engagement games! Her guardian and her are enjoying walking together again!
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