How to Make the Most of Your Pet Training Sessions
So you have decided to take a training class with your dog. Congratulations! You have chosen a trainer, and picked a program that will best benefit your dog and your family. By committing to training your dog you will be on your way to living a more fulfilled and less stressful relationship with your pet. Training our dogs is an extremely necessary and beneficial part of owning a dog. Without training, we aren’t able to communicate effectively, and this strains our relationship and diminishes everyone’s quality of life. This is a huge step, but now what? Once I became a professional dog trainer, I realized that what to do during and in between training sessions wasn’t always common sense, and that these small steps could make a huge difference in the overall success of the training program as well as customer satisfaction. Keep reading to see some ways that you can make the most of your dog training sessions!
Unplug. No. Literally.
This seems like a no brainer, but not always! Turn off your laptop. Put your cell phone on silent. Cut the tv off. Minimizing technical distractions are so important! Remember that when you are working with a qualified professional, a large amount of their time will be spent teaching you as well as the dog. If you are distracted by a big work project and keep peeping at your computer, or if your cell phone keeps going off, it is going to be much harder for you to pay attention and learn. I always recommend putting electronics on silent and putting them out of reach or in another room so that we won’t be tempted to interact with them.
Ask Questions.
Your understanding of the material is so important! If you don’t understand what to do, or why we are doing it, this leaves room for mistakes which can greatly effect the overall results. If I go over something, and you need some clarification, please ask! It is important to me that the humans understand the training so that they can do what is necessary in between sessions. If they don’t understand, they are being set up for failure! I know it can be embarrassing for some people to ask questions, but believe me. Most dog trainers love to talk about dogs and learning theory. We literally live for this stuff, so honestly, it can be the highlight of my day to get to explain negative reinforcers, counter conditioning, etc. And ask until you understand! Sometimes if a concept is not quite clicking with us, it is tempting to just pretend that we understand and move along. Please don’t do this! I don’t care how many times I have to go over something, it is important to me that we are on the same page so that we can see the best results.
Do Your Homework.
Again, this is literal. If you get homework as part of your dog training program, it is necessary and expected that it is going to be done. Learning requires repetition. After all, practice makes perfect! And be honest with your trainer about doing it! Trust me, we can tell if you haven’t been practicing, so it is best to own up to it. This saves time and energy for everyone involved. If something came up, don’t make excuses, just tell us and move on. Things happen and sometimes life gets in the way, so I think it is best to admit and commit to doing better in the future. If you are finding it hard to find time or energy to practice with your dog, trainers are happy to go over best developed practices and schedules to make putting in the work as painless as possible. If this is a recurring issue, definitely discuss with your trainer because a change in program may be the best fit for your situation. If it is difficult to practice at home, perhaps a more hands off approach like day training will be a better fit for your family.
Communicate with Your Trainer.
Talk to your trainer in between sessions! I include unlimited support with all my training programs, and this is an integral part of learning. If we are having a hard time at home with a certain cue or behavior, tell your trainer ASAP! Don’t struggle with it all week and then tell your trainer that what you’re doing isn’t working. This wastes valuable time. I LOVE to hear from clients in between sessions, because this allows me to help tweak exercises or change up routines so that they are more effective for your dog and family. Again. Learning requires time and repetition. There are no immediate or easy fixes. Plus, if I don’t know that there is an issue at home, I can’t fix it! I want to help you and your dog live the best and most satisfying relationship possible. If you feel awkward reaching out in between sessions, attach a cute pic or video of your dog to your question or concern. Believe me. We are ALL obsessed with dog pics!