Dutch Shepherd Forum

Shiny New Tricks: A simple life hack to build better dog training habits

Meagan Karnes - The Collared Scholar

Go to the link above to read Meagan's latest blog about creating a habit around dog training. The method works for other things too.

Meagan Karnes wrote:...if you get strategic about creating new habits around your training, you’ll see far more progress and you’ll become more effective. Not to mention, your training will become significantly more satisfying once you start seeking out the finish line, above the “shiny” and “new”.

Good article. I am surprised this isn't the typical method people used with their dogs though. I have had great success with high drive dogs this way. Your life together is a structured "training" session. It's so much easier to work these things into the normal life routine. A dog can still be a dog while constantly having to work through normal interactions and have daily scheduled training focus. I have always found it to be more enjoyable.

In our last session this is basically what our trainer stressed for us. He really stressed that we couldn't keep doing training as something we fit in around life (that we we'd had 2 ER visits and 2 squeeze in dr appointments, plus the time it takes being a caregiver.) Instead we have to make training part of life. Since that conversation, I have really tried using that advice and seen great results. This has greatly increased our repetitions.

Since I'm not really a dog trainer, I'm finding it helps train me too. Instead of training being a time out of life, and as a result her commands being separated from day to day life, I'm being trained at the same time how to fit what she knows into daily living. It has made the command more practical...which for a service dog is a big deal