Consistency is Key In Dog Training
Today I want to chat with you about consistency in training. This has been at the forefront of my mind these past few weeks, not that it is not always present in my life, but sometimes we have situations that make things evidently clear to us at that moment in time.
I have had 2 dogs in for training that have been a bit more challenging than the norm. Nothing that I have not done before, but working with them and their behavioral issues, it brings to mind the huge importance of being consistent.
When our dogs know what to expect from our actions it is easier for them to make good choices. Dogs love a black and white world, when we make it grey, that is when we see a higher failure rate.
If our actions are not consistent, for example, my dog barks…sometimes I do nothing, other times I yell, yet other times I put my dog in the crate for a time out. In this scenario, my dog doesn’t know what to expect and therefore their behavior does not modify for the better. If anything, the behavior can actually get worse.
When dealing with training in general, and especially in behavior modification, it is imperative that we are consistent in our actions. Now that does not mean consistently yelling at the dog when he or she barks. Because we know that yelling is actually not going to change the behavior at hand…at best it only makes us feel better.
When we have a FAIR plan for training the problems at hand and stick to that plan, that is where we see change happening.
This can seem useless, and even a waste of time, but I am here to tell you consistency does pay off and when the light bulb does go on, all of a sudden, we have a dog that may just pause and think through a situation. Allowing us to reinforce the good that is happening.
Essential Oils for Dogs Tip A good oil to pair with this would be Steady, this is one of six of doTERRA’s Kids Oil Collection, and is for topical and aromatic use oil.
The proper use of Steady can help evoke a calm and balanced mood, promote feelings of relaxation and calm, and focus the mind on what is most important.
If you are not yet pairing your training time with oils, I encourage you to consider this a valuable tool. I see a huge difference in behavior and choices in dogs where consistent (there is that word again) use is done.
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