Is your dog actually obedient? As a youth, when we first started training my little blue heeler, it was clear that he was whip smart and could easily pick up the concepts. He learned to sit, lay down, and shake within a few hours.
But the instant he was presented with any distraction, he was no longer sitting, shaking, or laying down.
We know that this is a common problem that a lot of dog owners run into. They believe their dogs are trained because in a closed, quiet, calm environment, their dog is responsive to commands. But the second they are actually out in the world and need to use that command to prevent their dog from running into the street after a cat or to get away from a potentially dangerous dog or other animal, the dog training goes right out the window.
Why? Because while their dog knows the basic commands, the distractions are more important to him than your command.
It’s time to take your dog’s obedience training to the next level. Here’s how:
Start with baby steps
It is not going to work to just try and train your dog in the park or in a similar environment where there are plenty of distractions. The first thing you should do is introduce one distraction, whether this be a toy that he really likes to play with or even just another person, sitting somewhere near, but not talking to or engaging with your dog at all. Slowly introducing small distractions to your dog is one of the best way to ensure that he will listen to you, first and foremost, no matter what the distraction is.
Be consistent
It’s easy for your dog to get confused if you are not consistent with your commands or when you use them.
For example, if you let him pull on the leash sometimes, but other times are very strict with the leash, he’ll only become more confused and test you more often to see if he can figure out when he is supposed to heel and when he’s not. It is important to use a command and correct your dog when he does not heed it, even when you are just having fun at the park.
One of the reasons a dog succumbs to distractions is because the owner lets him get away with not listening to commands.
Change settings
If you did all of your dog training in your living room or backyard, it is time to take that training somewhere else.
The park might not be a great place to start, but try your front yard or a friend’s house. Putting your dog in a new situation, but continuing with training as normal will let him know that he is supposed to listen to you no matter where in the world you are. Keeping changing situations as he becomes accustomed to listening to you in each one.
Taking your dog’s obedience to the next level can ensure that your dog will listen to you, even in very tense or dangerous situations. Most dog owners view obedience training as the foundation for other training, but it’s also one of the most important pieces of training for protecting your dog’s life if they were ever in danger.
Take your training to the next level to make sure that your dog is obedient not just in the quiet and seclusion of your backyard, but in any situation, too.
