My dog doesn’t listen outside
One of the most common issues that dog owners bring up is that their dog doesn’t listen outside. Inside they are good but once they get outside everything goes out the window. This can happen for a number of reasons but most of the time the solution is rather simple and generally the same. Does the dog really understand what you are asking for?
The break down
When you ask the question “does the dog understand what is being asked?” You can begin to analyze what is going on. Was the skill taught well? Is it clear? Is the expectation too high? Is the environment too much? Answering these questions can help solve the issue.
Simplify
When you see the breakdown in training it is time to make a change. You can’t keep doing the same thing and expect different results. So if your dog is having a hard time, it is time to think about what can you do differently. This is the moment to scale back the expectation or lower the criteria that leads to success. When you make winning easy, you can build back up to where you are at in a different environment.
How many steps back
Depending on what you are doing, level of training, and how well things have been taught and are understood by your dog, and how the dog feels will determine how much you scale back.
Examples:
if your dog is unsure of being outside you may start just hanging outside in the same area multiple times or start with engagement exercises using food or trying to get the dog to play with you.
Perhaps you are working on obedience, you may need to change how much you expect from them, once they give the behavior you are asking for, mark it with a terminal marker and reward immediately and look to build up more duration, distance, distraction as you progress.
Maybe you are working on over excitement, and perhaps the dog listens to an extent but never looks at you. Go back to trying to build attention through engagement and play.
Mistakes to Avoid
As you reexamine what you are doing and how you can scale back there are some things that you want to avoid doing.
Moving to quickly. As you do need to progress, a one time win isn’t enough reason to move on to more challenging things.
Focusing on what you want. What you want could be something completely different that what the dog needs.
Scaling back to little. If you make winning easier and it still isn’t working, you need to scale things back even more. The goal is for the dog to find success which can be built off of.
Worth the Challenge
Training can be difficult but the pay off is well worth it. Life with a dog that is trained is easier. Things with your dog are predictable, more manageable, and you are able to include your dog in more areas of your life. Training is a lifestyle that works best when you live it and it is the best gift you can give to your dog to help give them the best life. Through training you can relieve anxiety, build confidence, learn more about your dog and how to best provide for them.
Guide the Input
Your dog is always learning. It observes and figures out the world by the information it receives. Being aware and a part of that information can assist in how you dog learns about the world. Your guidence can change perceptions for better if you are aware and willing to put in the time and effort.