Canine Capers: When it isn’t Working

By Lesley Liddle

Lesley Liddle is a certified service and pet dog trainer. First Mate Lulu is a Corgi/Red Heeler with spots like a baby harbor seal; Crewman Leonard is a Chihuahua/Doxie with tall ears like a rabbit. Both dogs have very short legs and were originally found in California shelters.  Lesley has average legs and can be found on Orcas Island

There is a simple answer to the frustration that arises when your dog is just “not getting it.”  You must stop and reflect on what it is that you are actually and minutely doing – verbally or with your body language – that is confusing the dog. Yes,  it is not the dog that is the problem. As my teacher Bonnie Bergin said, “It is never the dog. It is always the trainer.”

Never punish a dog and get angry at a dog for being confused or shut down. It is you and the way you are presenting that is at fault. Back off for a moment and consider the steps leading to what you are asking your dog to do.

This fact was the first hard golden rule that I learned at the Assistance Dog Institute. Dr. Bergin was very clear about it, and with the experience I gained, I found it to be utterly true. If the dog I was training was failing to learn a  task correctly, I needed to go back to the beginning and find the step that was either missing or confusing the process.

Sometimes I needed to stop and try a completely different approach. Or sometimes I was just training for too long and needed to “reset” the dog by doing something else and later coming back to begin a fresh approach.

Just like a child, a dog cannot learn if the dog is upset, shut down or frustrated.

Learning has to be fun; if it is not fun the process needs to stop immediately and be changed into fun. It is critical to success that a dog looks forward to learning a new skill, to learning to think and problem solve.

There is great joy in watching a dog develop amazing skills bit by bit, while gaining ever more self confidence. What is most rewarding is watching a dogs’ eyes when suddenly the light comes on and she “gets it.”

Lulu has been my teacher as I learned the dance of good training technique. I have been shamed more than once when I pushed too hard and had her refuse to continue a training session.  I’ve learned to keep training sessions short, and quickly change course the moment she shows frustration. Then we play her favorite “find the treat game.”

Dogs are most forgiving souls. It is perhaps their dearest attribute.