The three most important facts about dog training
1. Training a dog is a lot like teaching a child a new language:
It takes a lot of Practice.
While you may be able to quickly teach simple stuff like sit at home listening reliably in a distracting environment will take a few weeks to a few months.
And either one is impressive since what comes naturally to people must seem so strange to dogs. I wouldn’t blame them if they assumed we are lazy for leaving squirrels alone and silly for staying away from moving cars since they never hurt any dogs ancestors.
“The ultimate trait we've selected for when creating dogs was their ability to take direction from people. This trumps all else. In other words, the good news is that dogs are primed to learn from humans, so with a little patience yours will eventually understand… [our] foreign concepts” - Zak George¹
This we share with other people although it also takes consistency, patience, and love to make the most of this incredible ability to learn.
2. A dog Getting Enough exercise is a lot like A child getting enough sleep:
Crucial for focus.
Dog’s energy levels vary much more wildly than a humans. While we all should sleep about 8 hours a night, some dogs were bred for active jobs like herding livestock while others happy to be companions to couch potatoes.
A dog’s energy levels can be anywhere in that wide range, even within the same breed, but what they have in common is that will have a hard time listening to you if their energy needs aren’t met.
“Structured exercise is, by far, the number one piece of advice I give as a dog trainer. In fact, 90 percent of unwanted behaviors are due to the fact that your dog is bored and not getting the physical and mental stimulation she needs” - Zak George²
If you want a well behaved and well adjusted dog, exercising them enough is about as non-negotiable as feeding them enough.
3. Dogs are a lot more open minded than people:
They can love learning at any Age.
I’m sure you’ve heard that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. The kernel of truth to this myth is its easier to teach young dogs since they are less set in their ways.
But a greater truth is that a dog can learn and change a lot as long as its still alive and well. And old dogs tend to be a lot less stubborn than elderly people. They even enjoy learning new things with the help of positive reinforcement training.
"Positive reinforcement is all about earning the good stuff. Without fear of doing the wrong thing, your dog can become an active participant in the training process. They’ll start trying new things, get plenty of mental exercise, and actively look for ways to earn rewards. Plus, instead of just learning what not to do, they learn what you expect in each situation."
- The American Kennel Club
For more info on positive training, and how it compares to less effective and empathetic training methods, I recommend reading this brief article: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/operant-conditioning-positive-reinforcement-dog-training/
pg. 147-148 of Zak George's Dog Training Revolution, published 2016
pg. 11-12 of Zak George's Guide to a Well-Behaved Dog, published 2019