How long is it going to take

"How long is it going to take for my dog to be trained?" This is one of those frequently asked questions I get from many people. Unfortunately there is no standard answer, no for sure guaranteed answer, no crystal ball, and no magic wands. These are just a few questions you can ask yourself to help give you your own answer: 

1. How badly do YOU want your dog trained? Do you want it NOW??? 
2. What behaviors are we talking about? Are you trying to get your dog to walk nicely on leash, or dealing with biting a human or other dog?
3. How motivated is your dog to learn? Are you providing a happy learning environment that encourages your dog to want to learn with you? 
4. How motivated are YOU to want to teach your dog? 

I often compare dog training programs to weight-loss programs. In that, the more you put into it, the more consistent you are etc... the better the outcomes. For instance, if youre trying to lose weight and you start exercising, eating right, making better choices etc... the weight will come off. And, once you reach your short term goals, as long as you keep up some sort of maintenance regimen, you should have continued success. 

If on the other hand you join a gym or weight loss group, go to meetings, but then go out for pizza and ice-cream in between those meetings or workout sessions, then youre sort of sabotaging yourself. You never reach your goals, and if anything you just become more frustrated. 

So, I say this: if you want your dog to behave a certain way, not only do you have to teach them, but then you have to be consistent with the training program. Rewarding the behaviors you want, and doing all you can to prevent your dog from performing (and practicing) the behaviors you dont want! The more consistent you are, the better your dog will understand about making the "right choices". 

Ill address the questions Ive written above:

1. How badly do you want it? As I say in my classes: "Dont wait to need a behavior to train a behavior." I grew up in California. One of the "drills" we had in school were earthquake drills. Lots of "dress rehearsals" so to speak. Same thing with dog training. Dont wait to teach your dog to come on command when youve taken him to an off-leash park with hundreds of other dogs! Be prepared and plan ahead. 
2. Which path of learning? Emotional (learning by association) or Rational (learning by consequence). Good Manners behaviors are usually simpler to teach, than say, dealing with a dog that has dog-dog or dog-stranger aggression issues. Fear and aggression, or as I like to say, the "emotional path" is usually a longer road to head down. 
3. How motivated is your dog? Sorry, but how "smart" your dog is really isnt as important as how "motivated" your dog is to learn. Creating a fun learning environment for any animal leads them to want to participate with you. Encouragement, rewarding what we want with food, toys, petting, and praise enhance the relationship, while building their confidence. Threatening, yelling, or always pointing out when theyre wrong doesnt do much for training the behavior your want, nor does it do anything for their well-being. 
4. How motivated are YOU? Its best to go into your training program with a positive attitude. Make it something you enjoy doing, as opposed to a chore. Even little bits of training worked into your busy schedule can help you achieve your goals. When you see your dog performing the little bits of behaviors youve taught them, this gives you the positive reinforcement you need to keep moving forward. Just think "baby steps".

So, how long does it take? As little or as much time as youre willing to give. How long does it take us humans to learn certain skills? We dont learn math or english in one session. We dont learn to ski, ride a bike, dance, swim, play soccer, or skate in one session. Just remember to have a realistic perspective and realistic goals. 

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Top 15 Dog Training Tips For a Long Lasting Friendship

This is it! The top 15 dog training tips for the ever wanted long-lasting friendship with your dogs. Every relatives ought to have a dog, and each dog ought to have a relatives but, because the relationship between a dog and his master involves compromise, training becomes a priority - and the following 15 dog training tips ought to show very useful in this regard:


15 Dog Training Rules - The Grounds of a Long Lasting Friendship
A well-trained dog leads a happier and healthier life both for its owner and for itself. Dog Training can cover a range of things, from training of basic obedience, house and toilet training, and more advanced training techniques - these are all essential when raising a dog.

Organization
1. Canines only recognize master, so one time you assume such an important role, make positive you live up to your obligations regarding both your dogs needs and training. You ought to be the who gives him orders, feeds him and cleans after him.


2. like people, canines need stability, so one time you bring home, set up designated spaced for him where he can sleep, eat, play or toilet.


Actual Training
3. Make up a every day schedule (feeding, playing, training) and stick to it. System is a dog trainers best mate.


4. Teach your dog the meaning of "good" and "bad". It is probably the most important of these dog training rules, as it is going to affect the whole system. You can do it by associating the words together with his actions. Praise him every time he does something lovely and admonish him when he does not obey, using the same words every time. After some time, he will be able to make the difference.

5. Make positive training instruments are used for their original purpose only. In the event you use them for punishments, your dog will fear them, and in the event you play with them, he wont take training seriously.

6. Take your dog out to the park, to places where he can be surrounded by other canines and animals. It will help him socialize and you will avoid disagreeable surprises.



Dog Psychology
7. Try to keep away from strong emotions or conflicts. Canines are bad at controlling their reactions, so in the event that they are excited, they might toilet in the wrong places, while in the event that they are angry, they might bite the wrong hand.


8. Do not punish your dog with no reason, when you are angry or stressed. They might associate your state with pain and even try to defend himself.

9. Always keep in mind that training takes time and each dog is different. Whether you follow these 15 dog training tips or 50, patience ought to be a constant ingredient. Results dont come overnight.

10. Make your training simple and progressive. Start with toilet training and simple commands like "sit", and continue gradually until your dog reaches its maximum potential.

11. Plan your training according to your dogs capacity. Exercises involving strength and resistance ought to only start after the age of six months.


12. While training, take regular breaks for rest and playing. Keep in mind that, like kids in school, canines in training need breaks to concentrate better and learn faster.


13. If your dog refuses to obey your commands, do not insist. Keep in mind: sometimes, canines are like kids: you cannot get them to listen. It does not mean they are slow or deaf, that they dont feel like being told what to do.

14. Maintain equilibrium between what you ask your dog to do and what you give in return. Reward his successes and be kind to him, but do not spoil him.

15. Keep in mind that these 15 rules are guidelines you can use to generate your own. Canines and masters are never similar, so you need to discover what works for you and your dog and apply it.

It is excellent that you show interest in your dogs schooling, but keep in mind that no matter method of training you follow, results can only be obtained in the event you gain your dogs confidence and get to know him, keep doing it to achieve the top 15 dog training tips for a long-lasting friendship with your dogs ^_^

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How long does it take to train my dog

A FAQ I receive is: "How long will it take for my dog to be trained?" I hate to say it, but there is no simple answer...or magic wand. Every persons situation and dog is different. Whether it be a puppy that has been brought into a first time dog owners home, or a intra-familial dog-dog aggression case - all depend upon the humans that are taking care of the dog(s), and the dogs themselves. Some factors to consider are:

• Type of training - general manners, aggression/fear, guarding/predatory issues. 
• Human involvement - keeping up with the training plan, setting the dog up for success.

For "good manners" courses I currently offer 4-session "intensives" as opposed to the traditional 6 week+  classes. Why? I found that most people are more likely to commit to a shorter time frame if they are receiving the information they want. And that for those that are into keeping up with their dogs behavior modification, will return for additional class time (my ongoing classes provide this type of training plan). 

For the more difficult behaviorial issues, again it really depends upon the humans and dogs. But I would place more emphasis on the "humans" and their involvement. Think about how long it takes a human to change something about their own behavior? Something like smoking cessation takes quite some time to get over the "initial hump". Afterwards, the person will need to help maintain this behavior by setting themselves up for success - spend time around non-smokers, go to places that dont allow smoking etc... But its a lifelong process. With our dogs, there would be the "initial hump" - meaning more training. Once the dog is behaving in a way you want, you will still need to set the dog up for success, and help "maintain" the behavior by practicing elements of the initial training plan... Some of the dog-dog cases Ive worked took many many months - with multiple training sessions every day, for extended periods of time. 

So when I hear people asking me "how long will it take to train my dog?" I will ask "How much time, energy, and in some cases money, are you willing to put in?" and "How badly do you want it?" 

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