5 Dog Training Lessons I Learned the Hard Way
When it comes to dog training, there’s so much valuable advice out there in “do this to achieve this” articles. But sometimes, the real lessons come from our mistakes.
Anyone who has trained a dog knows it doesn’t always go smoothly, and the results aren’t always what you expect. I’ve had plenty of “that didn’t go as planned” and “why didn’t I think of this sooner?” moments. So, here’s a look at five dog training lessons I learned through trial and error.
1. Yelping Doesn’t Always Stop Puppy Biting
Training Laika, my puppy, to stop biting was a complete headache. I ended up with scratches all over, to the point where I was wearing long sleeves and pants during summer to avoid awkward questions. I read everything I could find on the topic, and one popular method was the “yelp method.” The idea is that when your puppy bites, you yelp to let them know it hurts, hoping they’ll stop.
But when I yelped, Laika bit harder. I thought I was doing it wrong, so I kept trying, but no matter how realistic my yelps became, she just got more excited and bit even more. Turns out, yelping doesn’t work for every dog. Some dogs, like Laika, get more amped up by the noise.
Eventually, I switched to the redirection method, where I’d get her attention onto a toy instead of my arm. This finally worked and made teaching her to “bite this, not that” much easier.
2. Training Is About More Than Just Tricks
I’ve always loved dogs and, growing up, read every dog-related book I could find. These books covered basics like potty training and simple commands such as “sit” and “stay.” However, they didn’t go beyond these fundamental tricks.
When the internet came around, I was blown away to discover training tips for impulse control, leash manners, and the importance of play. I had always thought a dog’s behavior was tied to their personality, not realizing how much training could influence it.
For instance, when my dog was pushy or impatient, I thought it was just their personality. But looking back, it’s clear he was that way because I hadn’t taught him impulse control. Similarly, when the neighbor’s dog constantly barked and growled, I assumed it was just a mean dog, not realizing these behaviors could be managed with proper training.
