The 3 D’s of Dog Training

Do you ever wonder how dog trainers post ‘before and afters’ of dogs  in what seems like such a short amount of time? Is it REALLY as easy as 1, 2, 3? Honestly? The answer is no. If there is one thing I would want owners to know is this. I would like to remind owners that this is our profession! This is what we do, day in and day out. We don’t expect you to yield the same results especially as quick as we do, so remember to be patient with yourself in the process. Distance, duration, and distraction are all things I keep in mind when shaping behaviors I want to see more of. It is what makes the process go seamless. When creating distance you are essentially starting slow and working your way back so your dog succeeds first and fails less. My dog would get an F on the first day if I asked him to stay in a down position as I walk across the street, turn the corner, and come back a minute later. Let’s get real! Same goes for duration! Work your way up. Lastly, distraction is basically life as we know it. Distractions in a dog’s world are dogs, people, bikes, airplanes, cars, etc.! In all 3 of these things, start slow and trust the process. It is so worth it!