May 11th, 2011
Dog training doesn’t occur in a vacuum, but within a context. The environment within which you help your canine companion learn to respond appropriately to your cues can have a big impact not only how quickly he learns them, but also how well.
Suppose, for example, you decide to teach your dog to sit while you’re both in the kitchen. At the same time, though, your kids are buzzing around nearby, and you’ve got something going on the stove. Think Fido’s going to be able to concentrate on what you’re trying to teach him? Think again. Between the proximity of the kids and the proximity of a delicious-smelling meal-in-progress, Fido’s probably going to have a little trouble focusing on where you want him to put his tush. There are just too many distractions going on around him.
And sometimes those distractions are internal, not external. For example, if you try to teach your dog that new cue when you’ve just gotten home from work and Fido’s been alone all day — well, good luck with that. Fido is probably way too glad to see you to focus on learning something new. He’s also probably in dire need of a bathroom break, and he undoubtedly could use at least a little exercise. In short, he’s got way too many distractions going on within him.
That’s why, when you’re teaching your dog something new, you need to create an environment that’s as free of distractions as possible. Pick a place and time where no one else is around, when there’s little noise or other occurrences to overload his senses, and when you really have the time to focus on your four-legged friend. And make sure that he can focus on you, too.
That said, it’s important to realize that while distractions aren’t good to have when you’re initially teaching a new behavior, they’re very good to use to perfect that behavior later on. For example, once your dog consistently sits on cue in a distraction-free environment, start adding distractions to build that consistency. For example, bring him outdoors (in a safely enclosed area, please!), or ask him to perform the behavior when the kids are around.
If he has trouble concentrating on what you’re asking him to do, dial back the distractions a bit. Go back to the low- or no-distraction environment, work there a few times, and then try adding distractions again.
And of course, no matter what stage you are in teaching a new behavior, make sure you provide an incentive that your dog will want to work for. In most cases, that incentive will be a fabulous tasting, wonderful smelling treat.
Once you figure out when to bypass distractions–and when to utilize them–your training sessions are likely to go a lot more smoothly.
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Susan McCullough has been a professional writer for 30-plus years, but didn't start focusing on dogs until 1996, when an overzealous Sheltie attacked and shredded a message that had been faxed to Susan's office. Instead of merely telling the sender "My dog ate your fax," Susan decided to see seek expert advice about how to share an office with one's animal companion. She turned that advice into an article for a national pet magazine, and she's been writing about dog behavior and care ever since.
