Dog habits: how to develop them

By Rodrigo Trigosso
Besides the concepts you already know, there is a fundamental aspect that is usually overlooked in dog training guides: consistency and the development of dog habits.

Consistency leads to the development of strong behavior patterns: habits. Therefore, to own a well trained dog you must be consistent during his training and even when you are not training him.

Please read the following case scenarios to get a better understanding of the importance of consistency and the development of dog habits.

Case 1: Dog habits and the recall command

Your dog has learned to come to you when you call him in your house, but you never practiced this command at the park.

One day, you take your dog to the park and let him play off-leash with other dogs. When you want to return home, you call your dog and even show him a cookie (which you used to teach him the recall in your house).

However, playing with other dogs is a stronger motivation than a cookie at that time. So, your dog ignores your recall and keeps playing with his canine friends. Why would he come to you if he is having so much fun with his friends?

What happens in this hypothetical case is that you are not consistent with the recall, because you call your dog in a situation in which is very unlikely that he obeys the command. Thus, ignoring your command is reinforced since your dog gets a great benefit (play with other dogs) for doing that.

The most likely consequence is that your dog will respond well to your recall in your house, but not at the park or any other places where he find friends to play with.

Thus, the recall command is deteriorated.

A possible solution to this problem would be to retrain the recall using a different command and make it really strong (make it a habit) before you unleash your dog again at the park.

Case 2: Dog habits and toilet training

Your dog lives in the backyard and seldom goes to another place. Since the backyard floor is made of concrete, your dog pees and poops in such surface every time he needs a toilet. He gets used to use a concrete surface as a toilet.

One day you take your dog to the park, where the ground is covered with grass. Your dog enjoys the walk but you notice he doesn't release any "toxic residue."

What happens in this hypothetical case? Your dog is accustomed to do his "business" on a concrete floor and that behavior did become a habit.

Since your dog has never urinated or defecated on different surfaces (like grass) he can't recognize them as proper toilets. As a result, he waits until he is on a concrete surface to do his "business."

Although this example may look like extreme and crazy, it is a common issue for dog owners.

This is the same thing that happens to many city people when they encamp. Their intestines get "locked" for a couple of days, until they realize there is no other choice than going behind a bush.

Dog training mistakes

One common mistake is to think that when you teach something to your dog it is just a matter of time before that behavior gets perfect. Truth is that to get a reliable trained behavior you must be consistent and make that behavior becomes one of your dog's habits. When the behavior becomes a habit, it is very unlikely that your dog acts in a different way.

Some people think that consistency can't be accomplished with positive techniques, and particularly with clicker training, because these techniques avoid physical punishments (mistakenly called "corrections"). That is a big mistake and you shouldn't believe those claims. You don't need to use punishment or "corrections" to be consistent and develop new habits in your dog.

Having said that, you must be aware that it takes some time to develop good habits in your dog. That's why real dog training can't be achieved in a few days. Basic off-leash obedience training usually takes from three to six months if you want it to be reliable. On the other hand, training at a competitive level may take years.

About the author:
Article courtesy of Adiestramiento de perros, a section of Perros, a Spanish website about dogs managed by Rodrigo Trigosso.

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