Training a dog is something that many pet owners choose to do and there are many methods that can be used to do so. Some people may try clicker training, which is a form of positive reinforcement that uses a tiny noisemaking gadget. Other people may enjoy using treats or perhaps just praising the dog when they do something right. Through it all, however, and regardless of the type of training that you do, there is one vital key that makes it all come together.
I’m talking about persistence, and it is the one factor that should never be overlooked or underestimated when it comes to training a dog. When you first start training, you may find that they are picking up some of the basic commands quickly but it is important to continue to work with them and to be persistent in those efforts. Even after they understand the basic commands, continue to train them and you will find that it becomes second nature.
Another reason why you would want to be persistent in your efforts is because it could be very frustrating for the dog if you were inconsistent. Dogs love consistency and when you work with them the same way day after day, they train very quickly. If you are inconsistent, saying that something is bad one day and then allowing them to do it the next, it is confusing and often leads to behavioral problems. Being persistent with your efforts, on the other hand, helps to keep those problems to a minimum.
There may be times when you run into an obstacle during the time that you are training your dog. This could either be a small glitch or perhaps it could even be a major behavioral problem. When you have such a difficulty, it can sometimes be tempting to throw in the towel and just allow the dog to exhibit a particular behavior. This is actually when persistence is needed more than any other time, because it is only if you’re persistent in working to break a bad behavior that you will actually see any success in doing so.
Sometimes, problems can occur with the dog that would lead to issues that need to be handled with a velvet glove. For example, if your dog is hit by an automobile, they may have a very strong fear of automobiles and they don’t necessarily want to ride in the car with you again. Similar may also be true if they are attacked by another dog as they may now have a fear of other dogs. These things do require persistence, but in a different way than other types of training.
Regardless of whether you’re talking about training the dog or raising children, consistency is always going to be the key to success. It may require that you go outside of your comfort zone from time to time, but the rewards are going to be well worth the effort.
