Be Fair to Your Dog

What can you really expect from your dog?

Knowing what you should and shouldn’t expect your dog to be able to do is vital for clear communication between the two of you. If you’ve just gotten a puppy, you won’t expect them to understand all the house rules, but if you’re dog has been living with you for four years, then you’ll expect more from them. So where’s the line? Should you be able to expect the same level of obedience outside as you do at home? How old do they need to be before you can expect a good recall in a dog park? Let’s run through some scenarios.

Basic Obedience

This is the foundation of everything. If your dog doesn’t understand the basics, then they’re never going to be able to soar higher. This is the level were rewards are key. If you need to use a treat to get them to sit everytime - go for it! Give your dog a reason to work. They’re just learning, so teaching them that obedience not only makes you happy but also comes with perks is a great lesson for them to learn.

At this level of obedience it is unreasonable to expect them to be able to perform around intense distractions or without adequate bribery. They’re just learning! And setting them up for success is vital. It’s not a horrible thing to make concessions to them, if they won’t sit on wet grass, don’t stress about forcing them, practice on something a little easier until you’re sure they grasp the command. Right now it’s about teaching the dog what the commands even are, we’ll get to the more difficult environments later.

Intermediate Obedience Level

One step higher and work gets harder. Intermediate level is where we teach them that rewards don’t always come at the end of every task. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give your dog something for doing a good job, but that incentive could be a thrown ball or even a pat on the head. Treats are still important for this stage, especially when teaching the dog new things, but this is where we start to phase them out. Your dog should learn to listen to you whether or not a tasty treat is on hand.

By this level, we expect them to work around increasing distractions. If they wouldn’t sit on wet grass before, it’s time for them to get more used to it. If they struggle to focus at the park, it’s time to take your practice sessions there. I wouldn’t expect them to be able to hold a down in the middle of a dog park, but being relatively obedient while out and about is a given. It’s time for them to learn to be adaptable in different situations.

Advanced Level Obedience

This is the stage that I will introduce an ecollar. Your dog should understand the more common commands, and be willing to perform them in any environment, at any time, and for any reason. Obedience has become their daily routine, and they know what you want from them. Please never try to use an ecollar on your own, as every dog reacts to ecollars differet and it is absolutel vital that you have someone there who can read their stress levels to make sure that you’re communicating clearly with them. If there is a breakdown in communication, then there is a breakdown in the training process, and heaven knows that your dog does not deserve to be corrected for that.

Just because your dog is now ready for ecollar work, doesn’t mean it’s something you have to do. Ecollar work is the only way to make sure your dogs recall and obedience is 100% reliable, but every person has different training goals. I will never force you to use a tool that makes you uncomfortable, but the tools we use will affect the way in which we proceed.

The biggest reward your dog receives from reaching this level of obedience is freedom. Your dog will be able to go out and do things and explore places that other dogs could never dream of solely because they are reliable. For me, that’s reason enough to get to this stage.

Ultimate Obedience

You can reach this level without ecollar work, but I won’t pretend it’s not harder. This is a level of obedience that few dogs ever master. This is the stage where we teach the dogs obedience from a distance. These are the dogs whose handlers are willing to work harder than everyone around them. We expect the dogs to listen 100% of the time, no matter the distraction, no matter the circumstances.

Of course, there’s no such thing as a perfect dog, but when you bring your ultimate obedience dog out and about, other people will probably think there is. Ultimate obedience is not something you master once and never have to work on again, getting to this point means that training has become such an integral part of your dog’s life that it has become second nature to both of you. These are the dogs that give everyone a reason to keep going when their dog is still in the puppy stage. 

What shouldn’t be pushed, no matter the obedience level?

I know I’ve said a lot about listening the first time the command is given, no matter the circumstance, but there are ethical lines that we as the human need to always be aware of. Sure, if your dog is well trained enough you probably could insist that they lie down on hot asphalt, but you shouldn’t. Demanding your dog perform tasks that are psychologically or physically distressing is unethical. Take a note of your surroundings and give your dog a break if things are a little out of the norm. Yes, we expect a lot from our dogs, but if it’s pouring rain, the path is too small for you both to fit, and you’re both slipping and sliding around, then demanding your dog hold a perfect heel isn’t fair. Be fair to your dog. It is not just a matter of ethicality but responsibility. You are the higher intelligence being. It is your job to protect and take care of your dog.

People often believe that dogs have a level of cognitive understanding that they just don’t. It is our responsibility to teach them every step of the way. Don’t assume that your dog should know better than to bite someone who scares them, or to not steal food off the table. Teach them. If you ever find yourself getting frustrated with where your dog is at, take a moment and make sure you’ve taught them the steps. When our dogs misbehave, the blame usually falls straight where we least want it to be: Ourselves.