When s*** hits the fan!

Dogs make mistakes!

In training mistakes happen (a lot) and no dog will ever be 100% PERFECT - but we increase consistency on the dogs part through teaching and reinforcing and then later through drilling and punishing as necessary. The problem is so many handlers have no plan when training goes south. You should have a plan of attack when your dog fails. How do you handle failures? I always am very perplexed when working with handlers and watch their dog make a mistake to see them avoid doing anything and stand there looking at me. Failure is time for action. You must do something. My protocol for failure is the following:

Teach the Correction you plan to use!

Counter Condition what you may need so when "shit hits the fan" the correction is not emotional, overly hard, or shuts your dog down. My version of the ear pinch (if you can call it that) is an excellent example of how we teach the correction before we use/need it. Here is a video to help you understand how we do this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Yn8iCvhjU8

Mark it!

Negative markers give information and you NEED to give it immediately. I use the word "Wrong" it is way less emotional than "No" and doesn't sound horrible coming out even during frustrating sessions.

Act Immediately!

Making the mistake on the part of the dog is ok. Throwing of arms , head tilts, sighs etc. from handlers are not. You must act. I prefer to use energy in my corrections - so this is vital. For example: My dog looks away during static attention a push pop may happen. A push pop is where I use my left hand to push the dogs shoulder away from me as I pop the collar and move quickly away from the dog in a right hand circle. I have to act. Action is important.

Show them how to be right!

So they messed up - a five minute conversation with your dog full of additional conversation they don't understand, emotion, or defeat is not helping you at all. So once you have marked it and acted upon it - show them how to be right. For example: My dog and I are heeling along and something catches her eye, rather than pop and keep going, I follow the protocol I have established. I mark it - "Wrong"! I act - I stop and pop! I show - I remind them of where their focal point is and move forward with energy. If you don't show them what you want, moving forward is worthless as was your negative marker and your action. Follow it all through.

Ignore those around you!

Training is about you and your dog. Dogs are not here to impress your friends, trainers, haters, whoever. When you are working your dog, you must be just as engaged as you intend them to be. Failures will happen, no matter the audience, so stay connected with your dog and communicate for the relationship you want - if you change because of who is watching, you are not doing your job as part of the team.

Remember Failure is part of the learning process!

To be great, you must fail. You must be able to communicate with your dog about what is great, what is good, what is wrong and what is bad. We use Markers to bridge this gap. I love telling my dog when they are right, but I find it is way more important to tell them what isn't correct. To me, they learn the most from those situations as it supports how to be right and be reinforced.

Enjoy all the failures you and your dog will encounter. Embrace them as they are a big piece to this crazy puzzle of modifying a dogs behavior. Remember - Life is stressful, training your dog shouldn't be!