"My dog gets bored"

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"My dog gets bored"

"My dog gets bored in training.”  Have you ever heard someone say that? Have you ever said it yourself? It is an interesting statement that over 18 years of coaching and giving seminars and doing private lessons I have heard quite frequently. The problem is, dogs don't really get bored during training, trainers/handlers do. Think of it this way. There is one thing and one thing only that determines if a trained behavior will be performed. That one thing is motivation. When motivations runs out, the animal will start to quit. That is how it works. Now on the other hand many trainers/handlers are not disciplined enough to isolate one behavior to work on for prolonged periods without getting bored!! Back to the animal. Lets say you are using food to motivate or reward your dog. When the dog has had enough food they become saturated with food, they will not want to work for it. Simple as that. If your dog has toy drive they can tend to work more vigilant, but it is the trainers responsibility to end training on a high note and end when the dog wants more. That is how you manipulate excitement during training. I see many trainers spend 20-30-40 minutes while working a dog. That can be overkill. Keep sessions short. End on a high note. And remember. dogs don't get bored...YOU DO!

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