Being disciplined is difficult these days. It’s work, and after working you sure don’t want to get home and do more work, right?
City buses are rarely on time anymore, & half the time the drivers could care less.
Every kid gets a participation trophy, you don’t have to be good.
Can’t pass the test, go on to the next grade anyway.
Across the board raises for workers with minimal difference related to merit of their work.
We sometimes give our dogs free reign, instead of letting them earn it, no rules or consequences…for some dogs that’s ok. More often that’s the source of misbehavior.
I currently have one client with a pup who does with positive reinforcement games/exercises still allows the oportunity for him to practice misbehaving because she wants him to be free. That “freedom” for this pup is actually stressful, and therefore not freedom but just a breakdown of discipline. He doesn’t yet know what to do, so he rehearses bad behaviors, so all the work is minimized.
This pup actually is two examples of a breakdown in discipline, although the above is the only directly training related.
His family came to me about a month ago because his “mom” actually read a few of my old posts. I haven’t written one in about 6mos – and obviously these can bring me business! I started strong with posting and when I got busier with “less time” to write I stopped. I’ve had plenty of ideas, and sat down to write quite a few times, but I opted for the 10min break first – that turned into the rest of the night off & an unwritten/unfinished post. Breakdowns of discipline, I’m not just preaching I’m part of the choir! I feel your pain.
Another pup I’ve been going to and basically been spinning my wheels. When I’m there, he’s mostly well-behaved. Raw meat on counters, barely gives a sniff; when I’m not there he has grabbed all kinds of goodies. Guests arrive for a party, doesn’t try to jump & greet anyone. Politely looks for a pet & walks away. Lack of discipline (by humans) in prevention & rewarding when he doesn’t “screw up” and simply yelling when he does. I even went to punishment w/prong collar*, but the method doesn’t matter if a dog can continue to rehearse bad behavior.
And my own dogs could be so much better at certain things, I fall in the trap too! Willie is wishy-washy in his recall, Raider could probably play a part in Cirque de Soliel! If my discipline was better. But after a few hours with other people’s dogs & commuting time, I feel like everyone else – I’ll work him in a minute/tomorrow, which sometimes doesn’t happen.
Lack of/slacking off in discipline is everywhere & happens to us all, don’t let it become a bad habit tho those results are harder to rectify than just a hiccup here and there.
For preventing misbehavior, the discipline you need to employ depends on your dog’s needs first, then what you want. Don’t think of discipline as a chore, or else your loving pup might become a more difficult chore than the fun buddy you wanted.
*if you start training, implementing rules and boundaries immediately, preventing rehearsal of “bad” behaviors you will find thru positive reinforcement of behaviors you do want you may very well never need to use punishment or negative reinforcement. I advocate for no aversives, but when needed and if used properly (for safety issues, & immediate stoppage of bad behaviors) they can keep good dogs out of shelters & prevent euthanization.
