Dog Trainers Agree on This One Frustration

Dog trainers disagree with each other — a lot.

But there’s one topic that most of us can unite on instantly: the challenge of getting our human clients to consistently practice what they’ve been learning.

Because modern dog training isn’t just about “getting a dog to listen.” It’s a real skill. And like any skill, it requires repetition, observation, and a willingness to stay the course even when progress feels slow.

Reinforcement Training Only Works If It Feels Rewarding

In positive reinforcement training, we know something important: the student will repeat behaviours that are reinforced.

But here’s the catch — it’s the learner who decides what counts as reinforcing.

For some dogs, a single piece of kibble is enough to stay motivated. For others, praise and a belly rub might do the job. And for many dogs, motivation builds when they feel like they’re doing something meaningful — when they can experience the satisfaction of a job well done.

Humans aren’t so different.

Even when a dog is improving, the change may not feel significant enough for the person to stay motivated. If the improvement isn’t obvious or dramatic, people can start wondering:

Is this working?
Am I doing it right?
Why aren’t we further along by now?

And honestly? I get it.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve tried to build a new habit, learn a new skill, or start a hobby… only to drop it quickly because it wasn’t rewarding enough to keep going.

The Magic of Small Steps in Dog Training

Here’s the thing: I truly love watching dogs learn.

I get an absolute kick out of seeing a dog master something new — even when it looks like a tiny, insignificant step to someone who doesn’t understand what’s happening.

But those “tiny steps” are exactly how real behaviour change happens.

When we’re building complex skills, we break things down into achievable pieces. It’s a bit like the old “warmer/colder” game we played as kids — we reward the dog for getting incrementally closer to the end goal.

And when we do that well, the process becomes fun. Collaborative. A conversation.

That’s not “slow training.”

That’s good training.

This Week at Dog School: Targeting and Big Feelings

At Dog School this week, I dug out my target stick — I’d actually forgotten I had it until I came across it again recently.

A target stick is simple, but it opens up so much possibility. It’s especially useful for behaviours that require distance, movement, or precision without physically guiding the dog.

And once the dogs understand it?

They absolutely love it.

I got some wonderful footage of students happily following the target. One of my favourite moments was a Husky/Shepherd mix learning how to climb into a child’s bright red wagon.

He wasn’t worried. He wasn’t shut down. He wasn’t being “made” to do it.

He was engaged. Curious. Delighted.

And that whole behaviour — something that looks impressive and random and hilarious — started with something most people wouldn’t think twice about:

A simple hand touch.

That’s what I mean when I say training takes time. It’s not just teaching the final behaviour. It’s building the foundations that make the final behaviour possible.

And my hope is that more people can learn to enjoy that process, rather than only focusing on the destination.

When I Realized I Was Being… Exactly Like My Clients

As I was laughing along with the dogs and genuinely having a great time, I found myself thinking about something completely different — and unexpectedly personal.

A Reel I posted at Christmas.

I thought it was going to be a hit.

It wasn’t.

It bombed.

And I was so disappointed.

The Reel was of the Muttessori dogs “playing” We Wish You a Merry Christmas on communication buttons. Yes, I spent time doing it. Yes, they really did it.

And no — it wasn’t simple.

The dogs needed a solid targeting foundation first, and then I had to transfer that behaviour to a new object: the buttons.

I only have four buttons. The tune needed eight notes.

So I recorded each note, set everything up, and filmed the dogs touching the buttons one at a time. It was slow to do, and honestly a little slow to listen to in real time… but we had fun. I sped the video up, edited it, and I was proud of it.

It wasn’t perfect.

But it wasn’t “meh.” And it certainly wasn’t nothing.

And yet… it barely got any love.

Why Didn’t People Like It?

I kept thinking about it.

What didn’t work?
Why didn’t it land?
If thousands of people will watch a Dachshund eat a cucumber, why didn’t this get seen?

Eventually I realised the most likely answer:

They didn’t see it.

Not really.

They saw dogs touching buttons.
They didn’t see the learning history.
They didn’t see the confidence.
They didn’t see the shaping process.
They didn’t see the choice.

I don’t think the average person fully understands what it takes to get a different species to voluntarily offer a behaviour that is completely unnatural to them — happily, enthusiastically, without fear or intimidation.

So many people expect their dogs to perform like robots.

“How do I get my dog to do…?”
“What do I say to make him…?”
“What’s the command?”

But you’re not programming a machine.

You’re living with a sentient being. One with emotions, instincts, and preferences. A mind of their own.

The Real Lesson: Stay the Course Anyway

That Christmas Reel upset me because it felt like I put the work in… and didn’t get the reward.

And that’s the exact moment many dog training students quit.

They try the thing.
They don’t see immediate results.
They don’t feel reinforced by the outcome.
So they stop.

I could have done that too.

But I haven’t.

And I won’t.

Because I know better.

Real change takes time. Real learning takes repetition. Real progress often looks like “small steps” — until one day you realise you’re miles from where you started.

And for me, the truth is simple:

Having fun with dogs — watching them learn without fear, without intimidation, without aversive tools — is 100% more reinforcing than what social media thinks.

And when someone does see it… when someone recognises what’s going on beneath the surface…

That’s my jackpot reward.

And as all good trainers know: intermittent reinforcement is incredibly powerful.

A Reminder for Anyone Feeling Discouraged

I do what I do because I believe our dogs deserve better.

And if I can help even a few people develop more realistic expectations of their pet dog — and more compassion for the learning process — then I’ve been successful.

A dog isn’t a decorative accessory you add to your life when convenient.

When you bring a dog into your family, you’re making a commitment. They deserve kindness, patience, guidance, and support as they learn how to live in our human world.

When has a parent thrown up their hands and written off a toddler as “they just don’t get it” because they weren’t ready to tackle War and Peace after bath time?

And yet we so often expect our dogs to understand rules they were never taught — to stay calm in situations that overwhelm their nervous system — to cope with a lifestyle that doesn’t meet their needs.

If I had one wish, it would be this:

That more training students could learn to find genuine pleasure in the process.

Because you’re not just “working on behaviours.”

You’re spending quality time with your dog.

And when you learn to notice the magic of the small steps, the longer journey won’t feel so lengthy… or so lonely.