Avoid Common Mistakes During Dog Training In Camberley

Have you recently welcomed a furry friend to your family?

If you’ve never trained a dog before, you might be struggling with how to begin. However, even experienced dog owners often battle with this process, especially if they have a pet which has particular behavioural problems.

Our training classes in Camberley welcome both new and experienced dog owners from across the local area. We can help you avoid those mistakes that can lead to problems down the road.

What are the most common mistakes made during training?

Inconsistent training. Lack of consistency in commands or training schedules confuses dogs. Dogs need clear, repetitive instructions to understand expectations.
Using negative reinforcement. Yelling or using force can scare a dog rather than teach the right behaviour. Over time, this will lead to them struggling with anxiety and they’re even less likely to cooperate. Positive reinforcement works better for encouraging good behaviour. Sometimes, we inadvertently reinforce negative behaviours, like giving attention when a dog barks excessively. This can teach the dog that undesirable behaviour leads to rewards.
Skipping basic training. Some owners skip the basic obedience commands (like "sit," "stay," "come"), making it difficult to control more complex behaviours later on.
Training sessions are way too long. Long training sessions can cause dogs to lose focus or become bored. Short, frequent sessions (5-10 minutes) tend to be more effective. Timing is also crucial. If a reward is given too late, the dog may not associate it with the behaviour you desired, so they become confused.
Not accounting for breed differences. Different breeds have different temperaments and energy levels. Not adjusting training techniques based on a dog’s breed can make training more challenging.
Your dog doesn’t get enough exercise. This can lead to them becoming restless and finding it difficult to concentrate during training. Getting enough exercise will also help them stay focused.
Not socialising your dog. Failing to socialise a dog with other dogs, people, and different environments early on can lead to fear or aggression issues. Our puppy socialisation classes in Surrey can help to tackle this.

Find out more about our dog training in Camberley. Or drop us a line for more information.

Please click here to read our previous article.