Do you remember going to school?
How long did you go to school for?
Did you just go for a few weeks and then you were set for life?
I DOUBT IT VERY MUCH
So, why do some dog owners assume that after one course they'll have a well trained dog ready to take on the world?
Owning a dog is a big responsibility and their training needs to be continued for as long as possible. Whether you do different class types, sports or fun activities it doesn't matter but you should take the time out each week to spend time with your dog to either refresh basic behaviours or work on more specific skills.
Training our dogs takes time and consistency and even if we have the most well trained dog you may not realise behaviours are slipping until they become a problem that you really notice.
The dogs that I see the biggest improvement from are the ones that come to classes week after week and work on making those small changes to build a bigger picture.
Training our dogs does take time and consistency...much like us attending school for many years before we're ready to take on the world.
Therefore, no matter what age your dog is you should be giving them some time each week to practise old things, learn new things or just work on building your bond and relationship together.
You cannot expect your dog to do everything perfectly after one course, you need to be in for the long haul when it comes to training your dog...are you with me?
"Aim for progress not perfection!