Pets and Their People Blog

My students often ask when they can stop training their dogs. That’s when I ask them, “When do you anticipate you will stop learning?” My point is that we are still learning as long as we are alive. The same is true of our dogs.

If dogs are awake, they are learning from both us and the environment in which they live. Since the environment is vast and almost always available to our dogs, it provides more learning opportunities than we do.

For example, a child in a high chair or an elderly parent at the dining room table can teach your dog by accidentally or intentionally dropping tidbits of food while eating. In this case, your dog may be learning something you would rather they didn’t learn; however, your dog is still learning.

Understand that dogs may also learn from dogs and people they interact with at the dog park or doggie daycare. Even the wind blowing through your apple tree at the end of summer, causing fruit to drop, could be teaching your dog. Considering your dog is always learning, I believe there are many wonderful reasons to continue training them.

Reasons to Continue Training Your Dog

We all need a refresher now and then if we expect to maintain our skills. While I had two years of German back in high school, I have not used that knowledge and skill for years, and as a result, ich kann kein Deutsch mehr (I can no longer speak German). If we stop asking our dogs to do what we have taught them, they may get rusty and not respond as well as we would like. Muppy and I practice behaviors like sit, leave it, and recall regularly. Having a reliable leave it and recall can save your dog’s life. However, I also practice training as it is a mechanical skill, and like all skills, it requires maintenance, just like a golf swing. The only difference between a clicker and treats and a golf club and ball is the furry friend I’m interacting with is sentient, whereas the golf ball is not.

However, a second and even more important reason to continue training your dog is that it is a great way to provide you both with mental stimulation. When done right, training will be fun and will make your bond even stronger. That doesn’t mean you must be enrolled in a dog training class. A well-designed class will leave you with the skills and knowledge you need to continue working with your dog long after completing the class; however, if you attend a class so that you can both learn something new, why not!?

Remember, training does not need to be limited to things like sit and recall. You can teach your dog silly tricks or teach them to use their nose while playing fun scent games like find it. You will soon forget you’re learning when you and your dog have fun together. The best teachers I have had in my life were able to do just that.

My point is that minimally, we at least need to acknowledge that our dogs will be learning their entire lives. So why not use that zest for knowledge by turning it into an opportunity to continue nourishing our bonds with our dogs while having fun?

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About the Author

Don Hanson lives in Bangor, Maine, where he is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop and the founder of ForceFreePets.com, an online educational resource for people with dogs and cats. He is a Professional Canine Behavior Consultant (PCBC-A) accredited by the Pet Professional Accreditation Board (PPAB) and a Bach Foundation Registered Animal Practitioner (BFRAP). Don is a member of the Pet Professional Guild (PPG), serving on the Board of Directors and Steering Committee and chairing the Advocacy Committee. He is also a founding director of Pet Industry Advocacy International (PIAI). In addition, Don produces and co-hosts The Woof Meow Show podcast, available at http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts/, the Apple Podcast app, and Don’s blog: www.words-woofs-meows.com. The opinions in this post are those of Don Hanson.