Half Measures Don’t Work With Margot

A frequent problem I often come across when training dogs is a lack of consistency with the owners. Often there is one owner who follows my instructions to the letter. The other owner is more indulgent towards the dog and allows bad behaviour to creep in. That’s just what I am seeing with Margot, the six month old Labrador.

Margot has benefitted from a combination of virtual and practical lessons and should be well on the way with her training now. However, while the husband is strict and disciplined with Margot, the wife is not. She likes to stop and chat in the park, presenting the perfect opportunity for Margot to interact with other dogs and people. This leads to her pulling on the lead. She has also let her off the lead, something I advised them not to do. This has resulted in Margot knocking an older gentleman over.

Too much freedom too soon has seen the training going backwards and the lesson last weekend was the worst we’d had. I don’t ask for dictator-like control, just black and white instructions that all the family follow. Half measures don’t work with dog training – they will never lead to good results.

Posted: January 13, 2021