04/12/2026
Whether our dogs are family companions, week-end sport players or competing at the highest national/international levels, the message is spot on and a great reminder as we head into a new season. 🐾
What does Oliver Twist have to do with dog training?
“Please sir… I want some more.” That famous line from Oliver Twist perfectly captures one of the biggest mistakes people make when they take their dog’s training into a new environment… they ask for more. More focus. More obedience. More performance. And they ask for it too soon.
The Fundamental Error
You’ve got a dog who works beautifully at home. Responsive. Engaged. Focused. So naturally, you take them somewhere new and expect the same thing. But instead? They disconnect. They ignore you. They won’t perform. And what do most people do? They ask for more. Push harder. Repeat cues. Add pressure. That “Oliver Twist” mindset — “more, please” — is exactly what causes dogs to lose confidence and disengage.
The Reality of New Environments
A new environment isn’t just a new place. It’s new smells you can’t even perceive, new sounds and movement, potential triggers like dogs, people, wildlife, and a completely different sensory load. To your dog, this is information overload. So before you ask for performance, you need to ask a far more important question: Can my dog even access reinforcement here?
Your First (and Most Important) Barometer
Forget obedience for a second. Instead, assess this: will your dog take food? Will they play with a toy? Not with distractions, not under pressure — just in the environment itself. Because if they can’t take reinforcement, they’re telling you one thing loud and clear: “I’m not comfortable enough yet.”
The Step Most People Skip
Before any training begins, let your dog acclimatise. Let them sniff, observe, and take in the environment. This is data collection for them. Depending on the dog, this might take a few minutes or longer. What you’re looking for is a shift — when the environment becomes less exciting, less overwhelming… almost a bit boring.
Then (and only then) Do You Engage
Once your dog has settled, present reinforcement with no behaviour required — will they take it? Then build engagement — can they play, can they take food from you? Then offer simple interaction — follow a lure, offer a behaviour, choose you. Only after this foundation is there do you begin to build anything resembling training.
Stop Testing. Start Building
The mistake isn’t that your dog won’t perform. The mistake is expecting performance before the dog is ready. When you test too early, you create a pattern: the dog struggles, confidence drops, engagement decreases. Over time, the dog learns that new environments equal pressure and failure. But when you flip the approach, the dog feels safe, chooses engagement, and builds confidence. That’s how you get a dog who can focus and perform anywhere.
Think Progression, Not Expectation
Training shouldn’t jump from living room to busy park. It should flow: living room → kitchen → bathroom → garden → front garden → quiet outdoor space → busier environments. Each step builds understanding and confidence. And at every stage, ask for less, not more.
Your dog isn’t disengaging because they’re stubborn. They’re disengaging because they’re overwhelmed, unclear, or not ready. So next time you go somewhere new, don’t be Oliver Twist. Don’t ask for more. Build first. Let the dog lead. Create success. And everything else will follow.—
