15/06/2026
One of the biggest things that can slow down progress in dog training is not the dog, itās the lack of honesty about whatās happening at home.
Trust me, your dog trainer can often see whatās been going on before youāve even said a word. Your dogās behaviour tells a story. The jumping, pulling, barking, reactivity, lack of boundaries, inconsistent responses to cues etc it all leaves clues.
So when a trainer hears, āOh, they only do retrieving once a week,ā but the dogās behaviour clearly suggests itās happening every day, it doesnāt help anyone. Weāre not here to judge you. We donāt expect perfection. We know life gets busy, rules slip, and habits form.
What we do need is honesty.
If your dog sleeps on the sofa even though thatās not the plan, tell us. If family members arenāt following the training, tell us. If youāve been giving in to the barking, tell us. If youāve skipped training sessions all week, tell us.
The truth helps us help you.
Dog training isnāt about impressing your trainer or pretending everything is going perfectly. Itās about understanding whatās really happening so we can create a realistic plan that works for you and your dog.
There is no shame in saying, āWeāre struggling with this.ā In fact, thatās usually where the biggest breakthroughs begin.
Your trainer is on your team. But we can only work with the information weāre given. Be honest, be open and remember, your dogās behaviour is usually telling us the truth anyway.
