06/01/2026
Rest days are just as important as training days for your dog.
They may not need them all the time, but they absolutely need them sometimes.
We often give our dogs a day or two off after a trial, or when they’ve been working hard on difficult skills and concepts. That downtime gives their brains a chance to decompress and process everything they’ve been learning.
The amazing thing is that they always come back better. They come back fresher, thinking more clearly, and many times the very thing they’ve been struggling with suddenly clicks. It’s as if they’ve spent those rest days quietly working through it in their minds.
The key is knowing your dog. Every dog is different, and every dog needs something a little different. The important part is figuring out what works for each individual instead of trying to fit every dog into the same cookie-cutter program.
When you’re willing to be flexible and give each dog what they need, you’ll get much farther in the long run.