12/19/2023
Training at small (& empty) playgrounds is one of my favorite go-tos for a training outing.
When training a dog, I focus on success vs rapid progression.
While it is tempting to go straight into a busy, dog-friendly store, most dogs are not immediately ready for that environment. You must generalize your commands (aka practice in all sorts of places) to strengthen them.
First, I start inside. Does the dog understand the behavior, no matter what room we are in? Great! Now, can the dog do the same behavior in the backyard? What about the front yard? If the dog is consistently successful at this level, I will start going on training outings.
My training outings are short to keep them successful. I do my best to pick low traffic areas, before working the dog up to busier and busier places.
Setting your dog up for success will lead to rapid progression. Skipping several steps and hoping for the best will lead to stress and frustration, rather than rapid progression. Slow and steady wins the race!
