"Slow is smooth, smooth is fast." It is easy to get carried away while training and rush through the little things. I have found this stems from our belief as humans that more is better. No matter the cause, speeding through a session can set your dog up for failure. It is imperative that you are able to read your dog and give them exactly what they need in every session. When we rush through training sessions it is impossible to get an accurate understanding of what it is our dog’s body is telling us. However, if we take the time to slow down and become aware of what is going on, we are better able to read our dog and set him/her up for greater success.
Slowing down helps to pick out the little things in a session that most people would never notice. Your dog being off line for a blind, their butt not being in contact with the ground after giving them the sit command, and even you dragging them through heel work instead of them staying on pace with you. Rushing through training only helps to create bad habits in dogs which can be seen in behaviors such as the mouthing of bumpers and, the greatest sin of all, creeping. Challenge yourself to slow down and be extra picky on what it is you are asking of your dog in your next session and see just how quickly this simple change can facilitate positive growth in your dog.
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