Another training issue is that we go on for too long. (The dog gets tired - mentally; physically and/ or emotionally.)
Mental fatigue comes from having to problem solve and work things out. (Learning is hard work!)
Physical fatigue comes from using their body - general fitness, co-ordination, balance, flexibility.
Emotional fatigue comes from dealing with feelings - boredom, confusion, frustration, anxiety.
Social fatigue is in there too. Social pressure comes from other dogs and from us. Our dog may be feeling uncomfortable or struggling to resist interacting with other dogs and people.
Pain fatigue is a thing too. Check out this post.
My mantra is 'always quit with the dog wanting more, not wishing it was over.'
What does our training session look like?
Are we drilling the dog? (Lots of reps of the same thing?) They're likely to get bored.
Are we changing things so often they aren't quite sure what to do? They're likely to get confused.
Both can lead to frustration.
What's the training environment like? If there is a lot going on, that can be very challenging for both you and the dog.
Dogs vary in their ability to tolerate repetition. Some bore more easily than others. Some frustrate more easily than others. Some deal with social pressure more readily than others. Some have better conformation and are fitter than others, so will be able to do more reps of a physically taxing task without issue. Some are masking pain, so physical activities are difficult and uncomfortable.
I've already mentioned the difference between dogs who stress high and those who stress low. Dogs who stress high will be very active. Those who stress low, will do things like slow down, sniff the ground and avoid activities. I'll go into more detail about these at a later date. The same dog can stress in different ways in different situations.
Design your training sessions to suit your individual dog and remember 'always quit with the dog wanting more, not wishing it was over.'
Never take their enthusiasm for training for granted.
Always protect it!
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