The start of a new year is a time to reflect and consider our personal and professional goals. Some of those goals may involve our dogs and their obedience training. Establishing goals is a natural part of the goal achievement process. There are two types of goal focus: process goal focus and outcome goal focus (Freund, Hennecke & Riediger, 2010). Utilizing process goals means that steps are taken in small, defined increments in order to reach a desired goal (Freund et al., 2010). The focus is on the specific actions that are necessary in order to obtain the goal. Outcome focus centers on the end result (Freund et al., 2010).
Many times we become overwhelmed with the outcome that we desire when forming our goals. We focus in on the final result that we are trying to achieve and the incremental steps needed to reach the outcome are overshadowed by the end product. For example, if we are an obedience competitor our goal for the year may be competing in the Open class and completing a CDX title. If we think about all of the components for that specific class lumped together – heeling, figure eight, drop on recall, retrieve on the flat, retrieve over the high jump, broad jump and out of sight sits and downs it can seem daunting. However, if we have a process focus and break down each exercise to the most basic components then we will get a clearer picture of what we need to do in order to succeed. This allows us to focus on the process and build the desired behaviors that are part of each exercise step by step. Breaking exercises down and teaching them step by step will develop a strong foundation for our dogs which will lead to a higher probability of success.
Using the process goal focus method also creates clarity for our dogs which leads to confidence and enthusiasm. Breaking down exercises and building on them fosters understanding and certainty. An example is teaching the Retrieve on the Flat. The first step is to teach the dog to take the dumbbell in his mouth. To begin teaching the dumbbell, start by sitting in a chair or on the floor and present the dumbbell to your dog. You may want to play with the dumbbell a little in order to capture your dog’s interest. If your dog looks at it, mark and reward. Your mark could be the work “yes” or you can use a clicker to mark the behavior. If your dog sniffs the dumbbell, mark and reward, if they reach out and take it in their mouth, mark and reward, and so on. Build this over several sessions, leaving each session with the dog excited and wanting more. I have had a few dogs that responded well when I coupled the dumbbell with meal time. I would bring the dumbbell out before feeding and play with it on the floor, getting them excited for it. When they perform the behavior I want, which may be reaching for it or holding it I mark and reward with a few morsels from their food bowl. I repeat this three to five times. Prior to putting the dumbbell away I play with it a bit more with my dog and make a big deal about it. It is then put away in its special spot. The dog always wants more and will look forward to the next round of dumbbell training. The beauty of teaching the dumbbell as well as other behaviors is that it only takes a few minutes each day to build the behavior that you want. The fundamentals are consistency and patience. This process focus can be applied to any behavior that we want to teach our dogs. Break exercises down into small pieces and teach each one with a high level of reinforcement. Then build on the small components until you reach the finished product you are aiming for.
Here are some tips to implement a process goal focus in your training:
- Establish the end criteria that you want for each obedience exercise and then break it down. Having a picture in your mind of what you are trying to achieve will help you in training. Knowing the end result and picturing it will assist in establishing the foundation that you need for success. If I am working on my dog’s retrieve, I begin by considering the picture of the entire retrieve exercise that I want in the end. That vision includes my dog driving out enthusiastically to retrieve his dumbbell, making a clean pick up, quickly turning and returning to me with speed and executing a straight front. Once I have that vision I break each part of the exercise down and have my criteria established for each portion. Keep your perfect picture of the exercise in your mind as you are working and building each exercise. The picture that you want to achieve is unique for you and your dog. Some trainers may want everything performed at a gallop, some may accept a trot, some may want a perfectly straight front while others don’t mind if the dog sits crooked. Only you know what you are aiming to achieve. It is important that you consider the criteria that you are striving for and then require it in your training.
- When are you the most energized and focused to train? We all have times of the day when we have a higher energy level and are able to focus better and get things done. Some people are more energized in the mornings. Others do better in the evening. Pinpoint your most productive time of the day and see if you can fit five to ten minutes of training in that time period. If the most productive time for you is first thing in the morning, then consider how you may be able to fit training in to your schedule. My most productive time is first thing in the morning. When I worked I woke up thirty minutes earlier each day so I could fit in a quick training session and play time with my dogs before I went to work. Incorporating stay games or other behaviors into your dog’s feeding time can also be an effective use of time. Placing your dog on a stay and then placing their food bowl in front of them and then requiring them to stay until they are released is a great exercise. This helps strengthen your dog’s stay as well as their stimulus control. If you are working on your dog’s hand signals, then try doing a set with their food bowl on the floor. Integrating a small bit of training into feeding time is a way to quickly work a behavior and include stimulus control and distraction in the process!
- If you reach an impasse in training a behavior, consider whether or not you have moved too fast. There are times you will need to take a step back in order to move forward. Our dogs are such eager learners, and they want to please. If we move too fast sometimes they will offer alternate behaviors that they are more comfortable with in order to try and please us. Others may shut down. Make sure your dog has a full understanding of each component of the exercise before moving on. This is important, so don’t be scared to take a step back if you think you have moved too fast. Listen to what your dog is telling you and honestly assess the situation. Sometimes handlers ignore a piece of the foundation of an exercise. They may do this inadvertently or they move ahead too quickly. This is why it is crucial that you train each piece so that your dog is clear on what is being asked. As more layers are added the ignored piece gets weaker and weaker. This impacts the performance of the entire exercise. Patience and perseverance wins the race!
- Keep a training journal. This is a good way to stay organized and track progress. I usually write down my training goals for the following day each evening. Once I complete the training I write down how things went – my dog’s attitude, progress, etc. This helps me stay on task and accountable. It also helps immensely when training new behaviors since each incremental step is defined. Keeping notes allows you to reference where you left off and how well your dog understands what they are being taught. If keeping a daily journal is too much, no worries. You can keep a daily/monthly planner on your phone or use an actual calendar and just right down what you want to work on each week or month. It does not need to be complicated. Writing things down helps us stay honest with ourselves and remain focused.
- Reward generously! A reward can be playing with a toy, food, petting or anything else that your dog loves. It is so important to reinforce your dog for performing what you ask. The mark indicating the correct behavior followed by reinforcement promotes our dogs understanding of exactly what is being requested of them. This creates increased enthusiasm which translates to eagerness to perform the behaviors that we are training. The value of your reinforcement can make a difference. If a particular behavior is difficult for our dogs, then we should provide a higher level of reinforcement. This may be playing with a special toy, or changing a treat from string cheese to cut up steak. Take some time to know what your dog loves and use it in training. Reward each small step as you are teaching an exercise.
- Always keep training sessions short, light and fun. Be sure to integrate play in training to break things up. Be spontaneous! For example, when working heeling, think about how you can bring play into the exercise. If you have an agility tunnel, do some short heeling, send to the tunnel and as the dog is coming out tell them to heel. Be creative and add variety to each session. Keeping training interesting fosters enthusiasm and engagement.
The beauty of training is that it strengthens our relationship and bond with our dogs. Instant gratification is not a part of obedience training. Teaching obedience behaviors takes time and patience. A process focus helps us build behaviors in order to achieve the training result that we are seeking. Behaviors need to be built step by step so that they are solid. This helps our dogs with their confidence and the result is an engaged, happy dog. Break the training process down and take time to appreciate the magnificent journey you and your dog are on. Most importantly, relax, enjoy and have fun!
