My dog is really smart

One statement always makes me smile when a client first contacts me about the issues they’re having with their dog.

They’ll describe all the problems and then inevitably add, “But he’s really smart.”

The reason so many owners think their dog is incredibly smart is often because the dog has successfully outwitted them. As soon as I point this out, they usually laugh and agree.

From there, I begin explaining why the dog is behaving the way it is and, more importantly, how we can fix the problem.

After my last blog, it seemed logical to write this one. My goal with every article is to help dog owners better understand how dogs think, while exploring the pros and cons of the various approaches to living with and training them.

A Product of Their Environment

How many times have you heard someone say, “He’s a product of his environment”?

For most dogs, that’s absolutely true.

Dogs learn to live in ways that benefit them. They repeat behaviours that work and abandon those that don’t. However, for owners who are proactive about training, it is our responsibility to show the dog where their advantages do and do not lie.

We do this by controlling and manipulating the environment in ways that encourage clear and consistent learning.

For example, when teaching a new behaviour, I might place myself and the dog in a room with minimal distractions. Using food, toys, a leash, or other training tools, I can create an environment that gives the dog the best chance of success.

In dog training, we are constantly assessing the environment.

• Is my dog ready for this level of distraction?
• What distractions affect my dog the most?
• Is it other dogs?
• People?
• Food?
• Noise?

Training should always be incremental.

Remember: baby steps.

“He’s Good at Home…”

One thing I hear all the time is:

“He’s pretty good at home, but not so good when we take him out.”

My response is usually simple:

“Did you train him to behave when he’s out and about?”

Here’s a little bit of gold for you:

Behaviour is largely contextual.

This means a dog learns to behave a certain way in a particular environment because that behaviour has been reinforced there, either intentionally or accidentally.

For example, your dog may sit patiently in the kitchen while you prepare his dinner. Why?

Because as a puppy, he probably learned that sitting quietly resulted in praise, attention, or food.

Now ask yourself this:

If you’re not in the kitchen and there is no food involved, do you get the same behaviour?

Usually not.

The behaviour exists because of the environment, the context, and the dog’s expectations within that situation.

Motivation Drives Learning

To successfully create new behaviours, a trainer must constantly consider motivation.

The less motivated the dog is, the slower the learning process becomes—if learning occurs at all.

German researcher E.G. Sarris spent years studying canine intelligence. After assessing more than 2,000 dogs, he concluded that intelligence itself was difficult to measure. What could be measured, however, was trainability.

Trainability was strongly linked to a dog’s desire to:

• Eat
• Play
• Retrieve
• Tug
• Interact with rewards

Any experienced working dog trainer understands this concept.

Ask a trainer how much drive their dog has and, if the dog is any good, they’ll usually smirk and say something like, “More than enough.”

Dogs with strong drives learn faster because their desire to satisfy innate and learned behaviours is much stronger.

When training is structured properly and timing is correct, these dogs can progress rapidly from one step to the next.

Dogs Can Only Process So Much

Just like humans, dogs can only absorb a limited amount of information at any given time.

Years ago, another trainer told me he always stopped training sessions when the dog was at its peak.

My response was:

“How do you know the dog has peaked if you’ve never taken him beyond that point?”

Now, before people get upset, I’m not suggesting you constantly push dogs beyond their limits.

What I am saying is that sometimes trainers underestimate a dog’s capacity to learn.

I can usually recognise when a dog is beginning to struggle. Their concentration drops, responses become slower, and mistakes increase. That’s often when I end a session.

Sometimes, however, I stop while the dog is performing exceptionally well because I want that positive experience to remain fresh in the dog’s mind.

The point is that if you always stop too early, you may never discover what the dog is truly capable of.

Many times I’ve been surprised by just how much information a dog can absorb when motivation and concentration are high.

Of course, this shouldn’t happen every session. Constantly pushing a dog is mentally exhausting and can damage motivation.

Learning to recognise the signs of fatigue and the signs of engagement will make training more productive and enjoyable for both you and your dog.

Dogs Need Time Off Too

One point that is often overlooked is that dogs need rest days just as we do.

Rest allows for:

• Physical recovery
• Mental recovery
• Improved concentration
• Increased motivation

Ironically, giving dogs a break often makes them more eager to train when they return to work.

On those days off, simply take your dog for a walk and enjoy their company.

Every Dog Is Different

When dogs come into my boarding and training program, I often see huge differences in concentration levels.

Some dogs can only focus for four or five minutes during their first session. No matter what I do, I can’t get them back on track once they lose concentration.

Yet within a few days, their attention span may grow to fifteen, twenty, or even thirty minutes.

I’ve also seen completely untrained dogs arrive with incredible concentration from day one.

This is often a reflection of their natural drives, genetics, and temperament.

Remember:

No two dogs are exactly the same.

The Importance of Focus

If you cannot get a dog to concentrate on you, teaching becomes incredibly difficult.

It’s much like trying to drive a car while sending a text message.

Can it be done?

Perhaps.

Will it be effective?

Not likely.

Focus is the foundation of all learning.

Without it, training becomes a struggle. With it, almost anything becomes possible.