What to do?

Recently had a question.... you put a track in for your dog. He struggles....not his best day. What next? Do you repeat the challenge and see if it goes better next time? Short answer --NO!

Long answer-- your ultimate goal, at all times, is to build your dog's confidence.

Please, don't risk failure twice!! Go on to the next track in the training rotation. Should you lay it so the dog is 100% sure to succeed? (Ok, it's never 100%...but I'm hoping you get the point). Hell yes!!! Your dog just struggled. In tracking, at a test, there's not a whole lot you can do to help. Sure, you can back up.....and that's about it. In the end, the dog has to take you to the end of the track. It's that simple. I'll spend a lot of time teaching you to read your dog, teaching you various handling skillls, all of that.....and in the end, it's up to the dog believing he CAN do it, and you will follow. At all times it's up to you to make sure every training session makes your dog more sure he CAN do it.

In the TDX group, we are actively turning in the wrong direction at a known turn. Yes--I want the dog to be thinking, "stupid human...it goes THIS way." And, I want the dog to feel so amazingly powerful that he will take the handler the correct way....even if the handler resists.

I beg of you--please be aware of testing vs training. If you repeat the problem, you are testing--.you're offering the same question to the dog, crossing your fingers, and hoping for a different result. Let's not do that--rather, let's offer a DIFFERENT challenge, and set it up so the dog thinks he is brilliant (and not because we 'told' him--we want his confidence to come from HIM).

Non dog training example. Hiking in Grand Canyon. Heard about amazing waterfall. One third of the trail to said waterfall was 10" wide, loose shale, 300'+ drop straight down to the left. Equally straight up to the right. Did it, despite a fear of heights.

Do I remember the waterfall? NO. Did I feel more powerful after negotiating the trail out and back? NO! More terrified perhaps, but not more confident.

If the guide had taken us back another way, might I have forgotten the shear terror I felt? Maybe. But repeating the experience cemented it in my memory Forever. I still have nightmares (not kidding).

Don't cement failure into your dog's memory or his associations!