Why Your Dog Training Is Flopping (Spoiler: It’s Mostly You)

Let’s get right to the point. You’ve hired a trainer. You’ve got dreams of a well-behaved, chilled-out dog. Weeks (or months) later, your pup’s still peeing on the floor, barking at thin air, or treating your expensive shoes like chew toys. What gives?

It’s not your dog. It’s not necessarily your trainer. It’s you, or at least your attitude and your follow-through.

Here are the top screw-ups people make, and how to fix them. Do these well, and your dog finally stops acting like a jerk.

1. You’re “Freestyling” Instead of Following the Script

We’ve all got flair. We all want to put our personal spin on things. But in dog training? That’s a fast track to chaos.

You think: “I’ll try a little tweak here… a shortcut there… let’s freestyle a bit.” Big mistake.

If you don’t do exactly what your trainer told you, not a variation, not your own “improved” version, you sabotage the plan. There’s a reason they gave it to you exactly. Do it wrong, and yep, your results will suck.

Fix: Follow instructions with boring, robotic precision. Once you’ve mastered the basics, then you earn your variation privileges.

2. You’re Treating Training Like an Option, Not a Priority

Newsflash: your dog doesn’t care if you’re slammed at work or “too busy” to train. A dog with no discipline is going to ruin your stuff, your nerves, and your reputation as a pet owner.

If you don’t carve out time for training, you’ll end up spending that time cleaning, replacing destroyed items, and apologizing to guests for dog-related fiascos.

Fix: Block training time in your schedule like it’s a business meeting. No excuses. Do it consistently.

3. You’re Not Being 100% Honest with Your Trainer

Here’s a secret: trainers aren’t mind readers. If you skipped Week 2’s homework or something is going sideways, they need to know. If you lie and say “yeah, we did it” when you didn’t, they’ll design the next steps as if you did, and you’ll both crash.

Fix: Come clean. Say “I tried, but it failed” or “we’re stuck on X.” Your trainer can’t fix what they don’t know is broken.

4. You Think Questions Are Weakness

“Oh, that sounded weird. I’ll skip it.” Wrong move. If your trainer says something that doesn’t make sense, ask. If something feels off, ask. If you’re not sure what the heck “marker cue” is — ask.

Every instruction has logic. There’s a reason behind every weird exercise in dog training. Not asking up front just leads to confusion, half-assed attempts, and frustration.

Fix: Over-communicate. Interrogate your trainer until you understand. Good ones are thrilled to clarify.

5. You’re Ignoring Something in Your Gut (Trainer Vibe Check)

Yes, sometimes you aren’t the issue. Sometimes the trainer’s methods or attitude feel off. Maybe they push too much “punishment tools” or insist on something that makes you queasy. Maybe your gut is screaming, “This isn’t right for us!”

Fix: Listen to yourself. If a trainer is asking you to do things you’re uncomfortable with, drop them. There are dozens of ethical, effective ways to train a dog. You and your pup deserve someone who respects you both.

Bottom Line

If your dog training isn’t working, don’t blame the pup. Don’t blame everything on the trainer (though they should earn their keep). Look in the mirror. Improve your consistency, your honesty, your communication, and your self-trust.

But enough talk. Get off your butt. Train like you mean it. Your dog’s waiting (and your shoes are trembling in fear).

To you want more no nonsense dog training tips? Schedule a Strategy Call today!