A post this week on one of our obedience/rally groups had someone ranting that their family was undermining their dog training. She constantly told her family members how she wanted to train her dog, showed them what to do, explained how to do it. And yet they refuse to comply with her wishes. Are you afraid that your family will undermine your dog training?
It’s actually pretty common. Playing training games with your dog is important to you, but may not have the same value for other people around you.
That may frustrate you no end. But, in the words of a song, you have to let it go.
It doesn’t matter
That’s easier than you might think for one important reason. Every person in your household has a different relationship with your dog. And there is nothing they can say, do, or try that can change that.
Dogs always have the closest relationship with the person who trains them. We’ve even heard from long-time dog owners who marvel at the difference between their previous pets and their current training partner. Training changes everything.
Stay ahead of sabotage
It is possible for other people to “poison” the cues you’ve used for your dog. “Stay!” is one of the most difficult behaviors. If other people don’t stick to your “Stay!” criteria, it may become compromised.
Fortunately, It’s easy to fix with a work-around. Let the other people continue to use “Stay!” and get sloppy performance. You switch cues and never say “Stay!” again.

If you’ve used “Stay!” forever, it will take a conscious effort on your part to switch it to something like “Park it!” The other people certainly won’t make the attempt, so leave the word “Stay!” for them.
You start back at the beginning, using the cue “Park it!” (or whatever word you like). Stick to your criteria. And don’t tell the other people your new cue. They may hear it but we’re pretty sure they won’t give it much thought or bother switching.
Between You and Your Dog
No one can sabotage your training. One notable example for us was a couple with a challenging Chow Chow mix. The woman was on board with training and really enjoyed playing the games with her dog. The man was resistant and did not.
Since the dog adored the man, her behavior deteriorated when he was around. He doesn’t expect much from her and that’s what he gets. Not much.
The woman, on the other hand, saw how her dog loved playing training games and how she blossomed with training. Next week they’ll be attempting to qualify for their first Novice Rally leg.
Secret Language
You may have heard that twins often develop a secret language only the two of them know. You can do the same thing with your dog, your training partner. No one can undermine your dog training or your relationship with your dog. You don’t have to worry about the saboteurs.








