Our weekly video is a bit early this week because I was having a conversation with one of Tricks class students about context and skill fluency. Dogs are creatures of context which means they may know a command in one place but not in all places. Part of dog training is to help them generalize and contextualize. In this video, Beau is demonstrating that he knows the “go around” skills and is fluent in his understanding showing me that he can do it in our home, at the park down the street, in the hallway, and in the training center. I was surprised and really proud that he knew what to do at the park and was able to not only recognize the request BUT perform it around the shrubs which are totally different than the cones! Who is a good boy? So, the next time you are struggling with a command you think your dog knows, ask yourself if he knows your expectations. Thanks for stopping by!
✌