Misconception: Using treats in dog training is not desirable
While it's a sensible long-term goal for the dog to perform the exercise without treats, this doesn't mean you have to forgo food altogether during practice. After sufficiently frequent repetition, the dog will master the exercise so well that you can gradually reduce the food until it's only used occasionally. The dog shouldn't perform the exercise because it sees the food... that would be a form of luring. It should perform it because it has been rewarded for it in the past and associates the exercise with positive experiences. It is important to distinguish luring and rewarding.
Misconception: My dog is disobedient if it doesn't perform a command it already knows
Dogs strongly connect their environment during training to the exercise practiced. Even if your dog has already mastered a command in a specific training situation, it might not be able to perform it in another environment. If that is the case, make the exercise as simple as possible and start in various low-distraction environments until you can gradually increase the level of distraction.
Misconception: My dog is happy if it gets to have a lot of freedom:
A dog, has many needs just as we do. At the base of Maslow's hierarchy of needs there are basic needs for physical well-being, food, medical care, sleep, and safety.These basic needs form the foundation for a dog's well-being and are essential for a happy life.The need for personal development, i.e., the greatest possible freedom, forms the top of the hierarchy; it only becomes relevant once all other needs have been met. For many dogs, the need for sleep and safety is not satisfied when we grant them maximum freedom. This leads to an imbalance, causing your dog to become stressed and overwhelmed.
Misconception: it’s all fun and games, it’s all play
Often, dogs are getting to know each other and are establishing boundaries. It's important to pay attention to your dog's body language. Play is always reciprocal, with frequent short breaks, and your dog's expression should be relaxed.
