Training set back ...normal?

tropicalsun · 11-17-2011, 09:39 PM

Our Markus seems to have regressed in pretty much every area of training this week. His dog reactivity is back. We had made such good progress! His house manners have declined and to quote my wife, "This isn't the same dog we had last week." We're unsure as to what would have caused this. The only thing different in his life this week (besides somewhat cooler temperatures) is a new step in his obedience training.

Are set backs like this normal or is there something we should be investigating?

Oh...Markus is a nearly two year old fixed male whose been in training with a private trainer once a week at our home for the past ten weeks.

Thanks.

BR870 · 11-17-2011, 10:20 PM

I'm kinda of the opinion that one session does not a pattern make. Everybody has funky off spells...

sharkey19 · 11-17-2011, 10:21 PM

I know with Dax we definitely had our setbacks, especially when he hit the teenager stage (definitely turned into a different dog). Try not to get too frustrated, now is the time you have to step up and just make sure to keep on top of everything he does. Don't let him get away with anything. He is going to test his limits, that is the problem with smart breeds! Just keep on with the training. Consistency is key

Stosh · 11-17-2011, 10:27 PM

It's not unusual to have these kinds of setbacks. Even Patricia McConnell, the well known behaviorist/trainer has a blog called "One Step Forward, Several Steps Back". Dogs learn and mature on their own time table, all you can do is be patient, kind and consistent. Markus has been through a lot and he's still feeling his way.

Caledon · 11-17-2011, 10:45 PM

Somedays when I think I'm making good progress something will happen and we have to take a step backwards before we can move ahead.

I've experienced setbacks. Some days she, or me, are just not connecting and something is off. Keep at it.

EchoGSD · 11-17-2011, 10:54 PM

Set backs are normal and the seeming "lost" progress will return. Patience and consistency are key when this happens: I often see it in my classes when a dog is asked to process the "next step" (whatever step that may be for that dog)...sometimes, in order to process the new step, they seem to go backwards on some others. Calm, patient, and consistent and all will be well soon. Good Luck!

tropicalsun · 11-18-2011, 12:14 AM

Thanks for the responses. I didn't mean to imply that his setbacks were noticed because of one session. Actually his "session" is tomorrow. He's been "off" in his behavior all week. I'll post what the trainer says when he's here tomorrow. Again, thanks.

debbiebrown · 11-18-2011, 06:34 AM

set backs are normal.....................figuring it out can be challenging.......

working with a dog you need to look at more than changes with him personally.......i think people need to take a look at themselves also to see what they might be doing thats different which will effect the dog......

Ucdcrush · 11-18-2011, 05:33 PM

Dogs are like people, good days and bad days and no one's perfect.

At some point, I think people get fixated on figuring out exactly what's going on in order to make things different from how they currently are (e.g. like he was last week), but there isn't always a clear answer and it usually just ends in a frustrated human, and the dog ends up feeling stressed/pressured from dealing with the human. All the while, the human is possibly subconsciously prolonging an issue in order to get to the bottom of it.

Your trainer should be giving you tools/skills to use when the dog does experience setbacks. You should expect them, so that the fact that a setback occurs will not slow you down. With the skills, when you do experience setbacks, you can deal with the situation skilfully, and not bother making comparisons of how the dog was before. Those types of comparisons, made in the midst of solving a problem, are not serving you or him.

I have a dog with a reactive history too, but I try to deal with him in that moment, and not add pressure to the situation by trying to make it like I remembered him being in the past. That's not fair to him, and does not help me in that moment (that type of thinking only causes stress). It really takes the pressure off to keep that in mind.

Ucdcrush · 11-18-2011, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tropicalsun

The only thing different in his life this week (besides somewhat cooler temperatures) is a new step in his obedience training.

Can you elaborate on that?

11-17-2011, 09:39 PM	#1 (permalink)
tropicalsun Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Houston Posts: 99	Training set back ...normal? Our Markus seems to have regressed in pretty much every area of training this week. His dog reactivity is back. We had made such good progress! His house manners have declined and to quote my wife, "This isn't the same dog we had last week." We're unsure as to what would have caused this. The only thing different in his life this week (besides somewhat cooler temperatures) is a new step in his obedience training. Are set backs like this normal or is there something we should be investigating? Oh...Markus is a nearly two year old fixed male whose been in training with a private trainer once a week at our home for the past ten weeks. Thanks.

11-17-2011, 10:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
BR870 Master Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 828	I'm kinda of the opinion that one session does not a pattern make. Everybody has funky off spells... __________________ Rob Ezra von der Rennbahn Princess Abigail "Abbie" Kai (RIP) Loki (RIP)

11-17-2011, 10:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
EchoGSD Master Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Warren, MI Posts: 549	Set backs are normal and the seeming "lost" progress will return. Patience and consistency are key when this happens: I often see it in my classes when a dog is asked to process the "next step" (whatever step that may be for that dog)...sometimes, in order to process the new step, they seem to go backwards on some others. Calm, patient, and consistent and all will be well soon. Good Luck! __________________ -LeeAnn There are two kinds of dogs: Dogs who are German Shepherds, and dogs who WISH they were German Shepherds.... Echo of Someday Vom Royale, CD, RA, CGC, TDI Laughin' Tori Lori, CD, RN, CGC Marcella's Miss Ruby Dee, RN, CGC, TDI

11-18-2011, 06:34 AM	#8 (permalink)
debbiebrown Crowned Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: maine Posts: 7,599	set backs are normal.....................figuring it out can be challenging....... working with a dog you need to look at more than changes with him personally.......i think people need to take a look at themselves also to see what they might be doing thats different which will effect the dog...... __________________ url

11-18-2011, 05:33 PM	#9 (permalink)
Ucdcrush Master Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 661	Dogs are like people, good days and bad days and no one's perfect. At some point, I think people get fixated on figuring out exactly what's going on in order to make things different from how they currently are (e.g. like he was last week), but there isn't always a clear answer and it usually just ends in a frustrated human, and the dog ends up feeling stressed/pressured from dealing with the human. All the while, the human is possibly subconsciously prolonging an issue in order to get to the bottom of it. Your trainer should be giving you tools/skills to use when the dog does experience setbacks. You should expect them, so that the fact that a setback occurs will not slow you down. With the skills, when you do experience setbacks, you can deal with the situation skilfully, and not bother making comparisons of how the dog was before. Those types of comparisons, made in the midst of solving a problem, are not serving you or him. I have a dog with a reactive history too, but I try to deal with him in that moment, and not add pressure to the situation by trying to make it like I remembered him being in the past. That's not fair to him, and does not help me in that moment (that type of thinking only causes stress). It really takes the pressure off to keep that in mind. __________________ Proud papa of Riku and Tuki. RIP Dana.

11-17-2011, 10:21 PM	#3 (permalink)
sharkey19 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Guelph Posts: 321	I know with Dax we definitely had our setbacks, especially when he hit the teenager stage (definitely turned into a different dog). Try not to get too frustrated, now is the time you have to step up and just make sure to keep on top of everything he does. Don't let him get away with anything. He is going to test his limits, that is the problem with smart breeds! Just keep on with the training. Consistency is key

11-17-2011, 10:27 PM	#4 (permalink)
Stosh Crowned Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: tyler texas Posts: 8,434	It's not unusual to have these kinds of setbacks. Even Patricia McConnell, the well known behaviorist/trainer has a blog called "One Step Forward, Several Steps Back". Dogs learn and mature on their own time table, all you can do is be patient, kind and consistent. Markus has been through a lot and he's still feeling his way.

11-17-2011, 10:45 PM	#5 (permalink)
Caledon Elite Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Ontario Posts: 1,787	Somedays when I think I'm making good progress something will happen and we have to take a step backwards before we can move ahead. I've experienced setbacks. Some days she, or me, are just not connecting and something is off. Keep at it.

11-18-2011, 12:14 AM	#7 (permalink)
tropicalsun Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Houston Posts: 99	Thanks for the responses. I didn't mean to imply that his setbacks were noticed because of one session. Actually his "session" is tomorrow. He's been "off" in his behavior all week. I'll post what the trainer says when he's here tomorrow. Again, thanks.

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