Make Dog Training Sessions A Habit: How I Stay On Track
We recently added a new family member into the Oday Vets household. A new born to look after meant time with the dogs has taken a back seat. Getting back into good habits is hard, so I thought I’d share how I’m trying to stay on track.
When training with clients, I always tell them that training sessions do not have to be long. 3-5 mins a day spent training your dog and you’ll see by the end of the week how much progress they have made. However, I’ll admit sometimes that 3-5 minutes can be really hard to achieve. The most difficult part is just getting started.
In his bestselling book Atomic Habits, James Clear explains that the best way to implement a new behaviour is by stacking it on top of an existing habit. Habit stacking uses a habit that you do every day as a foundation for something new you want to achieve.
The one thing I cannot go without every day is a cup of tea (or should I say multiple cups!). Therefore, I decided to stack dog training onto this habit. When I fill the kettle to boil, I can spend a few minutes training the dogs.
To ensure I stick to this I have made sure everything is ready to go. I normally use fresh food such as sausage, cheese or chicken to train the dogs, but preparation can be time consuming. Instead I’ve purchased a pot of Cuthbert’s Moisty Bites Mini Bones. These will last a long time in an airtight container.
I prefer my treats to be smaller so I can reward multiple times. I broke the treats in half before placing in a jar.
Once filled, I’ll place the jar next to the kettle, so every time I switch on the kettle, I’ll remember to train.
Give it a try and let us know how it goes.