Dog Training & Skiing

I went skiing this weekend, I have never been. It was my first time, so I took a lesson, I am know where ready for the green, blue or black mountains (the advanced ones). I am barely making it on the Bunny (novice) mountains. I was horrible.

However, I knew from being a Professional dog trainer on Long Island that the ski instructor’s duty was to teach me how to handle my skis & I would have to put in the time & effort to yield results. After all, like any good teacher will tell you, “repetition = retention.” The rest was up to me!

Dog Training or Ski Lessons Don’t Replace Commitment

Many pet dog owners are in search for a lot of dog training lessons believing the more lessons, the better the dog training school is. Although this may seem logical…..it is NOT. There is NO substitute for putting the time in on a daily basis, to have a well-trained dog. Five (5) hours of dog training will do next to nothing for you!

If I choose not to make the time to practice skiing or decide not to follow the instructions of the trainer, I will probably not have much success. You see, the trainer or instructor knows how to ski or train dogs, they are teaching you how to train your dog; this is often what stops pet owners from having the desired obedience training results they’re in search of.

If I took another lesson, the instructor would be showing me the same thing – she said to us, “you just have to get out there and do it!” I could take another lesson if the trainer was not clear or if I had a difficult time wrapping my head around the concept; however, if I understood the concept, but never practiced – then 2,3,4 or even ten (10) lessons probably would be a waste of time & money. Some will make quicker progress based on their commitment and type of boots & skis. So, what do ski instructors and dog trainers have in common?

Dog Trainers & Pet Owners

The relationship between the dog trainer & your average pet owner is very similar to the above. If the pet dog owner brings the desire and commitment to the table and has selected the right dog training school – One or two (2) lessons for the dog owner to understand the technique and then the owner must execute the training. So, their handling of the leash, collar & dog becomes second nature – just like the skier.

For starters, they have to be able to teach the owner of the dog and the owner of the skis how to handle their dog & skis. Many dog trainers will come to your home and train or handle your dog & when they leave, you’ll most likely have difficulties as if they never came.

The Dog Only Listen To The Dog Trainer

“The dog only listens to the dog trainer!” This is a very common & infamous theme in the dog obedience industry. Imagine a ski instructor asking you to remove your skis and then placing them on herself & skiing for one (1) hour before returning the skis to you at the completion of the lesson.

You would of learned absolutely NOTHING! While, maybe you would of enjoyed how great your skis & boots performed – that would not have helped you much in being able to ski, neither would ONLY watching your dog trainer handle your dog for an hour – YOU MUST DO!

In the beginning of a dog training lesson I will often demonstrate the obedience technique on the owners’ pet dog or puppy. Many times the pets’ owners’ face will light, displaying how proud they are of their pet! It’s nice to see how well your puppy or dog takes to obedience training, but it is MUCH BETTER for you to be able to activate and handle your dog when the professional dog trainer exits.