8 Training Mistakes Experts Say Are Making Your Dog’s Behavior Worse
Most pet parents love their dogs and want to do right by them. I get it. Unfortunately, that desire sometimes leads to poor training techniques that, despite being popular on forums or endorsed by some passionate folks at the dog park , are actually counterproductive. And sometimes, they can even be harmful.
This means I’ve seen enough to know that the road to a poorly behaved dog is often paved with the best intentions. I'm talking about well-meaning humans who aren’t lazy or seeking a quick magic remedy.
On the contrary, it’s often determined pet parents who are trying really, really hard to fix their dogs' behavior problems. It’s just that they’re doing so without the right information.
Let’s call it an epidemic of misinformation.
The dog training industry has become saturated with myths. Some are relics of outdated research, while others are byproducts of viral videos that showcase “quick fixes” without explaining the long-term consequences. And then we have the lovely ones deeply rooted in anthropomorphism—that is, attributing human emotions to canine behavior.
So today, we’ll be covering some of the biggest mistakes people make when training dogs that make behavior experts cringe.
Related: The #1 Dog Training Mistake Expert Trainers Are Begging People to Stop Making With Their Pets
1. Falling Into the Dog Dominance Trap
One big mistake that ruins many relationships between dogs and their people is falling into the dominance trap. The “your dog is doing so because he’s dominant” cliche has led to many faulty assumptions that aren't grounded in science.
Need an example? Picture this: You’re at the dog park and your pup is trying to hump a Labradoodle that goes by the name of Chloe with alarming persistence. You’re embarrassed. Another owner chimes in, “Oh, that’s just dominance. You have to show them who’s boss. Just alpha roll him!”
This is often how everything starts. Once you’re home, you Google “dominant dog” and find dozens of websites and forums discussing it, and your dog matches the descriptions to a T.
The biggest problem? The subject of dogs being dominant is based on flawed wolf studies from the 1940s. Nowadays, we know better. And don’t just take my word for it—check out the AVSAB position statement .
What to Do Instead
Instead of assuming behaviors are dominance-driven and employing training methods that risk damaging the human-animal bond, consider that every dog behavior has a function. Ask what your dog is trying to achieve or communicate.
Finding the underlying function with the help of a behavior professional instead of resorting to outdated dominance-based theories allows for humane, effective treatment that addresses the root cause of the behavior.
2. Punishing Fear-Based Behavior
The use of punishment often falls under dominance theory since it encourages an adversarial role between dog and owner, but its use still persists despite what the main organizations say.
I'm talking here about things like delivering leash pops when dogs are pulling, correcting a dog for growling or yelling when the dog barks at triggers such as strangers or other dogs.
These behaviors are outward manifestations of potential stress , anxiety or fear, and correcting them without addressing these emotions can lead to suppressed behavior and increased aggression (like “the dog bit without warning!”).
What to Do Instead
Fear-based behavior in dogs shouldn’t be suppressed but addressed using humane dog training and behavior modification methods.
3. Overwhelming the Dog With Triggers
Another big pet peeve of dog behavior professionals is the practice of exposing dogs to overwhelming situations in hopes that they’ll “get over it.”
In behavior terms, this practice is known as flooding, because you're literally immersing your dog in an experience so intense that they have no option but to endure it or potentially panic and try to escape.
Imagine being afraid of drowning in deep water and being thrown into the deep end of a pool, hoping that you’ll learn to swim. This often leads to panic, shutdown or worsening of the fear rather than resolving it.
Flooding is far more stressful than any of the other behavior change strategies and, used inappropriately, could damage the animal, explains board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Karen Overall .
What to Do Instead
Dogs should be exposed systematically to their triggers using methods based on desensitization and counterconditioning. These gradual, positive exposures are offered at a level that the dog can handle without becoming overwhelmed.
4. Applying Inconsistent Rules
Dogs thrive when they're provided with consistency. In a nutshell, they like to know what we expect from them, clearly and consistently. Nothing confuses them more than when some members of the family allow them to sleep on the couch, while others don't, or when one person feeds the dog from the table, while another says, “No people food.”
Similarly, dogs may get confused if one family member uses the cue word “down” to tell the dog to get down from a couch, while another uses the word “off.”
What to Do Instead
When owning a dog, it’s important that all family members are on the same page when it comes to the dog’s cue words and training. The rules should be clear so that there are no gray areas. Dogs aren’t mind readers. They require clear, consistent cues.
5. Ignoring the Potential For Medical Issues
Sometimes, what looks like a behavior problem is actually a medical one, but some pet parents may never give this a thought.
A dog who growls when touched, a dog who suddenly starts peeing on the floor and a dog who out of the blue starts resource-guarding food or his sleeping spot may all be suffering from underlying medical problems.
Left untreated, these behavior problems may get worse, considering that, on top of dealing with the problem itself, the dog must also deal with the pet parent's distress in dealing with the problem.
What to Do Instead
Any time a dog exhibits a new behavior that's out of character for them, it’s a good idea to have the dog see the vet to ensure nothing in the medical department is amiss. For complex cases, a referral to a board-certified veterinary behaviorist may be necessary.
6. Expecting Instant Fixes
When it comes to training dogs, you can’t expect them to just learn everything in one day. Training dogs isn’t like a magic trick where you just say the magic word, give a treat and poof, the dog is fully trained.
As living beings, dogs have emotions and instincts and need a series of repetitions in order to absorb the training. We can't expect dogs to be trained or change their behavior quickly at the snap of a finger. That’s like asking a person suffering from a fear of public speaking to deliver a TED Talk after just one pep talk.
Expecting dogs to change quickly can lead to frustration as the expected results don't occur. This means you should be wary of dog trainers who offer to "fix" your dog within a quick timeframe or who offer guarantees.
What to Do Instead
If someone promises a total turnaround in just a couple of training sessions, be cautious, as they may use punishment-based methods that aim to suppress behavior rather than address the root cause. Instead, focus on humane-based training methods that emphasize consistency and patience while keeping a dog’s individual learning needs in mind.
Real behavior change typically takes weeks or even months, especially if it's been rehearsed for years or stems from underlying anxiety or fear. Look for ethical dog trainers/behavior consultants who don’t offer 100% guarantees to cure behavioral problems.
7. Ignoring the Breed
This is one of the sneakiest dog training mistakes. I'm talking about getting a dog of a specific breed and not accounting for what that breed was actually developed to do. In some cases, it’s similar to getting a Ferrari and expecting it to behave like a golf cart (yes, Belgian Malinois owners, I'm looking at you).
Here's the deal: Dog training isn’t a one-size-fits-all deal. Every individual dog needs a customized approach, and that includes accounting for what a particular dog breed was bred to do.
For instance, a dog bred for herding may want to nip or chase kids, but these dogs were born to control movement. They’re not acting out of defiance; they’re behaving this way because of their hard-coded instincts.
Similarly, the small terriers will dig and bark, not because they're disobedient, but because they were bred to hunt down rodents. The hounds? They’re not ignoring your recall to purposely ignore you; they’re just following their noses to do what centuries of breeding have told them to do.
And then there are some breeds that are more on the aloof side. You can’t expect them to be social butterflies who'll love every dog at the dog park. But that’s okay. These dogs can still be loyal, wonderful companions, just within realistic expectations.
What to Do Instead
Know your dog’s backstory. Take the time to learn about your dog’s breed or mix and research what they were originally bred to do. Then, don’t just try to “train away” those ingrained instincts. Aim to channel them instead. Every dog deserves to be understood.
8. Anthropomorphizing the Dog
When it comes to dogs, it may be natural for us to ascribe human emotions to them. “Rover knows he was bad, just look at that guilty face!”
That “guilty” look isn't guilt, however. Studies have found that it’s actually an appeasement behavior. Basically, when you find your dog holding his head down when you open the door and find a mess, your dog is responding to your tense body language and tone and is trying to calm you down rather than truly feeling guilty.
When we anthropomorphize our dogs, we not only misinterpret behaviors but also delay effective interventions.
What to Do Instead
Understand that dogs aren’t furry little people. They’re not plotting revenge because you left them alone or giving you the silent treatment because you skipped a walk.
Final Thoughts
As we've seen, the above are just a few of many mistakes that can be made in dog training and behavior modification. The bottom line is that good intentions deserve good information.
Most importantly, consider that you're not a bad dog owner if your dog has a behavior problem. You’re only human, and your dog is only canine, and we’re all in the same boat learning. Even professionals must continue their education by attending courses to stay up to date.
If you're struggling with your pet, seek out a professional dog trainer or behavior specialist who understands your dog's individual traits and uses humane training methods.
Up Next:
Related: How to Train a Stubborn Dog When You're at Your Wits' End
References
- American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior: Position Statement on the Use of Dominance Theory in Behavior Modification of Animals
- Veterinary Information Network: Understanding How Dogs Learn: Importance in Training and Behavior Modification
- Ostojic, Ljerka & Tkalčić, Mladenka & Clayton, Nicola. (2015). Are owners' reports of their dogs' ‘guilty look’ influenced by the dogs' action and evidence of the misdeed?. Behavioural Processes.
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