Consistency is Key

Consistency is key because inconsistency is actually causing your dog’s issues. 

Consistency in itself is an important part of your communication system with your dog, it’s a powerful way to tell them that something is non-negotiable. .

A lack of consistency weakens that system, especially when there is inconsistency in regards to cues and commands. Sometimes use “down,” to ask the dog to lay down and sometimes say it to correct them for jumping? That's a great way to get your dog to not take verbal communication seriously. You have given that word no clear meaning, but expected the dog to magically respond to it in two completely different ways in two completely different situations.

When there are inconsistencies in the social norms we ask our dogs to follow they can become stressed or frustrated by the lack of clarity. This leads the dog to make their own decisions about how to respond to stimuli and many times this results in some really emotionally charged behaviors. For example, many of the dogs we take hiking had issues with barking and lunging at other dogs/people when we first met them. By consistently reinforcing that they should move away from dogs and people on the trails the stress they felt in that situation dramatically reduced because they were given a clear and consistent behavior to follow through with. 

When there is a lack of consistency you have no control over what behaviors are reinforced, and before long your dog has a bunch of bad habits that are internally reinforcing like barking, jumping, and pulling. It's much harder to stop a bad habit once it is developed than being consistent with your rules and boundaries from the start. 

If you are consistent from the start you end up with a dog who follows through with what you have taught them without having to forever micromanage them. You empower the dog to make good decisions on their own and develop a healthy state of mind because you have curated a relationship built on clarity and consistency. Make rules, create clear boundaries, decide what words mean what and you will see big changes in your relationship with your dog.