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Dog owners are not trainers. Many pet dog trainers forget that most dog owners do not have their experience or expertise. Consequently, trainers need to teach owners how to train dogs using very different techniques than they might use themselves.

1. Pet dog training must be easy, otherwise many owners (e.g., children) can’t do it. Dog training should not require a complicated skill set, consistency, or good timing. Many owners simply do not have these skills; they need to be taught during the process. First start with the easiest technique (all-or-none reward training) and then the quickest technique (lure/reward training), before introducing more demanding and time-consuming methods, e.g., shaping.

2. Pet training should be quick, otherwise many owners won’t have the time. Speed of learning is the quintessence of successful pet owner and pet dog training.

3. It should go without saying that training should be effective. Trainers should objectively quantify behavioral change (in the intended direction) and especially, the speed of behavioral change and the Response-Reliability Percentage.

4. And of course, training should be fun — for dogs, owners and the trainer. Why not?