It's a pressure cooker out here! Can you give me a hand?

Photo by (JP) Correa Carvalho, courtesy of Flickr.com

The English language employs the word “pressure” in a broadly descriptive way. Both from a utility standpoint as well as in phrases like “He's feeling the pressure,” “It's a pressurized situation” or “She performs well under pressure,” the term refers to an increased challenge or stress on a system. All of us have experienced at one time or another the distressing feeling of having to perform “under pressure” whether speaking to a crowd, playing a sport, etc.

I'm often surprised at how much more difficult a simple or familiar task can be when I'm required to do it, say, in front of a stranger or in a distracting environment. Being aware of what kind of pressure any given task will present and preparing in advance is the smart way to handle the situation. When pressure arises without warning, it forces us to prioritize. Successful dog training hinges on maintaining a relationship with both of these concepts at all times and understanding how they affect patterned behavior.

When we train with a dog we intentionally use either the absence or presence of pressure to facilitate learning.

I'm not referring to “pressure” in a negative sense — on the contrary, by governing the level of challenge to the trainee, we make it easier to succeed and attain greater plateaus of obedience. A simple example of this is the wise practice of training a dog/pup to walk harmoniously with you on leash in a very low-pressure environment and mastering that first! Then, and only then, you can gradually increase the challenge by introducing distractions that add pressure so as to achieve success incrementally, each step of the way.

By adhering to a logical chronology, you will rapidly broaden versatility with your dog by virtue of building on success, not floundering in failure. You see, when you encounter a challenging moment on your ventures with your dog, how you both handle it sets the stage for what kind of behavior “pattern” may emerge from the experience.

You can't avoid pressure.

There is really no getting around the fact that challenges will wax and wane in the environments in which you live and travel with your dog. Virtually every new change works to intensify or diminish pressure. Doorbell rings, thunderstorm rolls in — you know how it is. Even though you can't control all the variables, you can still influence many of them. What you can do is plan ahead, make wise choices that promote your training plan and always consider your dog's level of tolerance to stimuli (pressure) in your efforts to facilitate a fruitful learning experience.

I believe this to be the right approach for two reasons: 1) It builds on success not failure. 2) It's what is fair to the dog!

If you need a motivator to help train yourself to become more aware of this idea, consider this: When your physical control over your dog is dramatically compromised (this could mean a dog that is agitating wildly on the leash), this should be sending you a message that the pressure you're up against exceeds both your and your dog's manageability. Since dogs are creatures of habit, if you choose to continue “working over your head” and re-engaging that scenario with similar results, you are bound to develop behavior patterns that are exactly the opposite of what you desire (and not so healthy for your dog). You're simply training the dog to “crack” under pressure (and it's likely that you are too).

When this cycle begins to reveal itself it is time to take a few steps back to rediscover where you lost control, re-establish it and then work forward from there.

Being overly casual about how pressure affects your training relationship will cost you in the long run. Here are some common mistakes I observe that have a detrimental influence on training, because either the presence or absence of pressure is not being factored into the equation...

Training a dog who is not being exercised adequately (lack of exercise equals pressure)

Regularly leaving a dog unattended for too long (lack of interaction equals pressure)

Leash training a dog in a high-stimulation environment before perfecting harmony in a more manageable one (stimulation equals pressure)

Overuse of food in training (want for food equals pressure/distraction)

Teaching a pup to “heel” too young (lack of attention span equals insurmountable pressure)

Becoming impatient or frustrated, yelling (emotional energy equals pressure)

Flying a dog on a plane with no prior acclimation (freaky experience equals serious pressure)

Only training in a controlled environment (complete lack of pressure stalls advancement)

Coddling an anxious or timid dog (protecting from pressure impedes emotional growth)

Appeasing a rebellious dog by giving in to her demands (succumbing to pressure undermines your leadership role)

This list should illustrate how the pressure trajectory can fly in many directions. Hopefully it's a reminder of how the jewel of any relationship is that it calls for our increased attention to detail, while exercising patience and compassion.

OK, I know we don't live in a perfect world, and none of us really know what we may be faced with on any given day when we wake up in the morning. I guess life, in many ways, truly is a gamble. But if I were a dog and you were my owner, I may be thinking something like... “Hey man, you've got your hand on the dial, so please, adjust the pressure!”

John Spieser is a professional dog trainer and owner of Dogheart. He can be reached at john@doghearta2.com.