When commands have gone stale, starting a fresh routine can breathe new life into your relationsip with your dog.

Photo by Cryrolfe, courtesy of Flickr

I was talking the other day with a friend about her two energetic, boisterous dogs. She had read my article a few weeks ago about the down and stay, and at one point in our conversation she looked at me with a sheepish smile and admitted that she already may have confused the dogs by using “stay” and “wait” interchangeably.

“What do you do if you've already taught something the wrong way?” she asked.

That's a very good question, and one that I find myself trying to answer often in my line of work. Yes, in a perfect world everyone would start training early, use management to prevent bad behaviors, and create a routine and command structure that everyone in the family would use 100 percent consistently.

But the fact is, many dog owners are dealing with dogs who, for various reasons, don't obey commands or obey them marginally.

One reason for this can be a lack of consistency on the part of the owner. Dogs are predators, and have the innate ability to sense vulnerability in other creatures.

Imagine a pack of wolves surrounding a herd of buffalo — they probably won't choose to attack the strongest, biggest one of the herd. Rather, they may try to isolate a weaker or younger one to kill as their prey.

Our dogs sense vulnerability in us, as well. Have you ever given a command and your dog just looked at you, as if wondering if you really meant it? It can feel like you're being re-interviewed daily for your position as pack leader.

Dogs test boundaries constantly, and if met with a consistent response each time, eventually they give up and relax in the comfort of knowing you have things under control. But, if a dog figures out he can push your buttons, he'll keep pushing, until one day you realize that he has trained you!

Another reason dogs don't obey can be sheer confusion. A dog who is given mixed messages may not understand what is being asked of him. Yesterday you said “come” and it was okay that Sparky just trotted by, but today you want him to come all the way to you and sit. Which is it?

Or maybe Sunny is expected to wait at the back door when one family member lets her out, but the rest of the family lets her just bolt through. Sunny may perpetually wonder what to do as she approaches the door.

Crisp, clear commands and routines (taught with consistent follow-through) result in crisp, clear responses. Wishy washy commands and routines... well, you guessed it.

Now, back to my friend's question. Once a command has become old, tired, watered-down, or downright useless, what can be done?

First of all, do not let this get you down. Yes, you may have made some mistakes in training, you may have been busy and let a routine slip, but dogs live in the present and so should we when we're working with them. If you are mad at yourself, or even worse, mad at your dog, this will get you nowhere.

Instead, come up with a strategy for changing the situation, and then implement it with conviction.

You'll need to decide how far gone the command is. If you have been using the command and getting poor responses for a long time, then it may be time to retire that one and come up with a new word.

For example, if “stay” is all used up, you could try “remain” or “place.” If “come” is just background noise to your dog, you could switch to “to me!” You can use pretty much any word you want, or even try a new language; just make sure that the word can be easily distinguished from other commands, and is only one or two syllables.

Choosing the new command is the easy part. Changing the routine can be a taller order and entails some forethought. We, like our dogs, are creatures of habit, and some habits don't break easily.

Anyone who has ever quit or broken a habit knows that you can't just stop the unwanted behavior — it is also helpful to replace it with a new, healthier behavior.

If you want this command to fare better than the last one, you'll need to create a new routine for it. Use management to help ensure that whatever old pattern you're trying to change doesn't have a chance to creep back in.

Decide on a new regime in which you are able to back up, 100 percent of the time, whatever new command you're using. This may mean employing a leash or line for a period of time while you're teaching the command.

So, for example, if you're re-training your dog to "remain" in a down position for an extended time, you also need to re-train yourself to this new routine. In order for your dog to dedicate a new level of focus, you also will need to practice extra attentiveness and consistency in the teaching phase.

Or, if you want to tighten the screws on Sunny's etiquette at the door, you'll need to train yourself, and the family. "Every time we let her out, she needs to wait for five seconds, with the door open, until verbally released."

It's crucial that all family members, or anyone else working with the dog (dog walkers or friends) are on board with the change. If everyone is consistent this will make learning much easier for the dog.

Don't forget to have fun! Re-training your dog can breathe new life into the relationship. Even an old dog can get a lot out of training; it can be mentally stimulating and keep a dog sharp as he or she ages.

It usually takes changing ourselves a bit in order to change our dogs' behavior. Such a change can be a challenging and rewarding exercise, for you and your dog!

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