In my many years of being a dog trainer I’ve seen it all: dogs pulling so hard they’ve dislocated their owner’s shoulders, boisterous aggression that was tearing families apart, barkers who had the neighbours up in arms… and even celebrity clients, including one of the Spice Girls, wanting calm restored to their homes.
One thing I’ve learned over the years is this: there are no “bad” dogs — just misunderstood or confused ones.
The trouble is many of the most common dog problems we see today don’t actually come from the dog at all… they come from us humans! Our mixed messages and well-meaning mistakes can leave our four-legged friends feeling baffled, frustrated, and barking up the wrong tree (sometimes literally!).
The good news is… with just a few tweaks, you can turn frustration into fantastic results. Here are the top 5 mistakes I see again and again — plus a bonus one — and the dog-friendly ways to turn them around.
Mistake 1: Being Inconsistent
One day your dog jumps up and you laugh, give them a cuddle, or even a treat. The next day they do the same thing and you tell them off. To your dog, it’s very confusing.
🐾 The Dog-Friendly Way Forward: Decide what’s acceptable and stick with it. If you don’t want jumping up, everyone in the household needs to only reward calm greetings with four paws on the floor. Clear, consistent responses = faster learning and a calmer dog.
Mistake 2: Talking Too Much
Many of us love to chat: “Sit… sit down… come on, I said sit… SIT!” Sound familiar?! Dogs don’t understand endless words, and the more we repeat ourselves, the less they pay attention.
🐾 The Dog-Friendly Way Forward: Keep it short and simple. One clear command, calm body language, and good timing work wonders. Dogs respond far better to confident direction than to long lectures.
Mistake 3: Accidentally Rewarding the Wrong Thing
The doorbell rings, your dog barks, and you rush over shouting “Stop it! Quiet!” In that moment, your dog thinks two things:
- “Uh oh, my human’s stressed too — I was right to sound the alarm!”
- “Wow, my barking worked — it got their full attention!”
Dogs don’t see the difference between positive and negative attention. To them, a reaction is still a reward — and the barking continues.
🐾 The Dog-Friendly Way Forward: Set up mock practice sessions so your dog can learn calmly, without the chaos of real-life pressure. Ring the doorbell, stay relaxed, and wait for even a moment of silence. Then reward their quiet response. With repetition, your dog learns that calm behaviour — not barking — is what really pays off.
Mistake 4: Only Training in a Crisis
You call “Come!” while your dog is mid-sprint after a squirrel. It’s like trying to practise yoga in the middle of a rugby match!
🐾 The Dog-Friendly Way Forward: Practise recall (and other skills) in calm, distraction-free settings first. Build good habits when it’s easy, then gradually add challenges. Little daily sessions create big, reliable wins later.
Mistake 5: Forgetting Calm Leadership
Dogs are emotional mirrors. If you’re tense, anxious, or shouting, they’ll reflect it right back. That’s why walks often feel chaotic when we start out stressed.
🐾 The Dog-Friendly Way Forward: Lead with calm confidence. No force, no yelling — just steady, clear guidance. When you project “I’ve got this,” your dog relaxes, and everything gets easier.
Bonus Mistake: Thinking Dog Training Is Just for “Other People”
So many dog lovers believe becoming a trainer is something only professionals can do. But here’s the truth: every trainer starts somewhere. With the pet industry booming, the demand for kind, knowledgeable trainers has never been higher.
🐾 The Dog-Friendly Way Forward: If you love dogs, have patience, and enjoy helping people, you already have the foundations to succeed. With clear, step-by-step guidance, you can turn your passion into a rewarding side hustle, a retirement project, or even a full-time career.
👉 Become a Professional Dog Trainer • Run a Successful Dog Business
Are You Ready for the Next Step?
Every dog deserves kindness, love, and leadership. And every owner deserves the joy of having a calm, well-behaved companion.
You’ve now got 5 powerful fixes (plus a bonus one) to start transforming life with your dog. If you’d like to go further, here are the resources I’ve created so you can learn in the way that suits you best.
My Online Courses (watch & train from home)
Clear, step-by-step videos with real dogs, covering:
🐶 Puppy training — stop biting, chewing, and toilet accidents before they become habits.
👉 Start the Puppy Course
🔊 Stopping barking — restore peace and quiet the kind way.
👉 Start the Barking Course
🐕 Leash pulling & recall — enjoy calm, relaxed walks and reliable come-when-called.
👉 Start the Leash & Recall Course
🚫 Dog aggression — reduce reactivity and feel confident handling difficult situations.
👉 Start the Aggression Course
🌿 Natural Remedies — safe, gentle ways to treat common issues.
👉 Start the Natural Remedies Course
💼 Becoming a professional trainer & running a dog business — for dog lovers ready to turn passion into profit.
👉 Dog Business Course
Thousands of students around the world have taken these courses and transformed life with their dogs.
📀 DVDs
Do you prefer to train offline? Pop in a DVD and follow along at home.
👉 Browse Dog Training DVDs
🎧 CDs
Audio dog training you can play anywhere — perfect for refreshers on the go.
👉 Browse Dog Training CDs
📚 eBooks
Clear, quick-reference guides you can save on any device — from puppy training to solving common unwanted behaviours.
👉 Browse Dog Training eBooks
