Good to Go: A Sensible Approach to Training Tools - a podcast by Ty Brown

In my work, I frequently field questions like: “When can I stop using the dog crate?” or “At what point do I not need to use the leash?” or “Can I stop using this e-collar yet?” I understand the thought process behind this questions. Training a dog isn't necessarily easy, and there is a lot of work and time involved. Cutting up treats, putting on the training collar, and handling the leash can be a bit of a hassle, and they’re outside of how we would like to live with our dogs.

Let’s face it: most people would love to just go on walks, cuddle, and laugh at their dog’s funny quirks. They want their dog’s companionship, and using the crate and leash all the time can feel like a distraction from that. I totally understand this mindset. Sometimes we want to jump to the point where the dog is trained and we can relax in “maintenance mode.” We just want happy, fun coexistence with our pals!

But I’m always trying to help owners understand that they shouldn't jump the gun. That’s one of the biggest problems I see: owners who teach their dog a concept and immediately get rid of the tool that helped them get there. For example, an owner will often use a crate for a few months until their dog is no longer using the bathroom in the house. Then—boom! No more crate. It’s cold turkey, because it’s a hassle to have the crate sitting in their living room and they didn't like putting their dog in there in the first place.

This creates huge problems! The dog might understand the concept of not peeing in the house, but it isn’t hardwired into his brain yet. If he understands the rules and you’ve used some kind of tool to get him there—like a crate or a leash—then removing that tool often causes the dog to backslide, often immediately. His behavior was merely learned, not yet engrained into his mind.

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