Are you consistent in your training?

It’s commonly said that it can take around 66 days for a human to form a new habit (or break an old one). While I don’t have a magic number for dogs, keeping this idea in mind can really help set realistic expectations when you’re working on behaviour change.

So often, people are understandably looking for a quick fix—something that stops the pulling, barking, jumping up, or ignoring recall right now. And when it doesn’t change instantly, it’s easy to assume the training “isn’t working”.

But if we accept that humans—who can understand goals, follow instructions, and talk ourselves through change—often need weeks of repetition to build a new habit, why would we expect dogs to change faster?

Behaviour change is a process, not a switch

Training isn’t just teaching a dog what to do. It’s helping them:

• understand what you’re asking,

• practice it in lots of situations,

• choose it even when they’re excited, distracted, or stressed,

• and repeat it enough times that it becomes their “go-to” response.

That takes time, patience, and repetition.

Why it can feel like nothing is happening (even when it is)

Progress often shows up in small ways first, such as:

• your dog recovering faster after getting excited,

• a shorter barking episode,

• one moment of eye contact before they react,

• a slightly looser lead for a few steps,

• responding at home but not yet outdoors.

Those “small wins” are the foundations. They’re proof your dog is learning—even if the final version of the behaviour isn’t reliable yet.

Consistency beats constant switching

One of the biggest reasons training stalls is that people don’t give a plan enough time to work before trying something new. If the rules, rewards, or responses keep changing, your dog has to keep guessing what’s expected—and that slows everything down.

That doesn’t mean you should stick with something forever if it’s truly not right. It means: give your training a fair chance, track the small improvements, and adjust thoughtfully rather than jumping from method to method out of frustration or inconvenience.

A helpful mindset: “Practice makes permanent”

If your dog has been practicing a behaviour for months (or years), it’s unrealistic to expect it to disappear in a few days. The goal is to help them practice a better option more often than the old one—until the new habit becomes the easy habit.

So if you’re feeling stuck, take a breath and remember: progress isn’t always fast, but it is possible—and the dogs who do best are usually the ones whose owners keep showing up, calmly and consistently.

If you found this helpful, follow along for more realistic training tips and support.