For those of us who love training our dogs, it can be difficult for us to justify taking time off from training. But there are some really good reasons to NOT train your dog if you are sick, tired, sad, or just generally feeling poorly.
1. Enthusiasm & Excitement. Enthusiasm and excitement are a big part of training. Sure, depending on how we are feeling, there is some amount we can fake. But your dog knows. Don’t go into a training session you want your dog to be excited about if you aren’t excited about it too.
2. Energy. This ties easily into the same line of thought as reason number 1. When I train my dogs, I want them to give it there all. I want energy and stamina. So, again, if I am not able to give 100%, how can I expect 100% from them?
3. Focus. Let’s face it, the truth is, it can be VERY challenging to focus on a task when you are not feeling well. Don’t take on the challenge of trying to improve your dog when you don’t have the focus to mark and reward to your best possible ability.
4. 
Emotions. The best training sessions start and end with a happy dog and trainer. But, if you are not yourself, even a great training session can end with a disappointed, frustrated, or deflated handler. It doesn’t matter how many times you say “Good boy”. If you’re sad your dog will know it. He just won’t know that it isn’t related to his training session, and that it isn’t his fault.
5. Confusion. Criteria is easily one of the most important aspects of training. However, it is one of the first to slip in the event that the trainer is tired, distracted, ill, or otherwise “off”.
Don’t set back your training. Take the day off. It’s okay to just take a walk with your dog or give him a stuffed Kong and call it a “Rainy Day Schedule”. In the long run, your training will benefit much more from your day off, than from you trying to push through a bad day.
Excellent advice. Since training with you at Club Doggie, Matt and I have really learned not only how to better train our dogs but how to do it properly, which includes when we aren’t feeling crappy. I’m guilty of getting too frustrated and having to walk away…sigh!
You are soooo incredibly patient with your animals. I love working with you. And I am so flattered that you feel I have helped both you and Matt become even better at training your dogs!
So true. We don’t usually realize how much differently we do things when we’re not feeling well.
You are so right, you can’t fool your dog. He’ll know when something isn’t right and may attribute it to something he’s done.
Love & Biscuits,
Cathy, Isis & Phoebe
Dogs luv us and we luv them
These are great points! Our companions can definitely pick up on our emotions.
I mostly agree, except I think sometimes when you are feeling low, dogs can really help pull you out of your funk. They great feeling they give us can help us give good energy back. Sometimes when I’ve been upset, teaching a class or training my dog has let me temporarily forget the problem or given me the time and energy boost to work through it: http://all-around-dogs.com/wp/2012/10/22/being-a-dog-nut-keeps-me-sane/
Very true Julia. I almost wrote a 5 Reasons flip side to this post, but I’ve seen more training sessions drag the dog down than help a handler up when the trainer isn’t feeling like themselves. I think, ultimately, the person has to be able to determine if they’re in the type of funk that a training session can lift them out of or if it’s too severe to be helped that day. I can tell that for myself now, but it took some trial and error
Excellent advice – as soon as we start a training session and I notice Laika’s focus is dependent on me and my own enthusiasm. For the days when I’m feeling badly we stick to some basics rather than full training sessions.
Very good advice. Positive enforcement isn’t something you can fake – especially when you’re feeling poorly.
Sometimes I am just not feeling it and it makes training so much more of a struggle for Koly and I (who is always eager to learn). If I’m not enthusiastic, he almost gets frustrated with me – barking and jumping as if to say “snap out of it!”.
I so hope that people read this and take it to heart. They are so sensitive to our moods/energy levels and the last thing you want is training time to be marred by anything negative
I completely agree with this. Pyrs aren’t obedient dogs to begin with so you have to have a high level of patience to work with them. If I’m having a bad day, I will not get anywhere with training!
Great advice. You need to on your game when you expect your dog to be on hers.
–Wags (and purrs) from Life with Dogs and Cats.
So true. I wouldn’t have thought about it much since I don’t do anything anyway (except take him out for his potty breaks). Good information.
Excellent not-training-today tips! I would add one more tip, for the sake of the dog… Don’t train when the dog is feeling poorly. I have quickly learned with my new hound to judge his moods as well as my own. If either one of us is not feeling the focus, then the time is probably being wasted and we should just call it a fun day!
This is a great post! I definitely agree that trying to tackle training when you aren’t in the best mood may not be the best idea. But some fun playtime with your dog may be!
Great post! I am in the early stages of clicker training my cats and yes, I need to skip the days when I can’t give it 100%!
That’s awesome Teri! A couple of my students and friends have clicker trained their cats. They now get jobs for them in the animal talent industry! This is a commercial we did just last year: http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7jjC/petsmart-create-time-together
Good trips! I’ll be using these for training Sparkle!
This is something I hadn’t thought of before, but I completely agree!