Dog Training Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect – It Just Has to Fit

In a world full of social media, training videos, and seemingly “perfect” dogs, it’s easy to feel like everything in daily life should go smoothly: the dog walks calmly on a loose leash, comes running from play at a single call, lies quietly while you chat with friends. But the truth is: dog training is not a competition. And most importantly: it doesn’t have to be perfect – it just has to fit you and your dog.

Every Dog Is Different – and That’s a Good Thing

Whether you live with a lively young dog, a shy rescue, or an older companion – every human-dog team has its own strengths, challenges, and priorities. What works great for one team might not be relevant at all for another.

That’s why this is so important: Train what matters to you. Maybe you want peaceful walks more than a perfect recall. Maybe it’s more important that your dog can relax at a café than perform tricks. And that’s perfectly okay.

Comparison Rarely Motivates

Comparing yourself to others – whether it’s at the dog park, among friends, or on Instagram – often leads to frustration. What you usually see is the result, not the journey: how many setbacks there were, how much patience and consistency it took, or which struggles just aren’t shown.

Progress in training isn’t always visible. Sometimes it’s a quick glance instead of barking. A moment of calm instead of leash pulling. A small step – but a big win for your team.

Your Training, Your Pace

Give yourself permission to go your own way. It’s totally fine if some things take longer. Or if you choose to focus on what truly matters to you right now.

As a dog trainer, what matters most to me is that people and their dogs feel good – not that they meet some kind of ideal. Real, lasting training is built on trust, patience, and joy – not pressure or comparison.

Bottom line: The goal isn’t perfection – it’s connection.

You don’t need to train everything at once. You don’t need to do what others are doing. Just ask yourself: What do we need? What feels right for us? What helps us grow as a team?

And if you’d like some support along the way – I’m here for you.