06/11/2026
The importance of Corrections & Repetition in dog training… & how both can save their lives‼️
In this video, the working line Doberman, Beau, clearly understands his recall command, “Here” but has been recalling and bolting by his owner & finishing in inconsistent locations making his recall, what needs to be consistent & reliable, into a “game”. This is not uncommon but commonly happens when too much freedom without rules & structure is provided too soon. When he chose to *not* respond correctly in the video here, he wasn’t corrected by me, he corrected himself, the leash is only so long & I’m certainly not letting go when a dog runs the opposite direction it’s supposed to and knows to, imagine if he chose to go toward the road… The best part is, he immediately adjusts his decision-making and responds appropriately every single rep after the moment of self correction during this session. All I had to do was hold onto the leash, if I had an ecollar or acted faster, yes, I would have corrected the incorrect/ unwanted response myself before he got to the end of the leash. Either way, both would have registered the same & created the same results as the self correction did in this video.
This is an important part of training that many people overlook. Corrections are not about damaging a relationship or creating fear—they provide clarity. When paired with consistent repetition, they help dogs better understand exactly what is expected of them.
Beau was certainly caught off guard but notice how he doesn’t shut down, lose confidence, or become hesitant. Instead, he becomes more successful. Our relationship doesn’t weaken after the correction—it grows. His understanding becomes clearer, his responses become cleaner & more reliable, and most importantly his ability to make the right decisions *on his own, correction free* dramatically improves!!
Rewards teach dogs what to do. Fair corrections help them understand what not to do. Repetition turns both lessons into habit. When all three are balanced properly, dogs gain the clarity and confidence needed to succeed in the real world 🐾.
