Feeling Stuck? Here’s What Progress Really Looks Like in Dog Training

This isn’t what you expected, is it?

Maybe you’ve followed the advice. Maybe you’ve stuck with the plan. Maybe you’ve tried everything you can think of – and your dog is still struggling.

You thought you’d see more progress by now. You imagined a happier dog, easier walks, a calmer home. But instead, it still feels hard. You're still adjusting your day around your dog’s needs, still feeling anxious every time something unexpected happens.

As a dog trainer and behaviour practitioner, I speak to a lot of people who feel this way – especially those living with rescue dogs or dogs with complex behaviour needs. They care deeply. They want to do things right. But they’re worn down and wondering whether they’re getting anywhere at all.

If that sounds familiar, this post is for you.

The myth of straight-line success

When you look at social media, it can feel like everyone else’s dog is making fast, effortless progress – like you’re the only one who’s stuck. But what we see online is carefully curated. It rarely shows the slow days, the setbacks, or the real-life messiness of working through behaviour challenges.

The truth? Progress in dog training is almost never a straight line – and that’s perfectly normal.

When it comes to dog behaviour and training, it's all about a step-by-step approach – not quick all-in-one fixes.

Take Evie, for example. I first saw her as a puppy – a typical Golden Retriever who adored other dogs, almost to a fault! She picked things up quickly in training, but the moment she spotted another dog on a walk, she’d lose her mind with excitement.

I recently joined Evie and her caregiver for a social walk with my dog Lyra, and the difference was striking. She was still a bit over-exuberant on greeting, but she managed to keep it together – and even encouraged my normally aloof dog to have a little play! It’s taken time and patience to get here. Now that Evie’s come out the other side of adolescence, things are starting to settle.

There were moments along the way when it felt like nothing was working – but her caregiver stuck with it, and I supported them through each twist and turn. That perseverance is what made all the difference.

But how do you know if you’re really on the right track – especially when progress feels slow or uncertain?

What progress actually looks like

Progress isn’t always about big leaps or perfect behaviour – often it’s about small, meaningful changes that add up over time.

For instance, if your dog barks and lunges at other dogs on walks, progress might mean they react less intensely or recover more quickly afterwards. If your dog is extremely fearful, progress might be just one moment of curiosity towards something they’d usually shy away from. For dogs who get overwhelmed or over-excited on walks, it might mean just 30 seconds of stillness and calm.

With rescue dogs in particular, we often have to celebrate even the smallest wins. Even if they haven’t experienced outright abuse or mistreatment, they’re unlikely to have been taught basic skills or to have benefited from a secure caregiver relationship. They’re already starting on the back foot, so it’s important to adjust our expectations about what progress means.

Sasha is a rescue dog I’ve been working with for the past six months. When she first arrived in her new home, she was overwhelmed by everything. She was anxious on walks and reactive to dogs, cats and some people; she was too scared to go in the garden, and noises in the house made her anxious too. It would have been unrealistic to expect her to overcome all of this quickly, so her caregivers learned to celebrate the small wins.

Now she hardly ever reacts to cats, and when she does react to a dog, she recovers much more quickly. She sniffs more on walks now, and her tail is up rather than tucked between her legs. She happily goes out in the garden – in fact, sometimes they have trouble getting her back in! These might seem like small improvements, but they’ve made a huge difference to Sasha’s well-being – and that of her caregivers.

As you can see, Sasha has settled in nicely – but it's taken time and patience.

How to measure progress in your own dog

It’s not always easy to spot progress when you’re in the thick of day-to-day life with your dog – but learning to recognise those small, meaningful shifts can make all the difference. Here are some ways to help you notice progress in your own dog:

• Start by noticing what matters to you. Your version of ‘success’ doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s. If you have a reactive dog, for instance, success might mean being able to calmly pass other dogs on a walk – not turning them into a social butterfly who plays with every dog they meet.

• Remember that progress isn’t binary. Instead of asking whether your dog did or didn’t do a certain behaviour, look at the shades in between. Maybe they still barked at the man in the hat – but it was less intense and didn’t last as long. Or they barked at the doorbell, but then went straight to their bed when asked. That’s progress.

• Keep a diary or log. Jotting down small wins helps you track changes over time. Try not to only record the tricky moments – include the tiny green shoots of change, and the enjoyable moments you’ve shared too.

• Reflect often – and adjust your lens. Don’t just fill in your diary and forget about it! Take a few minutes every couple of weeks to look back over your notes. You might spot progress you’d missed in the moment. As your dog improves, your expectations often rise too – so it’s worth pausing to appreciate how far you’ve already come.

  
  

Even if you don’t start keeping a diary, try celebrating one small moment of progress today. Maybe the first five minutes of your walk were calm and connected – until that pesky squirrel showed up. That still counts! Maybe you taught your dog a new trick – that’s great for your relationship. Recognising and valuing these moments is a powerful part of supporting your dog.

Keeping a diary is a great way to remind yourself of how far your dog has come

Keep going – it matters

If you’re working through tricky behaviour or complex emotions with your dog, it’s OK if it feels slow or messy sometimes. You’re doing something incredibly valuable – showing up, learning, and supporting your dog in a way that truly meets their needs. That is progress. And if you’d like some help along the way, I offer 1:1 behaviour support designed to help you understand and support your individual dog – with compassion, not picture-perfect expectations. Get in touch to find out how I can help.