Consistency in Dog Training Pt 3: Why is it So Hard?

What to listen for:

In the third part of the series on consistency, our hosts Robin Greubel, Stacy Barnett, and Crystal Wing dive deeper into what makes consistency such a challenge—and how to truly make it work in real life.

“Consistency is hard because you have to make time to build it.”

Staying consistent isn’t just about following a routine. It’s about self-awareness, emotion management, and breaking behaviors down into manageable slices. Crystal shares her personal win—a 100-day challenge focusing on retrieves and positions—and how small, daily efforts added up to real progress. But it wasn’t perfect. There were missed days, shifting goals, and unexpected emotional hurdles. Still, she stuck with it, and that’s what mattered most.

Robin talks about the brain strain that can come from too many demands, and how fallback behaviors like conditioning still “count” as training when you’re low on energy. Stacy points out how a simple change, like a better phone case for easier recording, can make a huge difference in maintaining habits.

“Your dog is not just reading your words—they’re reading your energy.”

The Dames of Detection get real about how emotions, fatigue, scheduling, and even peer pressure can all derail our best intentions. From setting tiny goals to using physical cues like a leash by the door or a pre-loaded treat pouch, the key theme is this: Make it easier to succeed.

Consistency doesn’t mean perfection. It means being predictable for your dog, building routines that support success, and giving yourself permission to make it messy and human. Want to be more consistent? Slice your goals thinner, check in with yourself often, and let progress, not perfection, be the aim.

Key Topics:

• Stacy, Robin, and Crystal Reflect on Their Paths to Training Consistency (00:00)

• Building Self-Awareness (06:58)

• Why Your Emotional State During Training Sessions Matters (15:19)

• Finding the Right Training Environment for Consistency (25:24)

• What Keeps Handlers from Staying Consistent (29:32)

• “Pick One Thing!” (35:28)

• Check In with Yourself (47:33)

• Takeaways (50:17)

Resources:

• K9 Detection Collaborative Ep 54: Canine Handler Fitness with Liz Joyce

• K9 Detection Collaborative Episodes 72, 73, 74 with Jens Frank

• K9 Detection Collaborative Episodes on Consistency - Part 1, Part 2

• K9 Detection Collaborative Ep 8: Dealing with Post Certification or Competition Mental Exhaustion

• RokForm Phone Cases

We want to hear from you:

• Check out the K9 Detection Collaborative FB page and comment on the episode post!

• K9Sensus Detection Dog Trainer Academy

• K9Sensus Foundation can be found on Facebook and Instagram. We have a Trainer’s Group on Facebook!

• Scentsabilities Nosework is also on Facebook. Here is a Facebook group you should join!

• Crystal Wing (CB K9) can be found here!

• You can follow us for notifications of upcoming episodes, find us at k9detectioncollaborative.com to enjoy the freebies, and tell your friends so you can keep the conversations going.

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