Supervision: One Of The Most Overlooked Parts of Dog Training

Ian Shivers • January 21, 2026

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I understand why obedience is so attractive.

When people think about dog training, they usually think about teaching cues.


  • Sit


  • Stay


  • Come


  • Don’t jump


  • Don’t bark.


But one of the biggest things shaping your dog’s behaviour every single day isn’t training at all.

It’s supervision.



And most people don’t realise how much trouble comes from getting this part wrong.


The Three Types of Supervision

(Keeping It Simple) There are more types, but to keep this easy, let’s use three.

1. Active Supervision

This is when your dog is your priority.


  • You’re watching them.


  • You’re ready to step in.


  • You’re guiding behaviour.


  • You’re setting them up to succeed.



This is when training actually works best.


2. Absent Supervision

This is when you’re not there at all.


  • Your dog is alone.


  • Crated.


  • In another room.


  • At home while you’re out.



This isn’t good or bad by itself — it just is what it is.


3. Passive Supervision

This is the dangerous one. This is when you are there… but your dog has fallen to the bottom of the priority list.


You’re:


  • on a work call


  • cooking dinner


  • on your phone


  • greeting guests


  • answering the door


  • working on your laptop


Your dog is technically “with you”… but no one is really watching them.



This is where most people fall down.


Why Passive Supervision Causes So Many Problems

During passive supervision, dogs are often:


  • bored


  • overstimulated


  • under-guided


  • unsure what to do


  • left to make their own decisions


  • left in situations that do not set them up to succeed



And dogs always make the best decision they can in that moment. Which isn’t always the decision we want.


Common Passive Supervision Traps

Here are some everyday examples.

The Work Call

You jump on a Zoom call.


  • Your dog starts barking at the window.


  • They pace.


  • They whine.


  • They get restless.



  • You try to ignore it


  • You get annoyed.


  • You correct them mid-call.


  • They destroy something you wish they hadn’t.


But the real problem happened before the call started.

A better plan would have been:


  • give your dog a chew


  • close the blinds or block the barking spot


  • settle them somewhere quiet


  • deny access to the things that trigger them



That’s effective management given the amount of supervision.


Leaving the Back Door Open “So They Can Pee”

You’re home all day.


You leave the back door open.


Your dog spends hours:


  • watching the world go by


  • barking at sounds


  • tracking movement


  • staying alert


  • not really resting


By the end of the day they’re emotionally exhausted.


Then their behaviour gets worse the next day, and the next day.


Not because they’re naughty. But because they never actually switched off.



This one accumulates and leads to adrenal fatigue and emotional disregulation.


Greeting Guests

People try to train dogs not to jump on guests.


But greeting guests is the hardest moment for most dogs.


Guests are:


  • loud


  • moving


  • new


  • exciting


  • sometimes scary


And at the exact same time…


The dog has dropped to the bottom of the priority list.


You’re focused on:


  • saying hello


  • hugging


  • talking


  • carrying bags


Your dog is on their own in the hardest moment of the day.


  • Then they jump.


  • Then they bark.


  • Then they get corrected.



That’s not a training failure. That’s a supervision and management failure.


Some Dogs Are Easy

(Some Are Not) Some dogs really are easy.


They:


  • settle themselves


  • make good choices


  • cope well with chaos


But many dogs can’t do that yet. And it’s unfair to expect them to behave well in moments we haven’t prepared them for.



Those dogs don’t need more correction. They need better supervision and management when we cannot provide effective supervion.


What Good Supervision & Management Actually Looks Like

Good supervision & management means:


  • thinking ahead


  • setting your dog up before hard moments


  • managing the environment


  • lowering pressure


  • denying access to triggers


  • giving them something better to do


It’s quiet work.


It’s boring work.



But it prevents most problem behaviour before it even starts.


The Big Takeaway

Most “bad behaviour” doesn’t happen during training sessions. It happens during passive supervision.


When:


  • no one is really watching


  • no one is really guiding


  • no one is really setting the dog up to succeed


If you fix supervision, you fix a huge amount of behaviour. Not with punishment. Not with commands. But with preparation, structure, and support.


If you’d like help applying this and in doing so, improving your and your dogs lives, I can support you in a few different ways.

Through Canine Caregivers, I offer online courses and webinars to build understanding, structure, and consistency at your pace.

If you’re based in Sydney, I also offer 1:1 training across Sydney, socialisation and puppy classes, and can provide all recommended training equipment to support the work we’re doing.

I offer The Complete Care training program that covers every single base you will need as well as The Starter Program which allows you to tailor the training and support you need with flexibility.

— Ian

 Bondi Behaviourist


“A healthy dog is a happy dog and a happy dog is great to live with”.

I understand why obedience is so attractive.

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Ian Shivers

Pet Parent, Dog Trainer & Behaviourist, podcast and content writer

I’m not here to help you create an obedient dog. I’m here to help you create a better life with your dog built on understanding, trust, and meeting both of your needs.


Whether you’re starting fresh with a new puppy or looking to improve life with your current dog, I’m here to guide you with practical, simple, and effective support.


Hi, my name is Ian, and I’ve been working with dogs and their owners since 2007, helping families build calmer, more connected relationships that last. With 150+ five-star Google reviews, I’m proud to be one of Sydney’s highest-rated behaviourists you can trust.

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