Some of the behaviors we teach our dogs are more important than others. Having a reliable "down" is nice but teaching a reliable "come when called" or dropping an item, if the item is dangerous, can save your canine companion's life. For these types of behaviors we recommend that you practice them often so that when you do need them they are reliable. If you don’t practice them often enough, you won't know if your dog will know them when you really need them. Calling your dog when a car is coming is not an optimal time to test if your dog will come to you. We advocate that for recall or dropping items, you practice 90% of the time and use the cue only 10% of the time or less. This way they come flying when you call them.
What other behaviors do you think need the 90/10 rule?
