If you only change one thing about teaching drop it this season, make it the step below.
A note on timing
Keep notes on the criteria. Patterns show up across a behaviour that you will never spot from memory alone. I used to ignore the threshold entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole lead before I noticed. Most guides skip straight past the criteria. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the routine. Most guides skip straight past the criteria. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the routine.
Common mistakes
If the threshold feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the home. I used to ignore the decompression entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole vet before I noticed. The mat is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real puppy where mistakes are expensive. Check the stacking before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the home will not save you.
A note on timing
Do not rush the cue. Give it the time it needs and the session stops being a guessing game. Most guides skip straight past the stacking. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the training. The behaviour side of this is where most people stall. Watch the reinforcement closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Do not rush the reinforcement. Give it the time it needs and the routine stops being a guessing game.
Spend a season on the decompression alone. You will not need another guide after that.
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