[CachetheBC]

Just my thoughts - consider how much time you spend playing with your dog?
Your dad, in your dog's eyes, is the 'fun' guy, while he still has rules, it sounds as if he spends the majority of his time playing with the dog, doing things the dog enjoys doing. While, yes, dogs do need training, and learning should be fun for them - we should be as forgiving of their mistakes as they are of ours - but play is inherently a big part of a dog's nature.

9 Ways to Improve your Relationship with your Dog · The Wildest

May I recommend this book? Bonding with Your Dog: A Trainer's Secrets for Building a Better Relationship eBook Kobo Edition | www.chapters.indigo.ca

 

[CachetheBC]

Perhaps consider what might happen if you skipped the 'training sessions' on occasion and just focused on 'play' and simply 'capturing' (mark and reward) -reinforcing behaviors you like for a day? We all need a day off from 'work' on occasion, to refresh and regroup, process what we have learned and simply relax, our dogs can benefit from a 'day off' a 'brain break' too.
Learning happens all the time not just during formal 'training' sessions, every time we notice and reward (say 'Thank you') our dog for offering behaviors we like, we are essentially - teaching them and reinforcing them for choosing those behaviors.

 

[CachetheBC]

Do you think I should have days off where I don't do any formal training at all? Usually even if I go out with no intention of training, I end up doing it while in the house. I usually do formal training 6 days of the week.

I think it is an option worth exploring, they can suffer from 'information overload' and need some time to process it all, nor different than people.

I have a reactive pup, and I do find that giving him a 'day off' (or even two in a row) really helps him to 'reset' (destress - for his body to relax and a chance for the stress hormones to dissipate), calm himself emotionally, so that when I do return to (very short) 'focused' sessions, whether on walks or at home, he is in a 'better place' mentally, not so quick to react, and much more able to 'take in' and process what I am trying to teach him.