Would you like a well-behaved dog at the expense of having a happy dog? How do we define happy? Would you be willing to make your dog a little sad, confused, anxious, stressed to be well-behaved? With every dog I have ever owned my approach to training has become a little more Zen-like. Trust in me is important for my dogs to be part of my family, and part of the life I lead.
In the episode you'll hear:
- What I was taught in the ‘80s about house training, and what I do now.
- Why my dogs are such characters.
- The “so what….” question to ask yourself.
- More about what I was taught in the ‘80s relating to puppy biting.
- About increasing or decreasing trust and happiness for dogs.
- Why what we learn first is what we learn best, and how we can change.
- How kindness should extend to ourselves.
- About the clarity my dogs have for rules and how that gives them freedom.
- How our dogs take on our emotions.
- The reason to plan your responses to what your dog does.
- That clarity is the opposite of anxiety and how certainty helps dogs.
- Why the choice is ours on who we are for our dogs.
- How our dogs can help us to become more compassionate.
Resources:
- Podcast Episode 4: T.E.M.P. (Tail, Eyes/Ears, Mouth, Posture)
- Blog Post: It’s Time to P-o-t-t-y! Inside Scoop on Housetraining
- Podcast Episode 17: Help! How do I STOP Puppy Biting?!
- Podcast Episode 18: 4 Puppy and Dog Training Games for Acquired Bite Inhibition
- Podcast Episode 27: Do Dogs Need Rules?
- Podcast Episode 6: The Art of Manipulation
- Podcast Episode 20: Bridging the Gap Between Blame and Kindness in Dog Training
- Agility Nation
Thank you Susan for teaching me so much.
I have made mistakes, four years ago I took on a new style of training, which included putting my puppy Dora, now 4 yrs old in time out, by isolating her in the bathroom. I would say that from that I went to hope training, which has created a beautiful girl, that runs off, won’t come in at night. The list goes on,
This podcast brought tears to my eyes, for Dora I will do better, I promise you.
Great podcast. I needed a tissue. Touch my heart. My intention every day, and a better house, a better person a better world. Thank you.
I also loved this part very much and I have to practice forgiveness for myself. Now I understand why I have the dog next to me and also that I have to apologize to him for not understanding me enough and work even more on our relationship of trust. Thank you for this touching, touching episode!
Firstly, thank you. I am absorbing a lot that you say. I’ve been watching the podcasts and most of them are eye opening for me. A lot of memories of what i’ve seen with my dogs in the past and present are coming to me and i see what i have done wrong. Understanding how to see stress in a dog has and will been huge. It’s black and white for me. You keep me motivated. Thank you for that.
Susan, hope you are doing great! I enjoy your podcast so much! Thank you for sharing your way to approach problems.
I am changing 100% my ways of training since I discovered your approach, (we previously were in a class with a correction collar) it has been really effective and I believe my dog is starting to enjoy working with me and I am not getting frustrated or thinking that he “is ignoring me”.
Thank you so much! I hope we eventually win in obedience and agility. I now believe my dog and I are awesome and I will not be limiting ourselves with unkind words!
Love your podcast and your recallers program. I couldn’t stop thinking about my current dog and the long-term, unintentional consequcences of his being (I assume) house-trained in this way.
We got him at 6 months as a”used” dog who was returned to the rescue that adopted him out as a puppy. Because he had frequent access to our fenced yard, we didn’t realize that he had a problem until we took him camping and he went 2 days without pooping. When he finally succumbed, he was at the end of the leash and the misery and fear in his eyes was heartbreaking.
It has taken over 2 years of throwing “pooping parties” (first very quietly from across the yard, then with more enthusiasm close by as his confidence has grown) to get to where we have a (fairly) reliable elimination on lead.
What probably took no more than 10 seconds to instill has taken so long to overcome. Thank you for spreading the message about how equally easy it is to go about the same job with kindness and humor (and better results). ❤️❤️❤️
OMG! This one brought me tears up. Such a strong message!
That’s awesome Colleen. I speak from the heart and without judgement because I am fully aware that I am not without flaws. I love that my dogs are helping me to be a better human and they forgive me when I slip up. All of us dog onwers are on the same journey, just at different points on it…learning from our dogs.
WOW…JUST, WOW! I love that this journey is an ‘evolution’ as you say! I have seen that look of confusion and broken trust. And now, I am seeing happy tails, ears, eyes after just a few months. And I AM happier, and more ‘clear’, right along with these dogs! THANK YOU! You truly are a fabulous educator. Your approach makes me want to learn and improve! Exciting times! Thanks again!
Another fabulous episode! I love the way you present your views without telling people that they are wrong and you are right. You have no judgement and the way you present an idea allows room for the listeners to make their choice based on their core values. I have presented how you train, why I love it, and this same question to my friends and now I have two friends who joined in your Home School the dog program in October and one friend in Recallers! Keep it up!❤️🐾