Having coached thousands of people in dog training, I’ve observed that their dogs seem to fall into three categories. The dogs who seem to hate training sessions, the dogs who are so over the top about the training they are frantic, and the dogs who are driven and focused and absolutely love it. It’s not the breed of dog or their personality that determines the category, and it’s not the trainer or trainer’s experience; it’s about understanding you’re not only training a behavior but also an emotion.
In the episode you'll hear:
- That your dog’s emotions get built into what you are training.
- What “Pavlov is Always on Your Shoulder” means.
- What compulsion trainers get wrong about a dog's emotions.
- How to gauge your dog's emotional state for training.
- My top 7 tips to help your dog love training with you.
- Observations on why dogs leave work or get distracted easily.
- The reason to know competing reinforcements in your dog's environment.
- Why not to keep going at half speed because half speed is an emotion.
- About keeping dog training sessions very short and using balance breaks.
- About getting “buy in” from your dog before training begins.
- That your dog is also teaching you, so believe them.
Resources:
- YouTube Playlist: The Emotional State of Dogs with Susan Garrett
- Podcast Episode 146: Balanced Dog Training: Does It Really Exist?
- Podcast Episode 106: Consent In Dog Training: The Misuse, Misunderstanding And Misapplication
- Podcast Episode 107: Pedicure Please: 3 Steps To Dog Nail Trimming Or Grooming Success At Home!
- YouTube Video: Vet Visits For Dogs: How To Create A Positive Experience For Everyone
- Podcast Episode 132: All The Things Your Dog Hates And How To Fix Them
- Podcast Episode 174: Dopamine In Dog Training: Anticipation, Rewards, And The Transfer Of Value
- Podcast Episode 167: Reduce Your Dog’s Stress And Anxiety In Training
- Podcast Episode 175: Food Luring VS Shaping In Dog Training: How Science Changed How I Teach Dogs
- YouTube Playlist: Loose Leash Walking with Susan Garrett
- Recallers
- Podcast Episode 57: Why Balance Breaks Fast Track Your Dog Training
- Crate Games
- Podcast Episode 86: How to Train Unmotivated or Overexcited Dogs
- Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube
This is an excellent podcast for us – so very helpful. She broke down the information for us that we can apply. Our pup has not been enthusiastic and now we have information to help work on that. Enrolled in Home School the Dog and will be adjusting our approach because of this video. Thank you Susan and your team!
Susan asks the question , what is your dog over the top, crazy about? That is the hurdle I have never been able to overcome and my dog is now 8 years old. He is indifferent to most toys. He will get a tossed toy that contains food in but he trots for it. He likes food but isn’t bonkers for it. The only thing I have ever seen him go crazy about is when there is a bear in the yard. With nothing to reward him, I have nothing to use to transfer the value say to agility obstacles.