Episode 298: The Dog Training Quadrants We Don’t Talk About: Are We Using Them More Than We Know?

I sometimes receive comments that some dogs need all 4 quadrants of dog training. But what does that mean, why does it matter for your dog, and what does science tell us? We all need to be aware of the blurred lines between quadrants, so I'm discussing each. Plus, I'm sharing experiences and insights on what unintentional punishment can be for dogs and how to avoid it, what reinforcement really is, and how it's possible to reinforce a dog for behavior you don't want.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How the four quadrants of operant conditioning apply to everyday dog training.
  
• An explanation of Positive Reinforcement, Positive Punishment, Negative Punishment and Negative Reinforcement - +R, +P, -P, -R
  
• How to recognize what quadrant you are training in and my experiences.
  
• The importance of reinforcers and using what’s reinforcing for your dog.
  
• How I built value for my dog Swagger to watch other dogs work.
  
• Control and lessons from B.F. Skinner.
  
• How negative reinforcement works.
  
• The blurred lines between the quadrants.
  
• Debunking the “we must be alpha” narrative in dog training.

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