If someone says to you that they are a reinforcement-based dog trainer, what does that really mean? There are a lot of ways of training dogs with food or toys. Even though they fall under the reinforcement grouping, the different types of training are all dramatically different. We’re covering what I tried in the past, what I suggest you avoid, and the most effective way to shape your dog.

In the episode you'll hear:

  • About training dogs by luring and using food or toys as a lure.
  • What's termed observational learning or social learning, or sometimes modelling.
  • About Stella the Kelpie and Bunny the Sheepadoodle using buttons to communicate.
  • Some of the words that dogs understand and words that excite my dogs.
  • What capturing behavior means and how to get a captured behavior like a stretch or talking.
  • About shaping, and the critical difference between two styles used to shape a behavior.
  • The reason I don't free shape these days and prefer layered shaping.
  • How to make the correct choice for the dog the obvious choice.
  • Why splitting behaviors down creates confidence for dogs and give you a strong foundation.

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