Before my recent episode on latency in dog training, we took a social media poll on cue response times. 62% of people thought their dogs responded too slow. So, to help, this episode covers all the elements that create fluent behavior and what’s truly behind a dog’s response time to a cue. One of the most significant elements can be what we believe to be true about dogs. We’re also looking at the difference between true fluency and a dog's good grasp of a behavior.

In the episode you'll hear:

  • Why people often mistake partial understanding of a behavior for fluency.
  • What I mean by generalizing a dog’s behavior to all contexts.
  • About training my “high” Border Collie, Buzz, for agility.
  • How to create enthusiasm and joy in your dog for behaviors.
  • My six criteria for dog behavior fluency.
  • Why instilling joy is always the first step in dog training.
  • That “will” is a function of skill and environment.
  • That our beliefs are not truths but personal perceptions.
  • How we download and accept information from authority figures in our lives.
  • Why the beliefs and labels of others aren’t your truths.
  • Why I stopped giving dogs “time outs” over a decade ago.
  • Why I think I’ve been successful at positive reinforcement dog training.
  • What to do when frustration, anger, or disappointment sets in with your dog.
  • That dogs aren’t mad or spiteful when acting out, they’re dysregulated.
  • About fright, flight, freeze, or please reactions to stressors.
  • The questions to ask yourself when toxic thoughts or emotions arise.
  • Why we need to teach dogs from a place of environmental success in layers of joy.
  • My steps for releasing limiting beliefs and toxic thinking.

Resources:

  1. Podcast Episode 222: Get Your Dog To Respond Faster: Latency In Dog Training
  2. Podcast Episode 184: Proofing Vs Generalizing In Dog Training To Grow Skills And Confidence
  3. Book: Shaping Success by Susan Garrett (Buzz’s Story)
  4. Podcast Episode 176: Why Your Dog’s Emotions Are A Critical Element Of Dog Training
  5. Podcast Episode 171: Dog Training With Layered Shaping: Why Classical Conditioning Must Come First
  6. Podcast Episode 48: Potty Train Your Puppy in a Week (Easy 3 Step Process)
  7. Podcast Episode 8: Get Your Dog in the Belief Loop of Awesome
  8. Podcast Episode 34: Time Outs for Dogs: Does Your Dog Need One?
  9. Podcast Episode 71: Pro Dog Trainer’s Secret to Help Your Naughty Dog
  10. Podcast Episode 133: Become Your Own Dog Training Coach With This Video Strategy
  11. Podcast Episode 219: Self-Regulation Helping Shy, Hyper, Anxious Or Fearful Dogs To A Better Life
  12. Podcast Episode 190: Using Daily Quickies To Fast Track Your Dog Training And Grow Your Dog’s Skills
  13. Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube