Episode 257: How To Use Your Dog’s Favorite Reinforcements To Fix Unwanted Inadvertent Behaviors

Susan Garrett2024-02-09T20:41:47+00:00February 2nd, 2024|3 Comments

Have you ever wondered how to fix your dog’s unwanted behavior when you want to train with positive reinforcement? In episode 256, I covered the magic question, "What was that cookie for?" that helps us all understand how we may be contributing to the behaviors of our dogs that we want to change. So, I’m following up with my top tips on turning things around. The very good news is that the formula I use to get everything back on track is easy to apply to any inadvertent behavior problem you'd like to change.

In this episode you’ll hear:

How unintentional reinforcement contributes to unwanted behaviors.
Why our awareness is the start of fixing unwanted behaviors.
That permission, access and what your dog loves are powerful reinforcements.
Real life examples showing what the cookie was for!
Why to check with your Vet before assuming a behavioral problem.
Three ways dogs get educated.
How using the ‘Training Triage’ keeps dogs safe and what to do next.
The formula for triaging your dog's behavior.
The effectiveness of games in dog training.
The role of play in speeding up the learning process.
Challenges associated with low intentional learning and high unintentional reinforcement.
Addressing the belief that reinforcement-based training doesn't work.
How to join Recallers at a discounted rate.

Recallers:

Write in to us at wag@dogsthat.com with the subject line “FUD/ Fun University for Dogs” for a very special opportunity to join us in Recallers.

Your Dog’s Pedicure Please Program:

Join Pedicure Please

Resources :

3 Comments

Shawnee Godwin June 2, 2024 at 3:08 am - Reply

Great podcast-it so makes sense! The Recallers program is wonderful! FUD
Gail Bryne March 4, 2024 at 3:21 pm - Reply

I had a rescue who was very timid, a sweet choc lab who had been chained in a yard for the first 18 months of her life. With lots of love and time together she grew confidence in herself and trust in us. She was terrified of going to the vet who always gave her lots of cookies. That was 20 years ago and I was indifferent to her reinforcing this fear. (Long before I met Susan Garrett online) I asked another vet acquaintance why my vet kept reinforcing this behaviour. Her response was because she wanted the dog to see her visits as a good thing with the treats. Even back then I knew something didn’t seem right about this. Thank you Susan for explaining my confusion from back then. I’m glad your training and my assumption was correct even though I didn’t understand why, and now I know. Giving a human a candy might help them feel better but doesn’t solve the real problem, giving a dog a treat reinforces the behaviour. I’m new to Dogs That, only my first week so I hope I fully understand this so far.
Linda Hickey March 1, 2024 at 8:58 pm - Reply

I have a lovely 3yo male Doberman. He is smart and loving. I started him in a puppy class. He understood everything so much faster than the other puppies that he started acting out while we waited for the instructors to help all the puppies: laying down and army crawling and eating grass. I only knew how to tug on his collar to try to get him to behave. I then tried positive reinforcement with a very talented trainer in our area. He was so smart that we progressed way too fast and he started shutting down: doing zoomies, not coming back to me, and not wanting to repeat the task that he did perfectly the first time. I did NOT have the mechanics in place to give him good information. He finished his AKC conformation championship in 3 shows: he understood the deal and had no interest in the other dogs in a very crowded ring. He is now 85 lbs and his interest in other dogs trumps his interest in doing something with me. I have decided to start over and try to use Susan’s methods to try and have this dog enjoy his sessions of training instead of doing it but shutting down.