What you are about to hear could well be a paradigm shift. In dog training lingo, we call the rules we have for our dogs “criteria”. For a dog to have an amazing life there needs to be some training, and your understanding of criteria is going help your dog find joy in all that you do together.
In the episode you'll hear:
- How your dog’s behaviour impacts his life.
- The breakdown of the criteria you need for your dog’s understanding of “sit”.
- What WACC is and how it defines four elements of joy in criteria for your dog.
- The reasons your criteria should change in different settings.
- Why what you are asking needs to be worth your dog’s while.
- About criteria from your dog’s point of view.
- The difference between “want to” and “have to”.
- Another of my pet peeves about dog training.
- What happens when different people in the same home have different rules.
- The importance of consistency and how sometimes is anytime for your dog.
- Why I googled “how do I get my dog to..”
- The three approaches of ignore, manage, or train.
Resources:

Episode Transcript
Awesome– the more I learn about dogs the better mom I am. Kids want achievable and clear ways to make you happy too.
I have a question, regarding the “train TO do something rather than NOT do something” — which makes complete sense. But what about those *never* behaviors like staying off the couch when they are always available.
Or my dad says his dog growing up was trained not to cross the threshold into the kitchen. Is it possible to do that without aversives? Or is it necessary to create bad stuff happening (like a coke can with pennies or whatever) for a dog not to want to do something? I’m guessing punishment was how my grandmother did it (it was the 60’s).
Hi Stephanie, yes, it is. Susan has an episode that touches on this and some solutions for you.
Episode 20: Bridging the Gap Between Blame and Kindness in Dog Training
https://dogsthat.com/podcast/20/
I love your broadcast!! I just listened to all of them in the last two days. Can’t wait for the next one.
Thank you for doing this episode! I am going to listen to it over and over! I definitely have a problem with setting criteria. I tend to be a go with the flow type. Will try my best to tap into the A type personality!