"I Want To Pet Your Dog"

You're browsing in an aisle in the grocery store, lost in thought about what meals to plan for the week.  Suddenly, you realize a stranger is staring at you down at the end of the aisle.  A little creeped out, you turn back to the shelves, trying to ignore their uncomfortable staring.  You become aware that they're now walking purposefully towards you, and have a huge and unsettling grin on their face.  Concerned, you begin backing away, trying to put space between you and the stranger, who is still approaching with rapidity.  You rush up to the associate at the end of the aisle, and ask for help - just as the stranger reaches you.  The stranger begins to stroke your hair, and you angrily tell them to stop it.  The associate grabs your wrist, admonishing you for being rude to another patron.  You're so taken aback, the stranger​ is the one being rude!

Sound terrible?  When and where would this possibly happen?  The answer is that many dogs go through this every day.  

In dog body language, showing teeth and a hard/firm stare is considered to be threatening.  That threat can be meant to deter, dissuade, or announce action, but there is no mistaking the display. Now let's think about how most strangers approach your dog on the street.  They see your dog, and their eyes widen.  They can't help but smile, their grin getting increasingly large as they approach.  They love dogs of course, but let's think of it from the dog's point of view.  Staring, showing teeth, approaching with intent.  It can be very difficult for dogs, especially fearful ones, to understand the nuances of human body language that would indicate that this overly enthusiastic stranger means no harm.  

How can you help your dog?  You can help by coaching strangers, training with your dog, and by understand that it's perfectly acceptable that people do not need to pet your dog. 

"Dogs love me!", often exclaimed with ear-piercing enthusiasm and a forward motion of contact.  People who love dogs are good people - some just may need coaching on how to say hi in a dog-friendly manner.  I am fortunate that my dogs are well-socialized, but I will still offer guidance to people when they want to pet.  In my experience, it is best if you tell people 1) the action they need to take, and 2) how to execute it.  "She feels most comfortable when you kneel down and offer her your side, so she can choose to greet you." Or, "he's in training, and we would love it if you would help - if you could drop a treat as you pass by without touching, that would be wonderful".  The general public enjoys dogs and wants to be helpful.  Giving them canine communication tips while gaining their buy-in via helpfulness can bring a positive tone while avoiding interactions you don't want.  

Working with your dog to counter-condition natural human excitement can give your dog a whole new level of confidence in strange situations.  Working from afar at first, you can click and reward your dog for calm observance of strangers that smile, make loud noises, run, etc.  Think of the typical behaviors that would indicate someone wants to approach your dog, and build on them in training.  If your dog begins to associate smiles and squeals with hugely positive rewards, they will begin to look forward to a stranger that demonstrates these actions.  You can also teach a "say hi" cue, to give your dog confidence and a sense of choice.  I teach my dogs a hand touch in front of knees with the cue "say hi", giving them a consistent action and location to expect handling from a stranger.  Giving your dog the ability to choose to interact, with an expected outcome can go a long way.  Additionally, "say hi" pays well every time, and my dogs linger and linger with strangers, hoping for extra rewards.



And in reality, strangers do not have to pet your dog.  If you can tell your dog is uncomfortable, you are not obligated to proceed.  It's more important that your dog is set up for success and builds confidence around people they don't know, than to force an interaction.  Always work at your dog's pace, and engineer a positive environment for them.  And praise and reward when they choose to approach strangers! 

Say Yes To Undesirable Behavior

Say yes to...bad behavior?  

Ok - full disclosure, the title is misleading.  In reality, it's missing a word: "Say yes to extinguish undesirable behavior" would be more accurate. 

If you've been reading Train Hard, Play Always, you know that I love work analogies.  And sit back, grab a snack, because I have another for you. 

We've all had that job, that boss, that relationship where the person in question constantly tells you what you did wrong.  Think about that connection.  Did you enjoy that?  Did they make you anxious?  What could be wrong yesterday, today, tomorrow...striving to excel at exceedingly unidentified criteria...bracing for the next "NO".  

What an anxious relationship, that kind of feedback contrives.  Many people leave these types of jobs, these types of relationships.  To coin a popular analysis, these are considered "toxic" relationships. 

So, why should we expect our dogs to thrive under such a relationship? 

Whenever you say "no" to your dog, they comprehend that "something" has gone wrong IN THIS PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCE.  Dogs do not generalize well, and need our guidance on how to translate specific behaviors into encompassing ones.  When we constantly say no, they can interpret that in a manner of ways.  "Is it ALWAYS no, here and now?" "Is it no, for THIS behavior?"  "Is it no around THIS person/dog?".  The list can continue.

Dogs are thinking, feeling, and communicative beings.  When we focus on the "no" rather than the "yes", we take away their confidence and their ability to think independently.  Thinking with intelligent independence is so productive in any household!  A dog analyzing each situation, remembering positive feedback, and applying with depth and breadth makes each dog-family unit so much more cohesive.  

As such, the answer is SAYING YES.  Praise your dog for positive choices.  Reward them for excellent decisions.  Empower them with positively reinforced applications of behavior.  Your dog is laying on the floor calmly, rather than jumping on the counter to investigate dinner?  REWARD.  Your dog sits by the door when they'd like to go out?  REWARD.  Your dog looks at you when a scary person in a hat comes up the sidewalk?  SAY YES.  Don't neglect these winning opportunities to give positive feedback.  Focusing on rewarding your dog for their positive choices makes all the difference in the world.  It instills confidence and security, grows your relationship, and empowers them to make positive choices in their environment on their own.  They will be more engaged, happy, attentive, inquisitive, and every other adjective used to describe any "up and comer" in a company setting. 

Waiting for your dog to fail is setting your dog up for continued failure. Instead, REWARD FOR THEIR GOOD CHOICES. 

Treat your dog as you would like to be treated.  Tell them what they do right, and continue to build their confidence off of identifiably positive criteria.  Your dog will thank you!

Good Pay - What Makes It Good?

Earlier this month, we discussed how good work deserves pay.  But it bears the question - what exactly is "good" pay?

Good pay is defined by the dog, for each situation/environment that he or she is working in.  The concept of "good" considers the value of the reward, the challenge of the tasks required, and what rate best reinforces your dog for maximum success. 

I am often presented with terrific pet parents who are perplexed by their dog's success in the home, yet utter distraction in the outdoors or in a store.  In considering the concept of good pay, we have to consider the work involved.  It is a common concept that the harder the work, the greater the pay.  Your dog deserves to be compensated at a rate appropriate to the difficulty of hand.  They are very familiar with your living room, which means minimal distraction and an excellent chance of success even with new exercises to teach. In-home, your dog may be happy to work for lower value treats, as there is not as great of a need to either desensitize or generalize to a new environment.  When the stakes are high?  Up your game! 

When taking your dog's show on the road, you need to prepare three things:

1) High-value treats.  This is the big leagues now, so break out the hot dogs, liver sausage, string cheese, boiled chicken, liver brownies, tuna squares, squeaky Wubba, tug toy, etc etc.  Be excited to pay your dog in canine cold hard cash.  Keep in mind that "high-value" does differ for every dog - Aria's most prized reward are generic tortilla chips....weird? Yes.  Do I watch the sodium?  For sure.  If we're going somewhere challenging?  You better believe they're coming with. 

2) The environment at hand.  Are you taking your fearful dog to a park setting? Your leash-reactive dog to a busier street?  Be prepared to work from a successful distance, which means your dog is still interested in the reward.  If your dog is ignoring your high-value reward, then you know it's either A) not high-value enough, or B) they're too close and going over threshold. 

3) Rate of reinforcement.  If your dog is accurately offering the desired behavior in the new environment, please pay them quickly and repeatedly.  Imagine if you only recently got a new job, and you were expected to be accurate out in the field in only a day or two.  Stressful?  Sure thing.  If you were getting paid extra per minute for your hard work invested to being accurate and successful?  Darn straight you would work even harder.  The same goes for dogs.  Pay them fast and well for success in a new setting with new challenges. 

Will all three reinforcement protocols adjust with time?  Absolutely.  Once your dog adjusts to the "new normal": rate of reinforcement goes down, your dog feels more secure in the newer environment, and they begin appreciating more mild rewards.  But it takes the time and effort in the initial (and often ongoing) stages to best help them towards a new level of success. 

Just as good work deserves good pay, consider what is "good" for your dog.  It will help them be the most excited and consistent partner that you can imagine. 

Cultivate A Willing Partner

I am often asked what is the most challenging aspect of training an Alaskan Klee Kai or Siberian Husky.  Both breeds are a personal specialty, and I have relished every minute of training with them.  My answer?  Always using positive reinforcement to bring out the most willing and trusting partner that I can cultivate - and, to ensure that my dogs are open to giving back to me.

When working with Northern breeds, I find that it's crucial to operate in positive modalities.  These breeds are not traditionally motivated by a love of pleasing you; rather, they work best when working in a state that is self-reinforcing, and one that is constructed with their personal interests in mind. 

Having said that, inspiring a mutually beneficial relationship will go a long way with these dogs.  Nothing makes me more proud and happy than having my dogs work with me, of their own volition, in the happiest manner possible. 

Positive reinforcement is the way to go with the Northern breeds.  They are bred to think independently, act accordingly, and to question their handler.  It's this act of questioning that can often be the most frustrating for those who haven't worked extensively with these dogs.  Your Northern breed will always ask "What's in it for me?" or "Why should we do this?".  And you need to show them.  These breeds don't ask for your experience and trust - they demand it.  I find this exhilarating.  The Northern dogs can push their people to be better handlers, better trainers.  It's incredibly rewarding to have my personal dogs and Northern breed clients work happily with me.  These are truly partnership breeds.  My best advice is to never tire of showing them the reward.  Give them all that they have earned when they are giving you their focus and diligence.

While your Northern breeds are quite the teachers when it comes to handlers/trainers and partnership, that doesn't mean that we should neglect our other breeds that openly enjoy partaking for the sake of enjoyable inclusion.  In rescuing Aria, I have a unique opportunity to develop my skills with an innately more willing breed - a lovely Aussie that relishes training with me just for the enjoyment of building that partnership and working as a team.  Even though Aria has a much wider scope of enthusiasm and tolerance with her handler, this doesn't mean that I should neglect to show her the happiness and rewards that comes with training and with being a team.  It is so valuable to take the time to appreciate and maximize Aria's willingness to work and please; and, to show her just how appreciative I am in return.  

So, yes - the Northern breeds are what I call partnership breeds. But? Every dog deserves your partnership.  Training in a positive manner to cultivate your dog's best decisions and actions is the way to develop a wonderful partner for life.

Good Work Deserves Good Pay

"I don't want him to expect a treat every time he does something I ask."

While not a new comment in the dog training world, it's one that I feel like I'm hearing with concerning prevalence lately.  Variations on this may include "He or she shouldn't expect a treat each time they do what they're told" or "I don't want to use food/treats forever."

Let's mull this over, shall we.

Say that you secure a great job that is constantly challenging you in a positive way and requires generalization of job tasks in different places. You're paid very well for your work, and you are happy to do the work your organization asks of you.  After all, you enjoy the diversity and the benefits are great!  A month into your time there, you receive your first review.  Your boss says you're doing extremely well, and they're proud of the work you're doing.  They are also going to start cutting your pay to 75% of what you signed on for.  Um....okay?  You're confused, but you enjoy this job so you keep going.  Two months in, they are still praising you, but they cut your pay to 50%.  Suddenly, the challenges aren't as exciting as they are draining.  The travel and generalization begin taking their toll, and you aren't as motivated to perform as well as you did at the beginning.  As your apathy grows, tasks begin to slip through the cracks, and management begins to write you up.  

Can we envision this? It seems impossible that the situation would occur, and we can't imagine why someone would work (even doing work they love) for less and less pay.  Yet, it's something that can happen during training with your dog.  

​Rewards are a dog's paycheck, and whether that is treats or toys, we need to give our dogs a motivating salary.  When the work is especially difficult, we pay them more for their hard work.  When the work is easy, the paycheck is smaller or in less frequent intervals.  But we still identify a reward schedule that is motivating for our dogs.  ​

Too often, treats are cut out quickly, and I hear that "My dog only does [X] when I have a treat ready".  That tells me that their rewards stopped abruptly, and they don't understand why they should do a task they aren't paid for.  Consistently rewarding your dog is not a deficit in training.  As someone who trains and competes with her dogs in various sports, I fully understand that the timing of rewards cannot be constant in a competition setting.  But I would never expect my dogs to run a full agility course without payment, when I had previously been rewarding them after every obstacle.

So, what is one to do?  Vary your reward schedule.  Instead of each time your dog sits, it becomes every two sits, or every four obstacles, or every 15 steps in heel.  And it's a BIGGER payment than your dog received for the individual actions.  Say we're at that job again, the job that has been decreasing our pay.  If the job changed to bi-monthly pay, but a little more each pay period?  We'd still be all in!  The same goes for our dogs.  When we need to alter the reinforcement schedule, it needs to be mindful and have more impact.  

You can certainly fade a food lure and alter a singularly high rate of reinforcement, it just needs to be thoughtfully done and still offering enticing motivation to your dog.  Utilizing surprises also will keep your dog excited - give treats or toys on a variable schedule, keeping their interest.  

Good work deserves good pay.  Build the relationship you want with your dog through positive reinforcement!

Reactive Rover: Distance Is Positive

When training reactive dogs and their people, one of the most beneficial and simple things I encourage clients to remember is: distance is their friend.  It's so encouraging to see a dog have success, and success typically occurs when the trigger is farther away at first.  

As example, let's assume you are terrified of snakes.  With that in mind, does knowing that there are 30ft snakes in another country keep you up at night or stop you from your daily business?  Very likely not.  Distance is the key.  If you were hiking and came across a huge snake, that would be a completely different story.  Your reaction would be instinctual, would doubtfully be controlled or at ease.  The same goes for dogs. 

When a dog comes in close proximity to their trigger, it can be very challenging to manage their reactions.  But with distance, the trigger may not be so concerning, and the client will be able to work with them on desensitization and counter-conditioning.  To hear that a dog is having progress at a distance is a GREAT THING.  There is always time to reduce distance - the most important thing is to eliminate rehearsals of challenging behavior by giving your dog the space he or she needs to be successful in their training.  Keep your pup working at a distance where they can take treats and complete the tasks at hand, and their progress will be measurable!

Marking Inside? Reward Your Dog To Housetraining Success

You've recently adopted a dog, or your dog who you've had for quite some time has discovered the fascination with leaving p-mail around your home.  Contrary to some popular belief, marking is not exclusively a male dog activity, nor is it an intact male dog activity.   Regardless, it's important to positively teach dogs to mark outside only:

1) Always monitor your dog around your home. Confine him or her into whichever room you are in, and keep an eye on him while you both are together.  If you are moving about, tethering can often be a helpful tool.  Crating is one of the ultimate house training assistants, as a crate provides security and house training enhancement.  Often, breaks in house training occur when the dog is unobserved - a dog out of sight is a dog who could be giving signals that are going unanswered. 

2) To add to that, closely observe his or her marking behaviors when outside. Is he or she a double-turner? A persistent sniffer? Does he or she get a certain spring in their gait when preparing to mark? Keeping video logs that you can playback and take notes from are excellent for learning your dog's body language when he or she is going to mark. Then, you can redirect him or her when they start showing those signals around the home. When you see him or her start their "signature move", redirect him or her verbally and then take them outside. 

3) When he or she is outside, reward them for marking! While this may sound counterproductive on the outset, it's teaching them that marking outside is MUCH more desirable than marking inside. Dogs like to be rewarded, they like to be paid. If he or she is making big bucks marking outside, and NONE inside? All of a sudden marking indoors gets less and less rewarding. 

4) Emphasis on catching sniffing is a big thing when I'm coaching house training. Dogs can smell the floor/couch just fine from a standing position, and as he or she gets used to the smells around your home, there isn't a need for excessive sniffing. If at any point you see him or her really getting into a smell, it's likely that they're deciding if they want to leave a p-mail. Redirect him or her appropriately with food or toys, to help distract them from leaving their thoughts behind.

5) Accidents and marking need to be cleaned up with an enzymatic cleaner. Nature's Miracle, Simple Solution, and Rocco & Roxie are three popular brands, and this step is crucial to promote success in house training. Without enzymatic cleaning, your dog will be able to easily remember where he or she left their last message - and, they may want to produce an addendum. 

6) Keep him or her on a clear schedule, taking the opportunity to notice when they have big drinks of water. He or she will likely need to go out soon after.

7) It's worth experimenting with adding a DAP diffuser to your home. Excessive marking can frequently be a sign of anxiety, and a DAP diffuser can aid in stress relief.

​These seven tips can greatly assist with the house training process, and aid in eliminating marking from you dog.  Happy house training!

Bitey Puppies? That's Awesome!

The title may seem strange, I know.  Mouthy, bitey puppies...yay?  

It's true.  I like bitey puppies.  What I like about them is they are open to exploring the world in a manner most natural - with their mouths and teeth.  I recently responded to a social media post in regards of how to stop a mouthy puppy from being so bitey.  And while no, we don't want adults and older puppies mouthing the heck out of Grandma at Thanksgiving, it's very important to understand why it's vital that puppies learn how to bite.  

Yep.  Learn how to bite. 

When a client wants to stop their puppy from mouthing instantly or completely, I feel it's important to explain why learning bite moderation - or bite inhibition - is very important.  With training, the frequency of the mouthing/biting will be extinguished, but it's invaluable to teach your pup to soften their mouthing before diminishing the frequency. The problem with deterring mouthing altogether is that the puppy doesn't learn to moderate their bite, and can result in much harsher bites when they're older. Up until a puppy is around five months old, it's educational for them to learn where the line is on too hard of a bite. That line can be moved as they age and as you train, to a point where mouthing is no longer acceptable - but, they will have a greater understanding of how to manage their bite. 

You can help moderate the strength of their mouthing with a combination of "ouch" and providing appropriate chews.  For "ouch", whenever your puppy bites too hard, squeal or yelp, and cease all interaction.  Most puppies will stop abruptly, after which you can re-engage them provided the play isn't so rough.  If a puppy is overstimulated or over-tired, they may persist in biting, which means it's time to take a break.  Giving the puppy a chance to decompress is very important in those instances, and you can provide a chew for them to relax with once they've stopped persisting.  Make sure that this happens every time to maintain consistency and keep training progressing. 

It's also good to instill fun play with appropriate breaks - mixing impulse control behaviors such as sit or down in with play (typically I recommend every 10 seconds or so).  This helps to teach a puppy who gets overstimulated a more moderated way to play, so that they don't go over threshold and start mouthing more than they typically do. 

If you're consistent with "ouch" and brief timeouts where needed, you will find that your puppy's mouthing becomes gentler and gentler as he learns what the line is. As time goes on, you begin squealing/yelping for softer bites until he's no longer exerting pressure.  It should feel like your puppy is gumming you rather than using teeth. At that point, I recommend teaching off, drop it, and take it, to show your puppy that keeping his teeth off people is more rewarding than putting them on someone at all.  

Keep in mind that family, friends, and other guests should keep the same training protocol with the puppy, as we want puppies to learn in a consistent manner.  With training and patience, you will have a puppy who has a soft mouth and positively ceases mouthing. ​​

8 Rules For Bringing Home Your New Dog Or Puppy

Lately, I've had a lot on my mind in regards to bringing a new dog or puppy home.  When preparing for our new companion, it's simple to remember the traditional things: bowls, leash and collar, bed, food, toys, treats.  What about some of the less visible preparations? 

1) Basic acclimation is at least 2-4 weeks.  Whether you have a new puppy or dog, standard adjustment time is going to take about a month.  Keep in mind that acclimation is your dog adjusting to their new environment, and you'll see them acclimate to many more environments as time goes on with you.  It's important to give your new puppy or dog time to simply breathe as they learn about their new home and family.  Imagine if we invited in an exchange student from a country that didn't speak the native language.  Would we expect them to learn their way around instantly, to understand what we're saying, to get along with everyone else without concern - while, constantly hugging them, waving food in their face, and expecting their full attention?  It seems crazy!  And yet, that is often the environment and expectations simulated for dogs in their new homes.  Give them time.  Work patiently, closely examine their choices, analyze hiccups, and engineer their environment for success for all.  

2) Observe, observe, observe. Closely monitor and note the choices that your new dog or puppy is making.  They can be simple, from a favorite toy - or, more serious such as evaluating and interpreting their body language with humans and other pets.  Observe them in the yard - NEVER leave a new dog or puppy unattended!  Observe how they assess strangers, new animals, and children.  If you spend the acclimation period observing, you will learn so much about your dog and what they need.

3) Reward good choices. While you want to take the time to observe and give your dog a chance to acclimate, reward their solid choices!  This helps give your new dog/puppy a clear idea of what behaviors are desired, and also helps to bring your relationship together. 

4) House trained doesn't mean no accidents.  House training a puppy is a given.  But an adult dog?  Many adopters or owners hope that their recently acquired adult dog is potty trained and ready to be a secure canine citizen.  Acclimation also includes the important facets of house training.  Your new adult dog may be house trained, but it takes time for them to learn where to signal and how to signal.  Be mindful of signs in adults that you would address for puppies: sniffing, circling, looking lost, etc.  Keep them on a schedule, monitoring food and drink.  

5) There may be squabbles.  Dogs communicate in a multitude of ways, and in new and unfamiliar situations they may react with a stronger display than will become typical.  It's not uncommon for the new AND existing dogs to exhibit concerned body language, issue some growls, and display uncertainty.  Just as people take some time to get to know each other, dogs do as well; and, it takes some time for them to learn each other's individual personalities and communication styles.  This is where your keen observation will help to diffuse, as careful monitoring of space, communication, and resources can make for a calmer acclimation environment. 

6) Confine when unable to monitor.  With puppies, this is a bit more of a given.  But even with adults, crate or confine them when unattended.  Avoid destruction, and improve potty training.  Confining mitigates issues arising from adjustment or anxiety, and offers your new dog/puppy a quiet space in which to relax. 

7) Be prepared to minimize the toys or treats.  Imagine you are at a restaurant, and a stranger walks up and takes food off your plate.  Would you be angry? Horrified? Absolutely!  Would you tell them so?  For sure.  And I would bet it wouldn't be very accommodating.  BUT.  If you were out to dinner with your best friend, and they take a french fry?  It's likely a whole other story.  Dogs are the same, they have to build relationships with the humans and other animals in their home to feel comfortable sharing.  Too often, we hear of dogs who were pressurized into defending what they felt was theirs to enjoy, and the resulting reaction (typically uncomfortable) can feel alarming or concerning.  If you have multiple dogs, be prepared to pick up certain toys and to keep the edible chews to a minimum.  Feed all animals separately, and do not bother them while eating.  Resource guarding stems from fear, and it's vital to give your new dog or puppy the space to feel secure while enjoying meals or chews. 

8) Keep all things in mind but enjoy!  Don't forget to enjoy having your new dog or puppy in your home, and to set them up for positive success!  Be mindful in your socialization, clear in your rewards, and love your new family member. 

There are more things - but, I should put them in a new post before this one gets too long!  Having a new dog or puppy join your life is an amazing and enriching experience for all. 

The Power Of Choice

Why is choice so important? 

Today on a hike, Aria encountered seven people on the trail.  Seven people who all looked very different, had different hats and glasses, moved differently, and engaged differently.  Aria is working on her fearfulness of strangers, and she is rewarded for visually interacting with new people and making calm choices. 

At this point in her training, I am rewarding calm and visual interaction choices with food.  With repetition, she is learning to associate assessing strangers with positive results, as I am also certain to keep us both at an appropriate distance from strangers.  How is appropriate determined?  By Aria's choices.  If she feels the stranger is too close or moving too fast or wearing the wrong hat, she chooses not to take food or not to respond to the clicker or to move further away.  These choices on her part tell me when I need to examine the situation and appropriately manage it for her success.  Her choices are vitally important to her continued training and feelings of success in her world. 

 Visually interacting with the incoming hiker.











Choosing to remain relaxed!











The seventh stranger that passed us was a trail runner - someone who had the potential to be very nervewracking. With six positive interactions offered from Aria prior, she made the choice this last time to offer repeated visual calm and watch the runner as he proceeded down the trail.  This was a huge step, as runners are still concerning for her at this stage in her training.  But with consistent repetition of rewarding for positive choices and assessment - she was highly successful!  

Dogs who partake in this interact and choose game make strong and positive connections with things that they are fearful of - provided that we as handlers are consistent!  It is very much as if you were on a walk with a friend, and you were afraid of trucks.  Envision that a truck turns onto the street you're walking on, and you eyeball it...wanting to see if it's coming closer, what it's going to do.  Suddenly your friend hands you a $50 bill.  What?  The truck gets closer, and when you watch its movements your friend hands you $100 bill.  The truck passes, and you both continue your walk.  Another truck turns onto the street, and your first instinct is to closely assess it to see where it's going.  Your friend hands you a $50 bill.  Oh yeah!  Maybe there's a $100 bill coming.  You choose to watch the incoming truck, and sure enough your friend hands you $100.  After multiple trucks pass, you aren't feeling as much fear now, are you?  You've changed to feeling somewhat expectant when trucks appear, and you choose to visually interact and remain calm in order to encourage the payday.  

Now, if you assess a truck moving down the street at a high speed, you may choose to react differently.  If your friend handed you two $100 bills when this particular truck passed, that would create a new association with speeding trucks, and you are likely to choose to assess and feel calmer the next time you see one moving swiftly.

With dogs, this is much of the same when we can offer them opportunities to make positive choices about how they interact with their environment.  For fearful dogs, this can create significant leaps forward in their associations.  The same goes for reactive dogs, or even puppies.  It's all about setting your dog up for success in making positive and impactful choices.

Purposeful Puppying

During tonight's socialization walk in the park, a woman stopped and complimented Brixton on how "happy he was to be outside and playing so nicely".  Nothing makes me happier than hearing how positive and social Brixton is around perfect strangers in a busy area with all sorts of new sights, sounds, and smells. 

Every evening, Brixton and I take a walk in the local park which is home to six soccer fields, two volleyball courts, a walking path, two basketball courts, and a football field.  The number of games, patrons, dogs, and sounds changes every time; and, offers a wealth of experiences with which to train around.  

The first time we walked around the park, Brixton wasn't sure what to make of the unfamiliar noises, so we played games around the edge of the park where he was far enough from the stimuli to relax and concentrate on fun.  During our second walk, Brixton was much more curious, as we previously paired rewards with unknown sounds and people.  He spent a good amount of time watching the various games and then taking rewards - always ensuring that we were at a distance that he could operate in, making the positive associations that will be so crucial later in life. 

Being a puppy, sometimes new objects could be concerning (such as signs, tractors, soccer balls, etc).  Brixton and I had fun using targeting behaviors to create positive associations with investigating new things, and I was so proud of him this evening when he went up to the "weird and maybe scary" branch, nose touched, and looked up at me for his reward. 

Tonight, Brixton happily played tug with me while in the presence of a super rowdy kids soccer game, next to a busy basketball court, and while strangers walked past.  All of these confidence-building games that we are playing are encouraging happy and comprehensive socialization, and we'll continue to make life a blast in as many new situations as we can.  All the way being mindful about the value and quality of each experience for him!