Visit us at shapedbydog.com     Tug of War, which is tugging with a dog using a toy, is one of the most basic and fun games we can play. Yet, some authorities will give a list of reasons why dogs should not tug. We’re looking at those reasons, what dogs should not tug, and the five most common mistakes people make with tugging. For most dogs, not only is it okay to play tug, but it’s also critically important.   In the episode you'll hear:   • Why some dogs should not be tugging. • How tugging can help you avoid behavior problems with a puppy. • The reasons given about why dogs should not play tug. • How sporting dogs with a soft mouth can enjoy tugging and still retrieve. • The connection made between growling and a dog being dominant. • How to help dogs who are resource guarding. • What you need to know about arousal, redirection, and boundaries. • How tugging improves your relationship with your dog. • Why dogs need to let go of the toy when you ask. • About my number one rule when playing tug. • The emergency stop to use if a dog makes contact with skin or clothing. • How tugging creates clear communication between you and your dog. • Why the arousal state of a dog when tugging helps with distractions. • The reasons to make safety a priority. • How to play tug so that you and your dog can have fun.   Resources:   • Learn how to play ItsYerChoice - https://recallers.com/iycsummit-join/ • Podcast Episode 46: Is Your Dog Trying to Dominate You and What You Can Do About It - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/46/ • Podcast Episode 88: Barrier Frustration: Help for Fence Fighting, Leash Reactivity and Window Guarding - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/88/ • Podcast Episode 18: 4 Puppy and Dog Training Games for Acquired Bite Inhibition - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/18/ • Podcast Episode 66: Resource Guarding: Dog vs Dog Aggression - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/66/ • Podcast Episode 82: Aggressive Puppy Biting Solved - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/82/ • Podcast Episode 55: Pro Dog Trainer’s Guide to Toy Selection - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/55/ • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/zBH2lKVxj58 

Visit us at shapedbydog.com     Has your dog ever experienced barrier frustration? The frustration can escalate to aggression, and something like fence running can turn into fence fighting. The leash being on a dog can result in restraint frustration as the lead creates a barrier. Or perhaps your dog barks at other dogs when in the car? When our dogs are frustrated, they are expressing an emotion and we cannot ignore their excitement or anxiety. We can help our dog by creating a different emotional response.   In the episode you'll hear:   • About noticing the early signs of anxiety or frustration. • How fence running can quickly escalate to fighting. • Why arousal can turn to redlining and why we should care. • What we don’t want our dogs to rehearse. • How fence fighting can have consequences away from the barrier. • Being aware of everyone’s safety around dogs who have pent up emotion. • Why a redlining dog could redirect onto another dog, child, or adult. • The easiest way to stop barrier aggression. • Why to focus on the trigger to help dogs with their emotional response. • How to change your dog’s emotional state around triggers. • Strategies to help fence fighting dogs. • Why management is a big part of dog training to prevent rehearsals. • How using a head halter will help you keep your dog under threshold. • The reason to use distance to help your dog with triggers. • Games you can play that will help overcome barrier frustration. • Why the words “Winners Circle!” come with treats for your dog. • How to achieve the goal of your dog seeing a trigger and orientating to you.   Resources:   • Podcast Episode 86: How to Train Unmotivated or Overexcited Dogs - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/86/ • Podcast Episode 29: Understanding and Preventing Reactivity and Aggression in Your Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/29/ • Podcast Episode 40: Using a Head Halter on a Dog, Why My Approach is so Different - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/40/ • Crate Games Online - https://get.crategames.com/ • Podcast Episode 59: Why Your Treats Aren’t Working for Your Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/59/ • Podcast Episode 6: The Art of Manipulation - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/6/ • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/62V-3JsHKvE 

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    Do you have a fitness program for your dog? It’s not something that is just for canine athletes and dog sports! Every dog will benefit from conditioning exercises for their health, well-being and longevity. A fitness program is also a fun way for you and your dog to spend time together and easy to start.   In the episode you'll hear:   • Why fitness for dogs should include more than walks or chasing a ball or frisbee. • How dogs can have an imbalance in their body leading to injury. • The importance of your dog’s weight and getting a fitness check. • Why soundness is different to fitness. • About making sure that your dog has age-appropriate fitness exercises. • The four areas I focus on with my dog’s fitness program. • Why your dog’s strength, flexibility, balance, and proprioception are all important. • The reason we need to build up our dog’s big muscles first. • Why to introduce an unstable surface gradually to your dog’s fitness routine. • What you can do today with a sit, down or stand for your dog’s fitness without any equipment. • How you can join the canine fitness program that I am doing with the Susan20 discount code.   Resources:   • YouTube Video: Susan Garrett’s Perch Work Dog Tricks (Pivots and Spins) - https://youtu.be/O6sj6fTJnFc • Podcast Episode 85: Understanding Your Dog’s Sit: LWT - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/85/ • Blog Video: How to Train Your Dog to Stand on Cue - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2020/10/train-your-dog-to-stand-on-cue/ • Join Carolyn McIntyre’s “From the Ground Up” online fitness program with the discount code: Susan20  • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/LGdhcU0eNzQ  *Balance pad - https://geni.us/balance-pad *Amazon Links Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Susan only recommends products she uses herself, and all opinions expressed here are her own. The link above is an affiliate link that, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission if you decide to buy from it. Thank you!

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    Are there times your dog just does not want to train? Or perhaps your dog is so distracted that you can’t get their focus on you or the training? The reason a dog will seem so obsessed with something that you can’t get their attention or do not seem motivated comes down to their emotional state. The good news is that you can help get your dog into the zone for peak performance, and when you rehearse success, it becomes easier and easier.   In the episode you'll hear:   • What Yerkes–Dodson Law means for dog training. • How emotional states go up and down based on stress. • Why not all stress is bad and why we need good stress. • About our emotional state and how the same applies to our dogs. • All the stages of arousal and how each state impacts our dog. • How focus narrows when stress goes up. • What over excitement does to us and our dogs. • Why dogs can’t hear us when they are over excited. • What we can do to help our dogs be in the zone. • How you can test your dog’s arousal state with a treat. • The importance of changing our dog’s physiology. • Why the bell curve changes for dogs with clarity through training. • How to train activities that help your dog get to peak performance. • Why not to train something important when your dog is over or under aroused.   Resources:   • Yerkes–Dodson Law (Wikipedia) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerkes%E2%80%93Dodson_law • Podcast Episode 84: Disappointment in Dog Sports: Mindset with Olympian Greg Louganis - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/84/ • Podcast Episode 60: When You Don’t Feel Like Training Your Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/60/ • Podcast Episode 57: Why Balance Breaks Fast Track Your Dog Training - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/57/ • Blog Post: How Do I Train My Dog To Come When Called? - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/04/train-my-dog-to-come-when-called/ • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/jsva1bKdYQg 

Visit us at shapedbydog.com     Learn, walk and train with me! We’re focusing on your dog’s “sit”. I’ll be giving you prompts during this episode for when you are with your dog so we can be dog training together. We’re also covering the 12 things that I consider fundamental for all dogs. Mastering the fundamentals will make anything you want to do with your dog so much easier.   In the episode you'll hear:   • Understanding your dog's sit. • The criteria of speed and latency. • Why to note how long it takes your dog to start sitting after your cue. • Why to notice how fast your dog sits. • Why speed and latency might be different in different environments. • About rewarding for average or better. • When to make use of your high value treats. • About the importance of protecting your dog's confidence. • The top 12 fundamentals for all dogs.   Susan Garrett’s Top 12 Fundamentals   1. Search 2. ItsYerChoice 3. Crate Games / Hot Zone 4. Recall 5. Reinforcement Zone (RZ) / Loose Leash Walking 6. Play with the toy I have 7. Retrieve 8. Sit 9. Down 10.Lay on side for co-operative care 11.Hand Target 12.Functional Tricks   Resources:   • Podcast Episode 19: One of My Biggest Pet Peeves in Dog Training - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/19/ • Podcast Episode 12: When Helping Your Dog is an Illusion - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/12/ • Podcast Episode 59: Why Your Treats Aren’t Working for Your Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/59/ • Podcast Episode 53: Stop Your Dog Pulling on Leash and Start Walking Together - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/53/ • Podcast Episode 73: Why Your Dog Is Still Pulling on Leash And How To Fix It - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/73/ • Learn the ItsYerChoice Game - https://recallers.com/iycsummit-join/ • Crate Games Online - https://get.crategames.com/ • Podcast Episode 68: 3 Easy Tricks Every Dog Should Know - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/68/ • Email [email protected] to let us know what you think of the new “Learn, Walk and Train” segment for our ShapedByDog podcast. • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/XsgHnaht_lw 

Visit us at shapedbydog.com     Have you ever had disappointing results in your dog training, in sport, or life in general? One of the toughest things that any of us have to do is recover from disappointment. I’m joined by my friend, Olympic gold medallist Greg Louganis, for a conversation centered on overcoming disappointing results in sport as well as in life. Greg has been called both “the greatest American diver” and “probably the greatest diver in history”, but he is also one of the best experts on the recovery mindset.   In the episode you'll hear:   • How disappointment can impact our well-being. • What happened to Greg Louganis at the Olympics and how he recovered. • How we all feel scared. • Why we need time to process. • The reason to acknowledge how we feel. • How we all are not successful a lot of the time. • Inspiration gained from Frances Louganis. • Why to embrace the things in life that are meant for you. • How we all practice courage every day. • The importance of acknowledging effort.   Resources:   • Agility Nation - https://www.agility-nation.com/ • *Book: Mindset – Changing the Way You Think to Fulfil Your Potential by Carol Dweck - https://geni.us/mindset-book  Join us in Agility Nation. Use discount code GREG20 - https://dogsthat.com/product/agility-nation/  • Meditation in Motion with Greg Louganis - https://greglouganis.com/mim-enrollment/ • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/8Sbsi3aQGuA  *Amazon Links Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Susan only recommends products she uses herself, and all opinions expressed here are her own. The link above is an affiliate link that, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission if you decide to buy from it. Thank you!

Visit us at shapedbydog.com     “How many hours a day do you spend training your puppy or dog?” is one of the most common questions I get. So, we’ll look at a typical day in the life of my dogs. What happens might surprise you as I don’t spend as much time training as many would think. What is important is the training between the training.   In the episode you'll hear:   • Why the interactions with your dog are the relationship. • About a typical day in my life with my dogs. • How I get the training done before I do the training. • Why I keep dog treats in small bowls around my home. • About being ready to reward your dog for doing something well. • How I capture behaviours that I want my dogs to do. • The opportunities for my dogs to earn reinforcement at mealtimes. • Why I am intentional about catching my dogs doing something well. • About being aware of the thing before the thing. • Why to decide what your rules are for your dog. • About using walks for training opportunities. • Why to be present to what your dog is rehearsing. • How 75% of my puppy training happens when I’m not training. • Why 95% of my adult dog training happens when I’m not training.   Resources:   • Podcast Episode 16: The Thing Before Your Dog’s Thing - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/16/ • *Book: Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott - https://geni.us/fierce-conversations • Podcast Episode 80: Does Your Dog Love You? Let’s Talk Relationships - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/80/ • Podcast Episode 26: Pro Dog Training Tips to Get Your Puppy to Sleep All Night - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/26/ • Podcast Episode 2: Reinforcement - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/2/ • Podcast Episode 11: The Power of Permission in Dog Training - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/11/ • Podcast Episode 33: How Do I Stop My Dog Counter Surfing?! - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/33/ • Podcast Episode 27: Do Dogs Need Rules? - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/27/ • Podcast Episode 15: CSI Tips for Managing a Multi-Dog Household - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/15/ • Blog Post: Rolling out a Big Adventure - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2013/08/rolling-out-a-big-adventure/ • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/0BhSUusjJ5E   *Amazon Links Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Susan only recommends products she uses herself, and all opinions expressed here are her own. The link above is an affiliate link that, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission if you decide to buy from it. Thank you!

Visit us at shapedbydog.com     Imagine if your cute, cuddly puppy suddenly turned aggressive on you. You might think your puppy is trying to dominate you or acting out to spite you, but that is not the case. We’re looking at what is going on with aggression in puppies and what to do about resource guarding. As scary and unimaginable as it may seem, a puppy showing aggression over resources is normal, and there are things that you can do right now to help.   In the episode you'll hear:   • How resource guarding is a survival mechanism for puppies and dogs. • What to notice about the early signs of resource guarding. • How humans can make resource guarding worse. • When and why to see a Veterinary Behaviorist. • What to do when a dog guards against you or another person. • Why to consider your dog’s emotional response and feelings of fear. • How we can have feelings that lead us to want to guard our resources too! • Why to look at things from your puppy’s point of view. • How to create a great Conditioned Emotional Response (CER) for your pup or dog. • The reason punishment only suppresses behavior and does not change behavior. • Why not to take your pup’s bowl away or put your hands in the food. • How to keep everyone safe and create a relationship of trust with your dog. • The common ways your puppy will show you they are not comfortable. • All the steps to prevent and fix puppy aggression.   Resources: • Podcast Episode 66: Resource Guarding: Dog vs Dog Aggression - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/66/ • Podcast Episode 4: T.E.M.P. (Tail, Eyes/Ears, Mouth, Posture) - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/4/ • *Book: Mine! A Practical Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs by Jean Donaldson - https://geni.us/mine-jean-donaldson • Learn How to Play ItsYerChoice (IYC) - https://recallers.com/iycsummit-join/ • Crate Games Online - https://get.crategames.com/ • To join Home School the Dog at a special discount, write to us at [email protected] with the subject line: I watched resource guarding • Podcast Episode 6: The Art of Manipulation - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/6/ • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/XDdf1w_9Ha0 Ex-Pen Information: • Ex-Pen: Rover Modular Pet Enclosures - http://dogsthat.com/roverpanels • *Ex-Pen: Plastic 8-Panel - https://geni.us/ex-pen-white • *Ex-Pen: Folding Metal - https://geni.us/ex-pen-metal   *Amazon Links Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Susan only recommends products she uses herself, and all opinions expressed here are her own. The link above is an affiliate link that, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission if you decide to buy from it. Thank you!

Visit us at shapedbydog.com     Have you experienced sudden onset aggression, fear or behavior change with your dog? Imagine if I could give you a pill to solve any behavior challenge. Now, in some cases, there might actually a pill that can help. We’re looking at what you need to know about your dog’s thyroid.   In the episode you'll hear:   • About my dog Stoni and her sudden lunging at another dog. • What I learned from Dr. Jean Dodds about sudden onset fear and aggression. • About the importance of getting a complete thyroid panel for your dog. • What I noticed with Decaff and her fear of thunder. • About Buzz’s vestibular disorder episode and his thyroid panel. • How hormones impact behavior. • Why behavior is not always a choice for us or our dogs. • How behaviour change could become triggered by events. • The importance of noticing sudden changes in your dog.   Resources:   • Dr. Jean Dodds’s Website (Hemopet) - https://hemopet.org/ • Thyroid Articles by Dr. Jean Dodds - https://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/dodds-thyroid#.YIrqELVKiUl • TUFTS Reference: Behavioral Changes Associated With Thyroid Dysfunction In Dogs by W. Jean Dodds DVM (W. Jean Dodds, DVM and Linda P. Aronson, DVM) - http://siriusdog.com/behavior-thyroid-dysfunction-dodds/ • Video Blog: Understanding Your Dog’s Triggers - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/01/understanding-your-dogs-triggers/ • Podcast Episode 29: Understanding and Preventing Reactivity and Aggression in Your Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/29/ • Podcast Episode 79: Reduce Anxiety and Grow Your Dog’s Confidence with These Pro Dog Training Tips - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/79/ • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/UgvHBgGdw8s

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    Many dog owners wonder, “does my dog love me?”. We’d all like to think our dogs love us, but how can we tell? It could all come down to the relationship you have with your dog and how that impacts the way you train your dog and communicate. There are three different sorts of relationships, and our interactions might have elements of each. It’s not dissimilar to the relationship a child has with a parent or relationships in the workplace. We can demand, dominate, and control, or bribe, cajole and cater, or give choices and reinforcement that grow trust and autonomy.   In the episode you'll hear:   • What happens with blame when rules are broken and why to check our ego. • Why control creates resistance, opposition, rebellion and can result in sneaky behavior. • About what really happens if you just want your dog to be a dog. • What a transactional relationship based on bribing and luring does to our dogs. • The ways your relationship with your dog can be exhausting for you. • How each type of relationship can impact something like training a retrieve. • Why we aim for autonomy in relationships with our dogs and what it means. • About choice based training and how that creates a dopamine release. • How our dog training decisions can create trust. • Why I ask my dogs questions and what the answers tell me. • How our relationships can help us all flourish, including our dogs.   Resources:   • Podcast Episode 34: Time Outs for Dogs: Does Your Dog Need One? - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/34/ • Podcast Episode 44: Using Coincidences and Positive Associations in Dog Training - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/44/ • Podcast Episode 78: How to Train a Rescue Dog with Behavior Problems - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/78/ • Podcast Episode 21: The 5 Critical Dog Training Layers for Confidence with Anything - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/21/ • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/w-XGE_UYACw   Study References:   • Survey of the use and outcome of confrontational and non-confrontational training methods in client-owned dogs showing undesired behaviors - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159108003717 • Does training method matter? Evidence for the negative impact of aversive-based methods on companion dog welfare - https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0225023 • Bad dog? Think twice before yelling, experts say - https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/11/bad-dog-think-twice-yelling-experts-say • Dogs’ Sociability, Owners’ Neuroticism and Attachment Style to Pets as Predictors of Dog Aggression - https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/2/315/htm

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    The best thing we can do for our dogs is to protect and grow confidence. But what does that really mean? What is a dog who is worried, or fearful, or growling, or showing aggression telling us? Why do our dogs change depending on where they are and what is around them? When we have a baseline and know what our dog is saying to us, we can start confidence building exercises to help our dog in all situations.   In the episode you'll hear:   • What my friend Greg Louganis taught me about confidence in different situations. • How your dog’s body language can tell you a lot about how they are feeling. • Why to observe your dog’s baseline confidence in your home with no distractions. • Confidence factors including breed, genetics, and socialization. • The dangers of putting a label on your dog or puppy and confirmation bias. • How every dog has the potential to express a lack of confidence by growling. • The two ways to desensitize dogs to help grow confidence. • What I’m doing to grow confidence for my puppy, This! around water. • Why flooding a dog who is fearful seldom works. • How distance will help grow your dog’s confidence. • About using cues to mean “something amazing is going to happen”. • Why motion stimulates arousal and can help your dog be more confident. • The reason we want to prevent our dog from going over threshold. • How to keep a journal to help your dog. • How to grow your dog’s confidence in stages easily.   Resources:   • Podcast Episode 4: T.E.M.P. (Tail, Eyes/Ears, Mouth, Posture) - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/4/ • Podcast Episode 8: Get Your Dog in the Belief Loop of Awesome - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/8/ • Podcast Episode 29: Understanding and Preventing Reactivity and Aggression in Your Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/29/ • Podcast Episode 38: 3 Keys to a Confident Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/38/ • Video Blog: Vlog: Understanding Your Dog’s Triggers - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/01/understanding-your-dogs-triggers/ • Podcast Episode 71: Pro Dog Trainer’s Secret to Help Your Naughty Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/71/ • Podcast Episode 66: Resource Guarding: Dog vs Dog Aggression - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/66/ • Podcast Episode 70: Critical Info for Your Puppy’s First Day and Night at Home - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/70/ • Podcast Episode 78: How to Train a Rescue Dog with Behavior Problems - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/78/ • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NzqJgT4dYB0

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    When you bring a rescue dog into your family, you want your dog to settle in and be home for life. There are five key things you can do to set your new rescue dog up for success. These tips apply to all dogs! Often rescue dogs might have behavior issues, but you can help with good training and by creating clarity and structure for the new member of your family.   In the episode you'll hear:   • The biggest mistake you can make with a rescue dog. • Why we want to change patterns of behavior rescue dogs might have. • About the honeymoon period when a new dog enters your family and settles in. • What our rescue dog Tater Salad was like when he came home. • The 5 keys to having success when you rescue a dog. • Why to give your rescue dog a new name for a new life. • How to prepare for your dog arriving home and what you need. • About having a daily schedule for your rescue dog. • Why not to take anything at face value until you get to know your dog. • How to keep a journal for your rescue dog. • Why to get real and get honest and to believe your dog. • About creating daily clarity for an amazing life for a rescue dogs. • Why playing ItsYerChoice (IYC) will lift a weight from your dog. • About the importance of focusing on the awesome! ItsYerChoice Summit: Join in with Susan’s free online dog training workshop: Click here for the ItsYerChoce Summit   Resources:   • Podcast Episode 6: The Art of Manipulation - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/6/ • Podcast Episode 27: Do Dogs Need Rules? - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/27/ • Video Blog: Help! My Dog Hates His Nails Cut … What Do I Do? - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2020/01/my-dog-hates-his-nails-cut/ • Podcast Episode 70: Critical Info for Your Puppy’s First Day and Night at Home - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/70/ • Podcast Episode 13: Naming Your Puppy or Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/13/ • Podcast Episode 30: Why Dog Crates Are Not Dog Cages - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/30/ • Podcast Episode 40: Using a Head Halter on a Dog, Why My Approach is so Different - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/40/ • Podcast Episode 58: How to Create Kid Friendly Dogs and Dog Friendly Kids - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/58/ • Podcast Episode 24: Help for the Dog who Chases Chipmunks, Bicycles, and the Neighbor’s Cat - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/24/ • Podcast Episode 32: 20 Easy Ways to Exercise Your Dog at Home - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/32/ • Podcast Episode 71: Pro Dog Trainer’s Secret to Help Your Naughty Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/71/ • ItsYerChoice Summit - https://recallers.com/iycsummit-join/ • Ex-Pen: Rover Modular Pet Enclosures - http://dogsthat.com/roverpanels • *Ex-Pen: Plastic 8-Panel - https://geni.us/ex-pen-white • *Ex-Pen: Folding Metal - https://geni.us/ex-pen-metal • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/-WTjF2ll7Xc   *Amazon Links Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Susan only recommends products she uses herself, and all opinions expressed here are her own. The link above is an affiliate link that, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission if you decide to buy from it. Thank you!

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   Does your dog sometimes seem to be out of control? Do you sometimes think your dog is untrainable? Does your dog not appear to listen to you? I believe that dog training is like having a conversation with a friend. The challenges with that conversation happen if we don’t like the answer our friend is giving us, and we end up trying to change the question.   In the episode you'll hear:   • The conversations we have with our dogs. • Why we might keep saying to our dog, “sit, sit, Sit, SIT!” and its origins. • About the four questions to ask when training your dog. • How our dogs show us the only things we can control are our choices. • Why we miss our dog’s responses to our questions. • The two reasons our dogs are not doing what we ask. • What brings out our dog’s confidence. • Why the use of reinforcement is something I have been studying for over 25 years. • What my EGTT acronym stands for and how we could use PLAY instead. • About establishing, growing, transferring and testing value in dog training. • Why jumping straight from knowing the value to testing the value does not work. • The conversations I’m having with my puppy, This!, about tugging near other dogs.   Resources:   • Blog Post: Distraction Work in Dog Training: A Conversation Between Friends - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/02/distraction-work-in-dog-training-a-conversation-between-friends/ • Podcast Episode 2: Reinforcement - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/2/ • Tasty Treats Recipes eBook - https://dogsthat.com/tastytreats/ • Podcast Episode 59: Why Your Treats Aren’t Working for Your Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/59/ • Blog Post: A GAME to Preserve Your Dog’s Recall Cue - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/06/game-to-preserve-your-dogs-recall-cue/ • YouTube Video: Susan Garrett’s Perch Work Dog Tricks (Pivots and Spins) - https://youtu.be/O6sj6fTJnFc • Podcast Episode 73: Why Your Dog Is Still Pulling on Leash and How To Fix It - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/73/ • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6eqPpm7JX8

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    I’m sharing games to help improve your dog’s loose leash walking that will help turn your dog’s focus to you when there are distractions ahead. It starts easily at home with Perch Work, and you can transition to walking in the real world using the simple tips. Remember to celebrate your progress with your dog!   In the episode you'll hear:   • How to grow the foundations of Perch Work for walks with your dog. • Games to improve your loose leash walking. • The importance of Reinforcement Zone (RZ) for your dog. • How to use pivots for walking on leash when there are distractions ahead. • Why to be aware of steak throwers in the city. • How to do turns toward your dog and turns away from your dog. • The easy way to have your dog change direction on walks. • How to transition from the perch to walking with your dog. • About transferring value to loose leash walking. • How you walking backwards builds value for your dog to stay with you. • Why I teach my puppies and dogs to tug on a leash. • The reason to play ItsYerChoice (IYC) with your lead. • Why not to be in a hurry and why to take on our one week walking challenge.   Resources:   • Podcast Episode 74: Yes, Susan Garrett’s Dogs Sniff On Walks - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/74/ • YouTube Video: Susan Garrett’s Perch Work Dog Tricks (Pivots and Spins) - https://youtu.be/O6sj6fTJnFc • Podcast Episode 73: Why Your Dog Is Still Pulling on Leash and How To Fix It - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/73/ • Podcast Episode 53: Stop Your Dog Pulling on Leash and Start Walking Together - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/53/ • 4MyMerles Leashes - https://www.4mymerles.com/product-category/eashes/standard-leashes/ • Blog Post: Improve Your Dog Training By Playing Like A Dog (Tugging) - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/04/improve-your-dog-training-by-playing-like-a-dog/ • Game: Learn How to Play ItsYerChoice (IYC) - https://recallers.com/iycsummit-join/ • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube -https://youtu.be/dE3tZbzNgPo

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    Car sickness in a dog or puppy can be heartbreaking. My puppy has been getting car sick, and I’ve been documenting what I’ve been doing to help her. If your puppy or dog is drooling in the car, refusing to get in the car, hates car rides, throwing up or foaming at the mouth when travelling, or showing any other sign of motion sickness, you are not alone.   In the episode you'll hear:   • The signs of car sickness in puppies and dogs. • How I helped my puppy This! initially and what happened after lockdown. • What motion sickness does to puppies and dogs. • Why some puppies outgrow car sickness, but others do not. • The importance of counter conditioning our dogs for travelling. • How the sight of a car can bring on sickness for a puppy. • About changing our dog’s emotional response to the car. • What I have been doing with my puppy to help her with car rides. • How I became a canine booster seat. • Why I didn’t turn on the car for a week and how games are helping. • About building up to longer drives in the car when there is motion sickness. • Why I borrowed the confidence Tater has in the car to help my puppy. • All the steps to creating a positive conditioned emotional response to the car for our dogs. • Why to write to us about Home School the Dog.   Resources:   • YouTube Video: Let’s Train Your Doodle with Susan Garrett - https://youtu.be/Ro_boHKLH5A • Gunner Crate Crash Test - https://gunner.com/pages/crash-tested • Podcast Episode 66: Resource Guarding: Dog vs Dog Aggression - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/66/ • Write to us at [email protected] with the subject line “My Kids Are Going to Love This” for a special opportunity to join Home School the Dog. • Susan Garrett’s DogsThat YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC17PDLl8y1dP2BRV5vuseg • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/XXkPmR5am5U

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    If you are like most people, you take your dog for a walk for exercise or for a potty break. Surprisingly, one of the questions I get asked frequently is when and how I walk my dogs. There are five main reasons I walk my dogs, and the walking is always intentional. Those reasons are for elimination (toilet breaks), relationship building, to give my dogs a chance to sniff (read the pee mail), exercise, and sometimes to socialize.   In the episode you'll hear:   • The types of walks I take with my dogs. • How I walk my dogs, and when I choose off-leash or on a leash. • About Tater’s LOVE of people and what that means when walking him. • The reasons I am cautious and intentional when walking in new places. • Why I am always on alert when walking my dogs on leash in a city. • What I do to keep my dogs safe when walking in new places. • When and why I use a head halter, a harness or a flat collar. • About how I start when walking the dogs at home. • The games I play on walks with my puppy for relationship building. • About letting dogs scent on walks and sniffing to read the pee mail. • What I do when my dogs don’t come when called. • How Tater, Momentum and This! love to use their noses. • What I do to be intentional about my dogs sniffing on walks.   Resources:   • Podcast Episode 48: Potty Train Your Puppy in a Week (Easy 3 Step Process) - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/48/ • YouTube Video: Susan Garrett’s Perch Work Dog Tricks (Pivots and Spins) - https://youtu.be/O6sj6fTJnFc • Podcast Episode 40: Using a Head Halter on a Dog, Why My Approach is so Different - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/40/ • Podcast Episode 16: The Thing Before Your Dog’s Thing - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/16/ • Podcast Episode 11: The Power of Permission in Dog Training - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/11/ • Recallers - https://recallers.com/ • Podcast Episode 73: Why Your Dog Is Still Pulling on Leash and How To Fix It - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/73/ • Podcast Episode 53: Stop Your Dog Pulling on Leash and Start Walking Together - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/53/ • Podcast Episode 29: Understanding and Preventing Reactivity and Aggression in Your Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/29/ • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/bxx5Rnk4tYs

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    If you’d like to train your dog to walk beside you on a leash without pulling, you are in the right place. There is one mistake that most people make when they are training walking on lead, and that is overwhelming their dog. In dog training lingo, we call it “lumping”. Once you understand how to split a behaviour down, you will have success and quickly stop your dog from pulling on leash.   In the episode you'll hear:   • What it would be like to learn how to juggle while on a pushbike. • Why new people are like seeing movie stars for a puppy. • About birds and bunnies and all the things that are distraction on your walks. • How to split walking on a leash down for your dog. • The easy way to start loose leash walking with perch work and pivots. • Why it will only take you 7 days if you commit. • How pivots help your dog to change sides on a walk. • The importance of building value for Reinforcement Zone (RZ) for your dog. • How to start fading your foot target. • Why training leash walking starts with you and your dog stationary. • How to know if you have gone too far, too fast and lumped. • What to do to exercise your dog while you are working on walking on a lead. • The layers needed for our dogs to succeed with loose leash walking.   Resources:   • YouTube Video: Susan Garrett’s Perch Work Dog Tricks (Pivots and Spins) - https://youtu.be/O6sj6fTJnFc • Podcast Episode 53: Stop Your Dog Pulling on Leash and Start Walking Together - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/53/ • Podcast Episode 32: 20 Easy Ways to Exercise Your Dog at Home - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/32/ • Podcast Episode 59: Why Your Treats Aren’t Working for Your Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/59/ • Vlog Post: How do I Stop My Dog from Pulling on the Leash? - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2020/01/stop-my-dog-pulling-on-leash/ • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/gPMkBT_GGTs

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    Safe, structured introductions for a new rescue dog or puppy will set everyone up for success. When you have two or more dogs, your wish as a dog owner is that they all get along. But sometimes, that just does not happen. Living with multiple dogs should be intentional. We can help by implementing “Project Togetherness” to condition dogs to like and look forward to seeing each other.   In the episode you'll hear:   • When to see a Veterinary Behaviourist. • The times to put your togetherness project plan into action. • About the signs your dog will give to show they are not comfortable with another dog. • Why to recognize your dog’s emotional state. • The importance of paying attention to your dog’s body language. • How dogs don’t need other dogs putting them in their place. • What happens when my dog Feature looks out the window. • About starting Project Togetherness. • When to use a muzzle and why to desensitize your dog to wearing one. • Why to use high value treats that are special. • About the importance of supervision and safety for all dogs. • How to use “Easter Biscuits” as part of Project Togetherness. • What a “Friendship Bed” is and why to use it. • How I use dog mealtimes for togetherness. • Why to record keep and why to know where your dog’s comfort level is with other dogs. • The reason you should celebrate your progress!   Resources:   • 4MyMerles Creations (Shaped by Dog Podcast Hoodie) - https://www.4mymerles.com/product-category/say-yes/ • Podcast Episode 71: Pro Dog Trainer’s Secret to Help Your Naughty Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/71/ • Blog Video: Understanding Your Dog’s Triggers - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/01/understanding-your-dogs-triggers/ • Podcast Episode 4: T.E.M.P. (Tail, Eyes/Ears, Mouth, Posture) - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/4/ • Podcast Episode 6: The Art of Manipulation - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/6/ • Podcast Episode 14: Creating Intentional Multi-Dog Household Harmony - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/14/ • Podcast Episode 15: CSI Tips for Managing a Multi-Dog Household - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/15/ • Podcast Episode 68: 3 Easy Tricks Every Dog Should Know - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/68/ • Video: Target Training for Dogs Part Two - Step by Step Training Plan - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqsEEWCXze0 • DogsThat YouTube Channel (Watch Shaped by Dog Podcast Videos and More!) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqsEEWCXze0 Ex-Pen Information: • Ex-Pen: Rover Modular Pet Enclosures - http://dogsthat.com/roverpanels • *Ex-Pen: Plastic 8-Panel - https://geni.us/ex-pen-white • *Ex-Pen: Folding Metal - https://geni.us/ex-pen-metal • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/K17x8i_Qb9k   *Amazon Links Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Susan only recommends products she uses herself, and all opinions expressed here are her own. The link above is an affiliate link that, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission if you decide to buy from it. Thank you!

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    There is one thing that you can do easily to help overcome any dog training challenge you might have. That one thing is something I’ve been talking about and doing for 30 years. It’s record keeping! Keeping a journal for your dog is not as hard as you might think, and it will fast track your success.   In the episode you'll hear:   • What labels can do to our dogs. • How I journaled This!’s resource guarding and why it helped fast track success. • What to keep track of when you are record keeping. • Why to ask the question Jean Donaldson recommends: Is your dog upset? • When to focus on your dog’s emotional state. • What will create a ticking time bomb for your dog and how to avoid it. • About counter conditioning to help your dog. • The importance of eliminating rehearsals of behavior you want to change. • Why dog training alone is not always the answer. • About fear responses in dogs. • Why to include what your dog does well in your journaling. • What I learned about This! by record keeping and why she now has a middle of the day nap. • About the way record keeping showed me what happens at the top of the stairs. • How knowing patterns will help resolve your dog’s challenges. • The importance of celebrating progress. • Why to differentiate between dog training and emotional states. • When to get an evaluation from a reinforcement based dog trainer.   Resources:   • DogsThat YouTube Channel (Watch Shaped by Dog Podcast Videos and More!)-https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC17PDLl8y1dP2BRV5vuseg • Podcast Episode 66: Resource Guarding: Dog vs Dog Aggression-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/66/ • Podcast Episode 4: T.E.M.P. (Tail, Eyes/Ears, Mouth, Posture)-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/4/ • Blog Video: Understanding Your Dog’s Triggers-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/01/understanding-your-dogs-triggers/ • Podcast Episode 6: The Art of Manipulation-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/6/ • Podcast Episode 48: Potty Train Your Puppy in a Week (Easy 3 Step Process)-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/48/ • Podcast Episode 14: Creating Intentional Multi-Dog Household Harmony-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/14/ • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUJksPoQNps

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    The first day with your new puppy is a critical start your relationship. When a puppy comes into your home, they are fully capable of learning the moment they arrive. It’s super important to be intentional about how your puppy goes about life from the moment they join your family.   In the episode you'll hear:   • The essential things to do during your puppy’s first 24 hours at home. • What to avoid doing with puppies in the first few days. • Why to talk to your puppy’s breeder or rescue organization. • What to know about what your puppy has been eating, their potty training experience and if they have had any crate training. • What I feed my puppies and how to select dog food. • Why to plan to be home for a few days when your puppy arrives. • About the importance of protecting your puppy’s mental and physical health and how to create positive associations with you. • How puppies explore with their mouths and five ways to set your pup up for success. • Where to create puppy zones and what they are. • About the importance of creating a schedule for a puppy to thrive and the schedule I use for a pup. • How to make your puppy’s first week one of comfort and confidence. • The games to play with puppies and the toys I use. • Why your puppy needs to know who is safe and about socializing with people and dogs. • What not to do with your puppy. • Why to write to us [email protected] with the subject line “I am committed”.   Resources:   • Ex-Pen: Rover Modular Pet Enclosures-http://dogsthat.com/roverpanels *Ex-Pen: Plastic 8 Panel - https://geni.us/ex-pen-white *Ex-Pen: Folding Metal - https://geni.us/ex-pen-metal • Gunner Crate Crash Test-https://gunner.com/pages/crash-tested • Blog Post: A Day in the Life of a Susan Garrett Puppy-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2020/09/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-susan-garrett-puppy/ • Video: 5 Games for Puppies-https://youtu.be/Hxd1sVEQp2Y • 4MyMerles Creations Toys-https://www.4mymerles.com/product-category/say-yes/ • West Paw Toppl Treat Toys-https://www.westpaw.com/dog-toys/puzzle/toppl-treat-toy • Podcast Episode 10: What to Know Before Getting a Puppy or Dog-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/10/ • Podcast Episode 17: Help! How do I STOP Puppy Biting?!-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/17/ • Podcast Episode 18: 4 Puppy and Dog Training Games for Acquired Bite Inhibition-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/18/ • Podcast Episode 26: Pro Dog Training Tips to Get Your Puppy to Sleep All Night-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/26/ • Podcast Episode 30: Why Dog Crates Are Not Dog Cages-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/30/ • Podcast Episode 32: 20 Easy Ways to Exercise Your Dog at Home-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/32/ • Podcast Episode 41: Get a Behaved Dog by Celebrating Milestones!-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/41/ • Podcast Episode 44: Using Coincidences and Positive Associations in Dog Training-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/44/ • Podcast Episode 48: Potty Train Your Puppy in a Week (Easy 3 Step Process)-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/48/ • Podcast Episode 58: How to Create Kid Friendly Dogs and Dog Friendly Kids-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/58/ • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/rUIX5qW85tU *Amazon Links Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Susan only recommends products she uses herself, and all opinions expressed here are her own. The link above is an affiliate link that, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission if you decide to buy from it. Thank you!

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    How do you decide when to use a clicker and what to use it for in dog training? That’s a question recently asked on my Instagram and what we’re covering in this episode. Is a clicker a good choice for your dog, or you as a trainer, or for the behavior you want to train?   In the episode you'll hear:   • About using clickers, markers and what conditioned reinforcers are. • The four things you can do when using reinforcement in your training. • The verbal markers I like to use and why I changed from “yes” to a short “good”. • Why we use a clicker and how it can reduce stress. • About the clicker's precision and how a precise tool helps our training. • Why a clicker is like a laser for training to isolate exact moments for your dog. • About knowing what your dog thinks you clicked, not what you think you clicked. • What I learned about getting what I click in the nineties when training a go out. • When I use a clicker. • The reasons to use reward throwing or food chucking in dog training. • What to do if you are luring to fade the lure as soon as you can. • How I inadvertently trained by dog Buzz to stop at the first weave pole. • The difference between gross behaviors, behaviors of motion, and precise moments in time. • Easy games to help improve your timing and skills with a clicker.   Resources:   • Video: 5 Games for Puppies - https://youtu.be/Hxd1sVEQp2Y • Susan’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/SusanGarrettdogsthat/ • Blog Post: Three Different Types of Verbal Markers in Dog Training - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2018/09/three-verbal-markers-in-dog-training/ • Blog Post: To Click or Not to Click, that is the Question - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2009/09/to-click-or-not-to-click-that-is-the-question/ • Blog Post: When Clicking Goes Wrong - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2009/09/when-clicking-goes-wrong/ • Blog Post: Practical Videoing Tips - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/03/practical-videoing-tips/ • Video: Target Training for Dogs Part Two - Step by Step Training Plan - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqsEEWCXze0 • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/Hl2aB1TrE1E

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    We’re talking about trick training for dogs; it’s fun and easy! Can you remember the very first thing you trained a dog to do and how you went about training it? The first thing I trained a dog to do was to dance. It was when I was a kid with our family dog, Tina the Poodle. Training tricks with our dogs is something I consider important, and there are three favourite tricks that I think all dogs should learn.   In the episode you'll hear:   • About our feelings when we are training tricks. • What I noticed about my Border Collie, Stoni, in the Obedience Ring. • Why everything can be a trick to bring joy to us and our dogs. • My progression as a dog trainer and transitioning to shaping behaviors. • How trick training provides a model for clarity for our dogs. • Why trick training teaches our dogs never to give up. • About the elements of strength, flexibility and proprioception when choosing tricks. • How to train your dog to hand target. • About the ways to shape your dog to pivot on a perch. • The steps for training your dog to wave.   Resources:   • Recallers - https://recallers.com/ • Home School the Dog- https://dogsthat.com/home-school/ • Video: Target Training for Dogs Part One - All About Targets - https://youtu.be/MzePo7RSQu4 • Video: Target Training for Dogs Part Two - Step by Step Training Plan - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqsEEWCXze0 • Podcast Episode 62: 12 Keys to Helping My Dogs Live a Long and Happy Life - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/62/ • Game: Learn How to Play ItsYerChoice (IYC) - https://recallers.com/iycsummit-join/ • Crate Games Online - https://get.crategames.com/ • Podcast Episode 59: Why Your Treats Aren’t Working for Your Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/59/ • Podcast Episode 22: The Invisible Bubble of Pressure and Your Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/22/ • *Cato Board: Receive 10% off with the use of this link - https://catooutdoors.com/discount/DOGSTHAT10 • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/UUrzaXmFO2g Links Disclosure: Susan only recommends products she uses herself, and all opinions expressed here are her own. The link above is an affiliate link that, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission if you decide to buy from it. Thank you!

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    I’ve been thinking about stress and how we deal with it. Consider your dog and any challenges you might have in your training. Those challenges could be creating anxiety for you, and your dog will pick up on your emotions. You are not alone if you find yourself stressing about your dog.   In the episode you'll hear:   • What happened with my dog Shelby when I locked my keys in the car. • Why I check in with myself when I feel stressed. • How I look for every day with my dogs to be a great day. • An update on my puppy’s resource guarding. • The science of our dogs taking on our emotions. • About thinking of the future rather than the past. • What we can do for our dogs by being curious. • How we are all in the same place with our dog training and why to do one thing. • The reason I end all of my blog posts with gratitude. • All about the exercise of behaving gratitudinaeously and the dog you love.   Resources:   • Podcast Episode 66: Resource Guarding: Dog vs Dog Aggression-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/66/ • Paper: Interspecies transmission of emotional information via chemosignals: from humans to dogs (Canis lupus familiaris)-https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320265642_Interspecies_transmission_of_emotional_information_via_chemosignals_from_humans_to_dogs_Canis_lupus_familiaris • Susan Garrett’s Dog Training Blog-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/ • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/Xugyg5R9umc

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Resource Guarding between dogs is a big topic. It’s also one of the most requested for me to cover on my podcast. Over the past week, my six-month-old puppy has started attacking some of the other dogs in my household over resources. It’s a good time for me to share what I am doing to help This! overcome possession aggression around resources, particularly food. Yes, even professional dog trainers experience challenges to work through.   In the episode you'll hear:   • About the two forms of resource guarding, against humans and against dogs. • Why dogs resource guard. • What I’ve seen with my puppy This! guarding resources against other dogs. • The signs to look for that show a dog could be resource guarding. • My previous experiences with my dogs and resource guarding. • The two approaches to take and why one can result in an all-out aggressive dog. • What NOT to do about resource guarding. • The reason discipline and corrections are like putting gasoline on a fire. • About fear periods in puppies and why to stay grounded and calm. • The reason to get appropriate help from a qualified Veterinary Behaviorist. • What I am doing about resource guarding to help my puppy. • How I am journaling what happens every day, the good and not so good. • About identifying and removing triggers and creating a safe environment. • Why to keep your dog under threshold. • All the elements to help your dog and why to email us about joining Recallers.   Resources:   • Podcast Episode 45: My Dog Just Got Jumped, Now What?-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/45/ • *Book: Mine! A Practical Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs by Jean Donaldson-https://geni.us/mine-jean-donaldson • Podcast Episode 59: Why Your Treats Aren’t Working for Your Dog-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/59/ • Game: Learn How to Play ItsYerChoice (IYC)-https://recallers.com/iycsummit-join/ • Susan's Team: [email protected]   *Amazon Links Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Susan only recommends products she uses herself, and all opinions expressed here are her own. The link above is an affiliate link that, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission if you decide to buy from it. Thank you!

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    Have you ever asked your dog to do something, and he does the opposite? Have you ever thought “but he knows it!”. Maybe he raided something from the kitchen, and when you ask him to drop it, he swallows whatever he has. Or perhaps when you call him, he runs the other way. In Agility, you might leave your dog at the start line and say stay, but he does not stay and starts on the course before you give your release. There are two schools of thought to what might be happening. Is it that your dog won’t do what you tell him, or can’t do what you tell him?   In the episode you'll hear:   • A deep dive into the impact of what you think of your dog. • What we can learn from Fenton in Richmond Park. • About what a dog’s guilty look tells us. • How fear and conflict affect what we are asking our dogs. • The many reasons dogs won’t do what we tell them to do. • What my dog told me about what she knew about hitting the Dog Walk contact. • The emotional response we have when our dog disobeys. • Why curiosity about our dog changes our emotion. • About the rule of three I use when training my dogs. • The worst-case scenario of a dog getting something right after being punished. • The bottom line on contributing to a better relationship with your dog. • How to start building a history of dog training success. • About believing that if our dogs could, they would.   Resources:   • Podcast Episode 8: Get Your Dog in the Belief Loop of Awesome - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/8/ • Podcast Episode 62: 12 Keys to Helping My Dogs Live a Long and Happy Life -https://dogsthat.com/podcast/62/ • Podcast Episode 5: What is Shaping and How Can Dogs Shape Us - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/5/ • Video: Target Training for Dogs Part One - All About Targets - https://youtu.be/MzePo7RSQu4 • Video: Target Training for Dogs Part Two - Step by Step Training Plan - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqsEEWCXze0 • Blog: How Do I Train My Dog to Come When Called? - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/04/train-my-dog-to-come-when-called/ • Podcast Episode 63: Why Some Dogs Just Don’t Get It - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/63/ • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/bXfwU2EDiL0

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    Success in dog training comes down to three things. The reinforcement we are using, the training plan, and the environment where we are training our dog. But what happens when things don’t go to plan, and our dog make a wrong choice? What are our options?   In the episode you'll hear:   • The four reactions that are common when a dog makes a mistake. • About looking at your emotional state when you are training your dog. • The reasons building a house is like dog training. • About the use of Non Reward Markers (NRM) in dog training. • How delivering a package relates to your dog training decisions. • Why to only use an NRM when what you are teaching is a behaviour chain. • The challenge of the overuse of a Non Reward Marker. • When you should not use an NRM. • Why we train an NRM like a recall, with reinforcement, before we ever use it. • What unconscious reactions are and how they can be a mild verbal punisher. • What an intimidating verbal or physical punisher is and how that could escalate. • About what our dogs tell us about how well we’ve set them up for success. • What can go wrong in training sessions (using a target stick as an example). • Why every time you train and interact with your dog you are building a relationship. • About the game of picking up colored tennis balls and what that means dogs. • How easy success can be when you have great reinforcement and manipulate the environment.   Resources:   • Podcast Episode 59: Why Your Treats Aren’t Working for Your Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/59/ • Podcast Episode 6: The Art of Manipulation - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/6/ • Podcast Episode 4: T.E.M.P. (Tail, Eyes/Ears, Mouth, Posture) - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/4/ • Video: Target Training for Dogs Part One - https://youtu.be/MzePo7RSQu4 • Blog Post: What IS Ideal Meaning of A NRM? - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2011/02/what-is-ideal-meaning-of-a-nrm/ • Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube -  https://youtu.be/l4a9NsEK9Nc

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    The inspiration for this episode comes from a walk with my dogs. My puppy, This!, was on leash, and my adult dogs were milling about freely. All of a sudden, a large bunny crossed our path 5 meters ahead. My adult dogs did not really notice the rabbit as it was the equivalent of white noise for them. For my puppy, it was a LOUD noise, a siren, she for sure noticed! Is it that my puppy just does not get my training, or is it that she has just started her education?   In the episode you'll hear:   • My checklist of 5 items to include in your training to ensure your dog gets it. • The layers of learning that I put into my dog training and for my students. • What our layers of learning are from Kindergarten through to University and beyond. • Why our dogs need a structured educational program. • The reason we don’t control our dog but look at the environment. • What I do instead of saying “Leave It!” to my dogs. • All the things that I teach my dogs to help dim the loud noises like bunnies or cats. • Why to progress your dog’s decision making, so decisions become bigger and better. • What I do that is different to old-school dog training programs. • The importance of congruency and consistency. • Reasons why some dogs just don’t get it, including fear and a dog’s purpose. • How structured building blocks create transformation and confidence. • Why we want an engaged, safe environment that encourages learning. • About balancing success with challenges and the relationship with dopamine. • Why rehearsals of success lead to successful performances.   Resources:   • Podcast Episode 59: Why Your Treats Aren’t Working for Your Dog-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/59/ • Game: Learn How to Play ItsYerChoice (IYC)-https://recallers.com/iycsummit-join/ • Crate Games Online-https://get.crategames.com/ • Podcast Episode 6: The Art of Manipulation-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/6/ • Video: How to Train Your Dog to Leave It with No Command-https://youtu.be/GGJkfrMje2k • Home School the Dog-https://dogsthat.com/home-school/ • Recallers-https://recallers.com/ • Handling360-https://dogsthat.com/handling360/ • Blog: Distraction Work in Dog Training: A Conversation Between Friends-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/02/distraction-work-in-dog-training-a-conversation-between-friends/ • Vlog: Where Is Your Dog on the Circle of Fun?-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2018/07/circle-of-fun/ • Podcast Episode 56: 5 Simple Questions to Guide Your Dog Training-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/56/ • Watch on YouTube - https://youtu.be/xyTWqhA21ZE

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    We all want our dogs to have long and happy lives. There are 12 things I believe have a massive influence on the longevity and quality of life for my dogs, and 6 things I avoid. In this episode, I’m sharing what I’ve learned through trial and error, talking to experts, and from science, that can contribute to an increased life expectancy for our dogs.   In the episode you'll hear:   • About telomeres and what that means for our dogs and us. • What I’ve learned from my senior dogs. • How stress impacts on the life of our dog. • 12 key factors that I believe contribute a long and happy life. • Why exercise is important for dogs. • What I feed my dogs and the supplements I consider important. • About looking after our dog’s teeth and nails and cooperative care. • Why mental engagement is so vital for our dogs. • The reasons our older dogs need to feel special. • About having a great relationship with your Veterinarian. • How I make my home mobility friendly for my older dogs. • The stress relieving activities that are good for seniors. • What I avoid to give my dogs the best chance at a long life.   Resources:   • *Book: The Telomere Effect: A Revolutionary Approach to Living Younger, Healthier, Longer by Elizabeth Blackburn - https://geni.us/telomere-effect (Click Here for alternate link for Australia and UK) • Cell Reports: Telomere Length Correlates with Life Span of Dog Breeds (Laura J. Fick, Gordon H. Fick, Zichen Li, Eric Cao, Bo Bao, Doug Heffelfinger, Heidi G. Parker, Elaine A. Ostrander, Karl Riabowol) - https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(12)00418-4 • Podcast Episode 61: Lessons of Recovery: The Night My Dog Almost Died - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/61/ • Vlog Post: Important Whys and Hows of Exercising Our Dogs - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/09/exercising-your-dog/ • Dr Mercola Pet Supplements - https://www.mercolamarket.com/category/1576/1/pet-supplements • 1-TDC Supplement - https://wsow.expert/dogsthatUse1TDC • Vlog Post: Cutting Your Dog’s Nails: How Important Is It Really? - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/09/exercising-your-dog/ • *Casfuy Dog Nail Grinder with LED Light - https://geni.us/nail-grinder (Click Here for alternate link for UK) • *Dremel Lite 7760 N/10 4V - https://geni.us/dremel-lite • *Groomer's Best Friend Diamond Rotary Nail Grinder Bit - https://geni.us/diamond-grinder •*Instant Vortex 4-in-1 Air Fryer - https://geni.us/vortex4in1 •*Instant Vortex Pro 9-in-1 Air Fryer - https://geni.us/vortextpro9 - https://geni.us/diamond-grinder • Recallers - https://recallers.com/ • Blog Post: Rolling out a Big Adventure - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2013/08/rolling-out-a-big-adventure/ • *Dirty Dog Doormats - https://geni.us/dirty-dog-mat • Help 'Em Up® Harness - https://helpemup.com/ • Underdog Dog Beds - https://underdogpetproducts.com/ • *Basis Pet Stainless Steel Bowls - (Click Here for alternate link for UK) - https://geni.us/StainlessBowls • Podcast Episode 25: Why All Dogs Can Bite and How to Reduce the Risk with R.E.A.D. - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/25/ • Podcast Episode 14: Creating Intentional Multi-Dog Household Harmony - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/14/   *Amazon Links Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Susan only recommends products she uses herself, and all opinions expressed here are her own. The link above is an affiliate link that, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission if you decide to buy from it. Thank you!

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    In 2012, my dog Encore almost died. I’m sharing her story with you, and the six incredibly valuable lessons learned from Encore’s near-death experience and recovery.   In the episode you'll hear:   • Why Encore became my puppy and her early life with me. • The signs we started noticing from when she was around 5 years old. • When her neurological symptoms became more apparent. • About Encore’s seizure, and the night she almost died. • Knowing your critical care solution for your dog. • Why talk to your dog every day. • The reason you need a baseline of skills for your dog. • What happened with Encore’s immune system. • About looking to alternative modalities. • The importance of appreciating each and every day. • My initial thoughts on the longevity of dogs.   Resources:   • Blog Post: Prayers for Encore - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/12/prayers-for-encore/ • Blog Post: Answered Prayers - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/12/answered-prayers/ • Blog Post: Encore on the Road to Recovery - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/12/encore-on-the-road-to-recovery/ • Blog Post: Encore’s Rehab . . . A Week at Home! - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/12/encores-rehab-a-week-at-home/ • Blog Post: Your Dog Recovering From Severe Trauma . . . Is There A Baseline? - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2013/03/your-dog-recovering-from-severe-trauma-is-there-a-baseline/

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   It's not uncommon to know you should be training your dog, but you just don't feel like it. You can't motivate yourself. And you might look at your dog and can tell that your motivation carries over. If you have ever found yourself unmotivated and in need of inspiration, you are going to love this episode. It does not matter what you are working on, or what challenge you want to overcome; you can find success leaves clues.   In the episode you'll hear:   • About checking in with yourself to see how you feel. • What Lou Holtz says about the “why” and purpose following passion. • About your feelings for your dog and how they can give you focus. • The difference being busy and being purposeful. • About your dog’s motivation. • How to use D.A.S.H. for you and your dog. • Reasons cheerleading is not what you want to do. • The inadvertent behavior chain that cheering can create. • Why short sessions will help low drive dogs and high drive dogs. • About using food rewards to help your high drive dog with focus.   Resources:   • Vlog Post: Get Your Dog Training Done (And Make Your Week Awesome)-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/08/get-your-dog-training-done/ • Podcast Episode 57: Why Balance Breaks Fast Track Your Dog Training-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/57/ • *Book: Winning Every Day: The Game Plan for Success by Lou Holtz-https://geni.us/winning-every-day • *Book: Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek-https://geni.us/why-sinek • *Book: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court by John Wooden-https://geni.us/lifetime-wooden • Recallers-https://recallers.com/ • Podcast Episode 16: The Thing Before Your Dog’s Thing-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/16/ • Podcast Episode 12: When Helping Your Dog is an Illusion-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/12/ • Blog Post: Identifying and Using Positive Triggers for Your Dog-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/01/positive-triggers/   *Amazon Links Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Susan only recommends products she uses herself, and all opinions expressed here are her own. The link above is an affiliate link that, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission if you decide to buy from it. Thank you!

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   In the world of dog training, a lot of people are trying to train their dog with a focus solely on the use of reinforcement. But there can be a disparity in the success people have when using rewards. We’re going to turn the microscope on why the outcome varies between trainers, why it’s happening, and what we can do about it so everyone can have success.   In the episode you'll hear:   • The reasons that animal training fails. • How to get brilliant at understanding and using reinforcement values. • What motivational currency is for your dog. • The difference between a commemorative coin and a thousand dollars an hour. • Why to vary the treats you give your dog when training. • How different locations and activities can require differing rewards. • The food rewards I use with my dogs and how I rank those rewards. • My exact formula for what reinforcement to use when. • Why to consider your dog’s uncertainty and distraction value. • How to rank a reward’s motivational currency and the scale to use. • The reason frequency changes the value of a reinforcer. • Why I use high value treats for husbandry behaviors and how I transfer value.   Susan Garrett’s Reinforcement Formula: RV > DU + DV RV = Reinforcement Value DU = Dog’s Uncertainty DV = Distraction Value   Resources:   • Podcast Episode 2: Reinforcement-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/2/ • Podcast Episode 34: Time Outs for Dogs: Does Your Dog Need One?-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/34/ • Tasty Treats Recipe eBook-https://dogsthat.com/tastytreats/ • Blog Post: How Do I Train My Dog To Come When Called?-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/04/train-my-dog-to-come-when-called/ • Crate Games Online-https://get.crategames.com/

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    Raising dogs in a home with kids and kids in a home with dogs can be harmonious when you have the right expectations for great outcomes. Now, I don’t have children, but my dogs are around many children as I have a lot of nieces and nephews. There can be a great deal of joy for kids and dogs and many life lessons if we set everyone up for success. Do you know someone who has children and a dog? Share this podcast episode with them, and together we can help families with kids and dogs and make life better for everybody.   In the episode you'll hear:   • How imagining living with an overly exuberant relative relates to your dog. • Why I believe having a dog in a house with children can be an awesome combination. • How adults can help create the best relationship possible between kids and dogs. • Why we all have the right to say we are uncomfortable. • What children learn from us in the way we treat our dogs. • How even the kindest people might inadvertently teach life lessons they don’t want their children to emulate. • Why family agreements can be massively beneficial for everyone, including dogs. • How giving your dog a nickname can set kids and dogs up for success. • About including children in your dog training plans without overwhelm. • The transitions to train for your dog that will create household harmony. • What education I believe is critical for all dogs living with children. • Why I’m telling my team to give you a massive discount to join Home School the Dog. • Productive and safe ways that kids and dogs can enjoy time together. • How we can be the best advocates for both kids and dogs. • What you can do with "Home School the Dog. I was listening."!   Resources:   • Podcast Episode 25: Why All Dogs Can Bite and How to Reduce the Risk with R.E.A.D.- https://dogsthat.com/podcast/25/ • Podcast Episode 19: One of My Biggest Pet Peeves in Dog Training - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/19/ • Blog Post: A GAME to Preserve Your Dog’s Recall Cue - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/06/game-to-preserve-your-dogs-recall-cue/ • Game: Learn How to Play ItsYerChoice (IYC) - https://recallers.com/iycsummit-join/ • Crate Games Online - https://get.crategames.com/ • Susan's Team: [email protected] • Podcast Episode 57: Why Balance Breaks Fast Track Your Dog Training - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/57/ • Podcast Episode 6: The Art of Manipulation - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/6/

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    There is one thing that I do intentionally in my dog training that makes all the difference in the world to the joy and success that my dogs and I have together. That one thing is using Balance Breaks. I’m sharing exactly what a Balance Break is, why it’s essential, and the mechanics of how I do it. Let me know when you try it!.   In the episode you'll hear:   • My 5 steps to an amazing dog training experience. • About the power of D.A.S.H. (Desire, Accuracy, Speed, Habitat). • Why training your dog is like starting a motorcycle. • How dog training is better is slices. • Why to make a joy sandwich for you and your dog. • All about Balance Breaks and how to use them. • The importance of your dog’s physiology. • How to think about your training as being on stage. • Why breaks for transitions keep your dog training flowing. • The guidelines for using Balance Breaks successfully.   Resources:   • Blog Post: The Secret Sauce For Enthusiasm … Balance Breaks!-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/01/the-secret-sauce-for-enthusiasm-balance-breaks/ • Podcast Episode 6: The Art of Manipulation-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/6/ • Blog Post: Planning for a Successful Shaping Session with Your Dog-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/09/plan-a-successful-shaping-session-with-your-dog/ • Blog Post: Got D.A.S.H. (Desire, Accuracy, Speed and Habitat)?-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2017/01/dash/ • Podcast Episode 35: Pro Dog Training Tip to Improve Your Dog’s Focus-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/35/ Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    Do you have a naughty dog or things you want to change with your dog’s behavior? It might be to improve your dog’s focus on you, stop counter surfing, barking, running off, jumping on guests, pulling on leash, or fixing something that will get you the teamwork you want for dog sports like agility. There are five questions I’ve been asking my dog training students the world over that will fast track your success.   In the episode you'll hear:   • The 5 questions to ask that will help you fix any dog training challenge. • About easily creating small successes for you and your dog. • What I learned when teaching in Japan about the stories we tell ourselves. • How you can borrow my confidence for your success. • Knowing your domino. • A tip that helps me succeed at world-level dog agility competition. • How to see through your dog’s eyes. • About a quick and easy commitment to make to your dog. • What you can do with “Hey, Susan said..”!   Resources:   • *Book: Atomic Habits by James Clear-https://geni.us/atomic_habits • Recallers-https://recallers.com/ • Book: Shaping Success by Susan Garrett-https://dogsthat.com/product/shaping-success-2/ • Video: Building Drive by 'being' a Bad Dog Trainer (Bad Dog Trainer Routine)-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzqs54qMgQA • Video: The Journey-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfXGD4hP1Ro • Podcast Episode 8: Get Your Dog in the Belief Loop of Awesome-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/8/ • Podcast Episode 23: What Is Your Identity as a Dog Owner?-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/23/ • Susan Garrett’s Dog Training Blog-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/ • Susan Garrett’s DogsThat YouTube Channel-https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC17PDLl8y1dP2BRV5vuseg • Susan’s Team: [email protected] Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube   *Amazon Links Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Susan only recommends products she uses herself, and all opinions expressed here are her own. The link above is an affiliate link that, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission if you decide to buy from it. Thank you!

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    Choosing the best dog toy for any activity will lead to success. The toy you choose needs to be safe and suit the purpose. Before I was a professional dog trainer, I never gave any thought to toy selection apart from if a toy appealed to me. Since those days, I’ve created systems and processes for toy selection to benefit my dogs. Picking the wrong toy can set your training back and could be dangerous. Picking the right toy will set you and your dog up for success.   In the episode you'll hear:   • The six categories that toys can fit into and the best toys for each. • About looking at what’s on the end of a tug toy. • What toys are best, and what toys never to choose for retrieving. • Why never to play fetch with sticks and not let your dog carry a stick. • My thoughts on tennis balls that you might not want to hear! • Toys you can use to exercise your dog. • How toys for training help educate our dogs. • Why to consider where you will reward your dog for toy selection. • What to know about toys that deliver food to your dog and where to use them. • About toys that are entertainment for dogs. • How to use toys for enrichment and what to consider about your dog’s safety. • The toys you can make at home that won’t cost you anything.   Resources:   • Podcast Episode 54: Dog Toy Checklist: What’s Good and What to Avoid-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/54/ • Vlog Post: Retrieve Games-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2009/08/retrieve-games/ • 4MyMerles Creations-https://www.4mymerles.com/product-category/say-yes/ • West Paw Toppl Treat Toys-https://www.westpaw.com/dog-toys/puzzle/toppl-treat-toy • Nina Ottosson Puzzle Game Toys-https://www.nina-ottosson.com/products/all-products/ • *Aerobie Sprint Flying Ring-https://geni.us/Aerobie • *Chuckit! Amphibious Bumper-https://geni.us/bumper-fetch • *Kong Squeezz Stick-https://geni.us/squeezz-stick • *Jolly Pets Romp-n-Roll Rope Ball-https://geni.us/rope-ball • *iFetch Interactive Ball Launchers for Dogs-https://geni.us/ifetch-ball-launcher • *iDig Digging Toy by iFetch-https://geni.us/ifetch-digging-toy   *Amazon Links Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Susan only recommends products she uses herself, and all opinions expressed here are her own. The link above is an affiliate link that, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission if you decide to buy from it. Thank you!  

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    Do you know how to choose the right dog toys? Have you thought of the do’s and don’ts when picking a toy for your puppy or dog? Do you consider the purpose of the toy? My dogs have many toys, which might not be a surprise! There are ten key considerations I use when selecting a new toy, including safety. One of the things to look for in a toy might be a surprise!   In the episode you'll hear:   • The top 10 considerations for selecting a dog toy. • What sort of toys never to choose and knowing what might be toxic. • Why a toy's material is important for your dog’s safety. • About knowing how attractive a toy is for your dog, including the sounds. • Why to know your dog’s strength and power when choosing a toy. • What to consider about your physical abilities. • Why to think about how you will be able to clean your dog’s toys. • How much my Terrier Shelby loved a rock and my Terrier DeCaff loved fly swatters. • Why it’s important for you to be happy with a toy. • The importance of the color of the toy you are selecting for your dog. • The categories of engagement, exercise, education, enrichment, entertainment and eating to think about when buying toys for dogs.   Resources:   • Vlog: How to Pick the Best Toys for Your Puppy or Dog-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/08/pick-the-best-toys-for-your-puppy-or-dog/ • Vlog: Vlog: Why Colours Matter in Dog Agility (Featuring Nicki Gurr)-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2018/05/vlog-why-colours-matter-in-dog-agility/ • Apple iOS App “Dog Vision HD” by Laan Labs-https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dog-vision-hd/id812260666 • Android App Dog Vision-https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=fr.nghs.android.cbs.dogvision&hl=en • Podcast Episode 2: Reinforcement-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/2/

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    We’re looking at how to train your dog to stop pulling on leash. You have probably heard me talk about the importance of exercise for dogs. But, for some of you, taking your dog for a walk is not enjoyable, and you just want your dog to walk nicely. I’m covering what might have led to your dog’s lead pulling, what you can do to fix it, and how you can start to enjoy going for a walk.   In the episode you'll hear:   • About my trips to Hot Springs, Arkansas, and why world-renowned animal trainers Bob and Marian Bailey taught us to train chickens. • The importance of mechanics and reinforcement in training any animal. • How pulling ahead of you on lead can be rewarding for your dog. • Why your dog inadvertently learns that it’s important to be in front of you. • All the good things that are out in front that can create pulling on lead. • How to be intentional about a reward zone and why to know your pants seam. • The best mechanics to use for loose leash walking. • What better behaviour to train for success with walking on leash. • How to hold the leash, how to reward your dog, and why to circle. • The layers of training walking on a leash and how to rehearse success.   Resources:   • Blog Post: How do I Stop My Dog from Pulling on the Leash?-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2020/01/stop-my-dog-pulling-on-leash/ • Podcast Episode 40: Using a Head Halter on a Dog, Why My Approach is so Different - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/40/ • Game: Learn How to Play ItsYerChoice (IYC)-https://recallers.com/iycsummit-join/ • Podcast Episode 42: Behavior Chains: Are You Teaching Your Dog to be Bad to be Good?-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/42/

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    There are five words commonly used when training a dog. I bet you can immediately think of dog training commands that are in use frequently! Are cues like sit, down, stay, come and okay on your list? One of these words I would never ever use, and I’m sharing why. I believe our dogs put our words into five categories, and I’m covering each cue category and how it relates to what we say to our dog.   In the episode you'll hear:   • How many words dogs can respond to and understand. • What words our dogs will ignore and how that can be inadvertent. • Why there are words that can be confusing for our dogs. • How words can make our dogs happy. • The importance of the tone of our verbal cues. • About the words that can create stress and fear for dogs. • Why sit means sit and importance of a release word. • The one word I never use. • Why some words are ignored or confusing for our dog. • My best advice on selecting cues for your dog. • How some dogs only have micro-seconds to respond to a cue. • About the release cue “break” that I use and one I don’t recommend. • How you can easily change a word to one that will bring your dog clarity.   Resources:   • * Learning Resources Answer Buzzers - https://geni.us/buzzers • Vlog Post: Toning Up On Cue Clarity (Hearing The Sirens)-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/01/toning-up-on-cue-clarity-hearing-the-sirens/ • Blog Post: Three Different Types of Verbal Markers in Dog Training-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2018/09/three-verbal-markers-in-dog-training/ • Blog Post: How Do I Train My Dog To Come When Called?-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/04/train-my-dog-to-come-when-called/ • Podcast Episode 19: One of My Biggest Pet Peeves in Dog Training-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/19/   *Amazon Links Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Susan only recommends products she uses herself, and all opinions expressed here are her own. The link above is an affiliate link that, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission if you decide to buy from it. Thank you!

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    In dog training, there’s really only one reason we feel frustration, and that is when the outcome does not meet our expectations. But what happens when we get frustrated? Recently I experienced frustration when training a side pass with my puppy, This!, and I’m sharing with you the process I used for troubleshooting.   In the episode you'll hear:   • About the motivation for this episode from a post by one of my students. • Identifying the words you use when you are frustrated. • The lesson I recently learned regarding frustration and how it hurt my heart. • Why to take a break. • My 5-step evaluation for when dog training does not go to plan. • Why to look at where your dog is in the training progression chart. • How to evaluate your training with PEP. • The psychological, environmental, and physical considerations for dog training. • Why and when to tip with twenties. • How we leap too far ahead with training and the question to ask ourselves. • The importance of remembering to “train the dog in front of you”.   Resources:   • Blog Post: How to Embrace Videoing Your Dog Training - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/03/embrace-videoing/ • Podcast Episode 4: T.E.M.P. (Tail, Eyes/Ears, Mouth, Posture) - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/4/ • Podcast Episode 44: Using Coincidences and Positive Associations in Dog Training - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/44/

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    When I was 12 years old, I experienced the most humiliating event of my young life with a doctor who was trying to be helpful. That event changed who I was and how I processed information and led me to become the dog trainer that I am today. What if the things that we look at as our greatest challenges are actually our biggest blessings? And how could that help our dogs?   In the episode you'll hear:   • About my family and my introduction to riding a bike. • Why my brothers talked about my determination as if I were an alien. • My love of Nancy Drew books as a child. • How an ophthalmologist changed my young life forever. • Why I thought I was weird and how I just tried to figure things out. • My experience at University in an English course and why I stopped reading. • The years I spent with undiagnosed dyslexia and how that shaped me. • What I want you to know about answers existing. • About not giving anyone the power to make you feel less than. • How there are dogs out there who need us.   Resources:   • Blog Post: “Each of us is Somebody’s Weirdo” - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2009/12/each-of-us-is-somebodys-weirdo/ • Book: Shaping Success by Susan Garrett - https://dogsthat.com/product/shaping-success-2/

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   What if it were possible to dramatically improve your dog’s focus, skills and overall behaviour just by changing the questions you are asking? There’s no magic pixie dust, but it is possible for everyone. Reinforcement-based training requires outside-the-box thinking. Anyone can become a resourceful solutions-based dog trainer, and I’m giving you the four-step process I share with all of my students.   In the episode you'll hear:   • About swapping old thinking to new thinking. • Why the human brain is an amazing computer. • How to ask better questions. • The challenge with social media darkness and drama. • Why we humans have more compassion for strangers than ourselves. • How you are already answering dog training questions with great ideas. • That you are somebody’s expert. • About knowing what to do next with your dog. • The four-step process for posting a dog training question. • How to get your brain to give you amazing answers. • The importance of empowering statements. • How to get the best support and help with the way you ask questions. • How to have conversations with your family and friends about your dog.   Resources:   • Recallers - https://recallers.com/ • Home School the Dog - https://dogsthat.com/home-school/ • Game: Learn How to Play ItsYerChoice (IYC) - https://recallers.com/iycsummit-join/ • Susan Garrett's Dog Training Blog - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/ • Book: Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott -https://geni.us/fierce-conversations   *Amazon Links Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Susan only recommends products she uses herself, and all opinions expressed here are her own. The link above is an affiliate link that, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission if you decide to buy from it. Thank you!

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    The number one problem every puppy owner will experience is “how do I get my puppy to go to the bathroom in the appropriate spot?”. Now some puppy owners never get this mystery solved as a lot of adult dogs will mess in the house. Things are about to get easier because today we are covering the HOT topic of getting a pup or adult dog house trained fast. I’m sharing my easy 3 part process so you can have potty training success in a week, and within a month put any accidents behind you.   In the episode you'll hear:   • All about what’s HOT: Habit, Observation, Timetable • The easy process you can use to get pottying success within a week. • Simple ways you can set your puppy or dog up for housetraining success. • Why you will thank me for having your puppy or dog on a leash when you start potty training. • Your dog’s privacy and the importance of your silence while you are waiting. • About my “pee in three” criteria. • What a double pee-er is and how your timing matters. • Why to do a bedding check twice a day. • The importance of your puppy or dog having clarity. • What playing poker has to do with housetraining. • The timetable I use for potty training a puppy. • When to get your puppy or dog checked by a Veterinarian. • What to do if an accident happens inside the house. • How to use the same easy steps if you have a potty tray inside the house.   Resources:   • Blog Post: It’s Time to P-o-t-t-y! Inside Scoop on Housetraining-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2018/08/scoop-on-housetraining/ • Podcast Episode 44: Using Coincidences and Positive Associations in Dog Training-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/44/ • Podcast Episode 6: The Art of Manipulation-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/6/ • Podcast Episode 30: Why Dog Crates Are Not Dog Cages-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/30/ • Ex-Pen: Rover Modular Pet Enclosures-http://dogsthat.com/roverpanels • Crate Games Online-https://get.crategames.com/ • Podcast Episode 26: Pro Dog Training Tips to Get Your Puppy to Sleep All Night-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/26/ • Podcast Episode 43: Can a Dog be Happy and Well Trained?-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/43/ • YouTube Video: 5 Games for Puppies-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hxd1sVEQp2Y

Visit us at shapedbydog.com     If you have a dog, there will come a time when your dog will say to you “Don’t Wanna, Don’t Hafta”. That is the moment when you ask your dog to do something, and he ignores you. The question is, what do you do when this happens? I’m sharing what I do when my dog says “no” and the questions we need to ask ourselves. In the resources below, I’m referencing a number of previous podcast episodes that I strongly encourage you to check out with the context of what I say here in mind.   In the episode you'll hear:   • Why it’s important to value compassion more than ambition. • Your right to have expectations about how your dog behaves. • About your dog’s competing values. • Why considering your dog’s stage of learning is vital. • The importance of asking yourself if your dog is saying no due to fear. • What I noticed with my puppy This! in class recently with a golf cart. • My 5 keys for working through “Don’t Wanna, Don’t Hafta”. • How to rehearse your dog doing what you ask, when you ask, with fun games. • What it means to be the keeper of the joy. • About hard-wired behaviours and “Don’t Wanna, Don’t Hafta”.   Resources: • Podcast Episode 27: Do Dogs Need Rules? - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/27/ • Podcast Episode 46: Is Your Dog Trying to Dominate You and What You Can Do About It - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/46/ • Podcast Episode 44: Using Coincidences and Positive Associations in Dog Training -https://dogsthat.com/podcast/44/ • Podcast Episode 42: Behavior Chains: Are You Teaching Your Dog to be Bad to be Good? - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/42/ • Game: Learn How to Play ItsYerChoice (IYC) - https://recallers.com/iycsummit-join/ • Podcast Episode 24: Help for the Dog who Chases Chipmunks, Bicycles, and the Neighbor’s Cat - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/24/ • Blog Post: How to Use the Distraction Intensity Index to Help Your Dog - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2020/09/distraction-intensity-index/

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    The topic of this episode comes from a listener suggestion, and it is about “alpha” and “beta” dogs. It’s a bit of a spicy subject, and the words “alpha” and “beta” go back to disproven “dominance theory”. Even if you are not sure what “dominance theory” is, you might have heard the term “pack leader”. It was common around 30 or so years ago for pet dog training classes to be based on “dominancy theory”, but not so much these days. Each of us has a filter we see the world through, and that filter is going to have an impact on our dog training choices and beliefs.   In the episode you'll hear:   • What influenced the filters through which I see the world. • How my filter has an impact on my dog training. • What I ask if something goes wrong with my dogs. • The commonalities and digressions I’ve noticed in training beliefs. • What I googled about dominance theory. • My quick diversion on humping. • How what we see in our dogs can be interrupted in different ways. • The ways our filters relate to our dog training decisions and how changing our filters is possible for everyone. • That behavior is behavior, for humans and for dogs, and how choice and communication are powerful for any relationship. • How my puppy This! shredded a bed and my reaction. • The three things you can do when faced with a challenge with your dog. • Why it’s time to get curious when you are furious. • What can go into a plan for you to get what you want with your dog. • That none of us is perfect.   Resources:   • Quick video of This! shredding her bed (on Facebook) - https://www.facebook.com/SusanGarrettDogAgility/posts/3749967288358197 • Podcast Episode 43: Can a Dog be Happy and Well Trained? - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/43/ • Podcast Episode 6: The Art of Manipulation - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/6/ • Podcast Episode 16: The Thing Before Your Dog’s Thing - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/16/ • Podcast Episode 42: Behavior Chains: Are You Teaching Your Dog to be Bad to be Good? - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/42/ • Home School the Dog - https://dogsthat.com/home-school/ • Recallers - https://dogsthat.com/recallers/ • Podcast Episode 44: Using Coincidences and Positive Associations in Dog Training - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/44/

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    If you own a dog, there is a very good chance that at some point in your dog’s life, your dog could get jumped or possibly attacked by another dog. It’s vital to know that your reaction could actually exacerbate the emotional damage to your dog or puppy. This episode has my top tips for helping your dog and how you can take control of the uncontrollable and your responses. My puppy, This!, was jumped by an older pup, so it’s a topic fresh in my mind.   In the episode you'll hear:   • About being a helicopter parent, the opposite, and what I learned about being a dolphin parent. • Why the ability to recover is so important for our dogs. • The aftermath of our dogs being jumped and what we can do. • About negative conditioned responses and single event learning. • What happened with my puppy This! and what I did to help her. • The importance of changing a dog’s physiological state. • What I learned from a book about preventing PTSD with pattern-matching games. • How “play, don’t’ replay” works. • Why our first responses might not the best responses for our dog. • How to avoid adding emotional fire for your dog to events you cannot control. • Why to practice responding to things you can’t control. • What I do if my dog gets jumped and strategies you can put into action. • How to make the absolute best out of a bad situation. • What to look for in a good organised and structured puppy playgroup.   Resources:   • Book: Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World by Jane McGonigal - https://janemcgonigal.com/my-book/ • Podcast Episode 12: When Helping Your Dog is an Illusion - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/12/ • Podcast Episode 4: T.E.M.P. (Tail, Eyes/Ears, Mouth, Posture) - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/4/ • Susan on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/susangarrettdogsthat/ • DogsThat Gifs - https://giphy.com/dogsthat

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    Up to this point in your dog’s life, your training might not have worked the way you would have liked it to work. You can fix that with a simple set of progressions, and you can start right now. I know this works as it has worked for every dog I’ve ever raised, including rescue dogs, and it has worked for many thousands of my students. It all starts with arranging coincidences and positive associations.   In the episode you'll hear:   • What my goal is when I am raising a dog. • How to look at life from the eyes of your dog and arrange coincidences. • A real-life example of coincidences with a puppy. • How positive associations can come through you. • The dog training progressions that I’ve been using for many years. • How you can start again right now. • Why we want the correct behaviour to be extremely easy for our dogs when we start. • The importance of trust, transfer of value, and our dogs making choices. • How layering of confidence lets you advance your training. • What the mid-level on my training progressions chart looks like and how choice is in play. • What I do to set my dog and myself up for success. • How to create opportunities for choice in training progressions. • About the advanced stages of training with my adult dogs who have the layers of confidence in place. • Why my dogs love challenge and why they choose correctly. • How the connection I have with my dogs, and my students have with their dogs, is possible for everyone.   Resources:   • Blog Post: Teaching Puppies: It’s Just Arranging Coincidences -  https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2015/04/teaching-puppies-its-just-arranging-coincidences/ • Game: Learn How to Play ItsYerChoice (IYC) - https://recallers.com/iycsummit-join/ • Crate Games Online - https://get.crategames.com/ • Home School the Dog - https://dogsthat.com/home-school/ • Recallers - https://dogsthat.com/recallers/ • Handling360 - https://dogsthat.com/handling360/

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    Would you like a well-behaved dog at the expense of having a happy dog? How do we define happy? Would you be willing to make your dog a little sad, confused, anxious, stressed to be well-behaved? With every dog I have ever owned my approach to training has become a little more Zen-like. Trust in me is important for my dogs to be part of my family, and part of the life I lead.   In the episode you'll hear:   • What I was taught in the ‘80s about house training, and what I do now. • Why my dogs are such characters. • The “so what….” question to ask yourself. • More about what I was taught in the ‘80s relating to puppy biting. • About increasing or decreasing trust and happiness for dogs. • Why what we learn first is what we learn best, and how we can change. • How kindness should extend to ourselves. • About the clarity my dogs have for rules and how that gives them freedom. • How our dogs take on our emotions. • The reason to plan your responses to what your dog does. • That clarity is the opposite of anxiety and how certainty helps dogs. • Why the choice is ours on who we are for our dogs. • How our dogs can help us to become more compassionate.   Resources:   • Podcast Episode 4: T.E.M.P. (Tail, Eyes/Ears, Mouth, Posture) - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/4/ • Blog Post: It’s Time to P-o-t-t-y! Inside Scoop on Housetraining - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2018/08/scoop-on-housetraining/ • Podcast Episode 17: Help! How do I STOP Puppy Biting?! - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/17/ • Podcast Episode 18: 4 Puppy and Dog Training Games for Acquired Bite Inhibition - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/18/ • Podcast Episode 20: Bridging the Gap Between Blame and Kindness in Dog Training - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/20/ • Podcast Episode 27: Do Dogs Need Rules? - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/27/ • Podcast Episode 6: The Art of Manipulation - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/6/ • Agility Nation - https://dogsthat.com/agility-nation/

Visit us at shapedbydog.com     What if I were to tell you that your dog’s worst behaviour could very likely be there because you have been unintentionally reinforcing it? It might be your dog jumping on guests, barking, getting on the furniture, counter surfing, not wanting to leave the park, lunging, not bringing back a ball. All of these frustrations and many others are things you could be accidentally rewarding your dog for doing. How does this happen? It’s got everything to do with behaviour chains.   In the episode you'll hear:   • How to recognize a behaviour chain and how they work. • About the reinforcement of social attention for dogs. • How your words can be associated with rewards. • About your dog and patterns of reinforcement. • How your dog learns “gotta be bad to be good”. • Why your dog doesn't want to leave the park. • The ways to fix your inadvertent behaviour chains. • How important reinforcement is and why treats are just one form. • The example of a simple behavior being turned into a chain with repeated cues. • How to set up your dog for success. • About rehearsing the correct end of a behavior chain.   Resources:   • Podcast Episode 2: Reinforcement-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/2/ • Podcast Episode 33: How Do I Stop My Dog Counter Surfing?-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/33/ • Podcast Episode 19: One of My Biggest Pet Peeves in Dog Training-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/19/ • Podcast Episode 29: Understanding and Preventing Reactivity and Aggression in Your Dog-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/29/ • Podcast Episode 39: Is a Resistant Dog a Stubborn Dog?-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/39/ • Podcast Episode 40: Using a Head Halter on a Dog, Why My Approach is so Different-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/40/ • Home School the Dog-https://dogsthat.com/home-school/ • Recallers-https://recallers.com/ • DogsThat.Com-https://dogsthat.com/