Shaped by Dog with Susan Garrett Training Tips From Susan: Listening To Your Dog’s “No” And Building A Better "Yes” Together
Sep 26, 2025
Discover the importance of listening to your dog's 'no' as a signal for necessary training adjustments. Learn how to minimize distractions and create a stress-free environment for your dog. Explore counterconditioning techniques to address fear and discomfort. Find out when to take a pause for pain recovery and how to slowly reintroduce training. Finally, engage your dog with fun games that enhance consent and build a stronger bond, ensuring training is both rewarding and enjoyable.
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Treat 'No' As Diagnostic Information
- Dogs say "no" when the job doesn't match the education or environment you've provided.
- Treat each "no" as information about gaps in training or value transfer.
Pull Back And Rebuild Consent
- If a dog gives weak compliance, pull back and offer simpler, confidence-building tasks.
- Use easy behaviors (hand touch, spin, down, chase) to rebuild consent before returning to the original task.
Reduce Distractions First
- Minimize distractions when competing values prevent your dog from complying.
- Remove the dog from the environment, then re-ask the behavior at a lower-distraction level.