Shaped by Dog with Susan Garrett

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 wag@dogsthat.com 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 wag@dogsthat.com 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!