Shaped by Dog with Susan Garrett

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/

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    When you get a puppy or dog, what are your expectations of your new family member? Do you have a vision of how your dog will fit into your home? What does it look like, and how do you convey your expectations to your dog? You can deepen the bond with your dog by knowing what your basics, manners and extras are.   In the episode you'll hear:   • All the things you probably don’t want your dog to do. • How expectations set people up for success and why that relates to your dog. • Why you need to know how you want your dog to behave. • The milestones you can set for your life with your dog. • Why there are three areas of focus for your dog to meet your expectations. • The basics of sleeping through the night, not going to the bathroom in the house, not biting and not destroying stuff. • How manners should be an area of focus once the basics are met. • Why teaching your dog a trick and retrieve helps in your life together. • All the extras you can introduce in your life with your dog. • How the more you welcome your dog into your heart the more milestones you can set to deepen your bond. • Why milestones are something you and your dog reach together. • How exercise reduces your dog’s naughty behaviours.   Resources:   • Podcast Episode 26: Pro Dog Training Tips to Get Your Puppy to Sleep All Night - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/26/   If you would like to have fun while showing your dog your expectations on manners, train a trick, teach your dog to fetch, and have ways to exercise your dog at home, you can join me in Home School the Dog through to the end of October.

Visit us at shapedbydog.com     Today I’m sharing with you how I get brilliant behaviours with my dogs. No matter what you are training, the key to success is to build value for what you want your dog to do and avoid your dog rehearsing undesirable behaviours. I’ll walk you through it step by step using walking on a leash as an example, and for me, that starts with using a Head Halter. Now before you turn off, you need to know that how I use a Head Halter is very different to nearly everyone out there. I’m also covering how not to use a Head Halter and clearing up common misconceptions.   In the episode you'll hear:   • Why behaviours get inadvertently chained and how to avoid it. • How to set your dog up for success and keep your dog safe. • Why the use of a Head Halter is controversial. • What walking your dog has to do with driving a car. • About the importance of protective gear. • What you should never do with a Head Halter. • Why I have to earn the right to put a Head Halter on my dog. • How I condition my puppy or dog to a Head Halter. • Why you need to know what you want your dog to do. • The 3 things I train for the times my dog and I come across a distraction when walking. • Everything I do differently when conditioning and using a Head Halter. • How we can be fair to our dogs by rehearsing success. • Why I let my dogs have a choice. • Strategies to use in the face of distractions when you are out with your dog. • What my ultimate goal is when I use a Head Halter.   Resources:   • Blog Post: How Do I Train My Dog NOT to Jump Up?-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/04/train-my-dog-not-to-jump-up/ • 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 4: T.E.M.P. (Tail, Eyes/Ears, Mouth, Posture)-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/4/ • Podcast Episode 24: Help for the Dog who Chases Chipmunks, Bicycles, and the Neighbor’s Cat-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/24/ • Video Blog Post: How do I Stop My Dog from Pulling on the Leash?-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2020/01/stop-my-dog-pulling-on-leash/ • Video Blog Post: Quick Tip for Dog Walking and Distractions-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2020/06/dog-walking-and-distractions/

Visit us at shapedbydog.com     What do we do when our dog shows resistance? What happens when your dog appears to be stubborn, and what does that tell you? You might even see resistance in toddlers, teenagers, your spouse, or a co-worker. We're looking at how you can overcome resistance and build a relationship of trust.   In the episode you'll hear:   • Why we want to move from resisting to a willingness to try. • What creates resistance in dogs, the sights, scents, sounds, feelings. • How the unknown and fear relate to resistance. • The importance of conditioning. • The signs your dog is resisting and what that tells you. • About resistance and lizard brain. • What happened with my puppy Shelby in the ’80s that hurt my heart. • Why our dogs might not just get over something and how it creates emotional walls. • The 5 elements that will melt resistance and create confidence. • The most important thing for me when I am conditioning a head halter and how I start. • What’s different from Ruff Love in what I do today in relation to head halters. • What seat belts have to do with dog training. • The importance of building trust rather than breaking trust with your dog.   Resources:   • Podcast Episode 7: You, Your Dog, Maslow and Lizard Brain-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/7/ • Podcast Episode 4: T.E.M.P. (Tail, Eyes/Ears, Mouth, Posture)-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/4/ • Podcast Episode 38: 3 Keys to a Confident Dog-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/38/ • Game: Learn how to play ItsYerChoice (IYC)-https://recallers.com/iycsummit-join/ • Crate Games Online-https://get.crategames.com/ • Book: “Ruff Love” by Susan Garrett-https://dogsthat.com/product/ruff-love/ • Hand Targets in the Video Blog: How to Train Your Dog to Stand on Cue-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2020/10/train-your-dog-to-stand-on-cue/

Visit us at shapedbydog.com     What is confidence in a dog? Why do we need it? How do we grow it, and why should we even care? Confidence is a topic I’m very passionate about, and there are three things that are big contributors bringing out the best in a puppy or dog.   In the episode you'll hear:   • What my dog Decaff taught me about confidence. • How confidence replaces stress and anxiety. • About my once in a lifetime dogs. • How our beliefs control our thoughts about our dogs and how our thoughts control our actions. • Why today can be your starting point! • The strategy you can adopt to get to where you want to be with your dog. • My promise to Momentum’s four puppies about marbles. • About emotional states and our dogs. • Why to play small to play big. • How you can see lack of marble building behaviour in performance sports like agility. • About defining the behavior you see by what is real. • How much the language you use about your dog matters. • Why we want our bag of marbles overfull.   Resources:   • Blog Post: Is There a Difference? - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2010/04/is-there-a-difference/ • Podcast Episode 8: Get Your Dog in the Belief Loop of Awesome - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/8/ • Susan Garrett’s Recallers Successes Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/pg/SusanGarrettsRecallers/photos/ • Podcast Episode 22: The Invisible Bubble of Pressure and Your Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/22/ • Vlog Post: Where is Your Dog on the Circle of Fun? - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2018/07/circle-of-fun/ • Blog Post: Improve Your Dog Training by Playing Like A Dog - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/04/improve-your-dog-training-by-playing-like-a-dog/ • Home School the Dog - https://dogsthat.com/home-school/ • Recallers - https://recallers.com/ • DogsThat.Com - https://dogsthat.com/

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   Today’s episode comes from a suggestion by one of our listeners, and it’s on the topic of becoming a professional dog trainer. More specifically, the path that led me to dog training as a career.   In the episode you'll hear:   • What I wanted to be when I grew up. • Why it’s not just training dogs. • The things I had to learn. • My evolution to dog training. • Why to take care about where you learn. • How much your passion should matter. • The importance of the science of behaviour. • About not being afraid to say “I don’t know”. • My thoughts on why immersion is important. • Why I love cows and how working with other animals helps my career. • Why my love of dog sports like obedience, sheep herding, flyball and agility helps me understand the brain of dogs. • How excellence is a mastery of the fundamentals.   Resources:   • Blog Post: Dogs are Amazing and Will Do Everything You Want If You Have Cheese! - https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/03/dogs-are-amazing-and-will-do-everything-you-want-if-you-have-cheese/ • * Recallers - https://recallers.com/ • Blog Post: How To Embrace Videoing Your Dog Training -https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2019/03/embrace-videoing/ • The Academy for Dog Trainers (Jean Donaldson)-https://www.academyfordogtrainers.com/   *Recallers is CEU approved with CCPDT and IAABC

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   How do you pick a puppy? Even if you are not selecting a puppy, a lot of these concepts apply to a rescue dog. I’ve just raised a litter of puppies, and one will stay with me as my next dog, so I’m covering my tips, plus how my puppy chose me!   In the episode you'll hear:   • How our rescue dog Tater feels about living in a family of Border Collies. • The considerations about what sort of dog is best for you. • How Tina the Poodle came into our family when I was a kid. • Why to set an intention about your next dog. • The three areas I look at when picking my puppy. • What to consider about structure and temperament. • What you need to know about puppies and temperament tests. • About what your heart tells you and why I’m big on the woo. • Why to trust the breeder of your puppy if you have done your research. • The reason to not second guess yourself. • About the adventures that led me to my new puppy. • Who my next dog is and her name!   Spoiler Alert Puppy Names: Moira Rose - Say Yes to Inspired Moments - Dream Alexis - Say Yes to Playing for the Moment - Swish David - Say Yes to Making the Moments Count - Mission Stevie - Say Yes to Being in the Moment - This!   Resources:   • Podcast Episode 13: Naming Your Puppy or Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/13/ • Book: What's Your Angle: Understanding Angulation and Structure for the Performance Dog by Helen Grinnell King - https://geni.us/whatsyourangle • Book: Picking your Performance Puppy by Helen Grinnell King - https://geni.us/performancepuppy • Avidog Website (Search for the word Temperament) - https://dogsthat.com/breeders • Book: The Resilience Project: Finding Happiness Through Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness by Hugh van Cuylenburg - https://theresilienceproject.com.au/shop/product/book-finding-happiness-through-gratitude-empathy-mindfulness/ • "This Is Me" by The Greatest Showman Cast from 'The Greatest Showman Soundtrack' (YouTube) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEJd2RyGm8Q   *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!