Fenzi Food For Thought

I think preparing for Dog sports competitions is one of the best ways to push your dog training skills. We talked about that here! How to avoid perfection paralysis. Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

It's OK to give a motivator to a dog who has made an error. This episode is all about that process. Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

We talked about setting, raising, and lowering criteria. Using the concept of foundation skills when setting criteria, and problem-solving, with an eye towards how to shift criteria.

In this live we discussed barking in a variety of contexts, and some options you may have to resolve it.

Can you find ways to use punishment where the dog always wins?

Wait! You won't solve your behavior challenge in two months! My dog brings some tremendous benefits to the table but we are far from out of the woods! Remember, my process is not your process. Take your time, especially if you have a challenging dog, and celebrate what goes right. We also talked about managing your own anxiety with overaroused and reactive dogs.

This live explored the difference between flooding and habituation, and discusses why I choose to put out information on dog aggression, reactivity and over arousal, even though I know some of that information will be used poorly or misunderstood.

In the past, I have done several IG lives where I talked about components of over aroused or reactive behavior in more detail. On this one, I tried to summarize how I use those qualities when working with my own dog. In short, I tend to think about arousal rather than worrying about controlling the environment. Because I cannot control the environment and the triggers; there are too many of them. But I can control his arousal via techniques that work for both of us.

We covered more than that, but in effect, we had a conversation about what happens if an undesirable behavior has a reinforcing quality, even if it's not obvious to us with that reinforcing quality might be. The short answer is that your choice of reinforcement might increase the behavior you want, but it won't necessarily decrease the behavior you don't want. Or at least not to the point of extinction.

This is primarily aimed at dog sports competitors, but applies to pet dogs too. When reducing reinforcement, focus on your goal. What are you trying to accomplish? Recognize the trade offs of your choices when you select your route to ring readiness.