Instinctual Training.
What is "instinctual training"?
Instinctual training is setting aside all the information, directives, and guidance we've been given about dogs; all the research we've done and what we've been taught, and dialing in to what we feel the individual dog in front of us needs.
The Bridge Signal
The Bridge Signal
A bridge signal links a target behavior to a reinforcement, sending the message, "great job - your paycheck is on its way"! It's a "marker", a predictor, and makes teaching our dogs (and helping them connect-the-dots) a far easier activity.
Interrupt…then direct.
Interrupt... then direct.
"State of mind" and "Energy" are fuel for any given behavior.
If not controlled or kept in check, state of mind can quickly and easily escalate paving the way for reactions (as opposed to responses), poor choices, and inappropriate behaviors.
Behavior isn’t breed or size-specific.
We've already spoken to this before, but it bears repeating after a few instances that crossed our awareness recently. This is how we see things…
The dangers of “cookie cutter-ism”
I've often written about things like: "to train thy dog, we must know thy dog"; honoring and respecting the whole dog-- traits, personality, limitations, etc. I've written about levels of expectation dogs typically live with, how they must coincide with our level of effort, and how they're (oftentimes) quite unrealistic.
If the mindset is only “the dog needs training”, any training program will fail.
I learned this lesson (among countless others) many years ago with my game changer dog, Lobo. After bouncing from trainer to trainer to help me resolve some significant behavioral issues that developed directly after my divorce, there were 3 massive pieces to the equation each and every trainer missed: 1) the fact that "obedience training" does not resolve "behavioral issues" (every trainer harped on "obedience training" with him; a well-trained dog does not directly translate into a well-behaved dog), 2) the state of mind aspect, and 3) the human ingredient: the part I played in the development and influencing of his behaviors.
Numbing, avoiding, and delaying never resolves.
Behavior is a manner of expression. It's the external manifestation of an underlying internal driving force. Regardless of species.
Inclusion, not isolation.
Like humans, dogs are social, pack animals. There is strength in numbers, and both recognize the significant increase in level of comfort and survival when this is so.