Jackie Pritchard Dog Training

10/18/2025

From the archives; such an excellent video so I have to keep sharing,

10/14/2025

This 👇

10/14/2025

BRAIN UNDER CONSTRUCTION
The challenges of the teenage dog.

There’s a saying that most parents of teenagers can relate to - "Parents of teenagers understand why some animals eat their young!"

The changes that happen in the brain of a teenage dog are not that different to a human teenager.

The brain undergoes a period of "pruning" and "re-wiring". This process can cause some parts not to work, work sporadically or work too much.

To describe it in the simplest of terms -the prefrontal cortex of a teenage brain is at the “back of the queue” in this process. It’s still “under construction” and still developing. This area of the brain is responsible for making “logical” decisions, controlling impulses, learning, remembering, problem solving and social interaction.

Because the prefrontal cortex is being reconstructed, the brain relies more on a part called the amygdala to make choices and react.
The amygdala is involved in the “big feelings” we may see - emotional responses like fight or flight, anxiety, excitement, reactivity, impulse control and instinctive behaviour.

Being aware of the physical changes the teenage brain is going through in the process of maturing, helps us to be more understanding and accepting.

Statistics show that many dogs are surrendered or re homed during the teenage stage as their owners no longer “like” the way their dog behaves, can’t handle them or just give up on them.

Please don’t give up on your teenage dog. We need to manage our expectations and frustrations during this phase.

Understand and acknowledge what is happening in their brain. Help them through this stage with patience, consistency, love and acceptance.

10/12/2025

Brilliant post! Explains the quadrants of operant conditioning beautifully.
As always, choose your trainer wisely!

WHAT ARE BALANCED TRAINERS? WHAT ARE POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT TRAINERS?

I just ran across a YouTube video made by a "balanced" trainer who did not know the definition of the terms he was using - which is the inspiration for this post.

You need to know these terms so you know what to look for and what to ask when speaking to any dog trainer you are considering hiring.

The term, "balanced" is misleading. While we generally associate the term with something positive, that is not the case with dog training.

The 4 Quadrants of Operant Conditioning

Some of you will recall previous posts of mine about the "4 quadrants" of operant conditioning:

1. Positive reinforcement
2. Negative reinforcement
3. Positive punishment
4. Negative punishment

"Operant" means one or more of these 4 options are used to train a dog (or another animal or human) to do something. The dog's behavior is shaped through one or more of the above options - consequences applied by the trainer.

"Conditioning" means learning through association or consequence.

"Operant conditioning" uses reinforcement or punishment to increase or decrease behaviors.

"Positive" means something is added, e.g., food, praise - but it could also be something aversive, like shock.

"Negative" means something is taken away, e.g., attention - or shock or something else aversive.

"Reinforcement" means whatever was added or taken away serves to increase the likelihood a behavior will be repeated.

"Punishment" means whatever was added or taken away causes the behavior to stop (Note: it is not an intention, it is an effect, so if something aversive is added or taken away that does not stop behavior, it is just aversive and at worst, abusive.)

Positive reinforcement, aka force-free trainers use:

1. Positive reinforcement

2. Negative punishment, e.g., dog jumps up on them and attention (which is what motivates dogs to jump) is removed, thus removing (negative) the reinforcement (of attention). What is not reinforced (consistently) will stop occurring.

"Balanced" trainers use all 4 options ("quadrants," as depicted in the chart below).

In addition to positive reinforcement (e.g., praise, treats, play) and negative punishment (removing something the dog wants/likes), they use positive punishment (adding a punisher, e.g., shock or a leash "correction") and negative reinforcement (taking the punisher away), once they get the behavior they want. The dog, of course, is motivated to comply to avoid pain.

This is why they refer to themselves as "balanced" trainers. Do not be deceived.

Note: using positive reinforcement does NOT make someone a positive reinforcement trainer. Most, if not all trainers use some form of positive reinforcement. Many use it in addition to physical and verbal punishment, aka "correction."

Also, you will hear balanced trainers criticize force-free positive reinforcement trainers as being "positive only." There is no such thing.

Positive is not permissive. It just isn't painful or fear-provoking. I tell new clients the type of training I do is evidence-based best practices, and that I do not do anything that hurts or frightens the dog.

© 2025 Cindy Ludwig, MA, BS, RN, KPA-CTP, CPDT-KA
Owner, Canine Connection LLC
Willard, MIssouri

10/09/2025

Went to town to practice some leash manners with this handsome dude. He was perfect 🐾❤️

10/09/2025

Love this post 🐾❤️

In the spirit of October and all things spooky, I’m sending the concept of “heel” straight to hell.

Here’s why: It is a welfare issue.

Of the five freedoms of animal welfare most of us are aware of, it’s #4 that gets glossed over the most.

4️⃣ Freedom to Express Normal Behavior

Normal behavior for dogs looks like moving freely in nature. Sniffing. Investigating. Exploring.

The entire concept of dogs on a short leash walking right next to us looking straight ahead and not interacting with the environment is so, so wrong, and entirely a concept that WE have invented and normalized.

I am here to tell you that IT IS NOT NORMAL.

It is not only not normal—it is comprising our dogs’ welfare. Physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I am here to tell you that IT IS OK FOR YOUR DOG TO WALK OUT IN FRONT OF YOU.

Asking your dog to check in or to walk next to you briefly for safety reasons is one thing.

Ushering your dog around by the neck on a short, taut leash and expecting them to adapt and be “tired out” from that, is quite another.

I’ve seen maladaptive, frustrated behaviors present in dogs who have been yanked and pulled around time and time again. And after being introduced to a long-line and getting a taste of freedom TO BE A DOG—their entire world opens up and that frustration dissipates.

These ridiculous “obedience” ideas have permeated our culture so deeply that our expectations of both dogs and dog guardians are wildly unrealistic and psychologically damaging to all of us!

We forget about ethology and genetics.

Dogs are born with needs that we must meet.

The least we can do when we bring them into our human world is understand their origins and what they need to thrive.



ID: first slide: Letters over a photo of a skull and candles that say “To Hell With Heel”. Second slide: a video of a large brown dog walking on a long-line on the sidewalk.

10/07/2025

Your chuckle for the day 😉

10/07/2025

KNOW ABOUT MY NECK!

A dog’s neck is really not that much different to ours.

In fact, it may be even a little more sensitive, as the outermost layers of the skin are thinner than ours.

In additional to the damage that using choke collars, prong collars, slip leads or shock collars cause in a psychological and emotional way, the physical risks are also often not acknowledged or understood.

Here are just some of the physical risks these aversive tools can cause –

The Vagus nerve runs down both sides of the neck and controls so many vital functions - heart rate, breathing, digestion, emotional regulation and communication between the brain and other major organs.

Pressure on the neck can compress the trachea, making it hard to breathe properly -decreases oxygen to the brain and other organs, potentially causing long-term damage.

Pressure can also damage the thyroid gland, injure nerves and muscles and bruise soft tissue.

Compression of the neck can cause intraocular pressure which affects vision.

The neck and cervical spine contain the spinal cord, where the nerves of the front legs originate. Excessive paw licking is often misdiagnosed as allergies, when it’s actually caused by pain.

Compression of the Esophagus – the tube that carries food to the stomach, can cause digestive and gut issues.

I find it really hard to understand why these tools are still so widely used and promoted.

What could possibly be admirable or intelligent in using force, inflicting pain, causing physical and emotional harm to control another sentient being, when there are far more effective, humane, ethical ways?

"The least I can do is speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves" – Jayne Goodall

10/06/2025

100% 🐾❤️

GOOD INTENTIONS, POOR EXPECTATIONS

We often see memes or bits of advice being shared with the best of intentions. One of those that pops up a lot in the dog world is the “3-3-3 Rule.”

You’ve probably seen it:

3 days to decompress

3 weeks to learn the routine

3 months to feel at home

It’s shared as a simple way to set expectations when welcoming a new dog, and it does come from a good place. But here’s the problem: it sets a timeline that can feel neat and tidy on paper… yet completely unrealistic in real life.

Dogs are individuals. Some might take 3 hours to settle, others might take 3 years. Trauma, genetics, previous experiences, and environment all play a role in how a dog adjusts. By putting them into a one-size-fits-all timeline, we risk misunderstanding their needs, or feeling like something is “wrong” when they don’t follow the rule.

Instead of focusing on timelines, let’s focus on the dog in front of us.
Watch them. Learn their signals. Adjust based on how they are feeling and coping, not what a meme says they should be doing by week three.

Good intentions are a great start. But real understanding begins when we let go of rigid expectations and meet each dog as the individual they truly are.

( Picture of some of my crew, all wonderfully unique friends/family who are as individual as you and I 🥰)

10/06/2025

Great 5 minute video explaining canine communication. Dogs definitely speak; it is our job as their companions and guardians to learn how to listen💕🐾💞

Animals speak all of the time, as spoken through their body language, but many times their messages are misunderstood or go unheard. As a result, a dog may b...

10/05/2025

This 👇🐾❤️