Repetition is one piece of the puzzle. The other? Reinforcement history.
Dogs learn through patterns. When a behavior is repeated and consistently rewarded, it becomes stronger and more reliable. The more times your dog is reinforced for a behavior, the more likely they are to offer it again.
Dogs don’t classify their behaviors as good or bad. It’s the feedback they receive from humans that shapes how they navigate the world.
Reading some of our 5-star reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I always plan to step into a session with my full attention on you—but sometimes teething puppies have other ideas… usually involving my pants and their razor-sharp teeth. 😂
When that happens, I have to split my focus: keeping those tiny piranha teeth off me while still listening to everything you’re sharing 😉
Please enjoy 😊😂
P.S. It’s my first time doing this, so don’t mind me breaking all the acting rules and looking straight at the camera!
I’m always sketched out by claims of a ‘100% success rate.’ These promises often involve questionable methods, like using aversive tools (prong or e-collars) to suppress behavior, creating the illusion of immediate success.
Choice for the dog usually goes out the window, replaced by a focus on compliance. And honestly, I see it as more of a marketing gimmick than anything helpful.
Here’s the truth about how I approach training: I’ll never guarantee a 100% success rate because there are so many variables. But I will be with you and your dog every step of the way—fixing, tweaking, adjusting timing, and finding the right activities and rewards.
I believe in celebrating the small wins. It’s a way better strategy than chasing perfection.
Things I don’t care about as your dog trainer.
Obviously, these statements might have some grey areas depending on the context, but my motto is, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
I have more that I didn’t include, so stay tuned—I might just make a part 2! 🐾❤️
Come join me as I share a small snippet from my session with Benji, the 5-year-old Maltese puppy 🩷
If you’d like to find out more about me as a trainer and book a session, send me a DM 🐾
Imagine if we could ask our dogs which equipment they’d prefer to wear.
Imagine if we could ask them whether leash pops and punishment tactics made them feel empowered.
Imagine if we could ask our dogs how they like to learn best.
While dogs can’t speak, they do communicate with us through a variety of body language cues. By studying these cues, researchers have been able to publish numerous studies highlighting the pitfalls of positive punishment tactics. For detailed research, you can refer to studies such as those by Herron et al. (2009) on the effects of aversive training methods and by Hiby et al. (2004) on the efficacy of reward-based training.
Some positive reinforcement-based games that are fun, effective, and avoid the use of leash pops include:
1. Look at That (LAT): Created by Leslie McDevitt, this game encourages dogs to look at a trigger and then back at their handler, rewarding them for disengaging.
2. Engage/Disengage Game: Built off the “Look at That” game, this game was also popularized by Leslie McDevitt in her book Control Unleashed.
3. Auto Check-Ins: Developed by Suzanne Clothier, this exercise encourages dogs to offer attention voluntarily.
4. 123 Pattern Game: Designed by Leslie McDevitt, this game helps dogs learn to focus on their handlers in distracting environments.
These games may sound simple in theory, but they require the guidance of professionals who know how to effectively teach and implement them in your training sessions.
Reach out to The Companion Coach if you want to learn more about these techniques and book a session. Together, we can help you and your dog build a stronger, more positive relationship. 🐾🩷
New uniform alert ❤️
I’m excited about it so wanted to share it with you all 🥳🥰
A certified & positive reinforcement dog trainer? Ya, that’s me 👊🏻🫶🏻😉
The Companion Coach was created with one goal in mind: to help humans and their furbest friends communicate better
