Training Matters

11/07/2025

Toddlerspeak.

10/31/2025

10/30/2025

Any training can have unintended consequences for the learner, some of which may be undesirable to the people on the other side of the human/animal equation. When aversive tools are involved, the unintended consequences may be avoidance to various stimuli in the environment at the time the averisive tool is applied, to the point where the animal uses aggressive behaviors to avoid "the thing(s)." There can also be unintended consequences when using appetitive tools such as food, things the animals will work to acquire. The article linked in the comments explores what is meant by "fallout" in either scenario and what is easier to change.

"I think the main takeaway is that when we are training or interacting with our companion animals, using aversive methods causes suffering—for them. The side effects of positive reinforcement training can be inconvenient at times, generally for us, and they depend on our skill levels. If food is creating unwanted consequences, a skilled trainer can generally use the same food to change the consequences. These side effects need not be long-lasting." ~ Eileenanddogs

10/26/2025

It was a busy summer and early fall here at Training Matters, and we've been in recovery mode since then. Resident pup Stellaluna had a litter of eight beautiful puppies at the end of May and we hosted our annual Animal Trainers' Retreat in September, which was a smashing success. Some of the best quality information available as well as fun hands-on experiences in a small, intimate and beautiful environment were at the heart of our little mini conference, as is always our goal. Pups are now well homed, with the exception of the one pictured in the comments, whom we kept. His name is Ferdinand, Ferdie for short, and he is the sweetest little boy who ever lived.

That said, we are starting to plan our 2026 schedule and have some exciting events in mind. First is an in-person only workshop in the spring on challenging behavior with Debbie Jacobs, who will do a deep dive into behavior analytic strategies to address behaviors related to anxiety. Animal guardians and caretakers frequently use the label "anxiety" or "anxious" to describe their animals' behavior and we need to have a behavioral framework for addressing that. At this year's Animal Trainers' Retreat, we had a wonderful presentation by Keira Moore, BCBA-D and KPA-CTP, of Pet Project Dog Training on this topic, explaining how anxious behaviors are evoked by conditions in the environment as opposed to something globally inherent to the individual, some of whom may experience more generalized anxious behaviors than others. This isn't to say that the internal environment of the individual isn't at play. It always is. Still, behavior is in the environment and alters the environment for the learner.

Debbie is preparing an awesome event, attending a recent conference about addressing anxiety from a behavior analytic standpoint in teaching humans with Jessica Minahan, Ph.D., BCBA, board certified behavior analyst and author of The Behavior Code. As a specialist in fear based behavior in dogs, Debbie has been helping dog guardians near and far to address challenging behaviors often rooted in what we would label and treat as "anxiety" for many years. She continues to expand her knowledge and repertoire, learning from those working with people experiencing challenging behaviors and outside of the dog training industry.

As always, this event will include hands-on work with the Portable Operant Research and Teaching Lab (PORTL) and the animals of Lemon's Hope Sanctuary with a small group of attendees, typically no more than 30. Our attendees come from near and far, Vermont locals as well as west coasters and all points in between.

Other events in the early planning stages (meaning mere ideas to be followed up on) are a one-day event on R+ horse training, which we've been wanting to do for a long time. And, a weekend event devoted to playing PORTL and working with animals, fewer talks (maybe one or none) and more experiential learning for educators of all stripes. Animal trainers are educators of people and animals. Teachers are educators. Therapists are educators.

And, of course, our signature event, the Animal Trainers' Retreat. As this year, the 2026 itinerary will be planned drawing on some of the best presentations at larger and pricier conferences: the Association for Behavior Analysis International®, Karen Pryor Academy, and International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants among them. It will center presentations on research and practice that is grounded in applied behavior analysis and the natural science of behavior.

Image of the title page of Jessica Minahan's recent presentation attended by Debbie. Picture of Ferdie in the comments. Both photos by Debbie.

10/21/2025

10/16/2025

Handling reactive dogs on leash walks with a goal of changing both their emotional responses and behavior towards stimuli in the environment that provoke the reactive behaviors is challenging. Video in the comments gives a nice rundown of factors at play, including assessing why the dog may engage in the behaviors we seek to change.

10/03/2025

It may not look like it, but there’s a lot going on on my walks with Stella and the puppy from her litter that we are keeping. First, the long line on Stella: that is to prevent encounters with porcupines as well as to help me set her up for success in giving me behaviors to reinforce that don’t include chasing or correcting Puppy. Behaviors like walking beside him, passing him without grabbing at him with her mouth, letting him pass or run around her without grabbing at him with her mouth, walking with and looking at me, responding to my cues to redirect attention from him to me, etc. Stella has continued what is normal sighthound mother behaviors like chasing and grabbing him and I’d like them to become part of the past.

One of my concerns is what might occur when I am walking all three of my dogs together. Would Stella’s behaviors of chasing and grabbing her son stimulate our other dog, Winnie, to do the same? Could those behaviors escalate? So, we’re working on what to do instead of chasing and grabbing the baby.

Other behaviors being worked on: recall of both dogs, puppy staying within about 25 feet, puppy checking in with me. He’s not going far at the moment, but I’d like to keep it that way. We’re laying the groundwork now.

And, of course, pottying outdoors. Note my praise of the puppy p**p! He also got a special treat for p**ping outside.

Porcupines are on the move now and Winnie got quilled this week for the second time. For those who remember the first great quilling, this one wasn’t nearly as bad. Still, we’re walking on long lines for a bit. This porcupine was somewhere we wouldn’t have expected: right in the middle of our field. Ugh.

09/28/2025

Kiki Yablon does a great job facilitating the readings and discussion of BF Skinner’s About Behaviorism in this book club. Most trainers and even behavior analysts haven’t read a lot of Skinner’s work and would benefit from how it challenges us to think about and analyze what animals and humans do and why they do it. It’s all behavior, and there is so much to understand in how behavior works in any and all species. I could repeat this course a number of times and still get a lot out of it.

Next session of the Behavior Works Book Club starts in November!

This is a guided reading group for animal professionals/advocates who want to deepen their grounding in the science of behavior change by exploring its underlying philosophy, radical behaviorism. We’ll be reading “About Behaviorism,” which B. F. Skinner wrote for a lay audience.

Members will read approximately one book chapter per week, and meet once every two weeks for a discussion.

Facilitator Kiki Yablon, MA, will provide study questions to consider while reading and to inform disucssion. There is no eligibility requirement for membership, but graduates of Living and Learning with Animals will receive a $25 discount.

Price: $200 ($175 for LLA grads) for 12 weeks/6 two-hour meetings

This session of Book Club will officially begin November 20, 2025, with the first meeting on December 4.

Meetings are from 10 AM to noon Central Time (Chicago, USA) on the following Thursdays:

December 4, 2025
December 18, 2025
[No meeting on January 1]
January 8, 2026
January 22, 2026
February 5, 2026
February 19, 2026

Registration link in comments--or you can just email me at the address in the graphic.

09/20/2025

Mary Hunter - StaleCheerios presenting on reinforcement systems at our Animal Trainers’ Retreat after a panel discussion around applied behavior analysis as a holistic framework for training and welfare.

Photo by Debbie Jacobs.

09/10/2025

Our friend Ryan Talbot in cooperative care video from Wolf Park.