Brains Bones and Behavior

10/10/2025

From Chaos to Control: Managing Prey Drive in High-Energy Breeds

The spirited enthusiasm of high-energy breeds is one of their most endearing qualities, filling our lives with boundless joy and a zest for adventure. Yet, beneath their charming exterior often lies a powerful, instinctual drive: prey drive. For owners of breeds like terriers and hounds, this innate urge to chase, capture, and dissect can transform a peaceful walk into a frantic tug-of-war, or an open backyard into a hunting ground. The journey from the chaos of an unleashed instinct to the control of a well-managed companion is challenging but ultimately rewarding, fostering a deeper understanding and bond between human and dog.

https://brainsbonesbehavior.blogspot.com/2025/10/from-chaos-to-control-managing-prey.html

Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/1ARbjzg

Discover the thrill of working your dog's natural instincts in , the essential guide by seasoned trainer Jamie Robinson. This book demystifies prey drive—the hardwired urge from wolf ancestors that fuels sniffing, stalking, chasing, grabbing, shaking, and shredding—and shows how to channe...

10/10/2025

GameCraft Builder Challenge: Week 3 of The Stay on the Ground Game!

Solo and seated? Solid. But guests arrive and boom—excitement explodes into leaps, turning welcomes into wardrobe wrecks and awkward apologies.

The Stay on the Ground Game seals it: Guest-proof grace, where greetings glow with impulse control, making company a calm celebration.

Cap with the "Guest is Good" Game. Ultimate why: It enforces ground-only gains from others, turning social sparks into polite paw-plants.

How-to hint: Friend as guest enters. Reward approaches with all paws down; back-turn jumps, treat grounded returns.

Week 3 Challenge Worksheet for guest-greeting grids below. Welcome won—the full three-week foundation is in the book [https://a.co/d/04u4meA].

Guests grounded!

10/09/2025

GameCraft Builder Challenge: Week 3 of The Mealtime Station Game!

Stays short and sweet, but plate-prep pandemonium pulls them off-post, your kitchen dance dodging desperate darts.

Mealtime Station's routine revolution: Cue-to-calm chains, where food prep flips to "go station" glory.
This beat: The "Pre-Meal Prep" Game. Why routine rocket: It links your moves to their mat, predictability powering poise.

How-to: Cue to mat pre-plate; reward holds as you assemble—minutes mount!

Week 3 Challenge Worksheet for prep-pause plots below. Prepped perfectly?

The full game's table-turner is in the book [https://a.co/d/04u4meA].

Prep poised!

10/09/2025

Overcoming Learned Helplessness in Rescue Dogs

The plight of rescue dogs is often intertwined with a profound psychological state known as learned helplessness. Coined by psychologist Martin Seligman in the late 1960s, this concept describes a condition where an individual, or indeed an animal, has learned to believe that they are powerless in a particular situation, even when they possess the means to change it. Seligman's groundbreaking experiments famously involved dogs placed in an inescapable shuttle box. After repeated exposure to unavoidable electric shocks, these dogs eventually stopped trying to escape, even when the barrier was subsequently removed, allowing them free passage to safety. They had learned that their actions had no consequence, leading to a profound passivity and resignation that deeply impacted their ability to react even when control was possible. This powerful insight into the psychology of control and perception is crucial for understanding and, more importantly, for healing the emotional scars carried by many rescue dogs.

The plight of rescue dogs is often intertwined with a profound psychological state known as learned helplessness. Coined by psychologist Mar...

10/08/2025

https://brainsbonesbehavior.blogspot.com/2025/10/are-dogs-just-driven-by-drive.html

We like to believe that dogs are simply creatures of instinct, that they’re bound by their drives in a way that leaves no room for conscious choice. This perspective, comfortable in its simplicity, casts canine companions as magnificent beasts of impulse – driven by hunger, territory, reproduction, and the primal urge to belong to a pack. Yet, anyone who has truly lived with a dog, who has observed their nuanced behaviors and felt the profound depth of their gaze, understands that this explanation falls woefully short. I believe dogs are far more evolved than that. They possess an ethical compass, a sense of right and wrong that comes into play when they feel secure and connected to their human family, demonstrating a moral intelligence that transcends mere biological programming.

10/08/2025

GameCraft Builder Challenge: Week 3 of The Noise Desensitization Game!

Volumes handled, but the emotional echo lingers—sounds still steal sparkle, muting playtime joy amid muffled booms.

Noise Desensitization's crescendo: Full fear override, where blasts cue boundless fun, life loud and lively.

Final flourish: The "Sound and Play" Game. Why game-changing: It swaps snacks for sport, high-energy hijinks eclipsing echoes.
Hint: Medium volume hits, launch tug or fetch instantly—toy takeover!

Week 3 Challenge Worksheet to play-log the pivots below. Symphony silenced? The whole three-part harmony is in the book [https://a.co/d/04u4meA].

Play on!

10/07/2025

GameCraft Builder Challenge: Week 3 of The Pedestrian Game!

Paths crossing with oncoming folks spark that instant lunge or freeze, transforming neighborhood jaunts into high-stakes dodges that leave you both wiped out and wary.

Unlock The Pedestrian Game: A step-wise mastery of urban flow, turning head-on encounters into effortless "excuse me" moments with a dog who's tuned to you, not the crowd.

This round: The "Crossing Paths" Game. Vital why: It tackles the ultimate everyday clash, training eyes-on-you calm when distractions barrel straight at you.

Setup spark: Wide sidewalk, friend approaching head-on. Reward loose-leash locks and your-focused glances as you weave by.

Download Week 3 Challenge Worksheet for path-crossing logs below. Crossroads cleared—the full distraction gauntlet is in the book [https://a.co/d/04u4meA].

Cross with confidence!

10/06/2025

The Crucial Role of Mental Enrichment in Preventing Canine Behavioral Issues

Did you know that boredom is arguably the single greatest catalyst for canine behavioral problems? Dogs are intelligent, active animals hardwired to work, scavenge, and solve problems. When this intrinsic need for engagement remains unmet, they don't simply relax; they become innovators, developing self-rewarding behaviors that, unfortunately, often manifest as frustration or destruction in our homes.

Unstimulated dogs seek ways to mitigate their own boredom, and their choices are rarely aligned with human expectations. This redirection of energy leads to common issues such as excessive barking (seeking attention or stimulation), destructive chewing of furniture and door frames (a stress-relieving oral fixation), frantic digging, or even the development of obsessive behaviors like pacing or tail chasing. Many of these issues are preventable by proactively allowing dogs to satisfy their natural drives through appropriate stimulation.

The key to a content dog lies not just in physical exercise, but crucially, in mental enrichment. Mental work is often far more exhausting and fulfilling than a simple walk. We must provide outlets that channel their energy effectively.

Embrace activities that stimulate both mind and body. This could range from formal structured endeavors such as Agility, Rally, or complex trick training, which build confidence and strengthen the human-canine bond, to simple, daily enrichment tasks. Replace the food bowl with a puzzle toy or a snuffle mat for dinner, encouraging them to ‘hunt’ for their meal. Utilize the power of their primary sense by engaging in scatter-feeding in the yard or introducing short, structured nose work sessions.

A dog whose mental and physical batteries are intentionally drained through constructive activity is a truly satisfied dog. Investing in enrichment is not just a form of entertainment; it is the most effective form of behavioral prevention, saving you stress and ensuring a harmonious environment for both you and your canine companion.

https://a.co/d/gQmEiJc
https://a.co/d/apq0X55

10/06/2025

GameCraft Builder Challenge: Week 3 of The Elevator Game!

You've nailed the glance and the single paw, but now your dog hovers at the edge, half-in and half-out, like they're teetering on the brink of trust—yet that wobbly commitment keeps confinement feeling unpredictable and stressful for both of you.

The Elevator Game's magic? It transforms that edge-of-panic limbo into a steady, joyful routine, where your dog eagerly claims small spaces as their safe zone, ready for vet visits or car rides without a whimper.

This week, level up with the "Two Paws In" Challenge. The why: It encourages deeper investment in the space, shifting from tentative tries to confident patterns that make "getting comfy" feel natural and rewarding.

Quick setup tease: Box still floor-bound. Toss a treat to the back to invite both front paws over the edge—then jackpot the moment they're in with a treat explosion. Pure celebration!

Your Week 3 Challenge Worksheet is ready to chart this commitment leap below. One more step toward the top—but the entire five-week ride to lifted-and-loving-it is in the book [https://a.co/d/04u4meA].

How's your pup committing?

10/05/2025

Consequences are the bedrock of all behavioral interaction, forming an intricate, often challenging chain of cause and effect. In the realm of dog training, the application of punishment reveals just how quickly these effects can multiply. The immediate consequence of a harsh correction, such as forcefully yanking a dog’s neck as a response to pulling, may be the instant suppression of that unwanted behavior. For the trainer, this perceived control is highly reinforcing, leading to the consequence of feeling empowered and justified in using aversive methods.

However, the critical error is stopping the analysis at this surface level. We must constantly ask: What is the "consequence of the consequence?"

If the dog's behavior is suppressed through fear or pain, the secondary consequences are often emotional and relational. The dog may develop generalized anxiety, become fearful of the training environment, or the vital bond of trust with the handler may fracture. The tertiary consequence might manifest as displacement behaviors, learned helplessness, or even redirected aggression rooted in deep insecurity. The animal does not necessarily learn the correct action; it learns that proximity to the handler predicts pain.

While we may believe we are administering a surgical consequence intended to fix a single issue, the actual cascade of effects—emotional, physiological, and relational—is exceedingly difficult to predict and control. Understanding this complexity shifts the training paradigm from reactive behavior suppression to thoughtful intervention, demanding that we choose methods whose secondary and tertiary outcomes are sustainable and humane.

10/03/2025

GameCraft Builder Challenge: Week 1 of The Noise Desensitization Game!
Boom—a siren wails, thunder rolls, or fireworks crack, and your dog's a trembling shadow, hiding under beds while you tiptoe around their terror, missing out on storm-free snuggles.
Noise Desensitization Game to the rescue: A sound-soothing strategy that rewires fear to "treat time," restoring confidence so loud life feels like background music.
Begin with the "Sound and Treat" Game. Why it transforms: It classically conditions noise as a good omen, forging a direct delight link from dread.
Micro-setup: Low-volume recording (thunder, say), treats at the ready. Play, treat instantly—repeat till sound = smile.
Week 1 Challenge Worksheet for sound-treat tallies below. Whisper to roar? The full three-step symphony is in the book [https://a.co/d/04u4meA]. Tune in!

10/02/2025

Daily Tips for Training and Living With Dogs
Training a Service Dog Yourself https://shorturl.at/8m0So
Keeping Dogs Safe https://shorturl.at/K8CUq
Canine Behavior https://shorturl.at/3BstS
All About Scent Workbooks https://shorturl.at/u0GbF
Workbooks for Dog Training Skills https://shorturl.at/pRojb
Service Dog Playbooks https://tinyurl.com/SDworkbooks
A Dog For Me https://shorturl.at/pbfcV
Problem Solver Gamebooks http://bit.ly/3IKOJD2