See Spot Grin

09/22/2025

09/18/2025

Picture two trainers working with the same dog presenting leash reactivity:

Trainer A sees a dog who "goes crazy" when other dogs appear. They focus on the obvious behaviors - barking, lunging, pulling - and apply techniques designed to interrupt or redirect these responses. Their timing is based on when the dramatic behaviors occur.

Trainer B sees the subtle weight shift that happens three seconds before the barking starts, the brief ear flick that signals the dog first noticed the approaching trigger, the handler's unconscious tension that travels down the leash and influences the dog's arousal level. Their interventions happen in the space between stimulus and reaction, often preventing the dramatic behaviors entirely.

Same dog. Same situation. Completely different outcomes because of observation skills that allow one trainer to see the early stages of the behavioral sequence while the other only notices the end result.

When clients work with truly skilled trainers, they often comment that it seems almost magical how quickly the trainer understands their dog. "She knew exactly what was wrong after watching him for just a few minutes." "He saw things I never noticed even though I live with this dog every day." "She predicted what would happen before it happened."

But this isn't magic - it's systematic training in what to look for and when to look for it.

This apparent intuition is actually the result of pattern recognition built through systematic observation practice. But how does a trainer learn and practice? Where is this taught?

And that is why Suzanne created her Observation Skills courses. Suzanne Clothier's observation skills are legendary. The late great R.K.Anderson DVM called her, "one of the best observers of dogs that I have ever seen." And in Observation Skills Part One she will teach you how to truly SEE THE DOG, blending techniques from ethology with practical skills that will take you to a whole new level of professionalism.

Register now and take advantage of the Early Bird Dog Pricing, good through October 12:
➡ https://relationshipcenteredtraining.thinkific.com/courses/observation-skills-part-1-a

08/26/2025

Equipment serves appropriate purposes when used as safety nets and training aids rather than primary communication systems. A properly fitted harness can keep a dog safe while the handler develops better orchestration skills. A long line can provide freedom for exploration while maintaining security during recall training.

The distinction lies in whether the equipment supplements developing skills or replaces them entirely. Tools that enhance communication support partnership development. Equipment that substitutes for communication prevents it from growing.

The problem isn't with the equipment itself—it's with the relationship between tools and training. When equipment becomes a substitute for communication rather than a support for it, dependency develops that actually prevents genuine partnership from emerging.

Are you finding yourself depending more on tools or relationship?

More on the blog:
➡ https://suzanneclothier.com/equipment-dependence-tools-replace-relationship/

08/13/2025

Researchers at a Michigan State University facility dedicated to protecting honey bees are enlisting a four-legged ally to sniff out danger to the prized pollinators.

08/12/2025

Think about how emotional contagion works in humans. When you walk into a room where everyone is tense and stressed, you feel it immediately—your shoulders tighten, your breathing changes. If you’ve ever been out and about with a friend who was tense and not enjoying the outing, you know that it affects your experience and can even lead you to say, “Shall we just go?”

On the other hand, being around genuinely calm people is wonderful, and can naturally settle your own nervous system. If you’ve ever had a great massage, the calm, quiet movements of the masseuse go a long way to helping you relax.

Dogs experience this phenomenon too, and depending on the dog, possibly even more intensely than we do. Have you ever stopped to look at YOUR emotional state when you are teaching relaxation?

More on the blog:
➡ https://suzanneclothier.com/social-heart-really-real-relaxation-dogs/

07/22/2025

October is coming! And so is Suzanne Clothier! Here’s what you’ve been waiting for. Limited Early Bird tickets available…

How do you move from seeing a dog's behavior to creating a training plan that actually works? Too often, we leap from problem identification straight to technique selection, missing the crucial bridge of understanding who this individual dog really is. The result? Training plans that look good on pa...