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Positive Dog

🔍Are You Missing Crucial Pieces?

Published 11 months ago • 1 min read

Even with a great training plan, but without the supporting foundation pieces you may not progress.

There are many pieces of the puzzle that makes your dog who they are. Here are two of the common ones I see missed in a training plan.

Is your dog getting enough sleep?

Do they know how to just chill and have a rest day? Can you drink your mornign coffee or eat a meal in peace? This one piece is missing for a lot of reactive dogs.

We keep them busy, keep them enriched, keep them tired.. but we build a reactive brain. A big part of reactivity training for many dogs is to help them have a more relaxed base line arousal level.

What are your dog's genetically appropriate outlets?

Does your terrier get to shred stuff? Does your mastiff get to wrestle hard? Does your herding dog get to control movement? Does your retriever get to hold soft things in their mouth? Does your dachshund get to dig for badgers?

When we look at the dog in front of us, what intrinsically motivates them? What just 'feels good'?

Most dogs have things that they are genetically programmed to enjoy doing, whether through our selective breeding of dogs meant to do a task, or through more natural pressures in more primitive dogs like spitz and streeties.

When we tap into the dog's natural instincts, in ways that make sense to them, they are less reactive, less edgy, less likely to seek stimulation in conflict and reactivity.

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The Next Leash Reactivity Deep Dive Begins Jan 2025

Check out the LEASH REACTIVITY DEEP-DIVE, my group mentorship program in which I spend 8 weeks with a small group of people struggling with leash reactivity. Submit videos, ask questions, and meet awesome people and dogs.

You'll receive daily support and feedback on your training for 8 whole weeks. This is a fantastic way to jump start your training and to get some real progress for both your dog and yourself. Build your dog's skills and confidence, as well as your own!

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Positive Dog

Christina Young, BSc, CDBC, PCBC-A

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