How can we train our dogs to listen enthusiastically without carrying hands full of cheese around all the time?

The secret is to REWARD EFFORT. If we are asking our dog to learn something new, or if they are trying, but not quite accomplishing what we hoped for, reward them.

If we ask something of our dog and it's neither new nor challenging, we can reward intermittently... every now and then, but not every time.

That's the key to fading out the cookies. Reward hard tasks or effort with a high value reinforcer like food or a toy. As your dog learns, the things that are hard will become easier and can be switched to an intermittent reinforcement schedule.

The Environment Matters

Sometimes, even if we have a keen, engaged teammate at home, when we are in a busier or novel environment, our dog tunes us out or seems to have forgotten everything we trained.

Dogs perceive the world very differently than we do, and even if we thing the location doesn't look too challenging, our dog may find it overwhelming or worrisome.

Your dog is always doing their best

Their best varies from day to day. If the environment changes, they are tired, they haven't had a walk, they had a stressful day yesterday.. all of these things can mean our dog will struggle to respond to us in the way we were expecting or hoping for.

Watch for any 'try' from your dog and reward them, even if they aren't quite right. If you do that, you will end up with a keen, enthusiastic partner who is always eager to try and to give you their best effort.

FREE WEBINAR! In case you missed the announcement and are wondering what this is all about, I am so excited to offer this FREE Webinar on Leash Reactivity. So many of you struggle to walk your dogs and I find myself sharing the same information over and over again with each new student. We will address the commonly missed key parts of fixing leash reactivity and getting you back enjoying walks. It makes us so much more confident when we know how to help our dogs and how to give them the skills so they can enjoy their walks too! Save Your Seat! P.S. Right after the webinar, I'll be opening the doors to LEASH REACTIVITY DEEP-DIVE, my group mentorship program in which I spend 8 weeks with a small group of people struggling with leash reactivity. Because this is a custom experience and I get to know each of you and your dogs intimately, space is limited! We will sell out. Be sure to read all the details ahead of time so you're ready with any questions you might have! I hope to see you soon! Christina

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