MY TRAINING APPROACH, PHILOSOPHY AND STYLE:
I am a Dog Trainer & Behavior Consultant. This means I work on helping a dog have new feelings, responses and behaviors in the face of whatever stimulation the dog is struggling with (this even works for basic “obedience” behaviors!). And this is how this is done:
BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION:
CHANGE EMOTIONS AND EXPECTATIONS = NEW DEFAULT BEHAVIORS
Throughout the training, we focus on three things:
- NEW EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE
- NEW EXPECTATIONS
- NEW DEFAULT BEHAVIORS
My training does not result in a dog that is “fixed” and returned with no problems. And there are no real “quick fixes” in behavior modification. The goal is to change the dog and human emotional experience, expectations and behaviors in any given situation. This results in a new way for the human and the dog to interact, communicate and experience life together. The human is very involved in the training and the consistency and repetition of the skills, tools and exercises I provide is key to any success we will have with your dog learning new behaviors. New emotional experiences and new expectations in the face of the triggers you listed above results in new default behaviors in the dog. In animals of all species, human included, working with emotional reactions to things (whether it is fear, aggression or excitement) THIS is the way to change the resulting behaviors.
EXAMPLE EXERCISE WE DO
OUTLINE OF BIGGER PICTURE IN ALL SESSIONS:
Humans go through exposure therapy in the exact same way and these are the steps we are working on through all/every exercises, tools and skills I train:
- Experience trigger (from safe sensory distances)
- Work on feeling safe and ok or calm and contained when experiencing trigger
- While pairing positive things with experiencing the trigger
- Transforming to new emotions when experiencing the trigger
- New default behaviors in face of trigger
- Working on possibly getting sensorily closer to trigger, over time and through progress achieved in above steps
ESTABLISH WANTS AND NEEDS OF EVERYONE INVOLVED:
FIRST QUESTIONS WE ASK:
- WHAT IS YOUR NEED AND WANT?
- WHAT IS THE DOG’S?
- HOW CAN WE MEET THESE NEEDS AND WANTS IN SAFE, APPROPRIATE, MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL WAYS?
- WHAT BEHAVIOR CONCERNS YOU THE MOST?
- WHAT BEHAVIORS PLEASE YOU THE MOST?
- WHAT GIVES YOUR DOG THE MOST JOY?
For all species, an unmet need and want remains and the animal will continue the unwanted default behaviors they resort to to try to get it met. Maturity and training lead to impulse control in all species, which is the ability for the animal to delay gratification. But in order to teach this, we must meet the original need/want. When we meet it in new ways, the animal learns to prefer this to their former default methods.
I work on finding both the human and the dog’s need/want in any given situation and work on specific strategies we can use to meet both in mutually agreeable ways. We identify the needs and wants and figure out ways to meet them in safe and appropriate ways. This results in a reduction in the need and want to engage in the undesired and/or emotionally driven behaviors because the need and want is being met in other ways. (Ex: If a dog is lunging and barking to yell “I need space and distance! Go away!”, we start by giving the dog space and distance and implementing a bunch of skills, tools and exercises to do this, while also pairing it all with positive things. This way this dog starts to have a different emotional experience and different expectations when they interact with the trigger).
All of what I do also establishes enhanced impulse control in the dog while building on the relationship and bond between the human(s) and dog. All of this builds trust and engagement and enhances your relationship(s). In short, the human/animal bond strengthens and this serves as yet another way in which we start to redirect frenetic energy and impulse reactions.
EXERCISES:
SPECIFIC TASKS, SKILLS AND EXERCISES TO ACHIEVE ABOVE:
Throughout this process, I provide exercises and games to use to help you and the dog get different results than the ones you are coming to me to change. We will establish specific goals and track progress throughout the process. We will address impediments and success along the training journey and establish ways to overcome challenges while enhancing and solidifying successes. Both humans and dogs have challenges and successes along the way and I am here to address both with equal importance and assistance. Obviously, I am here to help the dog but I am also here to help YOU succeed and meet your goals. Learning new things is hard for everyone! I am here to help make it as easy, accessible and fluid as possible for all parties involved.
HOMEWORK BETWEEN SESSIONS:
You will be given easy, simple, brief homework to do in between sessions. We will actively chart progress made throughout our time together. One special difference between my approach and that of other trainers is that I am equally involved in the human side of the leash. What I mean by this is that I will help you identify personal struggles you are having that you might see as impeding progress/success and I will help you develop ways to overcome these challenges. I have been there personally and with all of my clients! You are not alone! We all experience roadblocks and, as your trainer, it is my job to help you overcome them!
PROGRESS TRACKED THROUGHOUT:
BASELINE BEHAVIOR: We will establish the baseline behaviors and arousal levels in the first session.
GOALS: We will determine specific goals to be achieved.
TRACK PROGRESS: We will then develop markers to help track our progress.
IT’S UP TO THE DOG (AND YOU, TO SOME EXTENT):
The old adage “You will get out what you put in” is very fitting here. Your progress and success will be directly proportional to your efforts and doing the homework along the way. Having said that, it is ultimately up to the dog as to how much emotional change we can make in the face of triggers. An extremely anxious dog, a dog with a trauma history, a dog with a neurological condition, or a dog that is too close to the trigger all will have varying abilities to acclimate to new emotions and responses around the triggers. Part of what I do is help determine a prognosis as training evolves. While not all dogs will learn to feel as safe and ok or as calm and confident around triggers as the client might hope, every dog I have ever worked with has made SOME progress. And some dogs have made a complete emotional transformation, learning to experience their triggers in an entirely new way, with new expectations and new default behaviors (see my Miles video on the homepage of my website).
MY PHILOSOPHY AND APPROACH:
I am a science based, force-free trainer that uses “R+” methods to train the humans and the dogs. I do not use gentle leaders, martingales, prong or ecollars. I do not use fear or intimidation, control, “dominance” or use words like “alpha”. I will spare you all the dog nerdy science beyond why all of the above impedes learning, is not science based, has been scientifically proven to cause harm, pain and injury.
TROUBLESHOOTING: Throughout the process, I check in with the human clients(s) and we will be addressing your personal challenges (even things like time management, motivation, focus, follow-through) and I will help us figure out ways to overcome them! We will also focus on and build on your strengths!
NO JUDGMENT: Judgment free safe zone starts here
No matter what training you might have done in the past or how frustrated you get with your dog or how disappointed you are in his behavior or how much you have slacked in between sessions, no judgment. I am human. I get frustrated. I make mistakes. I am busy and tired and juggling a lot. I am neurodivergent. I GET IT! I will try to help you make this as productive, rewarding and efficient as possible.