Course Details
On a recent walk, the sudden appearance of a fast-moving bicycle from behind startled my dog Smudge—he barked and lunged. Not my proudest moment, but a helpful reminder that training is always a work in progress.
One thing Smudge has learned well is a simple, fluent behavior: touching my knuckles with his nose. When he sees a dog approaching, this is his go-to move—a behavior that consistently earns him reinforcement. What once triggered loud barking, strong lunging and general chaos now cues a calm, practiced response. Because he’s learned that he can choose a familiar behavior that leads to something he values (e.g., meatloaf, play, or praise), he’s more likely to feel upbeat than upset when a dog comes into view.
Next on our training agenda: adding new triggers, like stealthy bicycles, to the list of cues for that replacement behavior.
If you’d like to learn how to help your own dog reinterpret sudden or upsetting context changes as good news, I’d love for you to join me. A “reactive” dog is already highly aware of the sights, sounds, and smells around them. Rather than hoping they’ll tune it all out, we can harness that sensitivity as a powerful asset in training.
This workshop previously ran under a different course number. Please check your Class and Workshop Library to prevent a duplicate purchase.
Watch the Trailer:
Lecture Publish Date: Sunday Sept 14th
Video Submissions Due Date: Sunday Sept 21st @ 12pm noon PT
Feedback & Questions Video Publish Date: Wednesday Sept 24th
Guest Instructor: Kathy Sdao
