Dog Trainer's Log

Training Out Loud

Entries for the ‘Training’ Category

Why is balance in dog training a four-letter word?

I commented today (twice) on a blog written by Laurie Luck called the Smart Dog blog, on a post called “A surprising look at balanced dog training.” Many trainers become familiar with operant conditioning at some point in their training lives – and the shorthand for positive reinforcement (R+), negative reinforcement (R-), positive punishment (P+) [...]

Negotiating through CRAP to shaping

People love rules. And dog trainers love routines. Can you remember those old obedience class homework handouts: practice 15 automatic sits, heel forward with three left turns and three right turns, practice two fasts and two slows, practice sit/stay for three minutes and down/stay for five minutes on lead with distractions. I can. Taped each [...]

Actually training but writing about it a little less

Madison and I have been working on her play skills – every day, a couple encouraged and praised tosses and retrieves of her favorite toy, the ginormous Nylaknot left in the toybox by the gordon setters. I’m still focused on trying to reward the right behavior (and not commit CRAP training – constantly rewarding ‘almost’ [...]

Madison offers a game…

It happened so fast that I couldn’t capture it on film. I said, as I’ve said to the southern belle several times a day for the last 38 months, ‘Where’s your toy? Go get a toy!’ Tweet

A Doggone Good Day for central NY dog owners

Syracuse Obedience Training Club, Inc. will be hosting its second annual Doggone Good Day on Saturday (tomorrow, January 23) from 9a.m. to 4 p.m. at their training building, 6392 Deere Road, Syracuse NY. Activities at this event are specially planned to help the public meet owners and dogs of various dog breeds, representatives of local [...]