26/08/2026
🐾 FOUNDATION THURSDAY #11 (Just to keep it interesting 😂)
🧠 LET YOUR DOG WORK IT OUT
One of the most powerful things we can do in training is sometimes...
give our dogs a chance to think.
With shaping, instead of showing or physically guiding our dog into the finished behaviour, we reward small choices that move them towards it.
Think of it like a game of hot and cold.
Your dog offers something.
⭐ A step in the right direction? Mark & reward.
🐾 Moves a little closer? Mark & reward.
💡 Offers more of the behaviour? Mark & reward.
Gradually, those little choices start to become the skill you were looking for.
The important part?
Don't wait for the finished behaviour before rewarding.
Break it down. Reward the try. Let your dog discover what works.
And if your dog stops trying or looks confused, they're not getting it wrong.
That's information for us.
Make the next step easier and give them another opportunity to succeed.
💜 THE DSDU CONCEPT
Let them think. Reward the try.
Shaping helps create dogs that are confident about offering behaviours, solving problems and making choices.
We're not looking for perfection.
We're building understanding.
💡 DID YOU KNOW?
Shaping is a great way to build many of the behaviours we'll use in Kynex — without needing Kynex equipment.
You might shape your dog to:
🔄 Move around an everyday object
🎯 Target a particular space
➡️ Move forward independently
🐾 Place their feet on or near a target
↔️ Move in a particular direction
Later, those simple behaviours can become building blocks for much bigger sport skills.
🎯 TRY IT THIS WEEK
Grab something simple like a cone, bucket, box or platform.
Don't tell your dog what to do with it.
Give them a moment to investigate and watch what they offer.
👀 Look at it? Mark & reward.
🐾 Step towards it? Mark & reward.
👃 Touch it? Mark & reward.
Choose one behaviour and gradually shape it from there.
No pressure. No forcing. Let them think.
🐾 Strong foundations build great teams.
