Wolf and Whippet

Wolf and Whippet We are Dog Trainers based in the Sodbury - Yate - Bristol area. We use reward-based training methods to build training foundations. That's where we can help.

The Wolf and Whippet Team offers classes, 1-2-1 training consultations, and practical sessions for clients needing support. We are Dog Trainers based in the Chipping Sodbury-Yate-Bristol area. Canine Training Professionals with the PPG (Pet Professional Guild), Approved Scentwork Instructors with ScentworkUK. Suzy is also a certified animal trainer with INTODogs and ICAN, as well as an accredited

Hoopers instructor with CHUK. As dog guardians ourselves, we understand how important a positive relationship is with your canine companion. A partnership with our dogs developing socialisation skills, teaching behaviours and cues, fun enrichment, physical wellbeing and communication through training and understanding their unique body language. However, we recognise that dog guardians sometimes need further support. We are here to create specialised training plans, based on positive reinforcement and using classical and operant conditioning. Teaching husbandry, further enrichment, scentwork as well as behaviours such as recall and loose lead walking using modern science-based methods. We are passionate about reward-based training, combining our further studies in canine behaviour, training skills, volunteering for dog rescues and personal experience with various dog breeds. Helping you build your partnership with your canine companion through training, understanding their body language and building trust.

22/02/2025

🐶 Let's Teach a Trick : Bang! 💥

Teaching tricks and behaviours is a lot of fun. I love when clients ask me to help them teach a trick or behaviour with their dog that they feel inspired by. Breaking down a behaviour into small increments, marking, and rewarding each step towards the end behaviour is what we refer to as shaping. Which I have discussed before in posts.

However, we also use chaining of behaviours as well. Teaching separate behaviours and chaining them together, adding a cue for the chain. Essentially, for this 'play dead' trick you see Hoshi and I doing, we have used shaping and chaining for our goal behaviour, along with a release cue.

Starting position Sit or Stand, for example
Cue
Down
Lay on side (with duration)
Release cue
Stand

I taught Hoshi this whole chained behaviour quickly as he used to working with me and shaping, offering behaviours confidently. But the last few days, we have tidied this behaviour up and added a release cue, rather than using an end marker to signal the end of the behaviour.

We also need to build duration of positions, which takes time, add distraction slowly to work around and new environments, plus proof the behaviour, placing it under stimulus control on a verbal cue.

Our next goal to take this to the next level is to train this behaviour on Hoshi's approach or running. As Hoshi runs to or from me, be able to use our 'Bang' cue for a reliable dramatic drop!

📌⛓️ Let's discuss chaining! ⛓️📌

Behaviour Chain: Chaining is an approach in dog training that combines two or more behaviours to create a whole chain, often added to one cue. A behaviour chain involves breaking down and teaching small individual steps of a behaviour separately.

Forward Chaining: Involves the puppy or dog learning to chain a series of behaviours, usually in an from the first to the last behaviour in the chain. The behaviours are trained in the order in which they are carried out.

This is often the most logical way for people to learn and can be easily taught. However, often dogs can become frustrated trying to learn a new behaviour after a well-rewarded and rehearsed behaviour, causing frustration.

Back Chaining: The puppy or dog is taught the last behaviour of the chain first, then the behaviour before that, moving in a backwards order of the chain. For example, if teaching a dog to tidy toys into a basket, you would start by teaching the dog to drop into the basket first and reward with a high rate of reinforcement, before teaching other parts of chain. This will give the dog a high rate of success and reinforcement of the behaviour, making it reliable. This will mean that as you add further steps to the chain, you will always end on a success, a familiar behaviour, lowering frustration in training.

However, back chaining does have some disadvantages, and some dogs may skip steps in the chain, which may mean you need to go back a few steps and make each part of the chain reliable through reinforcement.

Note: You can also train a chain of behaviours from the middle of the chain out, where you add behaviours to the front and the back of the chain, gradually making it longer. For longer chains, especially in competitions, trainers may use a combination of forward and back chaining.

🐶 A Year in One Post - Hoshi 🐶I have been a little quiet on my business page as, unfortunately, over the Christmas break...
22/02/2025

🐶 A Year in One Post - Hoshi 🐶

I have been a little quiet on my business page as, unfortunately, over the Christmas break, I managed to pick up every virus possible. So, this post is delayed. This has really impacted work and more. Therefore, I have taken on no new clients while I catch up. My clients, colleagues, family, and friends have been very understanding. Thank you.

New inquiries and emails I will get around to everyone slowly. Each inquiry, client, and dog is important, and my services are tailored carefully. This means I only work with a few cases at one time.

A year passed at the end of December 2024, whereby Hoshi has been in my life, and me in his for a whole year. I had planned for a Belgian Malinois for sports and more, taking some incredible advice from lovely colleagues and sports trainers who were helping me find the right dog. After losing Okami, I wanted a different breed that would enjoy sled sports but also begin new sports with me.

Then, a colleague at the RSPCA made me aware of a Belgian Malinois case and litter. I went to visit with Yuna, and little Hoshi fell in love with her. The meeting went well, and the next day, we picked up Hoshi. The RSPCA were brilliant, looking for professional trainers, the police and sports specific homes due to the parent's traits.

Hoshi arrived home to a very happy Yuna. This euphoria lasted briefly when she realised the puppy was bitey, and worse, became adolescent. But the two get on well, and both like the other's company and find comfort. The transition at home was smooth for a new multidog household again. Hoshi settled and loved his home and garden, bonding with us, his family, quickly.

However, it was quickly noticeable that Hoshi was struggling with the outside world past our courtyard. Thanks to my colleagues support in so many ways, from nutrition to behaviour support, Hoshi has built confidence in his own time at his pace. Some of his siblings began police dog programs, some sports, and some, like Hoshi, have struggled more.

Our wins have shadowed our struggles, though, and this is a positive post. Hoshi thrives on learning, training next to me, and through play. More than exercise, puzzles, and enrichment toys, which are simply not enough for this working breed. Nor is basing support around calmness. Hoshi copes in situations he finds difficult by engaging with me and offering behaviours, which helps him regulate how he feels. I have now changed how I work with him through navigating the world.

I am a professional dog trainer, but trainers still buy, adopt, and foster dogs that are imperfect. There is no perfect. Like humans. Instead, there is an individual complexity of genetics, traits, instead behaviour, learning history, trauma, stress, emotions, health, growth and development, neurological contexts, epigenetics and much more, we need to look at for each dog. A dog may be able to perform a task efficiently but may still struggle in some environments, for example.

Embrace the dog you have. Your dog may not be comfortable in a coffee shop, may not win at agility, may be dog choosey, or may feel uncomfortable around strangers. And that is okay. Through understanding, care, and management, your dog can thrive and be happy. Behaviour support is not about fixing behaviour or gaining compliance for convenience. It requires veterinary and qualified support. You vet can refer you to a clinical or qualified behaviourist. The industry is unregulated but pet insurance and vets refer to accredited professionals only. A professional will always discuss potential pain and underlying conditions that may be impacting behaviour and seek a vet check or vet referral.

Hoshi is not a calm dog to take to everywhere with me, and I did not want that in my dog. I wanted a dog driven to work alongside me in partnership. Hoshi is true to breed. Fast to learn, a fur missile, enjoys biting, a demo dog, and is my best friend.

The photos below represent the now, and the first few months where Hoshi settled and struggled. You will be able to see his worry about the world in a few photos I have chosen.

[Photos attached show a puppy Malinois at 3 to 5 months old and as an adolescent dog from 12 to 16 months.]

Link in comments in regard to finding an accredited behaviourist or trainer.

🎄🎅🌟 Merry Christmas 🌟🎅🎄A very Happy Christmas to all clients, both past, current, and new inquiries, colleagues, friends...
25/12/2024

🎄🎅🌟 Merry Christmas 🌟🎅🎄

A very Happy Christmas to all clients, both past, current, and new inquiries, colleagues, friends, and family that have supported me here at Wolf and Whippet this year.

Unfortunately, the last week prior to Christmas break, I've been unwell, so many apologies for all delayed emails and replies. I will be working on these after the Christmas break. Every client and dog is important to me, as is each inquiry. But only one of me presently running things here at Wolf and Whippet HQ. Yuna is no help, and Hoshi hinders with his bouncy fun humour!

From myself, Yuna and Hoshi have a wonderful break. Keep practising training even for 5 minute sessions with your dog, and reinforce settling in your dogs safe, comfortable space. The Christmas period can be busy and overwhelming for many dogs, so a quiet place and long-lasting chews and treats can help.

Hoshi and I have been practising our play dead cue this morning! Now he is snoozing on the sofa.

27/11/2024

⏱️🐶 Latency in Dog Training 🐶⏱️

I have mentioned this in a previous post. However, watching back some of my training today, I felt this was a good example of latency of a cued behaviour. Yuna was distracting Hoshi at the beginning of our practice. Therefore, you can see a higher latency. However, this is an important part of proofing behaviour working around distraction, to decrease latency time.

You can see in this video that after Hoshi has processed Yuna's distraction, latency decreases. I still mark and reward the behaviour due to distraction. However, when I am working on latency, I begin to mark and reinforce the lower latency responses.

If my dog doesn't respond, I'll often reset by throwing a treat away or using my release cue, and then starting another practice session, building reinforcement. At the end of this session, I use a cue that is my end of session signal. This is "Take a Break." This helps helps reduce frustration and ends on a positive. I keep sessions short when working on a behaviour to 5 to 10 minutes. Do observe your dog during sessions. Are they happy, engaged, and comfortable? If not, co sider stopping the session, practising another behaviour, playing with your dog, or letting them rest.

📌⏱️ Latency ⏱️📌

Latency or response latency in dog training is the time between when a cue is given and when a dog responds to the cue and offers the wanted behaviour. We ideally are looking for low latency for the dog to respond quickly after a cue, where the dog is happy to show the behaviour. High latency can tell us information, though, maybe we haven't proofed the behaviour, or perhaps the dog is uncomfortable, or perhaps we need to go back a few steps.

24/11/2024

🐶🫲🪣 Shaping an item search and bring to hand and a Toy Tidy 🪣🫱🐶

In the first part of this short video, you see Hoshi, my malinois, searching for my keys, then picking them up and returning to my hand. This was part of an instructor assessment I recently completed. Demoing each small step, until the full behaviour here was learnt.

Interestingly, Hoshi begins the search on the stairs and by the front door, which is where I usually leave my keys. After this is unsuccessful, he continues seeking the object in the search. Finding it on my fireplace and retrieving to hand.

The second video is not of a toy throw, then fetch, and drop to my feet or in a basket by my feet, to be thrown in repetition. Which is intrinsically reinforcing for a dog, through the desire of the item to be thrown again by the handler.

Instead, I have slowly shaped this behaviour over a number of months. Hoshi is released from position, searches, and finds the keys/item to return the item to my hand on verbal cue. Or pick up a left out toy, then change direction to place specifically in the bucket away from me on cue, which I mark and return to him to reward with food. Adding distance makes this a more difficult behaviour to teach. But achievable using shaping, with good marker timing and reinforcement.

📌 Steps shaping this behaviour and building a behaviour chain:

🐶 Step 1: Teach a hold of an item.

🐕 Step 2: Shape Hoshi to pick up item and hold.

🐶 Step 3: Shape Hoshi to pick up item from the floor and return to hand.

🐕 Step 4: Building distance slowly of item. Shape Hoshi to pick up item and return to hand. This became reliable, and Hoshi can search and return various items on cue.

For the Toy Tidy.

🐶 Step 5: I then added the bucket into the above steps. Shaping instead of a return to hand, but drop item to bucket. Building the above levels slowly.

🐕 Step 6: Building distance of item and moving the bucket further from me, so that Hoshi returns the item to the bucket on cue without me near, so I am not prompting Hoshi. (Proofing the behaviour.)

13/11/2024

🐶 Fading a lure and Overshadowing 🐶

🐕 Fading a lure in dog training is the process whereby we slowly reduce the use of a lure and hand signals/prompts that we have reduced the lure to, until your dog shows the behaviour in response to a verbal cue. This takes time and differs for each dog and behaviour, especially for dogs that respond more to hand signals and even our subtle movements.

We begin using a lure to lure a dog through a behaviour we are working on, often alongside shaping. Once we have practised with a treat in hand, we then have an empty hand, lure the behaviour, and then mark the dog as they do the behaviour and quickly reward. Sometimes, at this stage, we may have to go back a step with a food lure again, lowering criteria. We gradually raise criteriemfrom and empty hand lure, to less obvious hand lures and signals, before adding a verbal cue, pausing, then guiding with small hand signal for a few repetitions. I extend this pause, allowing the dog to think and follow through the behaviour after the verbal cue, but go back a step with a helping smaller hand lure signal if necessary.

I have found that the more tricks and behaviours I teach my dogs, the quicker I can reduce and fade the hand signals and place behaviours on a verbal cue.

🐩 Overshadowing is a term we use in dog training that occurs when two cues are presented to a dog at the same time, causing the more obvious cue to be paired with the desired behaviour. This can make it difficult for the dog to learn the less obvious cue, which is often the verbal cue.

When you are teaching the dog a new behaviour, what stimuli are relevant to showing that wanted behaviour? And when you add a cue to a new behaviour, what stimuli are presented? Sometimes, this is where one cue overshadows another if we don't separate carefully.

Take hand target. Once we have worked on a hand target presentation = dog touches your hand with nose = reward. We need to separate the new verbal cue, new stimulus from the original stimulus, or hand target presentation. This will long term have benefits as our dogs will only offer the behaviour on the new cue, rather than every time a hand is presented.

Cue "Touch", pause, presentation of hand = dog touches hand with nose = mark and reward.

Today, I noted that a puppy I was working with was not responding to their vebal cue for sit. This was due to the verbal cue being overshadowed by the yummy treat in the owners hand they were focused on atxthe same time. We separated the verbal cue from the treat lure hand and saw the puppy respond to the verbal cue after a few repetitions with timing adjustment.

🐺 Latency or response latency in dog training is the time between when a cue is given and when a dog responds to the cue and offers the wanted behaviour. We ideally are looking for low latency for the dog to respond quickly after a cue, where the dog is happy to show the behaviour. High latency can tell us information, though, maybe we haven't proofed the behaviour, or perhaps the dog is uncomfortable, or perhaps we need to go back a few steps.

🐶 This video shows how I have progressed to fading a hand signal for our orbit behaviour I have been working on recently.

🐕 🎆 Fireworks and Events: How can we support our dogs? 🐩🎇Although Hoshi went through New Year with us as a young puppy, ...
30/10/2024

🐕 🎆 Fireworks and Events: How can we support our dogs? 🐩🎇

Although Hoshi went through New Year with us as a young puppy, this will be his first bonfire night with further fireworks. Therefore, due to his anxious personality and being in adolescence, which is a sensitive time, I will be taking precautions and supporting him during the nights to come.

Likewise, Halloween, whereby we may have knocks at the dog and strangers approaching, possibly in costume. We have a gate in place to create a second barrier by the door to prevent the dogs from running out, and I have worked on training Hoshi to visitor's knocks and doorbell at the door. Despite a dogs training, dogs are not robots and could react in fear unpredictably. You can place a sign in your window or door with a pot of sweets outside on Halloween, asking for people not to knock due to babies, young children, or a sensitive dog.

As a dog owner who lived with a dog, fearful of fireworks, my Westie Jack, I understand the impact on our canine companions and, likewise, us, their owners.

My dog, Okami, developed fear of hot air balloons following a very scary, fearful event in our garden. A balloon came so low over our garden, you could almost touch it, at the same time Okami and I were outside. Prior to this event, Okami was not concerned by hot air balloons. So please be aware that though your dog may have been comfortable with fireworks in previous years, one fearful can change their neurological and emotional response.

As a trainer, I have to look at this as a fear response and the emotion behind it. We worked on desensitisation slowly to balloons, and Okami could cope more with balloons at a distance on walks. This took many months after that event, when Okami could cope with seeing balloons at a distance.

However, anything under that safe distance Okami is comfortable with, where he became fearful and showed stress signs. Panting, drooling, increased heart rate, shaking, whining, and crying. Particularly with balloons near and over our home. So we continued to support him. He had a safe, comfortable space on the landing where we sat with him, which he found comforting. Pet Remedy plugins and spray on his blanket helped him, too. A thundershirt equivalent, a ttouch half wrap worked for him, like a hug.

Fear is an emotion, not a behaviour, so it can not be reinforced as a behaviour can be. If your dog is showing signs of fear, it is best to move your dog away from the stimulus or from the environment that is causing the response, to a distance that the dog is comfortable and safe. Pushing a dog into a fearful state will lead to flooding and learned helplessness (Seligman. M. 1972), whereby the dog will shut down.

Fear is an emotion needed for survival, but prolonged fear status leads to suffering, physical health issues, stress, and more in humans and animals. The impact on welfare of this has been noted in many studies.

Support will always be individual for every animal. What worked for Okami, for example, does not work for my other dog, Yuna. So, our support needs to be led by our dogs and guided by our vets.

🐶 What can we do? 🐺

🐶 Seek veterinary support now. Go chat to your vet and hook a consultation about how you can support your dog. Clinical behaviourist colleagues of mine will always recommend this as a first step if your dog is fearful and becomes stressed at fireworks. A more sleepy dog is kinder than one in panic or shut down, which can have further effect on behaviour. Your vet will be able to treat and prescribe support specifically for your dog. You can then seek qualified behaviour and training support after the event for long-term.

🐩 Make sure your dog has been for a walk and toileted prior to fireworks starting.

🐕 Close windows, curtains, blinds around your home. This will help stop visual triggers.

🐩 Play white noise, classical or soothing music which will help muffle sounds and bangs.

🐕 Where does your dog choose to settle or the safe space they seek? Make sure it's got access for your dog. Add blankets and cushions to make comfy if your dog likes these.

🐩 Look at Pet Remedy, Adaptil, or similar plug-ins. Vets and Natural Treat Store in Hatheralls Yard in Chipping Sodbury stock these.

🐕 Call your vet if you have serious concerns re your dogs well-being and health through fireworks. Before or after if you are worried, as your dog may have been fine until a specific event.

🐩 Prep filled Kongs, Lickimats, snufflemats, and long-lasting chews for the evening. Your dog may find sniffing, snuffling, and licking calming.

🐕 Remember to offer what comfort your dog finds soothing. This may be your dog curling on your lap or being slowly stroked on their back. Always reassure your dog to help them feel safe.

🐩 It can take days for cortisol to leave the body. Stress impacts all of us, so for the days following fireworks, keep your dog quieter, go on sniffy walks, and offer licky treats and chews to help your dog decompress and relax.

🐕 Check your fencing and boundaries are secure and gates closed and locked to your gardens and properties to prevent dogs escaping homes in a flight response, should they become fearful.

🐶 Check your dogs ID tag is up to date and have your correct address and phone number on their collar. Also, make sure your dog's microchip details are correct and up to date. Should your dog escape or become lost, they can be reunited faster with you.

Lastly, look after yourselves and those close to you who may struggle with loud events. Wildlife, horses, and livestock also can suffer during these times as well. Also, your other pets, cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs that may be outside or living outside that may be affected.

https://www.classicfm.com/radio/shows-presenters/pet-classics/

https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/seasonal/fireworks

https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/general/fireworks

https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/pets/wellbeing-and-care/fireworks-and-pets

🐶 What does 'Accredited' mean as a Dog Trainer? 🐶In the UK, dog training and behaviour professionals are unregulated, un...
21/10/2024

🐶 What does 'Accredited' mean as a Dog Trainer? 🐶

In the UK, dog training and behaviour professionals are unregulated, unfortunately. The titles of 'dog behaviourist' and 'dog trainer' are therefore unprotected, which means anyone can state they are a dog professional. This creates a problem for public identifying professionals, particularly for behaviour support.

I am a fully assessed member of The Association of INTODogs, which is a certifying body under organisations ICAN: International Companion Animal Network and the UK Dog Behaviour and Training Charter. I was assessed via demonstrating practical skills, written theory work, case studies, and training plans, plus 2 interviews to become a full member.

Yearly, I am reassessed by providing 40+ hours of recognised CPD I submit to the INTODogs team that log, check, and then issue my new membership. This again I have completed for the following year into 2025. This means I have been knowledge and skills assessed, meeting criteria and standards as a member.

Why become assessed and qualified in an unregulated industry?

The term "qualified" is used unfortunately for many courses, from Masters degrees in Applied Animal Behaviour requiring years of study, research, and application to become a clinical behaviourist, to an online 4-hour diploma certificate. My advice is always ask for the providers name of a qualification, diploma or certificate, and accreditation body if certified and assessed, then search online to check details. I believe being knowledge assessed by recognised providers is as important as experience and practical skills application and mechanics. Clients deserve both from canine professionals.

Veterinary professionals are also aware of accreditation bodies as well, so in regard to seeking a behaviourist, speak to your vet. Accredited dog behaviourists should always require vet check or vet referral, which trainers may require as well to check your dog is free from pain, or that clinical stress, anxiety or underlying conditions may be linked to behaviour changes. This is why we may pause training, while your dog is undergoing treatment until your vet has given an all-clear before we continue.

I feel transparency is key when a dog training professional. Ongoing learning, both theory wise and practical application, is key to improving skills and to benefit clients for our services. I try to share videos of my training and classes, along with info posts, but training wins come from practice. That practice is down to my incredible clients and their canine companion partnerships. My job is to create training plans, guide, teach skills, monitor behaviour diaries, observe dog's body language, adjust plans, and support owners. But it is my client's love, care, and practice with their dogs that result in success and happy dogs.

My certifying membership with INTODogs also gives me a team of professional colleagues whom I can draw from their expertise, advice, and knowledge that can help my clients and cases. Likewise, the incredible network of local professionals from the ABTC, ICB, etc, I refer to and recommend. These professionals, likewise organisations I have discussed, are all reward based with clear ethics and standards. Being a reward-based dog trainer does not mean I am permissive of unwanted wanted, but instead identify the function of behaviour, use management, differential reinforcement, learning theory, understanding of emotions and body language, practical skills and more to support my clients.

Thanks to all my clients working with me and my colleagues whose support is invaluable. Likewise, thank you to my fellow dog rescue colleagues and volunteers.

19/10/2024

🐶 A Discussion and Video about Stimulus Control in Dog Training 🐶

“Behaviours are under 'stimulus control' when there is an increased probability that the behaviour will occur as a result of the presence of a specific antecedent stimulus.” - How Dogs Learn by Mary R. Burch, Ph.D and Jon S. Bailey, Ph.D. (Antecedents are stimuli that come before a behaviour.)

Stimulus Control is important in dog training as we practice reliability that a behaviour will occur in the presence of one stimulus, or cue. Plus, that the behaviour will not occur in the presence of another stimulus, or cue. For example, when we cue (a stimulus) 'Sit', a dog offers a sit, and does not offer a down position. We do need to be aware that some behaviours we place on cue, such as sit or down, a natural behaviour which will occur outside of the presence of the stimulus, or cue. Therefore, we need to see stimulus control in a training context, in a specific environment, during a training session. However, during training assistance dogs, for example, a certain behaviour can only occur under stimulus control for complete reliability.

Discrimination is knowing when the presence of a stimulus will result in reinforcement and when it will not in other situations, the dog finds one consequence is more reinforcing than another, which is useful when shaping behaviour. Verbal 'cue' discrimination training is an important skill to practice, training your dog to respond only to the specific verbal cue for a behaviour, and not to other words. Dogs that are trained using shaping, are confident offering behaviours and enjoy simply doing things with their owners. My dogs don't offer behaviours all the time as I train using a start signal, which is when I take my training bag to a mat or I say, "Ready" with my training pouch on. We have a stop signal, too, which is, "Take a Break," ending training and time to play or a scent activity to cool down.

Recently, I have been chatting about generalisation in dog training with a colleague and how some dogs generalise behaviour more than others. When an animal has learned a behaviour in one situation and the behaviour carries over to a different situation, then the behaviour is said to have generalised. By practising training gradually in other environments, generalisation can be increased, which is part of the process of what trainers called proofing. However, once a behaviour is under stimulus control, or on cue, even if the behaviour has been generalised it does not mean it will occur in all new environments, unless they are similar. My colleague's dog is incredibly sensitive and unsure of people. However, in a training class environment the dog offers behaviours comfortably due to generalisation of certain environments.

So, in this post's video, let's refer to 'stimulus control' with a specific context. For this, let's talk about stimulus control in a training environment context. Because as my video below shows, Hoshi is offering specific behaviours when I cue them and not other behaviours, or at another time- in this training context and session. We have also generalised these cues in other environments, and at varying distances, you will see him sit immediately at a distance, rather than return to me and offer the behaviour. However, Hoshi, in other contexts, as he is not a robot dog, will sit, lay down, and move backwards, etc, in his home, play, and at rest. So, while stimulus control is important for some contexts, as I mentioned above in regard to assistance dogs, perhaps ringing an alarm, no dog is under complete stimulus control.

📌 Stimuli definitions 📌

A stimulus is something that causes a behavioural response. Some stimuli result in a response without training, such as environmental stimuli that naturally occur. For example, lights, sounds, scents, as well as things that cause physical discomfort (heat, cold, pain) are called primary or unconditioned stimuli.

A “secondary stimulus” is a signal that is meaningless to the dog, or unconditioned, until it is associated with a behaviour that is then reinforced. And then it becomes a conditioned stimulus. For example, a cue that has been taught with your dog for a specific behaviour response.

Shaping, or shaping by successive approximations, is a process whereby you slowly teach your dog a new behaviour by marking and rewarding each small step to an end target behaviour. This method is a great way to reduce frustration during learning and build your dog's confidence to think, make choices, and offer behaviours.

References

Burch, M, Ph.D, Bailey , J, Ph.D. (1999) How Dogs Learn. Pages 69-71.

Chance, P. (2008) Learning and Behaviour. Pages 302 -320.

Reid, P, Ph.D. (1996) Excel-Erated Learning. Explaining how dogs learn and how best to treat them. Pages 77-83)

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63 Horse Street
Chipping Sodbury
BS376DA

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https://linktr.ee/suzymanray

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Our Story

We are Dog Trainers based in the Chipping Sodbury-Yate-Bristol area. Canine Training Professionals with the PPG (Pet Professional Guild), Approved Training Instructor with the Dog Training College and Scentwork Instructors with ScentworkUK.

As dog guardians ourselves, we understand how important we are the key to their outside world. A partnership developing socialisation skills, teaching behaviours, fun enrichment, physical wellbeing and communication through training and understanding their body language.

However, we recognise that dog guardians sometimes need help and support. That's where we come in. We are here to create specialised training plans, teach husbandry, further enrichment, scentwork as well as behaviours such as recall and loose lead walking using modern science-based methods.

We are passionate about reward-based training, combining our further studies in canine behaviour, training skills, volunteering work for dog rescues and personal experience with various dog breeds. Helping you strengthen your bond with your canine companion through training, further understanding their body language and building trust.