description

This workshop will give trainers tips regarding how to put appropriate canine communication signals on cue for reactive dogs. You will learn the common calming and “cutoff” signals that dogs send to teach other to avoid conflict, how to identify these signals in clients’ dogs when they occur naturally and how to effectively reinforce the dog for offering them. You’ll also learn how to put many of these signals on cue to improve dog/dog communication in the “real world,” and how these signals can help reactive dogs learn to communicate and have more positive experiences with other dogs. Finally, you’ll learn when to use these tools when working with reactive dog clients.

syllabus

• Overview of canine calming and displacement signals and how to teach dogs to perform them on cue using luring and shaping.
• Reinforcing a flight vs. fight response to other dogs/triggers so that appropriate responses (such as sniffing the ground) become automatic to the dog and less work for the handler.
• Evaluating common situations and ideas for when to use these skills with a client’s dog.
• How to effectively use food, toy/play and/or the environment to reinforce the dog for appropriate responses to triggers.