The Operations
Before we can work on the issues at hand, we need to understand your dog's state of mind and gauge how your dog responds to various stimuli. Your dog will be presented with an assortment of basic scenarios and common situations that will give us insights into how we introduce the correct visual, physical, and auditory communication needed to elevate your dog's performance in the right direction and deter undesirable behaviors. We will also explore various types of motivations to figure out what works best for your dog. Because a dog’s motivation can change depending on the situation, it’s important we learn how to engage with your dog safely and effectively. Through this process we will understand how to properly motivate your dog, learn areas of engagement vs. avoidance, and determine how to properly present and navigate the scenarios in Phase 2 with the correct operational context your dog needs to gain confidence in his/her new training cues where they’re needed most. During this time we will strive to develop a strong rapport and relationship with your dog.
In this phase we will assess your dog more in depth and build upon the following:
Motivation Types (utilizing the 4 quadrants of operant conditioning)
Learning Style: Visual, Auditory, Kinaesthetic Trial & Error
Current/Potential Triggers and Stressors
Tolerance to Stimuli: Environmental, Situational, Spatial
Range of Awareness: Environmental, Situational, Spatial
Rate of escalation/de-escalation during interactions
Range of Motion (we want to make sure we stay within the limits of your dogs physical capabilities)
It is important to remember every dog is built and wired differently. We MUST take into account a dog’s natural predisposition, breed, age, lifestyle, and physical capability to ensure the best and safest results.
