Drinking From the Toilet: Real dogs, Real training

The Matching Law: What It Is, What It Isn't, and Why It Matters | Hannah Branigan

Hannah follows up last episode's hot take on training speed with a deeper dive into the matching law, the behavioral principle that describes how learners allocate behavior in proportion to reinforcement schedules. She c

Is Positive Reinforcement Actually Slower? (A Hot Take, Revisited) | Hannah Branigan

Can you use a leash and still be force free? | Hannah Branigan

Somewhere on the internet, someone is arguing that using a leash means you aren't really a force-free trainer. In this solo episode, Hannah unpacks the difference between impact and intent, explains why force-free traini

Training Faster Behaviors Without Frustration, Part 2 | Hannah Branigan

In this episode, we explore strategies to achieve faster and more precise behaviors in dog training. I discuss how clarity, timing, and reinforcement techniques can improve your dog's response times, reduce hesitation, a

Training Faster Behaviors Without Frustration, Part 1 | Hannah Branigan

In this episode we discuss: Speed vs. Latency: Speed is how fast a behavior is completed from the time it starts. Latency is the response time, or the time elapsed between when the cue is perceived and when the behavior

Avoiding Triggers and Situations | Hannah Branigan

In this episode, we discuss the practice of avoiding situations as part (or all) of a training plan. Often avoiding certain situations can be an important strategy, helping to prevent mistakes and reduce stress for both

What's Wrong with "Drilling"? | Hannah Branigan

In this episode we dig into the concept of drilling, and how it applies in dog training. It's pretty common for most of us to have an emotional response just to the term itself - for good reason! But is there any baby in

#183: Demand Barking, Part 3, with Kiki Yablon

In this episode, we discuss the history behind Kiki's master's thesis project, Signaled Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior to Address Excessive Vocalization in Dogs, what gave her the idea - the case of the dog

#182: Demand Barking, Part 2

In this episode, we discuss using concepts around stimulus control to stop demand barking before it stops, how cues create expectations of what reinforcement is available, using naturally occurring events that are alread

#181: Demand Barking, Part 1

In this episode, we are talking about Demand Barking. This is a three-part series, at least for now. For the first two episodes, I'll be sharing my thoughts and what I've learned about working with dogs that "demand" bar

#180: Building Food Drive and Nuanced Reinforcement with Ashlee Osborn

In this episode we discuss the importance of getting really, really good at working with reinforcement, how the topic of reinforcement and using it in training is FAR more nuanced than most trainers recognize, food is pr

#179: More Strategies to Reduce Errors

In the last episode, we talked about what errorless learning really means. And I shared a few strategies that might make it easier to apply in your training. Of course, the major benefit to using errorless learning conce

#178: How to Apply Errorless Learning Principles in Practical Training Sessions

In his 1968 book, The Technology of Teaching, B.F. Skinner wrote: Errors are not a function of learning or vice-versa nor are they blamed on the learner. Errors are a function of poor analysis of behavior, a poorly desig

#177: Dr. Clive Wynne Says Some Controversial Things About Dominance

In this episode, we discuss what is the ethological definition of dominance?, how does dominance show up in behavior?, how might dominance be relevant in dog training?, differences in dog-dog vs dog-human relationships,

#176: Taking Short Cuts with Stimulus-Stimulus Pairing with Kiki Yablon

In this episode, we discuss what is stimulus-stimulus pairing and how it works?, what is a "classically conditioned recall" and why might we consider calling it something different, revisiting the differences and interpl

#175: Over the Top - High Arousal in Dogs

In this episode, we discuss what is arousal?, how does arousal show up in our training?, how does arousal affect both people and dogs?, how arousal affects reinforcers, and "eating as behavior" and how to build functiona

#174: Families with Dogs and Kids with Jennifer Shryock

In this episode, we discuss the most important thing for dog professionals to know about working with families, the importance of understanding developmental milestones, working with and setting expectations, finding way

#173: Dealing with Problem Behaviors - Using Alternate Behaviors

In this episode, we discuss that the first step to dealing with a problem behavior is to identify the function, figuring out a plan to control access if possible and practical, if that reinforcer is not practical to work

#172: How to Tell That Your Classical Conditioning Plan is Working

When we pair two stimuli together as part of a classical conditioning training plan, it can sometimes be hard to determine when the association has been made between the old stimulus and the new stimulus… the "food" and

#171: Maintenance Mode

In this episode, we discuss, when you might outsource maintenance to the environment?, functional difference between intrinsic and extrinsic reinforcers in maintaining behaviors, how easy it is for behaviors to start sli