Controlled Aggression

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw discusses: Bringing more civil aggression into your sport or police dogs.  Utilizing prey guarding to start training young dogs for proactive defense. The difference between uncontrolled aggression and expressive aggression.  What to look for in a patrol dog regarding civil aggression.  The three ways dogs manifest a reaction to a threat.    Key Takeaways: In our tr...

In today's podcast short, Jerry Bradshaw discusses issues with muzzle attacks in the PSA Level 2, noting that many dogs and handlers struggle with this exercise. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the fundamentals of a good muzzle fight and suggests starting with unsuited muzzle work to build civil aggression. Jerry advises limiting strikes in training sessions to manage your dog's frus...

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw discusses: Keeping in mind the olfactory and visual cues of a bite suit that we don't often consider.  Reducing equipment fixation, creating habits of engagement, and training the behaviors you want into your dog.  Why your dog needs to believe the bite suit is irrelevant.  Focusing training on the most likely scenarios your dog will encounter.   Key Takeaways: Too...

Today, Jerry outlines the 2026 Police Canine Services offered by Tarheel Canine Training. They offer instructor courses multiple times per year, unit canine training, and sell green dual and single canines. The selection process is low-stress, with dogs undergoing four months of training before handler courses. They also provide handler course-ready dogs and SWAT integrated canines. You can also l...

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw discusses: Getting your dog off the bite as quickly as you can when the threat has diminished to a reasonable level. The importance of being proficient in more than one option for your dog when you're in an engagement. The importance of your dog being willing to accept lower value rewards in the presence of a potential bite.  Mastering verbal, mechanical, and manual...

If your dog won't counter full, won't push into the fight, or spins away when you approach, this episode is for you. Jerry breaks down exactly why these bite work issues happen and how to rebuild the foundation so your dog bites harder, fuller, and with real confidence.   In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw discusses: Drive channelling as a confidence builder for your dog.  Bite work problems and thei...

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw discusses: Thinking about the end game from the beginning of your training.  Creating neutrality through all kinds of distractions.  Look at me, look at me, look at that, and look at that while giving commands for your dog.  Balancing the draw to fight against drift.    Key Takeaways: Attention is the dog's anchor. Give them a point to focus on that allows them to b...

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw discusses: Timing the puppy training early and with a directed purpose, and handling the fear periods in dogs.   Habituation, spontaneous recovery, sensitization, and learned irrelevance.   When to reorient and when to address fears.  Understanding your dog's phobias to learn how to solve the problem.  Common fears and phobias seen in police and sport dogs.     Key...

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw, Ben Searle, and Gary Dawson discuss: There is a need for highly trained service dogs for veterans.  The origin story and vital mission of the Liberty Leash Project. The importance of standardization and collaboration across service dog training. Things to consider when going into the dog training business.    Key Takeaways: Service dogs are a medical implement for...

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw and Dr. Stewart Hilliard discuss: Why your dog training should be based on theory, pragmatic results, and experience. Theoretical vs intuitive dog training.  How is idealist training different from pragmatic training?  Why you should not be removing all stressors from your dog training.  Control and learned helplessness.   Key Takeaways: Dog training is a long serie...

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw discusses: What judges are looking for during the PSA Carjack Exercise. Safety precautions and training progressions for decoys, dogs, and trainers.  Keeping your dog focused in the right place.  Rewarding, capping, and knowing your dog's limits.   Key Takeaways: In training, you should be training in neutrality as you prepare for your PDC. Just because they have th...

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw discusses: Bridging the gap from training to deployment with low-profile equipment.  Comparing traditional and modern low-profile equipment. Mistakes to avoid with low-profile equipment.  Importance of having properly fitted equipment.  Training progressions with low-profile equipment.    Key Takeaways: Ideally, low-profile equipment contains both lower visibility a...

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw discusses: Pros and cons of prosthetics for canine training. The importance of teaching your dog to find the human being in the bite. Why training biting across different textures is key. Tips for safely and effectively utilizing prosthetics in training.    Key Takeaways: When you're trying to approximate down in training and are using equipment, you want to use equ...

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw and Dr. Stewart Hilliard discuss: The debate between purely positive training and balanced training.  How Kynology goes deeper than just basic dog training.  Ways in which the scientific process in research can go wrong.  The role of a canine trainer is to teach their dog to handle stress.  Stewart's two answers to the question "Why do you need aggression?"   Key Ta...

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw discusses: Canine independence - identifying the problem and how to solve it.  Why you might need to be doing less obedience training.  Training independence behaviors.  Creating hunting games with progression for puppies of all ages.  Working with your dog near and away from you so they are comfortable in both positions.   Key Takeaways: Balance the inward and outw...

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw and Cameron Ford discuss: The creation of PSA and evolution of dog sport. How the rigidity in traditional dog sports has led to innovation and creativity. Being open to adaptation not fighting against it. Increasing complexity in training detection.  The responsibility of having an online platform for your dog training.  Training based on experience and on research....

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw and Brad Gillespie discuss: Positive and negative punishment in police dog training.  Pros, cons, and balancing the use of punishment markers.  Intentional and unintentional markers. The importance of consistency in punishment.  Marking for clearer communication. Biting through the muzzle.  Changing one variable at a time and reducing the number of variables in trai...

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw and Dr. Stewart Hilliard discuss: The influence of European sport dogs in early North American working dog training. Benefits and challenges of introducing KNPV-trained dogs to the American market. Evolution of Eastern European working dog trade.  Sourcing and importing working dogs. Institutional breeding programs, increased costs, and decreased quality. The future...

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw discusses: Why engagement is important, what it means, and how it differs between puppies and older dogs.  The importance of rituals in engagement, no matter the location.  Developing engagement and engagement rituals.  Creating and maintaining an emotional connection with your dog, no matter your emotional state that day.    Key Takeaways: If your dog is not in the...

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw discusses: The practical differences between direct reward conditioning and indirect reward conditioning.  Primacy of learning and conditioning hunting as a means of locating odor. Understanding the foundations built into your dog's early training. Utilize the quality of hunting as the barometer to show your dog's interest. Giving varied and unique hiding places for...

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw discusses: Hard surface training for the most successful tracking. Creating an independent problem solver in your dog. Common issues in tracking. Drills and approaches to shore up your tracking foundation and the problems you are facing.  Why laying a good track is a critical skill.    Key Takeaways: Returning to foundational drills is not a bad thing - it is return...

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw discusses: Using the right equipment for the right stage and type of training for your canine. What equipment fixation looks like and how you can overcome it.  Equipment orientation drills and the peeling the onion drill.  Training your dog to alert on human odors and with man primacy.   Key Takeaways: Equipment fixation leads to street failures. Focus on the human...

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw discusses: The evolution of training targeting, different target areas, and primary vs secondary targets.  Training bites with young puppies even before they start teething and when to start grip development.  When to teach drive, grip, targeting, and outs for the most success in biting behavior. Making the right equipment choices for the different stages of bite tr...

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw discusses: Moving through the phases of behavior acquisition for maximum training potential and skill retention and generalization.  Developing Mark, Move, and Reward as your protocol. Using markers, such as try-again markers, to teach your dog variations of learned behaviors. Making place a valuable and a safe place to be for your canine.  Using the place command t...

In this episode, Jerry Bradshaw discusses: More content you can get on the Controlled Aggression Patreon or in the Street Readiness Seminars to to help you problem solve with your dog.  Luring and trading in training to build skills.  Staying in control and not allowing your dog to self-reward.  Leveraging every interaction with your dog.   Key Takeaways: If you're having troubles with countering...