Shaped by Dog with Susan Garrett

Visit us at shapedbydog.com     If you have ever wanted to ask a professional dog trainer questions about puppy training or living with puppies, then this episode is for you! We're covering the topics that you want to know about to help your puppy.   In the episode you'll hear answers to questions about:   • When to spay or neuter a puppy. • Recalling a distracted puppy. • Dealing with puppies who...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com      After 30 years as a professional dog trainer, I've learned a lot of things. The most important thing makes dog training far less frustrating. Setting our dogs up for success can set us up for success in many areas of our lives.   In the episode you'll hear:   • How our dog's behaviours give us all the information we need. • Why I think who we become when we train a...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com      Reinforcement based dog training almost sounds too good to be true. Being able to have the dog of your dreams without ever physically correcting your dog or yelling or telling your dog "NO" sounds amazing. But what happens when your reinforcement does not work, and you end up living with what appears to be a four-legged monster?   In the episode:   • About one of m...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    It's completely normal to feel some apprehension about leaving a puppy alone. But there are things that you do that contribute to the chaos or calm you find when you return home. I'm covering the formula that I use to ensure a happy life with a puppy and how to prevent separation anxiety.   In the episode you'll hear:   • Why to see a Veterinary Behaviorist if you ha...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    Success in dog training is about taking action. But if you are frustrated or overwhelmed or not sure you are doing the right thing, taking action can be challenging. We're looking at how to put barriers aside and find the fast track on the path ahead.   In the episode you'll hear:   • About the epiphany I had when cycling and going through gates on the trail. • Why I...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com      If you have ever wondered why I don't teach my dogs to "watch me", how I end a training session, or my thoughts on treat bags, today is the day. I'm answering some of your popular dog training questions! We're also looking at how to avoid puppies chewing up their beds and training dogs who don't like food or toys.   In the episode you'll hear:   • Why I have attent...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com      Are you the type of dog owner who loves to play with your dog or puppy? It's a great way to have fun, teach your dog life skills, and can help reduce fear. The tips we're covering today are essential for all dogs, and if you have an interest in dog agility, I'm also sharing how this applies to dog sports and confidence. Changing just one element of the way you play...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com     Have you ever watched a really well-trained dog, like a police dog, world champion agility dog, or service dog, and noticed that they seem to be working without getting any food or toy reward from their handler? You might have tried the same with your dog, but your dog said, "no reward, no thanks!". We're looking at why some dogs appear to work brilliantly with no r...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com     An old adage in dog training is that the best time to fix a problem or behavior challenge is before it happens. And though that may be true, it does not help when you have a problem or training challenge! There's a systemic approach that I've laid out for myself and my students for any challenge we have with our dogs.   In the episode you'll hear:   • A long list of...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com      There is one difference between very successful dog trainers and the average pet owner in the way they feed their dogs. That one thing is responsible for a better relationship with your dog and the dog being easier to train, having a long life, and fewer health problems. That one thing is easily achievable by everyone and will also help with a dog's picky eating.  ...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com      As someone who has been educating dog owners on having a well-behaved dog and an amazing relationship with that dog, I think it's important to share my failures. Learn, walk, listen and train ItsYerChoice with me as I talk about my big blunder that happened last week, the impact of judgement and critical questions we need to ask ourselves.   In the episode you'll h...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com      Has your dog ever been so overexcited they just can't seem to listen, and it's frustrating for you? Dogs who want to go swimming, for a car ride, or a walk might be so intent on what they want they might not even sit when you ask, and you know they know how to sit! There are tools to fix the challenge, and you can use what your dog loves to do. We're looking at the...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com      Tug of War, which is tugging with a dog using a toy, is one of the most basic and fun games we can play. Yet, some authorities will give a list of reasons why dogs should not tug. We're looking at those reasons, what dogs should not tug, and the five most common mistakes people make with tugging. For most dogs, not only is it okay to play tug, but it's also critica...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com      Has your dog ever experienced barrier frustration? The frustration can escalate to aggression, and something like fence running can turn into fence fighting. The leash being on a dog can result in restraint frustration as the lead creates a barrier. Or perhaps your dog barks at other dogs when in the car? When our dogs are frustrated, they are expressing an emotion...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com     Do you have a fitness program for your dog? It's not something that is just for canine athletes and dog sports! Every dog will benefit from conditioning exercises for their health, well-being and longevity. A fitness program is also a fun way for you and your dog to spend time together and easy to start.   In the episode you'll hear:   • Why fitness for dogs should...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com     Are there times your dog just does not want to train? Or perhaps your dog is so distracted that you can't get their focus on you or the training? The reason a dog will seem so obsessed with something that you can't get their attention or do not seem motivated comes down to their emotional state. The good news is that you can help get your dog into the zone for peak...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com      Learn, walk and train with me! We're focusing on your dog's "sit". I'll be giving you prompts during this episode for when you are with your dog so we can be dog training together. We're also covering the 12 things that I consider fundamental for all dogs. Mastering the fundamentals will make anything you want to do with your dog so much easier.   In the episode yo...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com      Have you ever had disappointing results in your dog training, in sport, or life in general? One of the toughest things that any of us have to do is recover from disappointment. I'm joined by my friend, Olympic gold medallist Greg Louganis, for a conversation centered on overcoming disappointing results in sport as well as in life. Greg has been called both "the gre...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com      "How many hours a day do you spend training your puppy or dog?" is one of the most common questions I get. So, we'll look at a typical day in the life of my dogs. What happens might surprise you as I don't spend as much time training as many would think. What is important is the training between the training.   In the episode you'll hear:   • Why the interactions w...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com      Imagine if your cute, cuddly puppy suddenly turned aggressive on you. You might think your puppy is trying to dominate you or acting out to spite you, but that is not the case. We're looking at what is going on with aggression in puppies and what to do about resource guarding. As scary and unimaginable as it may seem, a puppy showing aggression over resources is no...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com     Have you experienced sudden onset aggression, fear or behavior change with your dog? Imagine if I could give you a pill to solve any behavior challenge. Now, in some cases, there might actually a pill that can help. We're looking at what you need to know about your dog's thyroid.   In the episode you'll hear:   • About my dog Stoni and her sudden lunging at another...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com     Many dog owners wonder, "does my dog love me?". We'd all like to think our dogs love us, but how can we tell? It could all come down to the relationship you have with your dog and how that impacts the way you train your dog and communicate. There are three different sorts of relationships, and our interactions might have elements of each. It's not dissimilar to the...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com     The best thing we can do for our dogs is to protect and grow confidence. But what does that really mean? What is a dog who is worried, or fearful, or growling, or showing aggression telling us? Why do our dogs change depending on where they are and what is around them? When we have a baseline and know what our dog is saying to us, we can start confidence building ex...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com     When you bring a rescue dog into your family, you want your dog to settle in and be home for life. There are five key things you can do to set your new rescue dog up for success. These tips apply to all dogs! Often rescue dogs might have behavior issues, but you can help with good training and by creating clarity and structure for the new member of your family.   In...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   Does your dog sometimes seem to be out of control? Do you sometimes think your dog is untrainable? Does your dog not appear to listen to you? I believe that dog training is like having a conversation with a friend. The challenges with that conversation happen if we don't like the answer our friend is giving us, and we end up trying to change the question.   In the epi...