Shaped by Dog with Susan Garrett

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Today's podcast topic comes from you! One of the questions I'm often asked is "how do I get my puppy to stop waking me up?". Another is "how do I stop my dog waking me earlier and earlier?". These are common problems, and there are three main reasons it happens, with the most likely being that you have been 'shaped by dog'. I've got tips to help you. There are four thin...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   We all have an important role to play in reducing the number of dog bites, in particular dog bites to children. Recent statistics on dog bites show that 77% of biting is by the family dog or a friend's dog. It's up to us to protect children, anyone who comes into contact with our dog, and our dog. I've got actionable strategies for you, and it all starts with how to R...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   Distractions! How do you get your dog's focus in the face of a distraction? That's what we're talking about, and I'm giving you my formula to help your dog and have training success. Cats, squirrels, chipmunks, bicycles, kangaroos, children, birds, balls, food. The list of your dog's distractions will depend on your dog, and many can be used to your advantage.   In th...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   Things have been a little weird around here because six days ago we welcomed a litter of four puppies. One of these puppies will be my next dog, and it got me thinking about how I identify myself and how that relates to my dogs. And it is the same for you. Your identity matters for you and your dog.   In the episode you'll hear:   • The importance of how you identify...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com     We're talking about pressure and dogs. It's not the sort of pressure to make sure your dog's leash matches the collar, or for your dog to be looking good in front of your friends. It's the bubble of pressure that surrounds all dogs. This sort of pressure is essential to understand for your dog's comfort and everyone's safety around dogs. It will also help you become...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com We all have vivid childhood memories, and one of mine involving my friend's dog Chuka had a lasting impact. In all my dog training, I look to grow confidence and capability for dogs in any environment. I do that using the model of my 5C Pyramid. Now, you might already be familiar with the 5C Pyramid for Success, but I've got a couple of tweaks to the layers you'll want...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   If you are here, chances are you have an interest in how to train a dog without punishment or blame. When you are moving away from training with physical corrections, intimidation, or verbal corrections, you can fall into what I call "the gap". If your dog is digging in the garden, has paws on the counter, has jumped in the pond or is chasing a cat, you freeze. The ol...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    We all have pet peeves, and one of mine is the misuse of dog training cues. Cues have power, and it is important to maintain our dog's clarity and understanding. Most cues are verbs because we want our dogs to do something. It's vital not to dilute a cue as that will create uncertainty in our dog about what we really want him to do.   In the episode you'll hear:   •...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   There are four games you can play right now that will help expedite learning for your puppy or dog. I'm sharing each game plus why and how to play so you can start immediately. We're also going over how toy selection can increase or decrease how often you get bitten and busting some myths about tugging with a pup. You'll also learn what to do if your puppy or dog touc...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   The number one question anyone with a puppy asks is "how do I STOP my puppy biting me, my feet, my hands, my kids, my clothes, my face". It's important to understand that it is necessary for puppies to bite. What you do in response is going to set your puppy up for life success. If you don't have a youngster, there is still a lot of great dog training to be learned fr...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   There is one question you can ask yourself to solve virtually any dog training problem. If your dog is jumping, digging, chewing, biting or doing something else you want to fix, you need to know "the thing before the thing". In the episode you'll hear:   The four most common naughty behaviors in dogs. How to use the ABC's of dog training to fix anything. What the ante...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   In a multi-dog household, it's important that all dogs have confidence and be comfortable. I'm sharing my biggest tips for intentional household harmony. In the episode you'll hear: When I realized that comfort and confidence for all dogs is vital. How to be present to what your dogs are telling you. The CSI of a multi-dog home. How I prevent resource guarding before...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   If you live with more than one dog or want to live with more than one dog, this episode is for you. We need to be intentional about creating harmony for multi-dogs in our homes for everyone's comfort and safety. In the episode you'll hear:   The advantages of having one dog. What needs to change when your household becomes multi-dog. My "5 Stages of Togetherness". Wha...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   Our dog's name says a lot about our dog and a lot about us. There are many considerations to naming, and many ways to go about choosing a name.   In the episode you'll hear: Ideas for picking a name for your puppy or dog. What to consider that might not be immediately obvious. What to avoid when choosing a name. About the energy attached to your dog's name. If you sho...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   We all love our dogs and want to help them, but sometimes that help has the opposite effect of what we intend! That's what I'm covering in this episode, so you can get the behaviour you really want. Learn how letting go of control will have your dog buy-in to your training and create a relationship of mutual happiness.   In the episode you'll hear:   About triggers, o...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   Harnessing the power of permission in dog training is the secret of my success. It's how I can train dogs to the highest levels without the use of intimidation or physical punishment. Sometimes is anytime for a dog, and permissions make the anytime work for us. And it's not just for training our dogs. We all want our relationships to have equity and trust.   In the ep...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Do you know anybody who is thinking about getting a new puppy or a dog? Maybe it's you! There are things to know before you add a canine family. Every dog deserves a great life, and every human being deserves a life with a great dog in it. In the episode you'll hear: Things to know before you get a puppy or dog. Where you can save money and where you should never cut co...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   When do you consider your dog trained? That's what we're talking about in this episode. We're also looking at why I think "dog training" might be misnamed and what all great relationships have in common. Plus if you ever find yourself furious with your dog, I've got one big tip to help! In the episode you'll hear: My answers to the two most common dog training questio...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com In this episode, I'm sharing one simple and easy psychological trick so you and your dog can get in the belief loop of awesome. Tune in for how this one thing can make life for you and your dog dramatically better! I have been using this for years, and it works. In the episode you'll hear: How a child went from always being in detention and disruptive, to an engaged and...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   It's important to know what you and your dog need for learning success, and how "lizard brain" can take over if something is lacking. I'm sharing an extract of the book I am writing, and it's about one of the life shifting lessons I learned from a student. In the episode you'll hear: How Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs applies to you and your dog. The life shifting lesson...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   How good are ​you at manipulation? ​ Stick with me, because after this episode, you're going to embrace and love the idea of manipulation. When we hear the word "manipulation" we immediately think of deception, but in dog training, it's a skill that is going to create a relationship of confidence and trust with your dog and set your dog up to have an amazing life with...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   Did you know that there ​are four ways ​to train a dog? ​That's what we're talking about in this episode, and how science plays a part in successfully shaping behaviour. ​We'll also look at the best way to get your floor swept! It's got everything to do with behaviour. After this episode, you'll be able to tell if you are the shaper or shapee. Step outside the box and...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   ​This episode could save your dog's life. It could save a child. It could prevent ​someone from getting a serious injury from a dog. A dog has many ways to communicate how he is feeling and what his intention is. The challenge is that we sometimes misread or misunderstand what​ a dog is telling us.   In the episode you'll hear:   How to identify what a dog is about to...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   In this episode, we're looking at how Hollywood has made life incredibly difficult for dogs. Because life is not like the movies. The truth about dogs is if Timmy fell down that well, he's very likely going to stay there.   In the episode you'll hear:   What would really happen if Timmy fell down the well. How movies create unrealistic expectations for dogs. Who our h...

Visit us at shapedbydog.com   We are talking about the number one most important thing in dog training. Actually, it's the one thing vital for all species. It is of course, reinforcement, and it is critical to understand for training all animals.   In the episode you'll hear:   Why there are times your dog might find something more reinforcing than food. Activities that your dog will find reinforc...