Course Details
Reducing reinforcement is a universal problem. As long as we are providing reinforcement our dogs perform well. Get rid of the reinforcers and it all falls apart. Especially in the ring. In the absence of reinforcers, dogs become worried. They think they are wrong. Which leads to what we commonly define as “stress” in the ring. With the majority of cases, the dog is just confused. You would be too if you continued to work but suddenly stopped receiving a paycheck! We are often giving the dog more treats and extra cues than we even realize. We need to mindfully and systematically teach our dogs that the absence of reinforcement means you are correct. Just keep going, the jackpot is coming. When the dog understands this, they will be able to work without reinforcement for longer periods of time. We will also look at incorporating skills that can help your dog between exercises. Reducing reinforcement is a critical piece of training when preparing your dog for the ring. It's also something to consider in smaller doses when generally training your dog to help prepare them for that transition in the future.
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NOTE Dates: Students will have TWO Weeks to Submit Homework for this Workshop
Lecture Publish Date: Sunday May 7th
Video Submissions Due Date: Sunday May 21st @ 12pm noon PT
Feedback & Questions Video Publish Date: Wednesday May 24th
Instructor: Petra FordPetra (she/her) graduated from Rutgers School of Health Related Professions 17 years ago with a degree in physical therapy and has experience working with an extremely varied caseload including pediatric through geriatric clients with a vast range of diagnoses. Her areas of expertise included in-patient rehabilitation, orthopedics and neurology. (Click here for full bio and to view Petra's upcoming courses)
