The Biggest Factor In Success With Your Dog

00:00

Welcome to Off Leash and Unfiltered. Trigger warning. I'm Kati Peppe, delivering the truth in dog training.

Hey everybody, this is your host, Kati Peppe. Before we jump in, I just wanted to take a quick second and remind you to hit the subscribe button because that helps us so, so, so much. We appreciate every subscribe and follow, and we have so much valuable information we wanna share with you. So we don't want you to miss an episode. Without further ado, let's jump in. Hey everyone, thanks for joining me today. Have an excellent episode for you today. I think, uh, really interesting topic, at least I think so. All three of you listening might think this is super boring, but <laugh>, um, I think it's interesting, and I was just talking about this, um, with somebody yesterday, and so of course that's, you know, what I tend to do is choose topics that are just fresh in my head.

01:00 — Kati identifies excessive autonomy as a central factor in unwanted behavior, including reactivity and…

Um, so yeah, let's just jump in.

Um, what we're talking about today, guys, is autonomy. So autonomy is the number one enemy for you and your dog. This is the reason that dogs act up. This is the reason that they don't listen. It's the reason that they do stuff you don't like that they do, and that they don't do the stuff you want them to do. It's the reason they're reactive. It's the reason they resource guard. It's the reason for everything that is problematic. This is a little bit of an oversimplification, but there is always, in those cases, there is always an element of too much autonomy.

So what do I mean by that?

What I mean is your dog is free to do as they wish. Now, you might not see it that way, but that is in fact true for the most part, right? Besides the fact that you have a leash on them probably. And they can't just leave. Aside from that, most dogs, certainly when we meet them, are fully autonomous in doing whatever they wanna do, whatever they feel like doing, whatever impulse hits, whatever comes naturally, that's what they're doing. And so it's really no wonder people need help, right? There's really no mystery because if you're just taking an animal and they're doing absolutely whatever comes naturally all the time, how often is that going to be appropriate?

How often is that gonna be all unicorns and cupcakes and no issues? Very rarely, right? Occasionally you might get the unicorn who just naturally is good, right? And behaves the way you'd like.

But most dogs, that's not gonna be the case, at least not all the time, right? They might be pretty good sometimes. And then other times you've, you've got something problematic. Um, whether it's something simple like just being overexcitable, jumping, pulling on the leash or being something worse, being reactive, aggressive, having serious anxiety issues, that sort of thing. So the full spectrum, and I will say <laugh>, guys, I forgot to bring my laptop cord with me today, so I'm kicking my own ass here. Um, so if I just cut off mid-sentence, and that's the end of the episode, that's why <laugh>, it's because my laptop battery is not gonna last forever.

So I have to try to, um, complete my thoughts on this topic in a shorter timeframe than usual. I think otherwise you're gonna lose me. All right, well, autonomy. So when we first do a program with people, a big, big part of that program for most folks is going to be changing that piece, right?

And this sets us apart, guys, from everybody else. 'Cause you go to any other trainer, first of all, they're probably purely positive trainer, right? 'Cause most trainers are. So, and I just got off the phone with a woman who has a proper service dog who's, who was attacked by a dog and has since become very reactive toward dogs. And she's talked to a lot of trainers and she told me I'm the first one that has suggested anything like this. And that they all suggested bringing in like a stuffed dog and using lots of treats and all those things.

05:00 — Kati argues that reward-focused, command-focused training can leave dogs independently governing their behavior.

Um, and I, that's not surprising to me at all. But then in addition to that, like on top of the fact that nine outta 10 trainers are just going to tell you to use food, use reward, use praise, all those things, in addition to that, everyone is very command-focused and there's usually no accountability with commands either, right? And so your dog hangs on to the autonomy.

They hang on to being independently governing and nothing changes. You have to address that. You have to. So when we first meet people, that's a big piece of our program that starts immediately on day one. We explain to people, hey, we want you to go home and we want you to make some tweaks to your lifestyle. And some people have a really, really hard time wrapping their head around this because they say things like, well, my dog's pretty good in the house, or, well, I don't mind. Or, I like having my dog loose, or I like having him in the bed with me.

Or, I like doing these things and he's really good. And you know, and they feel like the crate's a punishment and this and that and the other thing. And it's like resistance, resistance, resistance. Because they don't understand none of this is to punish the dog.

This is to change the way they go through the world, the way they view you, the nature of your relationship. It is to remove their current autonomy. They need to figure out that they are not independent and self-governing. And until you have that, they'll be so, like I said, even people that don't think that's the case, it is, right? They think they have rules and boundaries. They think they restrict their dog's freedom. They think they correct them. They think all these things, but they don't, right? They have six feet of leash. The dog's out at the end of it bobbing and weaving and sniffing and barking and doing all these things.

And there's no control, there's no feedback, there's no meaningful feedback. The dog is just doing the things they do. They're being fully autonomous. And the person might be at the other end of the leash yapping and saying things to the dog. But that doesn't matter. That is not good feedback. It's not control, it's not correction, it's not behavior modification. It's just a human making a bunch of noise while the dog continues to be fully autonomous, following impulses and doing whatever comes naturally. We're not intervening in a meaningful way that actually creates change. And that's what our programs are about here.

08:00 — Her behavioral programs require increased kennel time initially, with reductions possible as behavior improves.

So removing autonomy is a big first step. And if you come in for a behavioral program, there is no skipping that step. The first thing we're going to say on day one is your dog is going to have a lot more kennel time for now, maybe not forever. Ultimately, once you're getting better behavior, you start to reduce that and you'll strike a balance that works for you. And that's where you can stay and that's great. And you're happy. We're happy. But for now, your dog's gonna be in that kennel and they're gonna be in there a lot.

Okay? Okay. I know you've heard me ramble on about structure forever. I'm not gonna do it right now, but that's why we use the structure, guys, is what it does for the state of mind. No, it's not a punishment, right? And the person I discussed the phone with, she asked, well also, it's not a punishment, right?

And I'm like, no, of course it's not a punishment. Her dog's never been in a kennel. Um, that's not why we use it. And even if we did, it wouldn't be effective because it, it's not a punishment. Punishment is intolerable. That's what punishment is. Most dogs don't find their crate intolerable. If they do, we get 'em over it, right? We don't wanna put a dog in there who hates the kennel and have 'em in there hating the kennel and being upset and fussing. We don't do that. If a dog hates the kennel, we get him over it and he becomes very comfortable in the kennel and then he likes being in there.

So, no, it's not a punishment, but you have to remove that autonomy. And so I think I'm kind of excited about this. I'm a nerd. I know I'm such a behavior nerd.

One of the things we do for people that is so magic is we teach them also how to go through the world differently with their dog. So like I just described, having a dog at the end of the leash, kind of weaving around and sniffing and seeing things and barking and doing all this business. Um, we teach people how to actually give feedback in a communicative, effective way. How to actually intervene and control behavior and change it. And it's so simple in some context. And yes, it can be more complicated, it can be more nuanced and there's plenty of that.

But on day one, we're the first five minutes of hands-on at our go-home lessons. We put the leash in your hand, your dog is on a prong collar. We put the leash in your hand and we show you how to handle it, how to talk to your dog through the leash, how to actually tell your dog, walk next to me.

11:00 — Kati describes physical leash communication for teaching dogs to walk beside handlers without verbal…

And I don't mean tell them verbally. There's no verbalization during this exercise. This is all physical communication through a leash. And I think that's where people fail miserably, guys. It's like we, we yap and yap and yap and yap. Your dog doesn't know what you're saying. They don't care. And you're probably working them up more. You need to, if you don't have physical communication with your dog that is actually effective, then you're probably just treading water, like you're not getting anywhere. Put the leash in your hand and we show you how to tell your dog.

Walk next to me. Don't walk ahead of me. Don't pull me. We show you how to, to tell your dog, don't load on that other dog over there. Don't react to that other dog over there.

If you don't know how to do that, then you just won't do it. Your dog will continue to react, and bribing your dog with treats, that is not feedback. It is not behavior modification, it's not any of those things. It's a temporary distraction to avoid your dog seeing the other dog. And even if it works in the moment, it does not cultivate change and you are not becoming more relevant to your dog. This makes it relevant to your dog because you are setting the example and you're actually, for the first time in your life, giving your dog clear instruction that they understand and respond to.

Instead of waving a treat and hoping for the best, you're taking your leash, you're grabbing the bull by the horns, and you're saying, nope, we're not doing that. We're doing this. And you don't have to say a fucking word except you might say no. And you might say, good <laugh>. And that's it. And it's effective and it's real. And it's like, hey, you don't make the decisions. You are not autonomous. I make the decisions and that ain't what we're doing. This is what we're doing. And it's that simple. And that's really the key to everything.

Yes, there's more to it than that. Yes, we do more than that. But just that one thing will make over your relationship, will flip your dog's state of mind. <laugh> Just like, whoa. What? Wait, what? Oh, well, I didn't know. How come you never said anything before? Right? So some dogs after just one moment like that, they're like, oh, well, why didn't you just say so? Right? It's like no one's ever told them. You think you have, but a lot of times we haven't. And so that's just life changing. And I was just talk, I just interviewed somebody, went well, but I was talking to her about how we've tried to have group classes in the past for that specific thing, which in my mind is like, one of the biggest things we do for folks is give them that leash communication.

And, uh, it's just failed miserably.

Like people just don't sign up for this class. And it is amazing to me because it is life changing and it's so simple and like in a group class format too, where like it's, it's cheaper, it's more accessible. And like you show up, you know, for like a few hours total, right? Maybe three classes that are about an hour and it can change your life. It's incredible. Um, hopefully someday we'll be able to put that together, but so far it just hasn't worked out. Um, but I would love to be able to do that. Um, I'm not interested in doing group classes that don't provide actual training <laugh>.

So a lot of group classes you go to and like, they're fun and you're just shoving treats in your dog's mouth, which I don't have a problem with treats, guys, but you need more than that, right?

At some point you need more than that to create change. And that's what we do. We create change, right? So nothing wrong with going and taking class and having fun. Um, it's just not what we do, right? We do real training and what we wanna actually help people get traction and improve their relationship and make their walks more enjoyable and all these things. Um, so those are the kind of group classes we offer. And to this point, there just hasn't really been much interest in that. But anyway, this isn't a group class episode and I'm running out of battery, so I better keep going.

So what are the ways that we can limit our dog's autonomy so we can actually cultivate some change? Structure. Ding, ding, ding, <laugh>. I talk about this all the time, like a broken record. I won't spend a ton of time on it, I promise.

16:00 — Kati recommends kennel time overnight, during absences, and while owners are home and awake.

But use your kennel. Use it a ton, right? It doesn't have to be forever, but a little sacrifice now for results later for sure. Tons of kennel time, guys, at a minimum overnight. And when you're gone, and I urge you, urge you, urge you to use it for periods of time, even when you're home and awake. 'Cause your dog is going to develop a whole different state of mind and new coping skills by doing that. So put them in their kennel and not be afraid of your kennel time. Um, teach your dog the place command and make them stay there, right?

So this whole roaming around the house, like, I'm gonna lay in this corner, I'm gonna lay in that patch of sunlight. I'm gonna get up on the couch, I'm gonna play with this toy, I'm gonna go get a nibble to eat. Like, okay, but that's a fully autonomous dog with no instruction coming in, right?

And so you get the worst version of that dog, which might not be that bad or it might, right? But even if you're having one specific problem that seems totally unrelated to the house, it doesn't matter. What you do in the house affects that. Trust me, a hundred percent the way you live with your dog in your house abso-fucking-lutely affects what they do outside the house. And you're living in a fantasy land if you think the two are unrelated. So even if your dog is good in the house, remove some autonomy while you're working on the thing.

Okay? Use your kennel, use your place command, use it for long durations.

Um, provide consequences for stuff. If you're new to this and you're not good at it, you're nervous about it, whatever it is, pick one thing and go after that thing, right? Your dog chews shoes, your dog barks out the window, your dog, whatever it is they do. Take one thing, go after it and fix it by learning how to apply a negative consequence, right? Because that's you saying, no, no, we have rules here. You are not autonomous. You don't get to decide you are gonna go do that. Structure helps with that too, right? Because it's like they don't get to decide anything.

You decide.

The whole concept just flips the script. So structure, right? Crate time, place time, negative consequences for bad unwanted behaviors, jumping up on people, barking out the window, digging holes in the yard, whatever it is, whatever. It's negative consequences because up until now, probably your dog just has no concept of that. Like it's just not something that happens. You don't give them that feedback. They know that they're like, this person, not relevant, doesn't set boundaries, doesn't set rules. They know that. The only way to change that, guys, is to do it. There's no magic button. So some people think I can do that for them.

No, I can't. Can I stop digging? Fuck yeah, I can stop digging five minutes, right? But if I send them to you at your house in your yard, they're probably gonna try it again because they've always done it there and it's always been fine and you aren't relevant.

They're not worried about you. And if you don't step up and say, oh no, mm-hmm, I have rules, buddy, consequence, then they're just gonna do that because there's no reason not to, right? But just that whole concept of I'm living with an irrelevant entity who does not truly set rules and boundaries, who does not issue consequences, it leaves the dog to go through the world in their most natural state, which might sound good, right? With everybody nowadays, everything's natural, natural, natural. But it's not a good thing when it comes to your dog's behavior, not always, right?

Because the what comes to dogs naturally is not always gonna be what we find to be agreeable, obviously.

So removing autonomy, but the leash thing is huge, too. Huge piece of that, right? So the structure, the crate, long place time, duration, actual negative consequences for behaviors that we want to go away. Leash communication, like we talked about in the beginning, just you on the walk saying, we're not stopping here. I don't want to. I decide when we stop. We're not going over there. I don't want to. I decide where we go. I want you walking next to me, not ahead of me. I want you to put your butt on the ground and settle when I stop.

21:00 — She emphasizes teaching dogs to settle rather than weave, sniff, or remain frantic when…

I don't want you standing up and weaving around and sniffing everything and being frantic. Settle. Those conversations have to happen. And, and the thing is, for most people, none of these conversations are happening ever. So can you see the difference? You have a dog who is just existing essentially in their wild state, but in your house.

And again, for some dogs that might not look that bad. I still wouldn't want it, right? Because I want a dog that listens to me. And when I say listens to me, guys, I don't just mean when it's easy. So there's nothing more irritating than somebody saying their dog listens. But what they really mean is their dog listens when there's fucking nothing else going on because that dog does not listen. A dog that listens is a dog that listens most of the time, right? All of the time because there's gonna be a consequence if they don't. It doesn't mean they're perfect.

Sometimes you're going to have to apply that consequence because they're not robots and they never will be. And that's okay, right? But I don't want a dog, even if it's a very, you know, quote unquote well-behaved, like friendly, social, happy-go-lucky dog. I don't want a dog that's like, well, I see something over there, so I'm gonna completely ignore you calling me, right? No, I don't want that. Um, so for me, I would never live with a dog that way. But the fact is, most people do. And I used to. I absolutely used to. Long before I was a dog trainer, we had dogs when I was younger, never had a crate.

And now I look back on that and I'm like, I guess you don't know what you don't know <laugh>.

Um, but you learn and it's a journey for the human and the dog most of the time. But chances are, guys, like even if you think you're giving your dog feedback or you're correcting your dog, or you think you have rules, chances are they're just rules in your head, not in your dog's. Real feedback. That means physical feedback. And since I'm not a fan of really using hands for that, right? Sometimes we'll do a poke or something, especially with a puppy, a little poke in the side. Um, but you know, we don't wanna be walking around smacking our dogs and things of that nature.

So having a tool, right? 'Cause that's very personal, it's more emotional. Also, most people don't do it correctly, meaning having a marker followed by the consequence, right? So they're not even saying no before they do it. They're just cuffing their dog.

Um, and let's be honest, like a little swat here and there is not a big deal. Yes, I have swatted my dog before, not the end of the world, right? But it's not my favorite. It's not something I recommend. I recommend you have an actual plan, um, with tools and you know how to use them, right? So providing physical corrections with leash pops, with e-collar taps, with a bonker, whatever it is, it's safe and it's effective, right? Because that's the only way you're gonna remove autonomy is with feedback, with directions. So that's the magic of our programs is your dog is no longer self-navigating.

25:00 — Kati describes combining e-collar feedback, leash guidance, and household structure to provide predictable direction,…

You are giving them meaningful feedback all day through the e-collar, through your leash, through your use of structure in the house.

And what it does for their state of mind is incredible. Especially a lot of people feel bad doing this if they have a nervous, anxious dog. Especially if you have a nervous, anxious dog. If you have a fearful dog, right? Because they live in this world where everything's uncertain and everything's question marks, and suddenly you become a hero, you become someone who's like, no, I'll tell you what to expect, this, this, this, and this is what I want you to do. And this is the standard and this is the path you walk and everything's gonna be great.

You might be doing your dog a huge favor. Sit, guys. Work on removing some of that autonomy. Give your dog the feedback they need. My battery's dying, so I'm checking out <laugh>. Until next time. Hey guys, thanks for joining us today. I really hope you enjoyed the show. If there's a specific topic you'd like to hear discussed, you can send that to me directly via email or fan mail. Just jump down into the show notes. That information will be there for you. I really look forward to hearing from you. Thanks for supporting the show and I look forward to next time.