Top 3 Training Principles: Be Physical, Be Neutral, Be Quiet
/
RSS Feed
In this episode of Off Leash and Unfiltered, Kati Peppe—owner of Diamond K9 Dog Training in Biddeford, Maine—shares the three principles that work across almost any dog: clear physical guidance, emotionally neutral handling, and staying quiet. You’ll learn why prong-collar leash communication beats endless chatter, how neutrality prevents fear or conflict, and how fewer words make commands crisp, fast, and reliable.
Episode Highlights
- #3 Be Physical: Train on a leash (often on a well-fitted prong) so you can calmly guide positions, give clarity, and follow through—especially when food isn’t motivating.
- #2 Be Neutral: Correct without anger; unstable energy (rushing, yelling, frustration) creates anxiety in soft dogs and conflict in pushy dogs.
- #1 Be Quiet: Too much talk is white noise. Use a single word once; pair it with leash guidance so the “picture” is simple and memorable.
- Real-life examples: A tense golden learned place → down only after leash follow-through; an Aussie snapped when pressure rose—proof that neutrality matters.
- Handler self-check: Slow down at kennels/doorways; frantic energy or grabbing collars in confined spaces can trigger defensive reactions.
Minute-by-Minute Breakdown
- 00:29 – Who we are: Diamond K9—off-leash obedience, behavior work, puppies.
- 01:21 – Why seeing many dogs fast-tracks pattern recognition and effective frameworks.
- 03:45 — #3 Be Physical: Dogs don’t speak English; show them with the leash.
- 05:41 – Why we start on a prong: leverage, clarity, calm guidance; shorten the leash.
- 07:37 – Case: “Murphy” the golden—leash follow-through to get place → down when food failed.
- 09:12 — #2 Be Neutral: Corrections are neutral; anger and frustration are what spook dogs.
- 10:39 – Nervous/tense dogs read unstable energy; avoid herky-jerky leash handling.
- 14:07 – Aussie story: pressure → defensive snap; neutrality kept it manageable.
- 16:49 – Golden in kennel: rushing + reaching in = snap risk; slow down, breathe.
- 18:59 – Matching dog types: soft, tense, or pushy—how handler energy shifts outcomes.
- 21:23 – Not monotone: adjust upbeat/low-key voice as needed—without losing neutrality.
- 22:42 — #1 Be Quiet: Over-talking turns you into background noise; commands blur.
- 24:10 – On-leash, you can teach positions with pressure/release and say nothing.
- 26:36 – One word, one time. Let the cue stand alone; then guide.
- 28:11 – Practice “silent reps”: train yourself to stop talking so dogs learn faster.
- 30:04 – Recap: Be quiet, be neutral, be physical.