Visit us at shapedbydog.com

If your dog has ever "known" a verbal cue but didn't respond the first time you asked, it may be that your cue has been poisoned. In this episode, you'll discover why that happens, the most common reasons cues lose their power, and how to set your dog up for success before you ever add a word. I'm sharing the system I use to build consistent, confident behavior first, so when you finally add the cue, it simply reflects a rich history of reinforcement. The result is powerful, clean, and effective verbal cues your dog responds to anywhere with clarity and confidence.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• Why a cue doesn't create the behavior but rather reveals the training that came before it.
• The reasons cues lose their power and become "poisoned."
• The ideal timing for adding a verbal cue (and when not to add one).
• The four ways behavior is created.
• How antecedent arrangements create success before a cue is ever added.
• Why using cues as praise weakens their effectiveness.
• The danger of repeating cues or pairing them with your dog's name.
• How to rebrand a cue if you've added it too early.
• How clean cues create confident dogs who listen anywhere.

Get Crate Games Online:
Crate Games Online - https://get.crategames.com/

Resources:

1. Podcast Episode 245: Make Dog Training Easy! Quick Guide To Antecedent Arrangements - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/245/
2. Podcast Episode 170: 5 Popular Ways To Train Your Dog With Food - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/170/
3. Podcast Episode 261: Common Misconceptions Around Shaping: Why You May Find Dog Training Frustrating - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/261/
4. Podcast Episode 322: Loose Leash Walking Starts Without A Leash - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/322/
5. YouTube Playlist: Target Training for Dogs with Susan Garrett - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLphRRSxcMHy3ylCyQ2bJQSCwo_ERiVHj3&si=G-eNxXPtElfK1y0Z
6. YouTube Video: Understanding Your Dog's Reinforcement Zone (RZ) with Susan Garrett - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaUAScgaFAg
7. YouTube Video: Susan Garrett's Perch Work Dog Tricks (Pivots and Spins) - https://youtu.be/O6sj6fTJnFc?si=KvaVdO7pIZzFVCcc
8. Podcast Episode 175: Food Luring VS Shaping In Dog Training: How Science Changed How I Teach Dogs - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/175/
9. Podcast Episode 155: 10 Ways To Teach A Sit WITHOUT A Food Lure! Unreal Results For Puppies And Dogs Of All Ages - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/155/
10. Podcast Episode 184: Proofing Vs Generalizing In Dog Training To Grow Skills And Confidence - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/184/
11. Podcast Episode 173: Target Training For Dogs: How, Why, And When To Fade Targets - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/173/
12. Podcast Episode 6: The Art of Manipulation - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/6/
13. Podcast Episode 295: Fear Of Criticism? Why Facing The Camera Is The First Step To Becoming A Better Dog Trainer - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/295/
14. Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/es-wh4CVqTE

Visit us at shapedbydog.com

The first two weeks with your puppy are when what you grow is what you get. In these early days, everyday choices shape how your puppy learns, rests, and stays engaged long before cues are added. In this episode, I share a real-life puppy story to show how well-intended decisions can accidentally grow behaviors you weren't aiming to teach, and why raising a puppy with the future in mind supports clarity, confidence, and the relationship you're building as your puppy develops.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• How small, everyday choices can accidentally grow puppy behaviors you don't want to see.
• A real-life puppy story that highlights common early choices.
• Two critical lessons for new puppy owners.
• Why management is proactive, not restrictive.
• What early crate, sleep, and management choices are really teaching.
• Why positive training is not permissive training.
• What good leadership looks like with a puppy.
• How off-leash freedom too soon can lead to disengagement.
• Why a puppy's name should be protected and meaningful.
• Why naming behaviors too early can create confusion.
• Why behaviors should be conditioned before cues are added.
• How cues lose clarity when used as praise.
• What it means to raise a puppy using a long-term lens.
• How Recallers games support focus, engagement, and early learning.

Make Good Decisions Today With The Future In Mind, Start Playing The Recaller Games
Join Recallers - https://recallers.com/special-opportunity/

Get Crate Games Online:
Crate Games Online - https://get.crategames.com/

Resources:

1. Shaped by Dog Podcast - https://dogsthat.com/podcasts/
2. Podcast Episode 166: Puppy Freedom: How Much Is Too Much? - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/166/
3. Podcast Episode 30: Why Dog Crates Are Not Dog Cages - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/30/
4. Podcast Episode 98: Puppy Home Alone: Are You Creating Chaos or Calm? - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/98/
5. Podcast Episode 48: Potty Train Your Puppy in a Week (Easy 3 Step Process) - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/48/
6. YouTube Video: Understanding Your Dog's Reinforcement Zone (RZ) with Susan Garrett - https://youtu.be/OaUAScgaFAg
7. Podcast Episode 302: The Recall Myth: Why Your Off Leash Dog Isn't Coming When Called And How To Fix It - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/302/
8. Podcast Episode 58: How to Create Kid Friendly Dogs and Dog Friendly Kids - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/58/
9. Podcast Episode 113: Your Dog's Verbal Cues And Hand Signals: How To Effectively Train Both - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/113/
10. Podcast Episode 16: The Thing Before Your Dog's Thing - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/16/
11. Podcast Episode 155: 10 Ways To Teach A Sit WITHOUT A Food Lure! Unreal Results For Puppies And Dogs Of All Ages - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/155/
12. YouTube Playlist: Puppy Training with Susan Garrett - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLphRRSxcMHy2SggplHx3uEWAjXOL9hI21
13. Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/j93tOUhvrrg

Visit us at shapedbydog.com

Why dogs "ignore" commands has less to do with defiance and more to do with education. When a dog doesn't respond, it's easy to label it as disobedience, but what that moment actually offers is feedback on what the dog has learned. In this episode, I'm breaking down the difference between commands and cues, how Antecedent, Behavior, and Consequence shape understanding, and why dogs respond to pictures rather than words alone. When cues are taught with intention, reliability grows naturally, and responses become confident, joyful, and consistent, wherever you are.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• The difference between giving a command and cueing a behavior.

• Why a dog not responding isn't disobedience, but feedback on their education.

• How Antecedent, Behavior, and Consequence work together in training.

• Why dogs think in pictures and not in words.

• What causes cues to fall apart in new situations.

• How food can unintentionally become the focus instead of the behavior.

• A real-world "sit" example with Kim's dog, Belief.

• Why reinforcement isn't about eliminating rewards, but about evolving what is reinforcing for the dog.

• What well-taught cues have in common under distraction and distance.

Resources:

1. Podcast Episode 245: Make Dog Training Easy! Quick Guide To Antecedent Arrangements - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/245/

2. Podcast Episode 177: Dog Training Outside The Box: Transfer Of Value Case Study - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/177/

3. Podcast Episode 135: Test Your Dog's Sit Stay Training - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/135/

4. Podcast Episode 205: The Hidden World Of Reinforcement For Dogs And Why You Need To Know - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/205/

5. Podcast Episode 144: Teach Your Dog To Listen No Matter What… Even If You Think They Are Stubborn - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/144/

6. Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/uI5YtGIriRg

Visit us at shapedbydog.com

Loose leash walking starts without a leash. I would like you to think for a moment about what kind of an emotional experience it is to take your dog for a leashed walk. For some people there is lunging, jumping, spinning, barking, or zig-zagging. Different behaviors, same outcome. What is meant to be exercise, connection, and calm ends up feeling frustrating instead. In this episode, I'm sharing why leash walking fails so often and why it's not because you or your dog have done something wrong. Leash walking breaks down when expectations severely outpace education, and once you understand where that breakdown happens, you'll never approach walking your dog on a leash the same way again.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• What leash walking feels like for both ends of the leash.
• The difference between what we expect from our dogs and what they've actually been taught.
• Why leash walking is one of the most unnatural behaviors we ask dogs to perform.
• How teaching leash walking in reverse sets dogs up to fail.
• Why behavior does not grow in isolation.
• The role the 5C Pyramid plays in building real-world understanding.
• Why distraction is rarely the real issue on leash.
• What changes when education catches up to expectations.
• How seeing where leash walking breaks down changes everything.

Join J-Walking:
Write to us at wag@dogsthat.com with the subject line "Connected Walking" for a very special opportunity to join us in J-Walking.

Resources:

1. Podcast Episode 21: The 5C Pyramid - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/21/
2. Podcast Episode 245: Make Dog Training Easy! Quick Guide To Antecedent Arrangements - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/245/
3. Podcast Episode 144: Teach Your Dog To Listen No Matter What… Even If You Think They Are Stubborn - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/144
4. YouTube Video: Understanding Your Dog's Reinforcement Zone (RZ) with Susan Garrett - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaUAScgaFAg&feature=youtu.be
5. Podcast Episode 74: Yes, Susan Garrett's Dogs Sniff On Walks - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/74
6. Podcast Episode 24: Distraction Intensity Index: Help For Dogs Who Chase Chipmunks, Bicycles, And Neighbor's Cats - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/24/
7. YouTube Video: Susan Garrett's Perch Work Dog Tricks (Pivots and Spins) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=KvaVdO7pIZzFVCcc&v=O6sj6fTJnFc&feature=youtu.be
8. Fitness Planks from Galican - Coupon code SBD15 for 15% off - https://runitagilityequipment.ca/products/training-board
9. Podcast Episode 32: 20 Easy Ways to Exercise Your Dog at Home - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/32
10. Podcast Episode 317: 20 Exercises That Help Your Dog Live Longer: Start Today! - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/317
11. Podcast Episode 314: Dog Enrichment Secrets Part 1: Using Your Dog's Natural Instincts To Build Variety And Engagement - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/314
12. Podcast Episode 315: Dog Enrichment Secrets Part 2: 30 Day Enrichment Challenge + Free Planner PDF - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/315
13. Podcast Episode 176: Why Your Dog's Emotions Are A Critical Element Of Dog Training - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/176
14. YouTube Playlist: Loose Leash Walking with Susan Garrett - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLphRRSxcMHy1mGMfdVKXq_hiJ27Ej1shW
15. Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/sXjX6CkzEVI

Visit us at shapedbydog.com

A lick mat can feel like magic when it brings instant peace to a whiny or restless puppy, but sometimes that calm comes after a buildup we don't even notice. I'm taking a closer look at what drives that rising anticipation and how small, thoughtful changes can shift the pattern toward calm, confidence, and comfort. With a bit of intention, lick mats can become tools that support your puppy's emotional well-being rather than fuel anxious routines or unwanted behaviors.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• Why puppies start whining, circling, pawing, bouncing, or barking before you deliver a lick mat.

• The "thing before the thing" and how anticipation becomes reinforcement.

• What to do first when your puppy is anxious, whiny, or restless.

• The different stages of using a lick mat to support wanted behavior.

• How to prepare lick mats without triggering excitement.

• How to create a new trigger so calm behavior predicts the lick mat.

• Ways to use lick mats for fear, visitors at the door, and environmental distractions.

• Why lick mats should not be a lifelong crutch and how to use them with intention.

Resources:

1. Podcast Episode 16: The Thing Before Your Dog's Thing - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/16/

2. Podcast Episode 314: Dog Enrichment Secrets Part 1: Using Your Dog's Natural Instincts To Build Variety And Engagement - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/314/

3. Podcast Episode 315: Dog Enrichment Secrets Part 2: 30 Day Enrichment Challenge + Free Planner PDF - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/315/

4. Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/U5zFK_WkHpY

Visit us at shapedbydog.com

Many dogs start spinning, barking, or rushing when the leash comes out or you head toward the door, but what if the hidden source of that on leash chaos actually begins earlier than you think? In this episode, I'm sharing how to uncover what is reinforcing your dog's unwanted behaviors and how to build calm, connected exits using simple conditioning strategies and games so every walk begins with confidence and connection rather than chaos and pulling.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• Why some dogs react long before the walk even starts.
• What "follow the money" means and how it reveals the real reason your dog is getting overexcited.
• A real-life example of reinforcement patterns we often miss.
• How picking up the leash becomes a conditioned emotional trigger for many dogs.
• Ways to create a positive C.E.R. around touching the leash.
• Why the connected Collar Grab is valuable for creating calm focus.
• How adding the cue "connect" helps dogs check-in reliably.
• What connected exits look like at low distraction levels.
• How toys, bowls, and movement create opportunities to strengthen connection.
• Why creating small daily "moments of connection" builds great habits.
• How a simple Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) can set every walk up for success.

Resources:

1. Podcast Episode 16: The Thing Before Your Dog's Thing - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/16/
2. YouTube Playlist: Help For Dogs Jumping Up and Excited Greetings: Creating Calm with Susan Garrett - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLphRRSxcMHy3KQXSC-3IzEdBgBetrl2YP&si=VfdPaAqO4mRgJs7i
3. Podcast Episode 18: 4 Puppy and Dog Training Games for Acquired Bite Inhibition - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/18/
4. Podcast Episode 176: Why Your Dog's Emotions Are A Critical Element Of Dog Training - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/176/
5. Podcast Episode 24: Distraction Intensity Index: Help For Dogs Who Chase Chipmunks, Bicycles, And Neighbor's Cats - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/24/
6. Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/GX7-sJna-Cc