Grass to sniff. A yard to run around. Dirt in which to dig. A human taking the leash means walk time! People who move around and give lots of attention. Ugh, what do all of these have in common? They get many tails wagging and they have the potential to be major sources of dog handler stress.
…but they don’t need to be your enemy. In fact the opportunity to do all of those things can actually be an asset to your teaching and strengthening of wanted behaviors. [Read more…] about Distractions As Reinforcers