"Capture" the behavior you love!
Instead of spending all your time trying to stop behaviors you do NOT want, spend a whole lot more time reinforcing behaviors you DO want. Try our 'Thirty Terrific Times' Training game.
Donna Ashley, CPDT-KA, CBATI-KA
1/22/2025
Here's a great way to improve your dog's behavior, by simply capturing the behaviors he offers throughout the day that you want & love.
Trainer & Applied Animal Behaviorist Kathy Sdao writes about S.M.A.R.T - See Mark And Reward Training in her book “Plenty in Life is Free”. The technique can be summarized simply:
“...𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙙𝙖𝙮, 𝙧𝙚𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙙𝙤𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙙𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛”
The technique outlined in the book suggests 'capturing' behaviors you love about 50 times a day.
Let's make it a little easier as you start out, and try to see, mark and reinforce at least 30 behaviors you love everyday!
And let's call the challenge, 'Thirty Terrific Times' to observe that your dog is brilliant and you capture that behavior!
