PRINCIPLE 2 OF 10
Many behavior problems disappear when the environment changes, not the dog. Reducing unnecessary sensory pressure creates the calm and clarity a dog needs to make good decisions.
3 Variables We Control First
Distance, Timing, Noise
Before Any Cue Is Given
This principle means proactively shaping a dog’s surroundings, distance from triggers, noise levels, foot traffic, timing, instead of relying purely on commands to override a stressed nervous system.
A dog standing too close to a busy dog park entrance, or crowded onto a narrow café patio, is set up to fail before a single cue is given. Managing the environment first prevents rehearsal of the very behaviors we’re trying to change.
Change the environment first, it’s often faster than changing the dog.
In our Public Access Training and Daily Boot Camp programs, we deliberately choose locations, distances, and times of day that put each dog in a position to succeed, gradually increasing difficulty as skills build.
Related reading: How to Train Your Dog to Stay Calm in Cafés and Public Spaces
Choosing the right distance from triggers before any command is given.
The same dog, the same walk, two very different approaches.
BEFORE
AFTER
Not sure which environments are working against you? We’ll help you map it out.
Serving Sausalito, Marin County & the Bay Area since 1999.
