Good Dawg Training LLC

The struggle is real? Anyone else have this problem?

👁️ 👁️ WANT A BULLETPROOF “DOWN”?

Ever notice your dog popping right back up the second they swallow their treat? 🛑 That is not a duration issue. That is a handler mechanics issue.
When you reach for your treat pouch before you mark ( say good, yes or click), or feed the second they hit the floor, you accidentally teach them that the position is just a pitstop.
To build a reliable, calm “down” that lasts, you need clean mechanics and surgical treat delivery. Try this exact sequence today. 👇

🛠️ The Mechanics Break Down
1️⃣ Lose the pouch reach.
Keep your hands neutral at your sides or on your thighs.
2️⃣ Wait for the behavior.
Wait until your dog’s elbows and hips fully touch the ground.
3️⃣ Deliver the Marker.
Say your marker word (“Yes!” or click).
4️⃣ Feed IN position.
Move your hand to feed directly between their front paws. Do not let them stretch up or break form to reach your hand.

Build Duration
Instead of waiting longer to feed, feed multiple times while they stay down. Then start shaping them looking up to make eye contact with you.

Ignoring unwanted behavior while rewarding wanted behavior is highly effective and is a core principle of positive reinforcement training. This approach works because dogs repeat actions that earn them rewards (attention, food, toys) and abandon actions that result in no payoff.

What to look for when choosing Puppy Social Sessions:

Certified Trainers: Holds science-based credentials
Vaccination Rules: Requires first shots seven days before attendance
Small Sizes: Limits attendance
Size Matching: Separates groups by physical size and personality
Active Management: Interrupts bullying
Sanitized Floors: Uses disinfected indoor flooring surfaces
Handler Education: Teaches owners to read subtle canine body language

In my 27 years of training marine mammals, we used the LRS as a kind and consistent response to incorrect or unwanted behavior.
An LRS stands for Least Reinforcing Scenario. A trainer deliberately responds with total neutrality and a brief pause immediately following an animal’s incorrect response or unwanted behavior. Developed by marine mammal trainers in the 1980s to manage behavior without using punishment.

* Creates Chronic Anxiety: Dogs often cannot identify where the sudden shock is coming from. This random, invisible pain leaves them in a constant state of hyper-vigilance and high stress.
* Leads to Learned Helplessness: When a dog shuts down, stops moving, or freezes, it is often misidentified as “good behavior.” In reality, the dog has entered a state of psychological paralysis because it feels completely powerless to stop the pain.
* Triggers Redirected Aggression: A dog experiencing a painful shock may associate the pain with whatever it is looking at in that exact moment. This frequently causes them to suddenly attack nearby dogs, owners, or children.

2. Physical Injuries
* Causes Electrical Burns: Continuous or high-level stimulation can cause severe electrical and thermal burns on a dog’s neck.
* Leads to Pressure Necrosis: The metal contact points must be pressed firmly against the dog’s skin. If left on too long, the constant pressure cuts off blood flow, causing the flesh to decay and form open, infected sores.
* Risk of System Malfunctions: Technical glitches can cause the collar to “lock up” and deliver a continuous, high-voltage shock until the batteries are manually removed.

3. High Risk of Misuse and Cruelty
* Driven by Human Frustration: When a dog does not comply, frustrated owners frequently crank up the intensity dial, transforming a training tool into an instrument of pure punishment.
* Inconsistent Timing: Average pet owners lack the split-second timing required for operant conditioning. Shocking a dog even two seconds too late punishes the wrong behavior, leaving the dog deeply confused and terrified.
* Hides the Root Problem: Masking symptoms (like barking or lunging) with pain completely ignores whythe dog is doing it. Suppressing the warning signs often results in a dog that bites without warning.