Show Notes
In this episode, we are talking about Demand Barking. This is a three-part series, at least for now. For the first two episodes, I'll be sharing my thoughts and what I've learned about working with dogs that "demand" bark. And then for the 3rd episode, we'll talk to a guest on the subject! In this episode, we discuss how barking isn't just one behavior, it's actually a lot of different behaviors that we lump into one category, in order to figure out what to do about problematic barking, we need to know what the function of that behavior is, we discuss the emotional underpinnings of the behavior we often label "demand barking", why that matters, and why I keep using air quotes around those words, why I'm no longer so invested in the most common advice, which is to ignore the dog, and we start getting into some other strategies to try out instead, like teaching a range of alternate behaviors that your dog can use to get their needs met - that you actively reinforce - that are not quite as annoying as being screamed at. For full show notes and transcript, visit: www.hannahbranigan.dog/podcast/181 This podcast is supported by MET Conference 2024: www.metconference.com/
More from Drinking From the Toilet: Real dogs, Real training
Protected contact gets filed under zoo training, the thing you do when your learner can eat you. Hannah used to think that way too, right up until she noticed she'd been quietly using barriers with dogs and horses for years and getting far more out of them than safety. In this solo episode she makes the case that a fence, an ex pen, or a PVC pole on the ground is a training accelerator, not a consolation prize, and walks through how to fade one down to almost nothing while keeping every benefit.
Hannah follows up last episode's hot take on training speed with a deeper dive into the matching law, the behavioral principle that describes how learners allocate behavior in proportion to reinforcement schedules. She covers the original pigeon experiments, what decades of follow-up research have complicated, and how understanding this equation (without actually doing the math) can make you a more thoughtful and effective trainer in real life.
Somewhere on the internet, someone is arguing that using a leash means you aren't really a force-free trainer. In this solo episode, Hannah unpacks the difference between impact and intent, explains why force-free training is a set of values rather than a guarantee of perfection, and gets into the mechanics of how a leash can function as a neutral tactile cue trained entirely through positive reinforcement. If you've ever felt defensive when someone questions your training tools, this one gives you a more grounded way to think it through. Key Takeaways: Force-free training is an aspirational value system, not a pass/fail test: Holding that value means you're always asking what you can do better, not claiming you're already perfect.
In this episode, we explore strategies to achieve faster and more precise behaviors in dog training. I discuss how clarity, timing, and reinforcement techniques can improve your dog's response times, reduce hesitation, and build confidence. Tune in for practical tips to keep your training sessions clean and effective. Key Points: - Clear communication prevents slow or hesitant behaviors in dogs. - Reinforcement clarity is crucial, even when using a high rate of rewards. - Capturing and reinforcing the initial signs of a behavior leads to quicker responses. - Consistent timing with marker cues enhances behavior speed. - Minimizing duration requirements can accelerate behavior performance. For full show notes and transcript, visit: www.hannahbranigan.dog/podcast/187 This episode is supported by Patreon: www.patreon.com/DFTT