When Dog Training Doesn’t Go As Planned: How To Make Adjustments To Find Success #301
Shaped by Dog with Susan Garrett
DogsThat
4.8 • 679 Ratings
🗓️ 28 March 2025
⏱️ 20 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Visit us at shapedbydog.com
Have you ever felt stuck when you are training your dog? Or wondered what to do when things aren't working? I’m sharing how to troubleshoot, adjust, and turn things around with a fix for common mistakes. We’re looking at why training might not be working, what to do about it, essential foundations that make all training easier, and strategies to put on the brakes when things are going in a direction you don’t want.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
• Why dog training sometimes doesn’t go as planned and what to do when your dog just isn’t getting it.
• What should be included in your strategic protocol (Relationship, Recall, Retrieve and Reinforcement Zone) and how they impact training success.
• About the key training games and exercises: ItsYerChoice, Crate Games, Relaxation Protocol, Tug Games, Hot Zone and Perch Work.
• How to join the ItsYerChoice Summit, 100% free.
• Why “Criteria is Joy.”
• Why having a dedicated Training Den helps build confidence.
• The importance of establishing and transferring value.
• How to create clarity in training so your dog understands exactly what you want.
• About recognizing signs of frustration in your dog and taking their feedback.
• The key to adding distractions, duration, and distance without overwhelming your dog.
• How to adjust your training plan so your dog succeeds.
• My best tip: Take a Paws (pause!) when things aren’t going right - small changes can make a big difference!
Special Discounts To Join Or Gift Our Online Programs
Check out our 300th Episode & 5th Anniversary Celebration Page - https://dogsthat.com/celebration-central/
ItsYerChoice Summit:
Learn How to Play ItsYerChoice - https://recallers.com/iycsummit-join/
Crate Games Online:
Get Crate Games Online - https://get.crategames.com/
Resources:
1. Podcast Episode 228: Navigating Failure In Dog Training: What’s Your Plan B? - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/228/
2. Susan Garrett’s Shaped by Dog Podcast - https://dogsthat.com/podcasts/
3. Podcast Episode 255: Rescue Dog Training: Priorities For Your First Week Together - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/255/
4. YouTube Video: Understanding Your Dog's Reinforcement Zone (RZ) with Susan Garrett - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaUAScgaFAg
5. Live Stream Replay: Celebrating 300 With A Week of Positivity & Learning - https://www.youtube.com/live/-qligctVSFw
6. YouTube Playlist: Target Training for Dogs with Susan Garrett - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLphRRSxcMHy3ylCyQ2bJQSCwo_ERiVHj3
7. Podcast Episode 191: Get Your Dog To Calm Down With This Common Sense Protocol For Relaxation - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/191/
8. Podcast Episode 107: Pedicure Please: 3 Steps To Dog Nail Trimming Or Grooming Success At Home! - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/107/
9. YouTube Video: Susan Garrett’s Perch Work Dog Tricks (Pivots and Spins) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6sj6fTJnFc
10. Podcast Episode 267: How To Use A Training Den To Fast Track Your Dog’s Success: No Space? No Problem! - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/267/
11. Podcast Episode 257: How To Use Your Dog’s Favorite Reinforcements To Fix Unwanted Inadvertent Behaviors - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/257/
12. YouTube Playlist: Puppy Essentials with Susan Garrett Dog Training - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLphRRSxcMHy2hywpv3Md3HbWWPPbVF8W5
13. DogsThat YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@DogsThat/videos
14. YouTube Playlist: Dog Body Language, Communication Signals, and How to Read Dogs with Susan Garrett - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLphRRSxcMHy2IwzRwAWcG0yK8oez1nPU0
15. Podcast Episode 131: How Would Susan Garrett Plan Your Dog Training Sessions? - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/131/
16. Podcast Episode 295: Fear Of Criticism? Why Facing The Camera Is The First Step To Becoming A Better Dog Trainer - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/295/
17. Podcast Episode 256: What Was That Cookie For?! When Positive Reinforcement In Dog Training Goes Wrong - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/256/
18. Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/NoUkg8RDpms
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | A common question are online students that ask of us is, what can I do when I get stuck? |
| 0:07.0 | What can I do when training just doesn't work? |
| 0:10.4 | What can I do when I don't know what to do? |
| 0:13.7 | And if you've ever been in that situation, I think you're going to like today's podcast. |
| 0:27.7 | Okay. today's podcast. Hi, I'm Susan Garrett. |
| 0:29.1 | Welcome to Shaped by Dog. |
| 0:30.8 | And I've done several podcast episodes where I've talked about plan B, like in episode |
| 0:37.3 | number 228, where I talked about |
| 0:39.3 | training a dog that I was getting failures that I didn't expect and what I could do. |
| 0:43.8 | You might want to refer back to that episode for sure. |
| 0:47.4 | I want to talk to you today, though, about why you might get like this breakdown in |
| 0:54.0 | your training, what you can do about it, and how to train |
| 0:57.6 | to minimize this. First off, what I'm going to say is you're going to get frustrated from time |
| 1:04.9 | to time. The amount of frustration is really dependent upon your level of experience. Now, if you're in one of my online |
| 1:13.5 | programs, I should have created such a perfect training protocol for you that it virtually never |
| 1:22.1 | happens. And if it does occasionally happens, we have coaches that you can say, look at this is what I'm doing |
| 1:28.2 | and this is what I'm getting. But if you're not in one of my online classrooms, I just want to make |
| 1:32.7 | sure that you are following a strategic protocol. So I'm going to tell you just an overview of what |
| 1:39.3 | I think training looks like. If you have been listening to Shape by Dog, you know I value three big groups of |
| 1:45.0 | skills. First off, when I get a puppy, when I get a rescue dog, I want to spend a big part of |
| 1:50.4 | my time investing in our relationship, the recall, the retrieve and reinforcement zone. Reenforcement |
| 1:57.8 | zone comes a little bit later. So really the big three are up front, |
... |
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