*INSTANTLY* Improve Dog Training Results By Managing Dog Threshold

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Massive thank you to my camera shy & social-media-hating husband for somehow being convinced to film this with me! 🙂Give Lars a thumbs up if you liked his acting debut hahaha. And yes- keeping a straight face during the skits was VERY hard, but not as hard as doing multiple takes jumping over the back of the couch while pregnant. 🙋‍♀️COMPLETE DOG TRAINING SOLUTIONS: •❓🤨 STRUGGLING WITH LEASH TRAINING? 👇 ✅ 6 Weeks to Dream Walks: Step-By-Step Leash Training Program: e37240-61.myshopify.com/products/6-weeks-to-dream-walks-step-by-step-leash-training-program •❓🐿️ STRUGGLING WITH YOUR DOG CHASING ANIMALS (indoors or outdoors)?👇 ✅ Dog Prey Drive: How to STOP Animal Chasing: e37240-61.myshopify.com/products/dog-prey-drive-how-to-stop-animal-chasing-with-force-free-methods ►👀 WATCH NEXT: ✔️ Real, UNEDITED Training Walk With a REACTIVE Dog: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g5qwhmqvbpirars ✔️ Flooding in Dog Training - What is it & should you use it? kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKDLoJmbf7eZqJI ► 🗣️ STAY CONNECTED: • Instagram (my most active platform): instagram.com/happyhounds_dogtraining/ • Facebook: facebook.com/HappyHoundsDogTraining.ca • Blog: happyhoundsdogtraining.ca/blog/ • Email list: view.flodesk.com/pages/61898eeb3a0e5bcf6f5411ec ►❤️ FAVOURITE DOG GEAR: ➡️ *ALL* my favourite dog items & discount codes: happyhoundsdogtraining.ca/shop 🧸 Amazing faux & real fur toys: www.tug-e-nuff.co.uk/?ref=happyhoundsdogtraining 🐕‍🦺 My favourite harness & dog gear: rockymountaindog.ca/?ref=ka8S8Xue 🦴 My favourite treat bag: amzn.to/3UUGF60 🦮 Beautiful custom biothane leashes (I use the hands-free version): www.hightailhikes.com?aff=212 Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! Thank you for supporting my channel so I can continue to provide you with free content.

[@katyseclecticinterests]

The mean mother in law jokes really helped me put it in perspective thanks 😉 😁 also laughing so hard at you killing the spider with what to expect when you're expecting 😂 good on your husband for getting stuck in!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Yessss I’m so glad someone noticed the book 😂 That wasn’t planned originally. I was just going to jump over the couch haha, but I got tired. That book was conveniently on the coffee table. The look of surprise on Lars face when I hit the spider with it was real 😂

[@greendogstraining2684]

Terrific content and beautifully presented. Thank you so much for making this video, and for all the great videos you so generously share without charge. They are so helpful for people.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thank you so much!!😊 I had to put my pride aside for filming this one hahaha, but I’m hoping it helps the theory stick in people’s minds ❤️

[@sarahm3614]

Thank you for this video. Your husband did a great job!! I needed this and it now makes so much sense - you did a good job explaining from the reactive dog's perspective. I found a very large female 2yo German Shepherd a few weeks ago curled up and shivering on the side of a country road. She was also starting a heat. She attached herself to me like glue. I think she was an outside "guard" dog on a chain in the country because she has been reactive (aka fearful) to almost everything in the neighborhood I live in. I am learning massive amounts watching your videos even though I have always had one or more "nice" dogs, and Gretchen, the GSD, thanks you. She is becoming less aggressive and more socialized on a slow but daily basis. I started writing down the successes we have had for the day no matter how seemingly small, and I enjoy reading them. Otherwise, I lose track of where we started and tend to get discouraged. (Also, I started out with force to train her and realized, after a week, it was counter-productive.)

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thank you, I’m glad you liked it. And what an amazing story 👏 I love that she’s ended up in a loving home after what was likely an unpleasant start to life ❤️ I also LOVE the idea of recording small improvements to look back at! Reactivity is tough on both the dog & guardian, so celebrating small wins along the way is important!

[@psyfiles7351]

What a great example with the donut and spider! I get it !

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thank you! 😀 Glad you liked it!

[@EpsilonAD]

Thank you. Signs of over threshold are helpful to know. Knowing how to recognise it and what to do to create successful results.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thanks, I’m so glad it was helpful!

[@LauraW-J]

Thank you so much! Many training videos are geared around dogs that have been with a family since a puppy or training then from puppyhood. There is too little information out there for helping people with adult rescues. I recently adopted an adult rescue who is reactive and don't know all the history of this dogs life. We have successfully worked through resource guarding but are still struggling with reactivity especially on leash. We have another leash reactive dog and sometimes they help each other to be better and other times they feed each others reactivity. I'm getting more information from you then I did in a 5 week leash reactivity course at the local humane society. I appreciate you so much!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Wow, that means so much to hear that you’re finding the videos as helpful as your course ❤️ Thank you!!

[@Katie-311]

Awesome video. Thank you for breaking this issue down and making it so relatable. Gives me a lot of insight as to what Daisy is emotionally experiencing when she is reacting to other dogs. Also i appreciate the Oscar worthy performances! 😂

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

😂😂 I’m not sure about Oscar worthy LOL, but I appreciate the compliment! I’m glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@NewJazzBeats]

Just found your dog training videos today and I must say they are the best! Thank you for explaining things so well and putting it into a perspective that makes so much sense! If you can please make a video on how to improve a dog that is reactive to house guest!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thank you so much! I'm really glad you like them 😊 I've actually filmed a reactivity to house guests video (with one of my clients that was heavily reactive to me initially) and I just need to edit it. Once I wrap up a couple baby & dog videos I'll be releasing 3 videos about reactivity at home, including that one 👏

[@kentingeolsen9320]

This video is an eureka moment 😮

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Amazing!! So glad to hear that 😁

[@Szerir]

Appreciate the video! Your explanations were great! Thanks to your insights, I have a much clearer idea of what to look for in the my dog’s behavior. I think I often mistake her over-excitement for just being happy during our walks. But now I know what to look out for! Thank you!! Also, you should be proud of yourself; it shows impressive dedication filming all those clips with creepy spiders! The moving one gave me chills! But that moment when you showed up from behind the cabinet to 'kill' one was hilarious :D

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thanks, I'm so glad you liked it and that it lead to some "aha" moments. A lot of trainers (myself included) focus content more on fear-based reactivity because it's more common, but dogs can definitely go over threshold from excitement too! One of the clients I'll be showing in a later video (Millie) was reactive simply because she wanted to go meet every person & dog and got frustrated when she couldn't. And thank you so much for the kind words about the spiders/effort! It wasn't easy hahaha. I forgot one on my work desk (tucked under some papers) after filming & gave myself a heart attack the next day 😂

[@obiblooze5902]

Really helpful, thank you, and your hubby for starring in the film. So upsetting to see the fearful dogs. I love your style of training, my rommie rescue is making really good progress.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

I'm so glad it was helpful, and extra glad you're seeing great progress 👏🙂

[@jillmartin8195]

FABULOUS!!!!! great way of explaining it

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thank you!!

[@lauren5707]

You explain things so well and make it so easy to understand. It can be confusing sometimes to focus on all the "proper" scientfic explanations and ways to say things so the way you do it is so helpful and great! I'm so exctied for all your reactive videos coming up! Also, I didn't know you were pregnant! Congratulations!! So happy for you ☺

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

I'm a bit of a science nerd, and even I still personally find some of the "theory" quite boring. I tried to make this interesting enough that it would make sense AND people would be willing to keep watching 😂 Thank you!! Yes, due in July. I hid it for quite awhile, but now it's past the point where I can hahaha

[@theoutdoorminimalist]

This is the video I wish I had when I adopted my first dog and desperately needed with my newest dog 😅 such helpful information! Thank you!!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

LOVE THAT 🥰😁 I’m so glad you found it helpful!!

[@nataliemaclise3022]

Thanks for the video. Fun and educational. I have found that gradual exposure at my puppy's pace has been very effective in helping him overcome his fears. Main one is vehicles starting and driving away. Other dogs too.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thanks! Yes, gradual exposure controlled by their comfort is key 👌😊

[@margmoore57]

This is great!! Same re spiders!! This was great info. We’re at a loss as to how to desensitize and counter condition our 1-year-old pup with respect to our cats. He can see them behind a gate and be fine but as soon as they try to come upstairs he goes into chase mode. We moved the gate down a level in an effort to get them to see each other more often, but honestly not sure if that’s the best strategy. Kind of at a loss :(

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

If you haven’t watched it yet I’d highly encourage checking out this video ☺️ STOP Animal Chasing: Complete Dog Prey Drive Tutorial kzbin.info/www/bejne/d2inaqd7aZWrpac

[@margmoore57]

@@happyhoundsdogtraining Thank you, will do!! Just now the Maine Coon kitten came up. I had them both eating treats out of my hand and Brownie was pretty calm until the kitten wanted to play, and then Brownie overwhelmed him. I was able to get Brownie to sit so the kitten could make a break for it. Funny thing is that the kitten has now gotten a taste of his own medicine because he’s constantly wrestling his older, smaller brothers to the ground 😂😂😂 We were told he’s a pit bull mix and by his markings and behavior we’re certain he has some border collie because he has a shepherd’s lantern tail tip. His fosters had cats but those cats did not run away like ours do. Thank you again!

[@happybuddha2507]

Congratulations, this is an excellent video. You clearly explained things which can be confusing to dog stewards. Yesterday I had a behavior consultation with a fearful dog and her family, and covered all of the points you addressed in your video. Hooray for Force-Free canine professionals like you!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thank you so much! 😊

[@melissapierson8389]

This is exactly what I needed at the right moment. Especially your elucidation of the signs my dog-reactive dog was showing as a puppy that I misinterpreted as "enthusiasm"--nope, it was stress. I'm now better at finding his threshold to exposure so I can work with him under it. I hope he will learn other dogs are not threats . . . and if they are, I will deal with it so he doesn't have to. Is that a thing? Anyway, really looking forward to more in this series.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

I'm so glad it was what you needed! 🙂 And yes, that's definitely a thing. Louie, one of the dogs in this video, learned during our training that he could move away from other dogs/triggers quietly if he was scared and that that was still effective. If a dog approached us and he moved away, I'd step in to do the rest.

[@michelleborchardt199]

This is SO good! I'll be heavily sharing it with all my clients!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thank you!!

[@TrainMePlease]

Great content as always Stephanie. Well done.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thanks so much Jose!

[@kriscotrone7488]

Thank you! My husband and I watched this and are eager to see you additional ones, esp tied to guest reactivity. Our pup sometimes seems to settle after guest arrival but then periodically will begin barking or trying to jump and nip at guests. I’ll return him to his mat to settle which seems to help but I want to see how we can avoid the cycle. Interested in learning more from your upcoming videos!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

I think it’ll be a good series! Basil, the dog in the guest reactivity one, was quite something haha. I’ve had extremely aggressive clients warm up to me wayyy faster than she did. I think it’ll helpful to show her since she’s a more extreme case than most 😊

[@adrijanaskorvaga7048]

You are superb...waiting for more videos....

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thank you so much 😀

[@SuziQ.]

Thank you for the video and the links. K9Tay recommended your videos.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

I’m glad it was helpful!! 😊

[@LoneLupine]

Noooo, the poor spider 😭 please don't kill real spiders, they're animals just trying to exist! Being afraid of them is valid, though. That said, I already knew everything in the vid up until the end (what to do if your dog is having a reaction), but even tho I already knew it, it was a really great refresher and well put together! I hope it helps lots of people! I have a rescue German shepherd (I'm his fifth owner) and he's been e-collar trained, I have nothing against his trainer but it just wasn't working for me, so I did what you showed here I've been doing it for a little under a year and we are making great progress, however, the inevitable outbursts happen some days. Today he was doing great, then a lady randomly pulled a giant sled out of her car, and he lost his marbles. I never know what to do once he's already over threshold, so I really appreciate you putting that part at the end. There is just no way to walk him and also avoid every trigger, it's really tough. He's so much better than he used to be, but still can't pass another dog (and sometimes people) on the trail close up. I hope I can get there some day Your video explaining that reactivity training isn't linear really helped me to keep going and not give up. Your channel has really helped me in a lot of ways. Thank you so much

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Hahaha don't worry! No real spiders were harmed in this video 😉 I'm glad you're seeing progress, even if it's slow! With you being the 5th owner I suspect there's a lot of history there to unpack & behaviour change like that never happens overnight. Kudos to you for sticking to it though! I have a LOT more leash reactivity content coming this year, so I hope that helps you too. It sounds odd, but I'd also check out the noise conditioning video I have coming out next. For some dogs that background noise on walks can be a slight trigger stack, so conditioning "outside" noises indoors can help a lot!

[@wakefulwife]

Great video! Thank you. Quick question, prey drive is not fear based (correct?). Do you treat fear based aggression and prey drive aggression the same? Bonnie can be calm, but still very watchful, around Kitty with the baby gate and some distance.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

GREAT question!! Prey drive is instinctual, not fear based. You won't see that build up of stress signs on the ladder of aggression... instead the dog will seem quite excited to pursue the "prey". I train them differently. With fear based aggression I start with counter conditioning (classical conditioning) to train that emotional response & help the dog FEEL differently about their trigger. With prey drive, I just focus on operant conditioning which is a fancy way of saying "act differently". I work on training a different way of behaving around animals (example don't chase them), not a different way of feeling. If you haven't watched it, I'd check out this tutorial I made about prey drive & how I train dogs not to chase animals 😊 kzbin.info/www/bejne/d2inaqd7aZWrpac

[@parley1994]

My right now the biggest triggers for my dog are other dogs getting too close, and people coming into the house. If another dog gets close there absolutely will be a fight. No matter how non threatening their body language. But, i have progressed to where she will listen to me if the other dog is ten or more feet away. Maybe even closer if they are calm. With people coming over. You don't even have to knock or ring the doorbell to set her off. The moment she knows someone is there she explodes. And its an immediate reaction. She goes from sleeping to " the sky is falling and the invaders are at the gate" in less than a second. She has that canine " im ready to fight someone" body language. Her body is stiff and all the hair on her back is standing up and she is barking frantically if the person tries to come in she'll charge the door and try to bite them. We have to put her in another room because there is no way anyone can come in when shes like this. She's only like this at home. When she's out in public she's significantly more willing to be approached. She'll actually ignore most people who walk passed us. And she does well when she sees the vet.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Progressing to her accepting a dog ~10ft away is great progress! 👏 How does she do if people come over but you meet them outside the home & enter together?

[@leoandrews1696]

Your videos have helped us so much, with our naughty rescue dog. May we please add a, "can you please leave the damn cat alone?!" to your list of potential future videos on breaking down the dog training experience to an understandable level, for the ordinary person. This seems like a mountain of issue to tackle, especially when the SOB cat just loves to torment the poor dog knowing that when she chases him, she's the one in trouble. I can't blame cat. Having an in-house dog to torment is high up on his perfect life list. Can't blame the dog, cos cat chasing is part of her job, as she sees it. So please, pretty please, with a cherry on top, can you help?

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

YES! That's actually one I really want to make. My own dog would've been perfect to film it with in her younger years because she was a psycho towards cats (and most small animals) before we trained that 😂 If you haven't watched it yet, I do have a lengthy tutorial about prey drive & using force free methods to train a dog not to chase animals. This one should start you in the right direction: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d2inaqd7aZWrpac

[@PaulLebow]

This is great, in theory and may work for many. Unfortunately for my dog, the threshold is a moving target which makes the concept of systematically moving the threshold impossible. On some days my dog's threshold may be 50 feet and on others, infinity. During a recent trip to an empty park he barked at imaginary triggers. I know my dog's body language pretty well so I recognize when he is under fearful stress. This really needs a controlled environment not subject to random triggers. It's not something one can do alone.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Theory (like this video) is an important thing to understand, but it's the application of it into training plans that ultimately determines success. For example, Louie (one of the reactive dogs in this video) struggled much more with large dogs than small dogs. To successfully train him with those, I knew he needed more space from larger dogs during practice (like this threshold video suggests). However, there's SO much more than that that needs to be considered. Has Louie been walked/exercised sufficiently the previous few days? Pent up energy is going to make things worse. Does he have pain (a trigger stack)? That's going to make things worse and increase his chance of a reaction. Essentially I'm saying that the theory of this video correctly indicates that smaller dogs= less space needed, but successful training is still going to require an assessment of Louie's overall state to determine the exact distance from that small dog on any particular day.

[@Clu3lessZ0mb1e]

How do you work with a dog that is reactive indoors to everything, even things that I cannot see or hear? She reacts to people walking by even if they are quite a bit down the street. She also reacts to other dogs barking. I can't leave my door open. I hate opening my windows because she is constantly barking at every little sound. I've made progress on her reactivity to people in public and to bikes while on walks but her reactivity indoors I just cant seem to get under control.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Indoor reactivity can be so frustrating! 😖 I've actually filmed two window reactivity videos (one to sights and one to sounds) and will be releasing those as soon as I wrap up some baby content!

[@Clu3lessZ0mb1e]

@happyhoundsdogtraining I can't wait to see those. I have tried a few things but it doesn't seem to work. One technique I've tried is the "look at that" command and she looks at a trigger then looks back to me without reacting and I reward her but as soon as the rewards are gone, she will bark. Another trainer I saw said when a dog hears a sound and barks get up and toss treats and do this every time and it will start to change the emotion behind it. I tried to do that but she barks so much and she wouldn't stop for just her kibble and I'd run out of treats in a day if I gave her some every time she barked. It's definitely frustrating but I remind myself that she's having a hard time. I even started giving her cbd oil but that didn't help much either.

[@MarthaBrown-fg7ic]

Our dog is reactive to all those things. I can’t predict when many of them will occur.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

This particular video is theory/info, but I have many tutorials "out in the real world" with reactive dogs 🙂

[@dianekiley9556]

Hi. I am going broke trying to find a collar/ or harness that my pittie doesn't react to. He wants to go out, but the minute you hold up a harness or collar, he reacts now, by bowing down and growling. Almost like play, but it's definitely not enjoyment, he runs then comes back, then does the threshold thing. We are senior citizens who rescued a 4 mo old puppy that grew to 70 lbs of muscle. We can't just use a regular collar, he is bunny reactive. Our old bones cannot take more falls. Help. You have my email. I enjoy your videos and emails. Thanks.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Hi! It's smart to use a harness to protect his neck if he's reactive 😊 Rather than trying to find one he doesn't react to, I'd work on conditioning his response the harness. I have a video for that which I'll link here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hKvIfpudfbN5eNU As for email, I have a personal boundary that I only correspond to my clients via email. I enjoy making these videos & replying to comments on YT (I feel public replies likely help numerous people that read them), but as a one person company I'm unable time-wise to reply to email requests for 1:1 advice via email!