So sorry, access to the free mini-course is closed.
Iβll probably offer something similar in the future, though, so donβt despair. Meanwhile, as consolation, here are some blog posts that my readers have found the most interesting on this topic:
Animal Behaviour Courses
Karolina,
It has been great to have you as my teacher. Thank you for all your knowledge and for sharing it. I will be thinking about it with all my interaction with animals from this time forward…. and with humans.
Thank you!
Susan
You’re welcome, Susan – so glad that you enjoyed it! π
Where I work, one of the dogs that arrived for Boarding yesterday afternoon was not sure if she was wanted to be there or where is mom. I spent time with her a couple of times and she was getting better every time. More relaxed and calming down. She first showed me her back end and wanted me to rub and scratch, then her chest and belly. and then chinny chin chin. Very glad she showed me all her favorite spots and it made her very happy. Thank you for teaching consent!
You’re welcome – and thank YOU for sharing that heart-warming story! π
Never mind my previous comment about how the course works, hadn’t watched Video 4.
Great information that I can use as a dog walker at my local shelter! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Lisa! π
My research and work are on nutrition, particularly species inappropriate diets, and how they can affect behavior with a focus on feline diets and biochemistry. Iβm hoping your correlation to neurotransmitters, different emotions, and different parts of the brain touched on in the mini course can help me have a better understanding from the behavior perspective and how we might support specific neurotransmitters through nutrients,
An interesting area of research for sure – and one we’re only in the early days of fully understanding! π
I would appreciate any and all suggestions as we go through the course. Terri
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Thank you so much for this training! ^^
Loved especially the insightful tips with regards to touch and consent.
My experience with dogs has mostly been with the strays in Turkey where I’m from, and the way I ask for consent is I crouch and invite them to come for pets, if they like. And when/if they do I first pet them gently on their underchins or breasts a few seconds and wait for them to respond how they feel about it. Some lay on their backs and bare their bellies for pets, some give me kisses, some paw at me for more touch and some turn their hinds towards me for pets on the bakparti. <3 Love them so much.
Thanks for a very instructive content and an extremely pedagogical and lovely presentation, Karolina! Hoppas vi ses snart.
Glad you enjoyed it, Zeynep – and thanks for sharing; I can really picture those dogs, such a lovely scene! π
I finally read your two blogs posted under the 4th Video. FANTASTIC! The horse I spoke of in an above comment, I had already planned to use SD to help him become more brave. Now I will add CC to make it CC/SD. I, at last, feel like I can do a good job for him.
I have also been paying attention to Lockie Phillip’s Emotional Horsemanship and am finding a great overlap between his teachings and yours. You both speak the same “language” of Learning and Behavior.
I wish that this knowledge had been available in my younger days, but at age of almost 73 now, at least I can help the horses I have now, and share with other people.
Laura – that put a smile on my face – thank you! So glad those posts resonated with you! π
I just found these videos and have an extremely smart dog, Aussie cattle
Dog mix i adoptrd 2 years ago. Only problem i have is with walking him and some Background. he had two loose dogs come running at him and so he growled and stood his ground. I csn tdke him to his groomer snd heβs fine. What can i do to stleast have him comfortable even walking past dog across thr street? Thanks
Hi Sandie – you may want to explore Grisha Stewart’s BAT concept: https://grishastewart.com/bat-overview/
best of luck! π
Re: abrupt emotional state changes: when my dog approaches another dog…sniffs but…seems calm…walks away…and then returns to the dog aggressively.
I am presently creating a series of webinars on canine behaviour for staff and residents of transition houses…to help them to be more confident accepting dogs into their facilities. This info. is so very helpful…I might just be registering in the longer course!
So glad you found this useful, Jan! Might *see* you in the big course, then! π
Karolina,
I have wanted to take your mini-course for the past two years and, for whatever reason, could never find the time. I was committed to doing it this year. This morning, I completed the 4th video, and after completing this post, I will sign up for the full class.
I became interested in animal emotions about this time of year 28 years ago when I took my Cairn Terrier, Gus, to a brand-new vet. The vet promptly grabbed Gus by the head to administer an intranasal Bordetella vaccine. Gus went from fear to rage instantly and also bit the vet. I commented on the vet’s approach stating he had scared Gus and was told, “Don, animals don’t experience emotions.” We left in disbelief.
As a new pet care professional in 1996, I made it my mission to learn more about emotions and animals and to teach my clients and students the importance of understanding that a pet’s feelings are as important as their own. Looking back, it was somewhat ironic because, as a child, I was a big fan of Mr. Spock from Star Trek and tried to emulate his attitude towards emotion.
I look forward to learning more!
Hi Don – great seeing you here! I’m hoping that no vet will say that to a client today, but I’m not staking any money on that statement…
Looking forward to *seeing* you in the full course! π
I admire your work. I am also in awe of your students. Out in the world you see so many people oblivious to their pets needs and feelings, not to mention the blatant cruelty that goes on every day in animal industries. Taking your thought-provoking courses and reading the comments of caring people, who want to know more and do right by their animals, is a hopeful and optimistic experience. I hope more animal lovers and guardians find you and benefit from your courses as well.
Thanks G – the force-free/ fear-free community is growing – many people are finding their tribe online, and it’s a sanctuary compared to the daily interactions they have with neighbors, colleagues and family! π
Thank you so much for this wonderful mini-course! I really enjoyed it, and learned even more! The lessons you share in this course are so valuable, Iβm telling everyone around me who has animals or works with animals about your work and this course. I really hope they will start looking into your courses, blog posts etc.
I just finished video 4. Great that these videoβs are available for a few days still, because I got the flu earlier this week and I learned that bad health doesnβt help optimal learning at all. And I still want to take notes about video 4! So I hope Iβll get to that in a day or two.
About your question in video 3: I use consent tests with my own dog and other animals I meet. With my own dog, I touch her gently for a few seconds, then retrieve my hand and wait. I usually donβt have to wait long! One of her favorite spots are her hips. After I ask for consent, she βparks inβ her rear end, sits down and waits for me to start rubbing her hips. When Iβm doing this, she straightens her back and leans back further towards me, until she makes optimal body contact with me. I think she does this because she really enjoyes it, of course, and because it makes her feel safe and helps her βgroundβ.
And sometimes, after the consent test, she turns her head away or backs down a little. A clear βno, not nowβ.
Thanks again for giving free access to this mini course!
You’re welcome, Lotte – and thanks so much for sharing that heart-warming story, and for helping me spread the word. Hope you feel better soon! π
Stor uppfΓΆdare sedan mΓ₯nga Γ₯r, mycket intresserad av mentalitet. Jag hΓ₯ller i stort med dig, jag pratar mycket om att kΓ€nsloreglera vΓ₯ra hundar, frΓ€mst valpar. Och jag fΓΆrstΓ₯r absolut ditt sΓ€tt att se pΓ₯ kΓ€nslor och fΓΆrsΓΆka fΓ₯ hundar i en bra kΓ€nsla. Men att ta en hund hΓΆga energier innebΓ€r, enligt mig, att den reagerar mycket fortare. Detta Γ€r anledningen till att jag enbart drar upp mina hundar i hΓΆga positiva kΓ€nslor i miljΓΆer jag har kontroll (hyfsad) ΓΆver. Jag tycker absolut att man ska trΓ€na fΓΆrebyggande, men jag fΓΆredrar ett neutralt lugn framfΓΆr hΓΆga energier. Jag skulle dΓ€rfΓΆr aldrig bjuda mina hundar pΓ₯ jΓ€ttegott godis hos veterinΓ€ren, eftersom om nΓ₯got negativt hΓ€nder reagerar hunden mycket mer. Jag bjuder pΓ₯ positivt lugn, och sedan passivitets trΓ€ning. Jag lΓ€r alla mina valpar frΓ₯n 4 veckors Γ₯lder, precis som deras mΓΆdrar gΓΆr, att nΓ€r det kommer till omvΓ₯rdnad bryr vi oss inte om protester, vi hΓ₯ller fast och fortsΓ€tter. SΓ₯ fort valpen mjuknar mjuknar vi och slΓ€pper av trycket. Det hΓ€nder ofta dΓ₯ att de blir alla, nΓ€stan somnar nΓ€r vi klappar, slickar pΓ₯ dem. DΓ₯ har man gett sin valp ett verktyg fΓΆr att ta kontroll ΓΆver en situation, om jag hΓ₯ller fast sΓ₯ slappnar du av och dΓ₯ lossar trycket. Detta Γ€r mycket anvΓ€ndbart nΓ€r valparna ska besiktigas och vaccineras samt chippas. En del valpar kan bli ΓΆvervΓ€ldigade av chocken nΓ€r de chippas, den sprutan gΓΆr rΓ€tt ont. SjΓ€lvklart mΓ₯ste jag hΓ₯lla fast dem nΓ€r veterinΓ€rer Chippar dem, och om de skriker och fΓΆrsΓΆker fly, tar jag ett rejΓ€lt tag i dem. De Γ€r dΓ₯ sΓ₯ inlΓ€rda att de vet att de ska slappna av , fΓΆr dΓ₯ fΓΆrsvinner obehagligt. PΓ₯ detta sΓ€tt slutar mina valpar att skrika snabbt, istΓ€llet fΓΆr att skrika i panik och fastna i den kΓ€nslan. Det gΓΆr att de snabbt bΓΆrjar vifta pΓ₯ svansen pΓ₯ bordet och Γ€r nΓΆjda och glada nΓ€r de slΓ€pps ner pΓ₯ golvet. De brukar alla ha somnat gott innan vi lΓ€mnar veterinΓ€reren. SΓ₯ att bjuda pΓ₯ gott godis och fΓ₯ upp hundar i hΓΆga energier Γ€r inte min grej. Jag bjuder pΓ₯ lugn och trygghet, och dΓ₯ blir det inte sΓ₯ dramatiskt. Minnesbilderna blir lugn och ro. SΓ₯ jag vill sΓ€ga att vi sjΓ€lva som en social resurs ofta smΓ€ller hΓΆgre Γ€n godis., vilket ofta glΓΆms bort. Tack fΓΆr en mycket fin gratisfΓΆrelΓ€sning! Jag tar med mig din fina pedagogiska fΓΆrklaring var pΓ₯ skalan hunden kΓ€nslomΓ€ssigt befinner sig.
Vill passa pΓ₯ att stΓ€lla frΓ₯gan om du gΓΆr webinarium pΓ₯ fΓΆrfrΓ₯gan? Inom Lagotto har vi stora problem med just rΓ€ddslor, och att jag skulle gΓ€rna anordna en fΓΆrelΓ€sning med dig via vΓ₯r rasklubb.
Thanks for sharing your thought on this, Pernilla – I’ll reply in English so people don’t need to run both our answers through google tranlate…
You’re making an important point about being vigilant as to the level of arousal, and I’ve hear others make the same reflection: that extreme high positive arousal is volatile and can snap into extreme high negative arousal soon. However, high-value food is typically a more effective counterconditioning stimulus than low-value food so that is a case-by-case determination I would think.
Using negative reinforcement to teach calm behaviour is also something I would be mindful of: it could be that the process involves deep pressure, which is calming in and of itself – but it could also be that the restraint triggers learned helplessness which is a stress syndrome. Many people are turning to positive reinforcement and start-button training as part of a fear-free approach to veterinary interventions. We have a FB group about start buttons if you want to explore that further here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/455346081942400
And yes, I do offer webinars – here’s more information: https://illis.se/en/book-karolina/
Many years ago, I had a day behind the scenes at London Zoo with a keeper friend of mine. She showed me how they trained a Tapir to lie down at the bars for a yard brush chin and throat scratch. They set the environment up first by placing a bag of fed down at the right distance from the bars and covered the whole area with straw. The feed bag supported the animal and kept the body in the perfect position for the work she needed to do. I watched while she called it over, seeing its eagerness to come and lie down in expectation for the blissful scratching to start!
Sure enough, she exposed her throat and stretched her front legs out of the way for maximum scratching surface area!
One keeper stood with the brush dutifully providing the awesome scratching while Louise was then able to perform foot care procedures (she had a corn). All 4 feet were gently filed for balance and the corn was treated. This was cured by this daily ritual! It also gave Louise a chance to introduce the feel of an abdominal scan head in preparation for pregnancy monitoring. All this was done in protected contact of course. She also worked on needle desensitisation for a blood draw from inside the hind leg where a big vein is on the surface.
All through this, the Tapir was in blissful heaven with that yard brush scratching. She moved her head about asking for behind her ear to be scratched, or her throat or her front or her head. It was so lovely to watch
Haha! Yes, tapirs are well-known for enjoying scratching as a primary reinforcer that trumps food! π
For me it was a joyful scenario to watch! π
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I use consent tests a lot with catsβwho do not well-tolerate our primate-style grabbing and hugging. I extend my finger toward their nose, and they either push into it (“scratch my cheek please”), walk away (“let’s increase the distance between us”), or sit and watch what I do next (“I’m paying attention to you, but no touching”). The more I seek consent, the more the cat begins to initiate touching, and for longer and longer periods. “Now I can control how, when, and where I am touched, so I like it better.” Control is a primary reinforcer too.
fabulous! And yes, control is a primary reinforcer, something we’re willing to work to get access to without prior learning. π
Tale of sudden emotional switch from fear to play.
GSD big scary bark at observing very large chicken heater (flying saucer) in deserted barn.
Cue βletβs play clickerβ
Ohβ¦.(says GSD) you put it there to play our clicker game β¦ offers nose touch, paw touch etc.
Result .. object no longer scary.
hahaaa! Such a great story – thanks for sharing! π
This has been such an amazing mini course! I started my positive reinforcement force free dog training in 2019. Itβs been a wonderful but slow journey. A lot of the courses and classes I need to take are actually quite costly. Iβve had setback after setback financially to get my dog training certification. I lost my training partner and now have no dog to train with. And no ability to get one any time soon. Many times I had almost given up trying. I would love to become an animal behaviorist even if training doesnβt work out for me. But schooling is costly also. Having these courses available is extremely helpful! But now Iβm stuck making several choices and I can only make one. Iβm not sure what to do. $250 is still a bit much for me at the moment. Iβm not sure how to continue forward. Most of the cheaper courses Iβm looking to take are all around $200 and are only available for a limited time until next year. Train your dog month is certainly a busy month for me. So many options and not enough time.
Tetra, so glad you enjoyed the mini-course! Best of luck on your training journey! π
Video 4 was the most helpful for me. I am currently taking your Challenging Behavior course (and am way behind in it so it’s a good thing we have a year to do it!) so much of all the videos was a review for me.
But video 4–I have a horse who is a worrier and becomes fearful very easily. I have done very little w/him to this point but feel he is ready to begin a complete re-start now. What you talk about in this video are thoughts and ideas I have had for him. But now I feel much more secure with my plans. Lynn Acton’s book and blog and FB postings have also helped a lot (she just took this course from you).
The two blogs you posted here I will be reading very soon. But right now I need to go out to my horses.
I would love to start this course now but since I am still in your other course, it will have to wait. I only have time and energy for one at a time!
Thank you for what you do.
Hi Laura, great to see you here! That’s wise – it’s easy to become overwhelmed, and saying no is sometimes the best option. β€οΈ
Tack, det hΓ€r Γ€r tredje gΓ₯ngen jag ser denna gratiskurs och Γ€ven om det inte Γ€r nΓ₯got nytt (jag Γ€r hundinstruktΓΆr och hundbeteendeutredare) sΓ₯ njuter jag massor av din vΓ€rme, ditt engagemang och din pedagogik! Jag kommer anmΓ€la mig till hela kursen. Tack! /Marie SkogstrΓΆm, Maries loge, Γsthammar
Trevligt – dΓ₯ *ses* vi i stora kursen! π
Dear Karolina,
Iβm a wanna be dog trainer, lost my Golden last year , but now I cannot wait to get another pup, β¦all because of your shared love of emotions training and knowledge. Just a big wow for me and I so naturally understand what and how you explain. I am going to figure out how to sign up with you the 26th.
Thank you kindly
Nancy
That put a smile on my face, Nancy – so glad you enjoyed this and got inspired – looking forward to seeing you in the big course then, hopefully! Note that enrollment closes on the 25th, though! π
Thank you very much for this course. I am already looking forward to the big one starting next week!
I thought a lot about your explanations that play and fear exclude one another and about CC/SD. I have a patient with severe separation anxiety and the opinion of CSATs (Certified Separation Anxiety Trainers) is that the desensitization of being alone should happen without food toys like Kongs etc. (distracting, stress eating are the reasons) We did okay but I have the feeling, that the dog would be profit from a different approach. My idea now is to try and do CC/SD with play in the beginning, so that the dog is feeling good about one of her parents leaving. The dog loves tearing apart soft papers and tissues. We would give her access after the mum goes out the door for a second. What do you think?
I’m aware that most Separation Anxiety experts avoid food, as you’re saying because they might become distracted by the food and then suddenly realize that they’re alone – and freak out. I’m not well enough read on whether they’ve tried it and failed, but I would be a bit careful.
One reason I can think of why it might not work so well is because the intended CS (person leaving) is actually a US in and of itself (feeling uncomfortable and alone). I have a feeling that counterconditioning works best when the CS that’s being counterconditioned is not a US, in other words it’s not emotionally relevant in and of itself – when the emotionally relevant US is the one that happens after, the treats – or in the case you’re suggesting, with play. But I haven’t seen any data on that. I would suggest to discuss it with your trainer and see what, if any, negative experiences they might have with bringing in counterconditioning into the systematic desensitization procedure involved in separation training. Best of luck! π
my dog’s barking drives me crazy..its mostly attention seeking…whenever I’m talking to another person. I attempt to address his need for connection by playing middle, spin…sit pretty with him.. ( R+).this works briefly but then he often resumes….then I revert to a firm loud NO…(R-) and that seems to get his attention….when he’s quiet for a longer moment I reward that.
I just want this annoying behaviour to stop.. I think I must be doing something wrong here….
Jan, I understand how frustrating that must be! I don’t work hands-on with dogs myself, but barking can have many functions – getting attention being one of them. Unfortunately the “no” and eye contact is also attention so that might inadvertently be reinforcing the behaviour. Zac George has made a really good video about barking, check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dza9vO3UZkQ
I adopted a rescue dog who was 5 months old. Sweet and dog loving but so hesitant towards anything new. Stairs, new people, the car….. I didn’t have the information you shared but thankfully I started by trying to relate based on what I did know about him….he loved to play. I did training for the crate, to go up stairs, to start leash walking and we PLAYED. He started letting me pet him without moving away fearful of me controlling his choices. After two + months he has become loving and trusting. He loves his dog friends but his human social circle has become a comfort and safe place for him. I love you videos as now I know why he responds as he does. My attitude and intentions is always from love and kindness and I back burner any frustration. He reads me like a book! Thank you so so much for this great information. Marvelous
Hi Lou, thanks for sharing that heart-warming story! So glad you’re enjoying this mini-course! π
I’ve done positive and reward based training but this emotional aspect is so key to trust and bond. I see the growth and response in Lebeau. And I have a comfort and energy around animals that is more grounded. Wished I had started here with the science to understand there incredibly critical aspects of relating to animals. Again, I cannot say enough how important your work is! Thank you
You’re welcome, Lou! π
Hello Karolina, thank you for these videos, I am familiar with things like the quadrant but I’ve never seen it explained in such an engaging and easy to understand way!
I was paying close attention to video 4 as I’m currently trying to help my dog-reactive dog, he is fearful of dogs he doesn’t know, and gets over aroused very easily.
I just had 2 comments/observations about that specifically, one is how much our own emotions impact the emotions of our animals. For me it’s dogs but I assume other animals are as perceptive. My dog and I were locked in a pessimistic, anxious spiral. We’re making progress at breaking that now thanks to people like yourself, Sarah Fisher, and Kathy Kawalec, so thank you!
The second thought was about how sometimes trying to pair fun and play with scenarios to prevent fear learning can sometimes result in another unwanted behaviour…..frustration! I made mistakes with my dog and I allowed him to have a huge party with other dogs when he met them. When that wasn’t appropriate he became frustrated, frustration turned to aggression, and at some point along the way he became fearful. I don’t know exactly why that happened, but I sure messed up somewhere!
Thank you again!
Hi Kerrie – So glad you’re enjoying these videos! π
Oh, yes, emotions tend to infect other mammals – this is called co-regulation and I discuss it in the full course! π
A common mistake you’re describing. Sadly, reactivity is commonly born from what’s referred to as leash reactivity- when the dog is eager to meet others but can’t reach them.
I share territory with my horses, sitting in a chair admiring them from about 30 feet away. They typically come over to visit me and present parts of their body to me to scratch. Tori presented her belly over my fingers, with her front hooves on one side of my chair and her hind hooves to the other side. Mystic will back up to me and gently lift his hock and place it on my knee to facilitate me scratching the front of his hind leg. Kami will place her chin in my hands to scratch. These times were wonderful for building our relationships.
oh wow…! You wouldn’t happen to have any videos illustrating these three preferences, would you..? π
Just watched video 3 and enjoyed it. Touch is a very interesting subject. I had a Border Collie with whom I had a very good working relationship and we both looked out for each other. Right from a puppy however she was dismissive of affectionate touching of any kind. She would sit and lean so that our bodies met but shook off any stroking or scratching. She was easy to groom and handle in any way and was fine being restrained for veterinary treatment. Her ultimate ‘rewards’ were play and work – both were more important than food though she would accept it graciously. She would be polite to strangers and tolerate being touched but give me a look which said “Who is this idiot?” Although I would have loved to give her more physical affection I went along with her preference.
I can relate to your story, Di! My cat Oscar is not much for being petted other than for very short sessions, entirely on his terms..! Can be hard to refrain from smooching him sometimes! π
After watching Video 2 it made me think of a young male Border Collie in my doggy daycare. He is a very sensitive dog and it took a lot of time for me to build trust, but I did. We were playing tug one morning and out of the blue he yelped and ran away from me. We were not playing rough at all, but something spooked him… Physically he seemed fine, no limping or sign of pain or discomfort. Emotionally – he was now petrified of me. He now hides away if I come close, and if I just call his name he moves away. My heart is broken. I can no longer engage him in play, the fear has overridden the play core emotion.
Oh I’m so sorry Jennifer – hopefully you can rebuild that over time! Some tips in the last two videos!
Thank you! The videos are informative and helpful. Puts things into a different perspective.
I am also a mantrailing instructor and can see how scent work helps dogs!
oh scent work! Will be so interesting to see research coming out about that in the years to come… seems almost too good to be true..! π
These videos are absolutely fantastic-the best resource to support understanding and teaching our animals that I have found. I run an equine assisted learning centre and am telling all the staff that they must watch these ( as well as telling all my friends too!). Thank you so very much for creating and sharing this important resource.
Thanks Sue, you just made my day! π So glad you’re finding it useful! π
Karolina THANK YOU so much for offering this 4 video series free. I have learned so much. I am a dog walker and trainer, currently dealing with a Vizsla who is reactive towards random people. She is usually so lovely and has a great time on our walks but on the odd occasion she chooses not to like someone and itβs different every time – man/woman/walking/sitting/child I cannot pin it down as to what is triggering her. Itβs taken me months to figure out WHY?! And who and when and what??!! Getting back to the core of her feelings has been a game changer. Itβs got me asking some real questions of the owners and me really focussing on her mental state when I pick her up and what I do with her each time I do, depending on how sheβs feeling. Thank you so much I canβt wait to learn more from you
Amy, that is so great to hear! Congratulations on getting to that break through with the dog – best of luck! π
I have a very high arousal Mini American Shepherd and I am having a hard time getting him to settle. It makes it super hard to work with him. He predicts everything. Food, the clicker, any and all reinforcement takes him over threshold. He gets frustrated and whiney, which makes me frustrated and whiney! HELP! i really want to help him be his best self and not this over aroused, frustrated and whiney little dog and I really want to like him again! π I have so much patience for other people’s dogs, I don’t know why I don’t with my own! Ugh!
Jacqui, how frustrating! I don’t work hands-on with dogs myself so have no practical experience to fall back on for support, but two ideas come to mind:
– using reinforcers that are less arousing. In descending order, from play to high value food to lower value food, food that’s licked, to tactile reinforcement. You may also consider omitting the clicker in contexts where things get out of hand, since the dopamine surge emitted when hearing the click is arousing.
– nosework. If you haven’t tried it, seems anecdotally it really does help regulate arousal: highly aroused dogs calm down, and depressed dogs perk up.
Best of luck! π
Hi! I hope you don’t mind me commenting on your post as I’m not a professional and certainly no expert!
But your comment resonated as I have a high arousal German Shepherd just the same, always leaping around, squealing, rushing, action prompting, and recently I started doing ACE freework with him. You can look it up, developed by Sarah Fisher. It’s a really easy thing to start, you just put different objects and textures around in a space at home or the garden, you add various treats including licky food, you remove your dog’s collar so he’s “naked” and unimpeded by anything, and you just quietly observe. Don’t speak to him, just watch. If your dog gets over aroused by a certain thing like a toy or a chew, you’ll know not to include that next time around if you’re trying to encourage calm.
I was skeptical at first but honestly it’s fantastic to see your hyper dog calmly engage with something on his own terms. Good luck!
ACE freework is great, thanks for sharing your experiences, Kerrie! π
Video 3 was excellent. As you mentioned many people ‘ruffle’ a dog’s head and wonder why they get overly aroused or back away. Finding what is acceptable for each animal is important. I am looking forward to learning more about your in depth course. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
THanks Robyn! So glad you’re enjoying this mini-course! π
Great videos. I feel as though curiosity is such an important part of learning. Great information for people to really start to think about their animals and how we can enrich their lives.
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I have taken other courses for fear free handling of animals and learned foundational work about the four quadrants of learning. However, THIS was the best explained video series I have seen. It would be the best one to go to for explaining all of this to any persons. I have written notes for each video and itβs like going back and to kindergarten. So easy to understand and very well explained. To the person that shared this on Facebook I am GRATEFUL! Karolina is very thorough and goes well into detail without going too in depth to feel lost and confused for the average personβs understanding. I would love to keep seeing and learning more! And the short videos allow for plenty of time to fit it into my daily schedule. Although I could watch them all day! Karolina is also a great speaker and very funny! I canβt wait for more!
Thanks so much Tetra – that put a big smile on my face! π So glad this resonates with you! π
Love these videos! I’ve watched them last year as well, but it’s so good to remind myself again of all these wonderful concepts!
I definitely noticed dogs going “stupid” when too excited but I guess there must be a way around it considering how agility dogs are able to follow cues even while super excited. Do you think it’s possible to shift that threshold i.e. train the animal to be more responsive even while in a high arousal state? Or is it more about animal’s self-regulation and training them to lower their own arousal so they go under the threshold ASAP?
Great question, Leo! Yes, I suspect it’s highly trainable, though I can’t see that I’ve seen any scientific studies on the subject..!
Also, part of the training in agility is to learn the obstacles, focus on the handler and ignore mounting distractions, so I suspect that all that previous training plays into how the animal is able to function in a highly distracting environment and in high, bordering-on-stupid, arousal.
I love the idea of play based training and I have used this with other pet dogs in the past without realising what I was doing, I guess making learning a game. My current pup (15 month old rescue JRT) is a different case entirely. Outdoors with the scenting and dopermining of hunting she pulls like mad at the leash, but indoors she is scared and has no experience of playing so runs away and hides or rolls over in submission. We are now 3 months into our relationship and its very early days, but I think teaching her to play needs to be a priority. I would love to hear from others about what they have found works in situations like this.
Hi Alison, you might want to check out Susan Garrett’s work if you haven’t! π very hands-on and dog oriented! (I don’t work hands-on with animals myself, so I often refer to others for this type of practical advice) https://www.youtube.com/@DogsThat
Thank you for letting us in to your way of thinking. Iβve been looking into taking a dog training (teaching) course to enhance my career as a canine professional but need to find out in more depth how a dog works beforehand and emotions is a big part of life both in dogs and humans. A good place to start is to understand the canine before any teaching etc can proceed. Iβve always thought that canines and humans are so much alike and what one experiences so can the other. Thatβs why Iβve enjoyed your videos and canβt wait to watch the next 2. Thank you
You’re welcome, Mandy! π Glad you enjoyed’em!
Thank you so much for making these videos available.
It was a complete revelation when we started talking about emotions in relation to chidren’s learning in schools some 20 or so years ago.
Totally fascinated by this and your commentary is so clear and axcessible.
THanks Barbara – glad you enjoyed the videos, and yes, it’s a paradigm shift in the animal community, for sure!
I’ve just watched video nr 2 and enjoyed it very much. Since I have rescuedogs that has been rehomed from earlier owners because off a variety of problems, I always think off ways to change behaviours to the better so that my dogs can feel calm, content and happy in their daily life. And it’s the things that you bring up to the surface that are so important. One off my dogs are really sensitive about the environment but I’m really glad to say that she loves her home. It’s her place for booth training playing and decompresse. I also have places for her to enjoy the forest and places where she can run free. We also train different types of nosework. But one more important thing for her is her friend, my other rescue. Together they grow and develope and I’m so happy to have them in my life. I would like to thank you for this second video and I’m looking forward to number 3
You’re welcome Christina – so glad these resonated with you! π
This second video did not disappoint. My Cally is both treat motivated and play motivated. Since we always must be mindful of calorie intake for our pets, I recently started using play a little bit as rewards during training . From the information you have provided here, it appears there are more benefits to play rewards than just weight control, so I may reward more with play than treats from now on. I haven’t taken a formal scent course with Cally yet. I just hide things around the house and have her search for them. I have noticed that this activity does quiet her down if she is too antsy. I understand why, now. I’m truly enjoying your videos. Thank you.
You’re welcome – and best of luck with exploring these new concepts! π
Love this! It puts many things into context for me. I’m currently working with a fearful 1 year old pup with first-time dog owners and, although we’ve already begun to explore some strategies for relationship-building and overcoming certain anxieties, I’m going to create some “seeking” and “playing” activities based on what I’ve learned from this video. Thanks for the extra information. I can’t wait to apply it.
Max
Hi Max, so glad you found this useful! :_)
I have found that many of the usual words used in training are very harsh sounding . I observe this having a more negative effect on training. Instead of βcomeβ, and βheelβ I use fun playful sounds that inspire positive engagement and my dogs want to engage in the training activity.
I just listened to the video about play.
It is a good reminder for me to play more often with my dogs.
Iβm also realizing why Ace Free Work and nosework are so beneficial for the dogs based on the brain chemistry involved in the seeking behaviour.
Iβm presently creating resources for use by staff at Transition Houses who welcome pets into their facility. This info is VERY HELPFUL!!
Thanks so much!!
Hi Jan – so glad you enjoyed the videos! π
Fun and focus – another fascinating video that has resonance for me. With previous dogs I have always trained and then ‘rewarded’ with exercise (Premack principle) and it has worked really well. for various reasons I haven’t done this quite so much with my current dog. He is still a happy worker and I can see that this would again be good practice. When doing his showring gaiting training where I want a more ‘sensible’ approach to the task, I have been doing the opposite. I thought that he was calmer because he had the edge taken off by exercise but now I’m beginning to think that the expectation after a run was that we were going home or doing something less exciting and this was the chain to the behaviour. As a run is not always possible at breed shows before going in the ring, I need to think of other less arousing precursors……
the order in which different activities occur matters, of course – but so does context! π
Thank you very much!
You’re welcome, Tina! π
FUN AND FOCUS!
Appreciate seeing the core emotions added to the framework of behavior modifications which I have always felt was missing a lot. That fills it in!
Glad you found it useful, Harold! π
It is so pleasant to receive such expert knowledge in a form that is clear and straightforward. I have a dog that gets easily excited and in those situations I cannot really reach her. I still do not know what would be the most efficient ways to get her in that calm and relaxed space, when she opens up to communication. I do understand that in different environments and situations this removal of an aversive stimulus, can have many faces. She calms herself down pretty easy the moment when the behavior that arouses her, stops. But for eg. this morning, during man trailing session, she was the last dog to search, she spent some 25 minutes waiting for her turn, in the car, when she finally got out she was so excited that I was hardly able to follow her to the goal. Anyhow, thank you Karolina, curious to see the second video!
yes, both high anticipatory pleasant and unpleasant arousal can have similar effects, affecting distractibility, learning and performance!
Wonderful information, thank you Karolina! As a R+ trainer working with shelter dogs, this video really sheds light on how important it is to work with dogs when they are not in an aroused state. Unfortunately, the shelter environment is not the best place to learn, but once removed from the chaos and allowing them to decompress before learning is key to their success. Thank you again for such insightful information.
You’re welcome, Trish – so glad this resonated with you! π
Great video, can’t wait for the next three videos to be released! This is, in my opinion, basic and important knowledge that everyone owning an animal or dealing/working with animals should know. That would really make a difference. Unfortunately, I see way too many examples of people getting frustrated and because of that they revert to unpleasurable techniques in order to get better and faster results. And it won’t be a surprise to you and the people here that they do get fast results, but almost never the results they aimed for. With more knowledge about moods, emotions and how animals learn optimally, and the traps you can easily fall into without this knowledge, training animals will be more successful and way more fun for many people and their animals.
As to an example of animals being stupid in high arousal: when I train my vizsla with a clicker she gets really excited and starts throwing behaviors at me randomly. She doesn’t think anymore. And she gets frustrated easily when those random behaviors don’t get rewarded, which doesn’t help of course. Now I use a spoken marker (a really quick one like the click) and this helps a lot. She doesn’t get as excited, and this helps putting her in a much better learning mood state.
What an intriguing video! No matter what your petβs personality, this video is food for thought. My nine month old Blue Heeler, Calamity Jane, has so far spent her life in the upper right quadrant. Luckily so, I believe, as I think it is probably easier and more fun to work with a dog in the happy, confident over-stimulated area, than the fearful, fear-aggressive, overstimulated area. Cally is extremely smart and extremely happy, but can go into the blind, crazy happy, donβt remember anything Iβve learned mindset in a split second
I canβt wait for the second video as you are going to discuss animals like my Cally. She is quite a handful and Iβm hoping to learn how to catch the signs before she goes bonkers, and if/when she does get crazy excited, I hope to learn how to regain her attention.
I loved this first video and will probably watch it a few times while itβs available to implant these concepts in my brain
Thanks, Karolina!
You’re welcome, Arlene! So glad you found it useful! π
Thank you for a stimulsting video. My young (2.5 years) Border Collie is a happy chap who loves training. He has a generally sunny disposition too, so he spends a lot of time in the top right quadrant. I’m interested how the height of excitement varies with different contexts. My training space in the garden is high excitement as he associates it with toys and treats and learning. The show ring is high excitement as he associates it with being touched by the judge and seeing lots of dogs (unfortunate high tail from a breed standard) . A competition ring (freestyle / Heelwork to music) can push him into frustration as he has to wait longer for rewards. Normal walking in town is more neutral and we have calm, tail carried lower (as I would like in the show ring) but content. I’m interested how I can learn to make different and better influences on these moods by giving him information to help his moods. I’m also thinking how this can help me with a phobia that I have which is conditional on context. Not just about dogs!
Great observations! You’ll find that context is hugely important influencing emotions and mood states – and I think that simply being aware of this fact can make a major difference! π
Thank you very much for this interesting and educational first session!
I started thinking about how to get my dog to recover from the incident where she got scared in the middle of the agility competition and ran off the track and tried to escape from the hall (flight reaction). She loves agility and we have been competing for many years. In the last race, when she came out of the tunnel, the hall door slammed and got scared. At the same time, there was an audience on the side of the track and one person was directly at the dog, staring at it. This situation led to an escape reaction and now in training sessions, she gets nervous if the door of the hall slams or if there is a stranger on the side of the track looking at him.
Could it work if there was a door slamming and/or a stranger at the beginning of the training session connected to having treats etc., and that would first lead to the agility training without the presence of these disturbances. And then gradually these “threats” would stay during the training. Could it be possible to change this way the state of mind to a confident and positive as it has use to be so that these factors would not stress her during the performance in the future?
Hmm… the slamming is a sudden noise which might cause a startle reflex, so that could backfire. Strangers with treats could be potentially distracting… in other words, there are a couple of ways that that might go wrong. Perhaps rather give her some more time to do a threat assessment in a novel environment? I don’t do agility myself but simply allowing her some more time in the arena to take stock of the surroundings? So she might have spotted the stranger and determined they’re not a threat..?
Also thinking that perhaps if you’ve been doing this for many years the fear reaction will abate soon because of latent inhibition (we’ll get to that in video 4)? Or are you seeing an escalation of the problem?
Thank you for the answer and I’m looking forward to video 4.
I havenβt seen that the problem would have been escalated.
At the moment, she stops doing agility if we go near the side of the arena where a strange person is standing. She simply does not want to go towards the scary thing.
If we are further away, she is able to do agility in an almost normal state of mind (happy, excited, speedy). If we are completely alone on the field, she is her normal self.
one-trial learning is interesting, for sure… and exacerbating, sometimes!
Thank you for the first video. My dog is high arousal when we train and it depends on the environment, his mood of state and my mood. I still try to learn how to help my dog to move to a state were he can learn. Because sometimes his arousal is so high that when i give him a cue he just trying to do something because he is not focused and yet I know he can do that becuase he has done it before. If that is so i just do something easy that does not take so much focus from him, like a fun trick and then i’m taking a break and think about what we can do instead. I learned that it is no point to train in that state. I’m looking forward to your next video.
Agree 100%, my little GR she was a pessimist and I have played lots of games to give her more confidence and trust. I have rewarded every attempt even though maybe not my planned exercise in order to keep building trust and relationship. I have also played games for her to be able to listen even if in high arousal as in hunting training arousal goes up and I want her to be comfortable, able to listen and respond to cues. How do you see upon playing games for the animal to be able to respond in higher arousal? I guess the animal may not learn new things in the high arousal state? Or could they eventually?
Thanks for a great video. I can absolutely relate to what you are saying. When I train my Labrador retriever in gun dog training, it is very easy for the dog to end up high up in the right corner, which means that signals that she usually knows don’t work anymore. It’s a balancing act as we train to keep her at the right level of arousal.
Thank you very much for making these clear explanations freely available. I have been owning and training ad competing with and learning from Border Collies for over 30 years, and have loved the progression towards perceptive, intelligent and empathetic training.
Having lost 2 dogs to cancer in late 2022, I have now spent the past 12 months learning what it is like to raise a puppy with the help of a very dog loving and dog savvy cat, but without an adult dog as mentor and companion. Your analysis is a timely reminder to me of what I know, but sometimes have difficulty applying to day to day life with my clever, loving Border Collie girl. I appreciate your generosity, and am looking forward to the next video,
Thank you Karolina, this is a great video. I am currently teaching a small dog who is very anxious about strangers. Unfortunately this includes me. I have coached his humans on mat training and he is doing well with them, but when I am there in person he is way into unpleasant high arousal, and he can’t listen to anybody. We have switched course to helping him relax around people, giving him distance and counter-conditioning, to try to get him into lower arousal and a more pleasant valence. We can come back to the mat training when he is more relaxed.
Sounds like a good plan, Kate! π
My dog is somewhat dog reactive. He doesnβt look for trouble but if another dog barks or stares at him, he will start to react in a negative way. I can totally relate to the information taught in this video. I have noticed that if I can force myself to remain calm, his reaction is definitely diminished
Yes – our emotional state can really impact the dog’s! The opposite is true too: if you’re nervous…
Excited to learn more.
β€οΈ
Thank you so much. I will watch the first video again. I have a 15 mth old Irish Water Spaniel who is super smart and an excellent problem solver. Very high energy. I struggle to get him to settle and be calm. He wants to be doing something every minute therefore in confined to his crate unless I can work with him.
Hi Cathy! Crating for many hours can unfortunately exacerbate the problem – he might be building that arousal and become almost unmanageable when you let him out, so that could easily end up in a vicious circle… hopefully you will get some ideas in this course! π
Yes, I am aware of that. I also have another 10 yr old IWS who has no interest in my puppy and gets jealous when I pay him any attention.
I do crate the older one to give my puppy some attention. Outside they are fine. I can play with both of them with no issues.
We have a 4 yr old rescue Mastiff x. He is a lovely boy until he sees another dog, especially one he hasn’t made friends with. He does have 3 friends. He is potentially aggressive towards small barky dogs who invade his space. I can relate to your Core Affect Space model as if the dog comes too close he will absolutely not be able to get himself out of panic mode nor listen to me and 36kg is pretty heavy for me to drag away unless he consents. We are working on his reactivity by using counter conditioning but it’s v slow. ( And expensive ) I have started playing indoor training games with him and he loves this. I hope it is going to help re- wire his brain to receive learning. Sometimes, I think he is actually happy to see another dog ( never the wee ones) and I think he wants to play but his play style is too exuberant and I can’t let him annoy another dog for his own protection so some of his reaction to my not letting him go play is frustration. And he is hard to handle then too. Three times I have wanted to re-home him but I am assured there are too many dogs looking for homes for anyone to choose him!!! But then I remember he is our friend and I would be v sad without him so keep hoping for a miracle!!! I have learned more about dogs with this chap than with 40 years of all our other dogs!!!! Sorry so long.
hi Rebecca, sounds like your trying some options that might give results down the line, for sure. Another thing you might want to explore if you haven’t is BAT, Behavioural Adjustment Training, developed by Grisha Stewart: https://grishastewart.com/bat-overview/
Thank you. That training is indeed subtly but significantly different. However, it follows my thread of thought about training him to allow him to make his own ( good) decisions.
Yes, BAT is very much about allowing the dog to make good decisions – and helping him out when he can’t! π
Emotions travel back in time! I love the idea of introducing the thing the dog doesn’t react well to (the crate), then introducing the thing they do like (the harness) because it leads to what they want (the walk). This can be very helpful in them associating good feelings about the thing they don’t react well to. I can’t wait to try this.
Best of luck! Just make sure that you don’t expose the scary/uncomfortable thing too much – you don’t want a fear reaction! So he needs to be under threshold, not tense at all! We’ll return to how best to handle fears in video 4, but meanwhile, here’s a blog post discussing some ways it can go wrong: https://illis.se/en/cc/
Thank you! The blog post was very helpful. I’m looking forward to the rest of you video trainings above.
great to hear that, Michele! π
Thank you Karolina, video was interesting, very informative and made me laugh out loud a couple of times, which is an unexpected bonus!
So now I am going to try the theory that emotions spread backwards; one of my spaniels has a real aversion to his feet being touched and Iβve tried many ways to get round it. So tomorrow, if I gently touch his feet before putting on his collar and taking him out and repeat this each time, is it likely that he will regard it in a more pleasureable light? Thatβs exciting, I do hope so!
Hi Margaret! Be careful that the touching doesn’t become unpleasant; stay under threshold! There are a number of ways that counterconditioning can go wrong, and that’s one of them! Here’s more information: https://illis.se/en/cc/ – best of luck!
I recently adopted a 2 year old rescue who has been in a shelter since he was 4 months old. He is adapting to his new home quite well but is quite reactive to other dogs when leash walked. I am working with a trainer to help him overcome this and am looking forward to your insights to help as well. The first part of this course was very interesting with much to think about. I will be trying your suggestion about crate before harness and walk to apply this to getting him to accept having his nails trimmed, clippers or dremel coming out then treat.
Hi Birgit! Wonderful that you got some novel ideas! Just be careful so that you don’t flood him with exposure to too many uncomfortable experiences too soon – we’ll get to this in video 4, but meanwhile you can look into how counterconditioning can go wrong: https://illis.se/en/cc/
i love you’r video
Thanks Pia! π
Hi, just watched the first video – very interesting. Looking forward to the rest of the short course.
Glad you liked it, Doreen! π
Insightful and frighteningly factual. My dog has been a struggle for me, making me think laterally and out of my ‘normal’ box.
He’s a very ‘hot and cold’ emotional dog. Either very explosive and excited (to the point of being physically dangerous, he weighs 52kg) or low, timid and withdrawn, totally unengaging.
In both states, he rejects all he knows and all ‘control’ leaves. Very typical but the depth of his arousal and depression is huge.
I’m convinced this has come from his previous owner, he’s a rescue as all my dogs have been, and he’s also a Dobermann and a very handsome one at that.
Indicators when we first started to train, when he would walk to heal, actually really well for an untrained dog but he must have had some training. If we stopped and asked for a sit, he would move at least 3 feet to the left (I position him to my left) to get away from me, why? This was also apparent when practising recall, he would arrive, square and solid to my front but would immediately back off 3 to 4 feet away from me, why?
Why, for me is my go-to whenever I see a behaviour that’s out of place, why would the dog feel the need to put space between me and him?
We’re now working on his exposure to new space, just walking out of our driveway is an exploratory overload for him, so we’re taking that gently.
Thank you for letting me into this concept of Core Affect Space, it makes a lot of sense and is a concept I will explore further and be much more aware of these effects on my boy.
why, indeed…? speaks volumes about his previous learnings (emotional and behavioural..!)
So glad this resonated with you. Core Affect Space an absolute game changer for many, I’ve found.
Great video, thanks alot!
I was wondering – one of the techniques we use alot in training for example dogs is to withheld treats if a task is not done correctly. But from this explanation this must be negative punishment so taking away something pleasurable to descrease a target behaviour (doing something else than the task). Do you agree? If so, then we do use that quadrant quite alot in the dog training community. But then that is probably also why we focus on succes rate and that it should be relatively high so we do not keep the animal in that quadrant for too long at a time.
Hi Mona, depends on how you define “withhold treats” – if it’s removing them, eating them yourself or giving them to another animal, yes that would absolutely classify under the term negative punishment!
But as you say, the important thing is the rate of reinforcement. If the animal is able to find a way to easily access those reinforcers, the occasional removal of a reinforcer will not be AS punishing.
If, on the other hand, you’re simply holding the treat without giving them to the animal, that would classify under extinction. That might still be very aversive to the animal depending on how it’s carried out – again, the rate of reinforcement will determine if both extinction and P- is frustrating or not. Essentially, what we’re doing when shaping is extinguishing previous versions of the response and reinforcing novel variants that are closer to the end criterion. Done well, this should be fun and not frustrating..! π
Great thanks for the very elaborate answer!
One more question after watching the second video. I focus a lot on my dog always “working” for his food in different balls, mats, blankets etc. – so that he always have to search for it and problemsolve. Is this also a way to active the seeking core emotion?
Thanks again!
yes, searching and sniffing involves SEEKING! π
Hello
The first time I listened to you and all the fantastic information you give I had 1 dog, a fantastic rescue who letting me know time and time again that its never ever ever to late to make a difference in a dogs life. Today I have 2 dogs, one is the same as earlier and number 2, also a rescue. And can you imagine that this second dog also says that its never to late to make a difference. And when people like you are willing to share so many words off importance, the whole world becomes a much better place for humans and their beloved animals. Thank you
You’re so very welcome, Christina! π And so glad to hear that you’ve made such a difference to those two! π
I’m currently doing a trauma informed course with my dog so this links in very well : )
Fabulous – great to hear! And yes, we’re learning a lot from human psychology and the value of attachment, co-regulation and dealing with trauma that’s also applicable to animals!
Wow, thank you ever so much for making these free sessions/courses. It is magnificient…..I am very much looking forward to the next video
Take care
THanks Mette – so glad you found it useful! π
Looking forward to it.
me too! π
I can’t wait!
Love your courses!
Woohooo! Will be exciting! π
Yes, just signed up! Canβt wait for the first video to be released!
fabulous – *see* you in the course! π