What?

DOC stands for Dismiss – Observe – Capture and it is how we handle stable dogs in stable environments.

Handling a stable dog in a stable environment can be a difficult task for positive trainers in general and can seem near impossible for handlers who work with reactive or fearful dogs.

Positive training is about action. Shaping behaviors is very good for getting dogs to do new things and to be confident and experimental, but it is often not applied to managing a dog in a stable environment. This disconnect is why many trainers have a hard time handling their dogs in new environments. Shaping can and should be used for handling dogs in new environments and DOC provides a simple and elegant framework for doing exactly that.

Who?

All handlers who use positive reinforcement for training should be familiar with the DOC protocol. … Read More »

This is a brief overview of our methodology for working with reactive and fearful dogs.

STARR Protocol for Reactive Dogs

Working with reactive or fearful dogs is a specialty of Pawsitive Vybe. The key to dealing with these troubled dogs is allowing the dog to make decisions – simple decisions – that will help to center and ground them and to enable them to deal with environmental distractions on their own terms.

The Pawsitive Vybe STARR Protocol is an elegant system for handling reactive and/or reactive dogs.

Skinner Rocks but Pavlov Rules

The realm of rational decisions (operant behavior) are dictated by the classically conditioned state.

The woman who stands on the chair in the kitchen shrieking, broom in hand, in the presence of a mouse, is not making a rational decision. She canʼt. Sheʼs over threshold. Sheʼs making a silly decision, a decision that is … Read More »

The Disc Dog Bed and Breakfast is back!

Last weekend we had our first full Disc Dog Bed and Breakfast guest since relocating our dog training operation to Kingston, NY. It went off without a hitch, and guess what? He wants to come back at the end of October for another session. How cool is that?

What is the B&B?

For those of you who don’t know, the Disc Dog Bed and (get your own damn) Breakfast is a dog training weekend at Pawsitive Vybe HQ in Kingston, NY. It has been in operation since 2006 and most of our guests have been back multiple times to take advantage of the unique learning experience that the PVybe Pack offers.

There is no typical B&B stay. The weekend is tailored to the needs of the dog and handlers on hand. Sometimes we do a ton … Read More »

Si offers a trade: Leash for a hotdog?

Si poses for the camera while Ron orders a hotdog.

Si does Ron a favor by picking up her leash and giving it to him. It was a no brainer,”He has a hotdog!”

Count how many dogs are in this pic… And Ron is not one of them…

Judy uses the wall to help Chess establish position and Apryl Lea & Captain share a moment.

Captain America and Chess work side by side in Uptown Kingston.

Here they are, still chattin’…

Captain America and Apryl Lea talk to a nice man about Animal Farm Foundation’s Assistance Dog Training Program.

Judy & Chess, Ron & Si And Apryl Lea & Captain America do some public access dog training In Uptown Kingston, NY.
This is where we will be running Canine Interaction classes and personal lessons.
This was the second half … Read More »

Download Movie! Right Click>> Save As…

When working with Multiple Dogs, how we mark is important. One of the things we like to do at Pawsitive Vybe is to use a Finger Point to mark behaviors.

The above video is a demonstration of the Finger Point Mark. It’s real nice for keeping the dog’s focus on the handler and for silently marking behaviors.

Conditioning the Finger Point Mark

This is no different from conditioning the Positive Marker or the Clicker. If we want to be boring we can point then feed the dog, establishing a consequent relationship – the Point happens then comes the cookie.

We can also mark Attention (unsolicited eye contact) and reinforce with a cookie. This is the preferred method of Pawsitive Vybe of charging the marker.

Of course we can just start freeshape it by simply using it … Read More »

Download Movie! Right Click>>Save As…

In this Video, Apryl Lea and Pan work on a Pedestal. The intent of the session was to Manufacture the Approach and Generalize the Handler position.

This session has nothing to do with the Down. All we want is a stable position on the pedestal which will happen because of the high rate of reinforcement on the table. This is about Action. It is simply about getting a lot of value on the Pedestal and generalizing the approach and the spatial relationship to the handler.

Apryl worked from all areas of the room and placed reinforcement for the cued Release throughout the room as well. Enabling her to get Pan to work from, the Right, from the Left, From near to far and far to near. She also worked from a seated position at a distance.

Pan … Read More »

Foundational Positioning is a huge part of the game of disc. A killer limitation in the game of disc is the not being able to get your dog into the proper position required for a particular trick.

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Yesterday, I did a piece on Reframing the Dog’s Understanding of the Door. A couple of the comments pointed out some gaps in the one ‘how to’ paragraph. That paragraph was not meant as a lesson plan, it was just a quick hit explanation of the technique. Today’s installment is also not meant as a lesson plan. This piece is about some concepts we can use to desensitize our dog to the classical condition.
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Pavlovian Humor – Make Their Drive a Joke

Humor is essentially taking people down a common path and popping them out into an unexpected destination:
“Three guys walk into a bar,”

The listener knows what’s coming: a long drawn out story about a minister, a priest and a rabbi, or something like that. Eyes roll,”Oh no, not another one… this is going to … Read More »