The Keep it Simple Stupid DOG Training Podcast

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When your dog pulls on leash, it is easy to start looking for a tool that will make the problem disappear.

Gentle Leaders, Easy Walk harnesses, prong collars, choke chains, shock collars—there are plenty of choices.

But before picking a tool, I think there is a more important question:

Are you being proactive and teaching the dog what you want, or are you waiting for the dog to make a mistake and reacting to it?

That distinction matters.

I would much rather teach a dog how to pay attention, follow, redirect, and walk with me in an easy environment than wait until the dog is dragging me down the street and then try to correct the behavior.

Where the Training Starts

My leash-training progression starts with hand feeding and attention work inside the house.

Hand Feeding Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsbJO2JoPmqJv6cbmelVrTFQt_B4za1OL

From there, I begin adding the leash inside, then move into the backyard, front yard, driveway, neighborhood, and eventually real distractions.

The goal is to teach the dog what walking with you is supposed to look like before expecting them to perform around everything happening outside.

What About a Gentle Leader?

A Gentle Leader fits around the dog’s nose and works somewhat like a horse halter. When the dog pulls, the head turns rather than allowing the dog to drive straight forward.

It can be useful when a dog is physically stronger than the owner or when safety is a concern.

But you cannot simply put one on a dog and expect the dog to accept it.

The dog needs time to become comfortable wearing it before you attach the leash and expect it to work.

What About an Easy Walk or Front-Clip Harness?

A front-clip harness works on a similar principle. When the dog pulls, the attachment point turns the body instead of allowing the dog to continue driving straight ahead.

These can be useful tools, especially for dogs that cannot comfortably wear a head halter.

But the goal should still be training—not permanent dependence on equipment.

The Better Question

Instead of asking:

“What tool will stop my dog from pulling?”

Ask:

“Have I actually taught my dog what I want them to do?”

If the answer is no, that is where I would start.

Time, consistency, frequency, reinforcement, and good routines are still going to matter more than any piece of equipment you buy.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Whoa Dog, Whoa! The Leash Can Be Your Friend
https://kissdogtraining.com/product/whoa-dog-whoa-the-leash-can-be-your-friend/

Additional leash-training information:
https://kissdogtraining.com/my-dog-pulls-on-the-leashso-what-do-i-do-now/

K.I.S.S. Dog Training
Dog Training Ain’t Cheap... Experience Counts.
https://kissdogtraining.com/

If you found this episode helpful, please take a minute to leave a review. Reviews are one of the best ways to help other dog owners find the podcast. Follow the show so you do not miss future episodes, and share this one with somebody trying to decide whether a training tool is actually helping teach their dog—or simply managing the problem.

Support the show

Mike Deathe owns Keep it Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Dog training. We can be reached through comments here, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kissdogtraining. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedeathe/, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikedeathekissdogtraining/.  And of course at our website https://kissdogtraining.com/ 

SEND US A QUESTION OR TOPIC FOR A FUTURE SHOW...

If you enjoy the K.I.S.S. Dog Training Podcast and want to help support what we do, you can become a monthly supporter for as little as $3 a month. K.I.S.S. Dog Training is my full-time job, and producing the podcast, blogs, videos, and other educational content takes time away from that work. Your support helps me continue putting out solid, science-based, positive-reinforcement dog training information.

Support the podcast here:
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Doggy daycare comes up constantly in my training sessions, especially with adolescent dogs.

But I do not look at daycare as some magical fix for every dog.

I look at it as one possible ingredient in the recipe.

For the right dog, a well-run daycare can provide exercise, social interaction, environmental exposure, and an outlet for energy that can make the rest of the week easier.

For the wrong dog—or at the wrong daycare—it can create an entirely different set of problems.

How Do You Choose a Doggy Daycare?

Do not just pick the closest place.

Call several facilities and ask questions.

One of the first things I want to know is whether they separate dogs by:

• Size
• Age
• Temperament
• Play style

A 100-pound adolescent dog should not necessarily be playing with a tiny Chihuahua. An older dog with sore hips probably should not spend the day getting body-slammed by a teenage pit bull.

Ask how many dogs are in each playgroup, how often they get breaks, how the staff is trained, how long employees typically stay, and how closely the dogs are actually supervised.

I generally prefer a daycare with more of a training vibe than a warehouse full of dogs thrown together and expected to figure it out.

Be Honest About Your Dog

If your dog is reactive, fearful, socially awkward, or has struggled around other dogs, tell the daycare.

Some dogs may need to start with very short visits and slowly build up. A good facility may be willing to help with that process.

And some dogs simply are not daycare dogs.

That is okay.

What If Doggy Daycare Is Not a Good Fit?

One alternative mentioned in this episode is Sniffspot, which allows you to rent private spaces where your dog can exercise without being surrounded by unfamiliar dogs.

https://www.sniffspot.com/

That can be extremely useful for reactive dogs or dogs that simply prefer having space.

The episode also discusses helping dogs learn—or relearn—appropriate canine body language and social skills, including play bows, look-aways, lip licking, and other signals dogs use to communicate.

Daycare Is Part of the Recipe

For some families, even one consistent day per week can help.

For others, Monday-Wednesday-Friday daycare can create a rhythm where the dog gets an outlet every other day and the family gets a more manageable dog in between.

It can also be useful when bringing a puppy into a household with an older dog, giving the older dog regular breaks from the youngster.

But daycare is not going to fix every training issue.

It may be one ingredient along with training, veterinary care, exercise, enrichment, management, and good daily routines.

Consistency and frequency still matter more than looking for one quick fix.

K.I.S.S. Dog Training
Dog Training Ain’t Cheap... Experience Counts.
https://kissdogtraining.com/

If you found this episode helpful, please take a minute to leave a review. Reviews are one of the best ways to help other dog owners find the podcast. Follow the show so you do not miss future episodes, and share this one with somebody trying to decide whether doggy daycare is actually a good fit for their dog.

Support the show

Mike Deathe owns Keep it Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Dog training. We can be reached through comments here, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kissdogtraining. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedeathe/, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikedeathekissdogtraining/.  And of course at our website https://kissdogtraining.com/ 

SEND US A QUESTION OR TOPIC FOR A FUTURE SHOW...

If you enjoy the K.I.S.S. Dog Training Podcast and want to help support what we do, you can become a monthly supporter for as little as $3 a month. K.I.S.S. Dog Training is my full-time job, and producing the podcast, blogs, videos, and other educational content takes time away from that work. Your support helps me continue putting out solid, science-based, positive-reinforcement dog training information.

Support the podcast here:
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Should you get another dog?

What breed should you choose? Male or female? Puppy or adult? Does your current dog even need a canine companion?

The frustrating answer is that there really is not one hard-and-fast rule.

In this episode, I tackle a question from a former client who was trying to plan ahead as an older dog in the household was reaching the end of life. What started as “What kind of dog should I get?” quickly became a much bigger conversation.

Stop Looking for Simple Rules

Instead of assuming certain breeds automatically work together, look at what those dogs were genetically bred to do and, more importantly, look at the individual dogs standing in front of you.

The same goes for sex and age.

You will hear that males and females get along better, that two females can be difficult, or that dogs should be a certain number of years apart.

Those may be useful generalizations, but they are not guarantees.

Look at the Dog You Already Have

Ask yourself:

• Does your dog actually enjoy other dogs?
• Has your dog lived successfully in a multi-dog household?
• Does your dog enjoy daycare, boarding, or group play?
• What is the age and energy level of your current dog?
• Are there health or pain issues that could affect tolerance?
• Do you have the time, finances, and routines to manage another dog?

Sometimes the best answer is that your current dog is perfectly happy without another dog.

More Dogs Mean More Work

I always joke that one dog is a lot of work, two dogs are three times the work, three are nine times the work, and four are eighty-one times the work.

Dogs are not potato chips. You do not have to keep adding another one.

Think about training, daycare, veterinary expenses, exercise, management, and the amount of time you realistically have available.

A Resource Worth Reading

Meet Your Dog — Kim Brophey
https://meetyourdogbook.com/

The book does a great job of looking beyond simple breed labels and helping owners understand genetics, breed groups, natural behavior, and what different dogs were originally bred to do.

Before bringing home another dog, talk with a trainer, your veterinarian, and the rescue or breeder. Then take some time to digest what everybody tells you.

The goal is not to follow somebody else’s canned rule.

The goal is to make the best decision for the dogs and humans who actually live in your house.

K.I.S.S. Dog Training
Dog Training Ain’t Cheap... Experience Counts.
https://kissdogtraining.com/

If you found this episode helpful, please take a minute to leave a review. Reviews are one of the best ways to help other dog owners find the podcast. Follow the show so you do not miss future episodes, and share this one with somebody who is thinking about adding another dog to the family.

Support the show

Mike Deathe owns Keep it Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Dog training. We can be reached through comments here, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kissdogtraining. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedeathe/, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikedeathekissdogtraining/.  And of course at our website https://kissdogtraining.com/ 

SEND US A QUESTION OR TOPIC FOR A FUTURE SHOW...

If you enjoy the K.I.S.S. Dog Training Podcast and want to help support what we do, you can become a monthly supporter for as little as $3 a month. K.I.S.S. Dog Training is my full-time job, and producing the podcast, blogs, videos, and other educational content takes time away from that work. Your support helps me continue putting out solid, science-based, positive-reinforcement dog training information.

Support the podcast here:
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Let’s talk crates.

A crate should not be the place your dog goes only when you leave the house, go to bed, or get frustrated with them.

Used correctly, a crate is simply a management tool that helps prevent bad behavior while your dog is learning the rules and routines of the household.

And like most things in dog training, how you use the tool matters more than the tool itself.

Put the Crate Where Life Happens

I generally do not want the crate hidden in the basement, laundry room, or back bedroom.

I want it where the family spends time.

That allows the dog to be separated from a trigger without being completely isolated from what is happening.

If guests come over, for example, the dog can safely watch everyone come in, settle down, and then greet later once the excitement has dropped.

Make the Crate Part of Normal Life

Use the crate during everyday routines:

• Meals
• Cooking and dinner time
• TV time
• Short nap periods
• Showers
• Zoom calls
• Quick trips out of the house
• Guests arriving
• Times when you simply cannot supervise the dog

Feed meals in the crate. Use Kongs or other safe long-lasting rewards. Build short periods of confinement gradually instead of suddenly expecting the dog to tolerate hours at a time.

The goal is for the dog to learn:

“This is just one of my normal places in the house.”

Crate First, Place Command Later

I am not against the Place command.

I just think people sometimes try to teach an advanced behavior before the foundation is there.

Normalize the crate first. Build calmness, impulse control, and good routines. Later, when the dog has earned more freedom, remove the crate, put a bed in the same location, and transition that routine into a Place behavior.

Freedom Is Earned

A new dog does not automatically know the rules of your house.

The crate protects the dog, your belongings, your guests, your other animals, and sometimes your sanity while those routines are being built.

That does not mean leaving a dog crated all day.

If your schedule requires extremely long confinement, look at daycare, dog walkers, sitters, family help, or other ways to break up the day.

Crate training is not about punishment.

It is about management, consistency, frequency, and teaching your dog how to successfully live in your home.

K.I.S.S. Dog Training
Dog Training Ain’t Cheap... Experience Counts.
https://kissdogtraining.com/

If you found this episode helpful, please take a minute to leave a review. Reviews are one of the best ways to help other dog owners find the podcast. Follow the show so you do not miss future episodes, and share this one with somebody who still thinks a crate has to be a bad thing.

Support the show

Mike Deathe owns Keep it Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Dog training. We can be reached through comments here, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kissdogtraining. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedeathe/, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikedeathekissdogtraining/.  And of course at our website https://kissdogtraining.com/ 

SEND US A QUESTION OR TOPIC FOR A FUTURE SHOW...

If you enjoy the K.I.S.S. Dog Training Podcast and want to help support what we do, you can become a monthly supporter for as little as $3 a month. K.I.S.S. Dog Training is my full-time job, and producing the podcast, blogs, videos, and other educational content takes time away from that work. Your support helps me continue putting out solid, science-based, positive-reinforcement dog training information.

Support the podcast here:
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Big dogs grow up fast physically.

Mentally? Not always.

In this episode, I answer a listener question about Rupert, an Irish Wolfhound mix who had a rough start, missed a lot of early life experience, and is now struggling with distraction and leash work.

The first thing I want owners of giant breeds to understand is that size can fool us.

A 70-, 80-, or 100-pound adolescent may look like an adult dog while still behaving very much like a goofy teenager.

With large and giant breeds, maturity can take much longer than people expect.

Start With Attention

Before worrying about a perfect walk, build the dog’s ability to pay attention to you.

I am a huge believer in hand feeding because it allows you to work on:

• Sit
• Down
• Watch Me
• Release work
• Stay
• The Turnaround Game
• Attention and engagement

Hand Feeding Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsbJO2JoPmqJv6cbmelVrTFQt_B4za1OL

Dogs Do Not Generalize Well

A dog can perform beautifully in the living room and look like they forgot everything the second you step outside.

That does not necessarily mean the dog is stubborn or that the training failed.

It means the environment changed.

When you move to a new environment, back the difficulty down and teach the same skills again.

The progression I use is:

House → Backyard → Front Yard/Driveway → Neighborhood → Dog Distractions → Public Environments

Every level adds sights, smells, sounds, and distractions.

Redirection Is the Apex Skill

One of the most important things I want from a dog is the ability to disengage from a distraction and come back to me.

For me, that is the Leave It command.

Leave It does not mean “No, bad dog.”

It means:

Stop paying attention to that and come pay attention to me instead.

Once you have a redirectable dog, you can start creating all kinds of better behaviors.

Build the Walk Instead of Taking the Walk

Start small.

Walk from your driveway to the neighbor’s driveway and back. Stop and get a sit. Add another driveway later.

The walk itself becomes training.

You are teaching the dog that a walk is not simply charging forward and reacting to everything in the environment.

It is a series of small opportunities to think, pay attention, and succeed.

Books Mentioned in This Episode

The Five Steps to the Perfect Pet

How to Make Your Dog COME Without Being a BUTT-HEAD

Whoa Dog Whoa

Downward, Dog! — How to Deal With a Dog That Jumps Up

Paperback books:
https://kissdogtraining.com/paperback-books/

eBooks:
https://kissdogtraining.com/product-category/e-book/

Audiobooks:
https://kissdogtraining.com/product-category/audiobook/

The biggest thing Rupert—and most adolescent dogs—need is time.

You are going to see flashes where everything suddenly looks perfect, followed by days where it seems like the dog forgot everything.

That is adolescence.

Keep practicing.

Three steps forward and two steps back is still progress.

K.I.S.S. Dog Training
Dog Training Ain’t Cheap... Experience Counts.
https://kissdogtraining.com/

If you found this episode helpful, please take a minute to leave a review. Reviews are one of the best ways to help other dog owners find the podcast. Follow the show so you do not miss future episodes, and share this one with somebody currently living with a 90-pound dog that still thinks like a teenager.

Support the show

Mike Deathe owns Keep it Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Dog training. We can be reached through comments here, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kissdogtraining. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedeathe/, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikedeathekissdogtraining/.  And of course at our website https://kissdogtraining.com/ 

SEND US A QUESTION OR TOPIC FOR A FUTURE SHOW...

If you enjoy the K.I.S.S. Dog Training Podcast and want to help support what we do, you can become a monthly supporter for as little as $3 a month. K.I.S.S. Dog Training is my full-time job, and producing the podcast, blogs, videos, and other educational content takes time away from that work. Your support helps me continue putting out solid, science-based, positive-reinforcement dog training information.

Support the podcast here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1353841/supporters/new

Sometimes the best thing you can do during dog training is stop.

Not quit.

Just recognize that your dog has had enough for the moment.

Dogs can get mentally overloaded just like people do, and when that happens, continuing to push usually makes training worse instead of better.

Signs Your Dog May Need a Break

Watch for things like:

• A dog suddenly “forgetting” a command they normally know
• Yawning
• Scratching or other displacement behaviors
• Zoning out
• Refusing food they normally love
• Being unable to redirect away from a trigger
• Looking completely overwhelmed by the environment

That does not automatically mean your dog is stubborn, dominant, or refusing to listen.

It may simply mean you pushed past their threshold.

Add some distance. Make the exercise easier. Improve the reward. Or call it a day.

Dog training is usually a marathon, not a sprint.

Three steps forward and two steps back is still progress.

Counterconditioning vs. Flooding

If your dog is scared or reactive, the answer is not to overwhelm them until they “get over it.”

That is flooding.

Instead, work at a distance where the dog can still think, respond, and take rewards.

Gradually move closer as the dog becomes comfortable, and back up when things become too difficult.

Your job is to find the level where the dog can succeed.

What Is Your Dog Learning When You Aren’t Thinking About It?

Dogs are incredibly good at building associations and routines.

Sometimes they build exactly the routine we want.

Sometimes they build one we never intended.

The doorbell rings, the dog races to the door and barks.

The mail carrier arrives, the dog barks, and the mail carrier leaves.

From the dog’s perspective:

“I barked and made that person go away.”

Repeat that every day for several years and you have built a very powerful behavior without intentionally training anything.

Dogs can even associate phone notification sounds, cars arriving, people walking past windows, and delivery trucks with specific routines.

That is why management matters.

Sometimes changing access to a window, using baby gates, changing the doorbell routine, or creating a new behavior like “doorbell means go to your crate” can prevent the dog from rehearsing a behavior hundreds of times.

Related Resources

What Is Your Dog Practicing When You’re Not Home?
https://kissdogtraining.com/%F0%9F%90%BE-what-is-your-dog-practicing-when-youre-not-home/

Can You Calm Your Dog When You’re Not Home? — Furbo Dog Camera
https://kissdogtraining.com/kiss-dog-training-recommendation-furbo-dog-camera/

The goal is not to force your dog through every problem.

It is to recognize what your dog can handle, understand what they are practicing every day, and create routines that make the behavior you want easier to repeat.

K.I.S.S. Dog Training
Dog Training Ain’t Cheap... Experience Counts.
https://kissdogtraining.com/

If you found this episode helpful, please take a minute to leave a review. Reviews are one of the best ways to help other dog owners find the podcast. Follow the show so you do not miss future episodes, and share this one with somebody who keeps wondering why their dog suddenly “forgets” everything when life gets harder.

Support the show

Mike Deathe owns Keep it Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Dog training. We can be reached through comments here, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kissdogtraining. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedeathe/, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikedeathekissdogtraining/.  And of course at our website https://kissdogtraining.com/ 

SEND US A QUESTION OR TOPIC FOR A FUTURE SHOW...

If you enjoy the K.I.S.S. Dog Training Podcast and want to help support what we do, you can become a monthly supporter for as little as $3 a month. K.I.S.S. Dog Training is my full-time job, and producing the podcast, blogs, videos, and other educational content takes time away from that work. Your support helps me continue putting out solid, science-based, positive-reinforcement dog training information.

Support the podcast here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1353841/supporters/new

This episode tackles two very different questions that both come up all the time in dog training:

Why do I have to keep using treats?

And:

When my dogs fight, how do I know if it is serious?

Why Use Treats?

You do not have to use food forever.

But you do need a reward your dog actually values.

Food is one of the fastest ways to teach new skills because it gives the dog a clear paycheck for making the right choice.

I start with a lot of reinforcement, then gradually fade it:

Continuous rewards → Random rewards → Differential rewards

At first, reward almost every correct response.

Later, reward some of them.

Eventually, save the best rewards for the moments when your dog really impresses you—like ignoring a squirrel, redirecting away from another dog, or giving you a great response in a difficult environment.

The harder the job, the better the paycheck may need to be.

And food is not the only reward. Praise, affection, toys, access to something the dog wants, and other life rewards all count.

Dog Fights: When Should You Worry?

Not every loud dog argument means two dogs are trying to seriously hurt each other.

Dogs can have ritualized conflicts that sound absolutely terrible but end with little more than slobber and hurt feelings.

The things that worry me more are:

• Repeated attempts to cause injury
• Bites to vulnerable areas
• Blood or actual damage
• Silent, highly focused fighting
• Dogs that cannot disengage
• Conflicts that keep escalating

If you are unsure, get experienced eyes involved.

A professional trainer, veterinarian, daycare professional, or other qualified dog professional may be able to help determine what you are actually seeing.

Management matters too.

Teach a strong redirection cue. Use crates, gates, separation, and crate-and-rotate strategies when appropriate. Look at pain, age, energy level, and the personalities of the dogs involved.

An older dog with sore hips may have a very different tolerance for an adolescent puppy than they did several years earlier.

Resource Mentioned in This Episode

The Language of Dogs — Sarah Kalnajs

A useful resource for learning canine body language and understanding the difference between play, stress, warnings, conflict, and more serious behavior.

Streaming version:
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/languageofdogs

Dogwise information:
https://www.dogwise.com/copy-of-the-language-of-dogs-understanding-canine-body-language-and-other-communication-signals-streaming-video-on-demand/

Whether we are talking about rewards or dog fights, the same lesson applies:

Pay attention to what the dog is actually telling you instead of relying on assumptions.

K.I.S.S. Dog Training
Dog Training Ain’t Cheap... Experience Counts.
https://kissdogtraining.com/

If you found this episode helpful, please take a minute to leave a review. Reviews are one of the best ways to help other dog owners find the podcast. Follow the show so you do not miss future episodes, and share this one with somebody who either thinks treats are “bribery” or is trying to decide whether their dogs are arguing or truly fighting.

Support the show

Mike Deathe owns Keep it Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Dog training. We can be reached through comments here, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kissdogtraining. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedeathe/, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikedeathekissdogtraining/.  And of course at our website https://kissdogtraining.com/ 

SEND US A QUESTION OR TOPIC FOR A FUTURE SHOW...

If you enjoy the K.I.S.S. Dog Training Podcast and want to help support what we do, you can become a monthly supporter for as little as $3 a month. K.I.S.S. Dog Training is my full-time job, and producing the podcast, blogs, videos, and other educational content takes time away from that work. Your support helps me continue putting out solid, science-based, positive-reinforcement dog training information.

Support the podcast here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1353841/supporters/new

Does your dog look brilliant in the living room and then act like they have never heard a word you said the minute you walk outside?

Welcome to the curse of the living room dog.

Dogs do not generalize information nearly as well as people do. A skill learned inside the house does not automatically transfer to the backyard, driveway, neighborhood, park, or pet-friendly store.

That means training has to travel.

Build Skills One Environment at a Time

My normal progression looks something like this:

House → Backyard → Driveway → Neighborhood → Dog Distractions → Parks/Trails → Retail Environments

Every new environment adds distraction.

So when the dog struggles, do not automatically assume they are stubborn or refusing to listen.

Back up.

Make the exercise easier.

Help the dog find traction again.

If your dog only practices in the living room, then you should expect a really good living room dog.

Make Training Part of Your Routine

The second half of this episode is about making dog training feel easier by building it into things you already do every day.

Instead of carving out a special hour for “dog training,” create routines around normal life.

A few examples:

• Doorbell rings → Go to the crate
• Meal time → Hand feeding and training games
• You sit down → Dog learns to settle
• Dog sees a distraction → Leave It and redirect back to you

These routines turn ordinary moments into training opportunities.

Hand Feeding

For the first 30 days of training, I often recommend putting the food bowl away and using meals to teach attention and basic skills.

The Hand Feeding playlist includes games for Sit, Down, Watch Me, Turnaround, Leave It, crate work, waiting at doors, and more.

Hand Feeding Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsbJO2JoPmqJv6cbmelVrTFQt_B4za1OL

The Goal Is a Redirectable Dog

One of the most important routines you can build is teaching the dog that Leave It means stop focusing on that and come back to me.

It might be another dog, a squirrel, goose poop, a person, or anything else that grabs their attention.

If your dog can disengage and come back to you, you have a dog you can work with.

The big takeaway from both topics is simple:

Do not expect behavior you have never practiced in that environment.

And do not make training harder than it needs to be.

Build small routines into your normal day, practice them in increasingly difficult environments, and let repetition do the heavy lifting.

K.I.S.S. Dog Training
Dog Training Ain’t Cheap... Experience Counts.
https://kissdogtraining.com/

If you found this episode helpful, please take a minute to leave a review. Reviews are one of the best ways to help other dog owners find the podcast. Follow the show so you do not miss future episodes, and share this one with somebody whose dog turns into a completely different animal the minute they walk out the front door.

Support the show

Mike Deathe owns Keep it Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Dog training. We can be reached through comments here, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kissdogtraining. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedeathe/, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikedeathekissdogtraining/.  And of course at our website https://kissdogtraining.com/ 

SEND US A QUESTION OR TOPIC FOR A FUTURE SHOW...

Support The Keep It Simple Stupid DOG Training Podcast for as little as $3 a month through Buzzsprout and help us continue producing practical, positive, science-based dog training information for owners.

Sometimes dog training means following a proven progression. Other times, it means realizing that the usual approach isn't getting traction and being willing to think outside the box.

In the first half of this episode, Mike discusses leash reactivity and the two very different types of dogs that can appear reactive: dogs trying to create distance because they are fearful or uncomfortable, and dogs becoming frustrated because they desperately want to reach another dog, person, or distraction.

Mike walks through the normal K.I.S.S. progression—starting inside, moving to the backyard, then the front yard, and eventually the real world—and explains why distance, redirection, reinforcement, and patience matter.

He also shares a real client case where food wasn't producing enough progress around moving vehicles. An unexpected change—calling the dog in and rewarding with affection—finally created the breakthrough they needed.

Then Mike tackles a common client question:

Should you teach the word or the hand signal first?

Dogs communicate heavily through visual information, so Mike prefers beginning with hand signals. Once the dog reliably understands the visual cue, the verbal cue can be added and paired with it.

You'll also hear about:

• Fear-based versus frustration-based leash reactivity
• Why reactive behavior can become self-reinforcing
• Using distance instead of forcing exposure
• The value of the trainer-owner-veterinarian “training trinity”
• Hand signals before verbal cues
• Building eye contact and attention as default behaviors
• The turnaround game
• Why trainers sometimes need to change strategies when progress stalls

Learn more about Mike Deathe and K.I.S.S. Dog Training at:

https://kissdogtraining.com/

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Mike Deathe owns Keep it Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Dog training. We can be reached through comments here, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kissdogtraining. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedeathe/, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikedeathekissdogtraining/.  And of course at our website https://kissdogtraining.com/ 

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How do you teach a dog to reliably come when called—even when something more interesting is happening?

In this episode, Mike Deathe of K.I.S.S. Dog Training breaks recall down into two parts.

First, we cover the fundamentals of Come When Called. Recall is ultimately about safety, but reliable recall does not begin at a busy park or around major distractions. It starts in an easy environment and gradually progresses from the house to the backyard, front yard, walks, parks, and eventually more challenging situations.

Mike also explains why recall should always lead to something rewarding. If coming back to you repeatedly means the fun ends—or worse, results in punishment—you may accidentally teach your dog that coming when called is something to avoid.

Then comes the interesting part.

Stay and release, Come When Called, Leave It, and redirecting a dog that begins pulling on leash may sound like four completely different skills. But from the dog’s perspective, they can share the same basic pattern: disengage from what you are doing, notice the hand dropping to the owner’s side, return, and reconnect.

That common hand signal can become the foundation for building a dog that is increasingly redirectable around distractions.

Key takeaways include:

• Start recall training where distractions are low
• Increase difficulty gradually
• Match the value of the reward to the difficulty of the environment
• Never call your dog to you for punishment
• Pair the verbal cue and hand signal at the same time
• Build a dog that can disengage and redirect back to you

Mike also discusses his book, How to Get Your Dog to Come Without Being a Butthead, and references the earlier podcast episode on the Rules of Recall.

Learn more about K.I.S.S. Dog Training:
https://kissdogtraining.com/

If the podcast has helped you, the best thing you can do is leave a review. You can also follow the show and share this episode with another dog owner who could use it.

Support the show

Mike Deathe owns Keep it Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Dog training. We can be reached through comments here, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kissdogtraining. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedeathe/, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikedeathekissdogtraining/.  And of course at our website https://kissdogtraining.com/