**Before we get into it I do want to make a disclaimer: the information provided will be general information. Breeding, individuality and experience may change how a dog reacts to certain situations. This does mean the information provided here is incorrect. The exception does not negate the rule. I have always believed that you should train the dog in front of you not how the dog should be trained because they are x, y ,z, but it is important to have an understanding and a baseline to work off of.** Something I hear a lot when listening to dog owners talk about their dogs and wildlife (or domesticated animals such as cats) is that their dog hates them. “My dog hates squirrels”. “My dog hates rabbits”. “My dog hates cats”. When in fact that is not what is happening at all. First let’s define predation and aggression: - Predation: instinctive, biological, behavior to chase, capture and sometimes kill. This is established based on their ancestral hunting instincts. - Aggression: behavior intended to oppose or defend against a threat but does not kill for food necessarily Something to consider when trying to figure out the difference between the two are what is the purpose, behavioral sequence, target perception, outcome and emotional state of the dog. Understanding the difference of these things will help tremendously on identifying what is going on in your dog’s mind and how you can properly address it. So, in the world of predation the purpose would be to obtain food which is key for survival. This drive to try again and again even when the dog fails is so engrained in their DNA that just providing your dog with good quality food at home is not enough. Your dog will not put two and two together that they don’t need to hunt after an interesting critter because you feed them good food at home. Whereas with aggression the purpose isn’t survival it is to eliminate competition or a perceived threat. This could be a threat to their territory, themselves or their pack.

Overtraining is when a dog is physically overworked. Overstimulation is when your dog has been exposed to too many exciting or stressful events with no relaxation. With overtraining your dog may become lethargic, stiff, lame, fatigue, exercise intolerant even without much exercise. Other signs could be vomiting and diarrhea. With overstimulation your dog may become (more) anxious, irritable, compulsive, hyperactive and or destructive. The symptoms listed for overtraining or overstimulation is not exhaustive. Due to these symptoms your dog may opt to not participate in physical activities with you including walks. It is important to monitor for physical signs of burnout such as changes in gait or posture. If you are unsure if your dog is displaying any of these symptoms it is recommended that your dog is seen by a reputable veterinarian, or even a sport veterinarian, where they may suggest imaging such as radiographs. If that is the case it may be a good idea to have the radiographs be sent for review by a board-certified radiologist as well. Dogs that are overtrained or overstimulated may also have changes in their eating or sleeping habits. They may start to withdrawal from socializing with other animals or even the humans in the household or they may become clingier. You may see increases in fear or aggression towards housemates or humans. If this happens assess and address your training/rest schedule and incorporate mental stimulation such as a snuffle mat, lick mat, KONG original (or similar), KONG wobbler (or similar) or puzzle of some kind. Keep the puzzles easy and fun for the dog especially at the beginning. **Note that the suggestions are not physical, but they are mental/self-soothing in a healthy, productive and nondestructive way** Overstimulation, constant elation and or stress, can lead to a weakened immune system as well which in turn can cause your dog to be more prone to sickness and disease. If your dog starts showing signs it may be in their best interest to have your dog examined by a reputable veterinarian to at least establish a baseline especially if your dog does not improve.

One way we can influence our dog’s and their dopamine levels with reward is something called the reward prediction error (RPE). This can be described in short as the difference between the expected reward and reward that is actually received. When a dog receives an expected reward the prediction error is zero (no change in behavior), when a dog receives a reward better than expected that is a positive RPE (increases behavior) and when a dog receives a reward worse than expected that is a negative RPE (decreases behavior). The way that RPE can be applied to dog training is massive and gives you a great tool of communication to increase or decrease behaviors. This is where variable rewards, especially for more complex behaviors, can be of great benefit to us in communication to our dogs to let them know they did good and that they did great. This is hopefully something that we do consciously but can also be done unintentionally so it is important to remember that our dogs are always learning both inside and outside the home. Reward prediction error is not limited to dog training, and it is something that all mammals experience and is how we make knowledgeable decisions. Dopamine neurons that are released both during the reward stimulus such as a marker word or clicker and during real rewards are similar and are individual to your dog. This is further reinforced with a reward the dog receives that is equal to or greater than expected for a desirable behavior, but timing is also very important and bad timing can taint your high value reinforcer. This is known as temporal discounting and while dopamine will still be produced it will be less and therefore your reinforcement weaker.