May 21 • Positive Reinforcement Methods
Should we distract our dogs?
Are we using distraction or disengagement?
These two concepts are often used interchangeably but in behaviour modification they serve very different purposes and choosing the wrong one at the wrong moment can significantly impact progress.
Distraction may help a dog cope before they move over threshold.
Disengagement involves the dog noticing a trigger, and shifting attention away while remaining emotionally capable of processing the environment.
The skill is knowing which one to use and when. That comes down to reading emotional state, threshold, environmental pressure, and whether learning is actually accessible in that moment.
Sometimes the safest and most therapeutic decision is not continuing exposure at all but instead creating distance and helping the nervous system recover.
This is one of the biggest decision making areas I see trainers and behaviour professionals struggle with in fear, anxiety, and reactivity cases.
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Should we distract our dogs?
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