Pressure is already part of dog training—whether you admit it or not. The leash tighteningYour body blocking spaceYour voice changingWithholding access to something the dog wants The real question isn’t “Should we use pressure?”It’s “Are we using it deliberately, clearly, and fairly?” What Pressure Actually Is Pressure is anything the dog wants to move away from. That can be: - Physical (leash, spatial pressure, touch) - Social (body language, eye contact, posture) - Environmental (barriers, access control) - Psychological (clarity vs uncertainty) Pressure is not punishment by default.Pressure becomes a problem when it’s unintentional, emotional, or unclear. Good Pressure Has 3 Rules If you’re going to apply pressure, it should always be: 1. PredictableThe dog knows what turns it off. 2. Proportional Just enough to create information—not panic or shutdown. 3. ReleasableThe release is the lesson. No release = no learning. If the dog can’t find the off-switch, you’re not training—you’re flooding. Pressure Without Release Creates Conflict Dogs don’t learn from pressure alone.They learn from pressure → choice → relief. That relief: - Builds confidence - Creates clarity - Teaches the dog how to succeed A dog that understands how to turn pressure off becomes calm, thinking, and cooperative.

Hey guys here is a little snippet from one of our newest courses on building focus with your dog ! In dog training, timing and markers matter. The difference between “YES” and “GOOD” is the difference between ending a behaviour and building duration. YES = Termination Marker “YES” tells the dog: 👉 That was correct, the rep is over, come get paid. What it means to the dog: • Behavior is finished • Release is coming • Reward is delivered GOOD = Continuation Marker“GOOD” tells the dog:👉 You’re right… keep doing exactly that.\ What it means to the dog: • Stay in position • Hold the behavior • Reinforcement is coming, but not yet Why this matters: If you use YES when you should use GOOD, you’ll get: • Dogs that pop out of position • No duration • Sloppy obedience If you never use YES, you’ll get: • Confused dogs • No clarity • Weaker reinforcement Simple rule: YES = End it GOOD = Hold it

When people hear the word punishment, they usually picture yelling, leash jerks, or harsh corrections. But in dog training, punishment simply means: Something happens that makes a behavior less likely to occur again. There are two types, and they work very differently. 1️⃣ Positive Punishment (Adding Something) What it is:You add an unpleasant consequence immediately after an unwanted behavior. ➡️ Behavior goes down because the dog wants to avoid that outcome. Examples: - Leash pressure for pulling - Spatial pressure for crowding - A verbal correction for breaking a known command - An E collar stim When it’s appropriate: - The dog understands the behavior - The rule has already been taught - The correction is fair, timely, and proportional What it does well: - Stops dangerous or pushy behaviors - Creates clear boundaries - Prevents repeated bad habits What it does not do:It does NOT teach the dog what to do instead. That must come from training and reinforcement. 2️⃣ Negative Punishment (Taking Something Away) What it is:You remove something the dog wants to reduce a behavior. ➡️ Behavior goes down because access disappears. Examples: - Attention stops when a dog jumps - Play ends when rules are broken - Freedom is removed after ignoring recall - Treats stop when focus drops When it’s appropriate: - Teaching impulse control - Reducing attention-seeking behaviours What it does well: - Teaches self-control - Lowers intensity without confrontation

In dog training, punishment gets a bad reputation because it’s often misunderstood and misused. But when used fairly, clearly, and at the right time, punishment doesn’t take freedom away — it actually creates it. Here’s why. Dogs thrive on clarity.Clear rules create predictable outcomes.Predictable outcomes create confidence. When a dog understands: - what does work - what doesn’t work they stop guessing… and start relaxing. That’s freedom. 🚫 What Punishment Is Not Punishment is not: - anger - revenge - intimidation - constant correction Those things create avoidance, stress, and confusion. ✅ What Punishment Should Be Proper punishment is: - fair (the dog understands the rule) - timely (happens during the behavior) - proportional (fits the mistake) - consistent (same rule every time) When done correctly, punishment: - stops unsafe or unwanted behavior - prevents bad habits from becoming lifestyle - reduces conflict long-term 🔓 How Punishment Creates Freedom A dog with no boundaries isn’t free — they’re unmanaged. That dog: - rehearses bad behaviors - gets restricted more over time - loses off-leash privileges - stays on leash, in crates, or behind gates A dog with clear boundaries: - earns more access - gets more trust - gets more freedom in the real world 🧠 Real Example A dog that ignores recall: - loses off-leash freedom A dog that understands recall and the consequence for ignoring it: - gets to run, explore, and live more freely The consequence didn’t limit freedom — it made it possible. 🔑 Key Takeaway Training isn’t about being permissive or harsh — it’s about being clear. Clear communication builds confident dogs.Confident dogs get freedom. Let That SINK IN guys !