Transforming An Overwhelmed And Anxious Dog Into A World Champion - DeCaff’s Story Part 1 #229

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Imagine a dog or puppy so overwhelmed by everything they see, hear or feel that it causes anxiety and crushes their confidence. Before transforming into a world agility champion, this was my Jack Russell Terrier mix, DeCaff. In part one of this two-part series I’m sharing six lessons DeCaff taught me as well as reflections on how I uniquely approached some of my toughest dog training challenges. DeCaff ultimately blossomed into a brilliant agility dog– as well as a loving, calm family pet – who inspired many of the renowned Recallers online dog training games being played worldwide today.

In this episode you’ll hear:

● DeCaff’s Story: From anxious, over-aroused Jack Russell Terrier mix to world champion agility dog.
● Six lessons, reflections and a few regrets when training DeCaff.
● How DeCaff came into my life by accident.
● When DeCaff first attacked another puppy at 9 weeks old.
● DeCaff’s sensitivity to tactile stimulation and new textures could be overwhelming for agility training.
● Lesson 1: Puppy selection for sport dogs.
● About a dog training seminar trip gone awry.
● How DeCaff’s breed mix made her physiology perfect for canine sports.
● Lesson 2: Importance of arousal state when training dogs.
● About The Yerkes-Dodson arousal curve for peak performance dog training.
● Why to increase your dog’s joy for training in distracting environments.
● Lesson 3: Create a positive environment for yourself and your dog.
● How I discovered my dog’s best reinforcer - the fly swatter.
● Lesson 4: Be sure never to force what you think is important on the dog when you’re picking their best reinforcer.
● Lesson 5: Transfer of value in dog training.
● How DeCaff and I won the ESPN Great Outdoor Games - and $10K.
● Lesson 6: Take the challenge out of your training.
● Reflections on my 3 toughest dogs to train.

Resources:

1. Podcast Episode 168: Creating Confidence For Anxious, Stressed Or Reactive Dogs Part 1 - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/168/
2. Podcast Episode 95: How Playing with Your Dog Like a Puppy Can Reduce Fear - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/95/
3. Podcast Episode 159: Help! My Puppy Is A Bully And Plays Too Rough - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/159/
4. Podcast Episode 180: Taking Your Puppy To A Café Or Restaurant: Socialization Success - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/180/
5. Podcast Episode 16: The Thing Before Your Dog’s Thing - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/16/
6. Podcast Episode 36: Puppy Selection: How I Do It and Why I Didn’t This! Time - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/36/
7. Book: Shaping Success by Susan Garrett - https://dogsthat.com/product/shaping-success-2/ 
8. Podcast Episode 13: Naming Your Puppy or Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/13/
9. Podcast Episode 78: How to Train a Rescue Dog with Behavior Problems - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/78/
10. Podcast Episode 221: Mindshifting Dog Behavior Problems To Overcome Extreme Training Challenges - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/221/
11. Podcast Episode 197: Outsmarting Distractions: How To Use Environmental Reinforcement in Dog Training - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/197/
12. Podcast Episode 86: How to Train Unmotivated or Overexcited Dogs - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/86/
13. Podcast Episode 206: First Dog Agility Competition: Creating Joy For This! By Maximizing Reinforcement - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/206/
14. Podcast Episode 228: Navigating Failure In Dog Training: What’s Your Plan B? - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/228/
15. Podcast Episode 220: Help Humping, Barking, Destructive, Reactive Dogs Overcome Dysregulation: 4 Case Studies - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/220/
16. Podcast Episode 208: Brilliance, Resilience And Gratitude: Inspiration And Motivation With Elliott Connie - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/208/
17. Podcast Episode 25: Why All Dogs Can Bite and How to Reduce the Risk with R.E.A.D.- https://dogsthat.com/podcast/25/
18. Podcast Episode 205: The Hidden World Of Reinforcement For Dogs And Why You Need To Know - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/205/
19. Podcast Episode 226: Safe Toys For Dogs And Why To Avoid Tennis Balls And Sticks - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/226/
20. Podcast Episode 31: 5 Simple Hacks to Help Your Dog Learn Faster (Reinforcement Process) - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/31/
21. Podcast Episode 177: Dog Training Outside The Box: Transfer Of Value Case Study - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/177/
22. Podcast Episode 203: Reactive, Unmotivated and Fearful: Finding Resiliency For This! Beyond Dog Training Part 1 - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/203/
23. Podcast Episode 150: Adding Mindset To Your Dog Training Tools: Who Do You Become? - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/150/
24. Podcast Episode 34: Time Outs for Dogs: Does Your Dog Need One? - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/34/
25. Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/BCV7t3MiKGg