Training cats and dogs isn’t just about eliminating problem behaviors. It might seem counterintuitive, but sometimes, encouraging more behaviors and more distractions can keep everyone in your household a lot happier.
Hannah Branigan, self-proclaimed dog training nerd and author of Awesome Obedience, joins me on this episode of It’s Training Cats and Dogs. She shares her journey to becoming a trainer, how she manages her multi-species household and her tips for success.
Key Moments
[5:41] Hannah gives us a backstory on her animals and how she became a trainer
[15:02] Introducing cats and dogs to each other safely
[19:14] Handling border collie stalking behavior
[24:55] Hannah’s tactics for keeping dogs and cats distracted from each other
[29:13] Why adding more behaviors can help to reduce problem behavior
[36:20] How her dogs learned to give her cats a wide berth
[38:04] Is avoidance behavior something to work on?
[40:51] How to tell when it’s time to intervene
[45:45] Hannah explains how she dealt with a dog vs. chicken incident
[49:19] Predicting predatory behavior in dogs
[52:23] Why you should focus on the range of behaviors, not just specific behaviors
[54:12] What sudden behavior changes tell us
[59:21] Why tracking your progress can help you stay motivated when training
Key Links
https://hannahbranigan.dog/ (Hannah's website)
https://www.instagram.com/hannah_branigan/ (Hannah's Instagram)
https://hannahbranigan.dog/dog-training-podcast/ (Drinking From The Toilet podcast)