Generalizing Behaviors in New Environments: An Interview with Richard Gonzalez CPDT-KA | Pupford

Have you noticed how your dog may listen to your cues while at home, but fails to do so in a new environment? We sat down with Richard Gonzalez (certified dog trainer) to discuss why it can be SO difficult for our dogs to understand behaviors in new environments.

Plus, we break down specific things you can do to help your dog better understand and grasp behaviors no matter the distractions or environment!

INTRODUCTION OF RICHARD

Richard Gonzalez, has been learning dog behavior since 2010 when he was introduced to a service dog organization in San Diego California while on active duty as a Marine. He was undergoing medical recovery due to combat-related wounds and injuries. During this time is when he discovered his love for learning animal behavior and learning theory. It has been a huge part of his recovery from wounds and reintegration back into society from being in the military.

Richard recently graduated from the University of Washington in the Applied Animal Behavior Program (UW-AAB), is a graduate of the Karen Pryor Academy (KPA-CTP), is a Certified professional dog trainer through the CCPDT, (CPDT-KA) and is also an AKC good citizen evaluator (AKC-CGC). He was a lead dog trainer at Petco and went through their certification program and puppy start right instructor through the Karen Pryor Academy.

He tries to attend one annual conference a year, and he likes to stay up to date with continuing education in the dog training field.

Some fun facts about Richard are:

1. He’s been to over 30 different countries and states
2. He’s trained horses, fish, cats, goats, chickens, and dogs
3. His first service dog licked Former First lady Michelle Obama’s leg
4. He served in the Us Marine Corps for 12 years and was retired due to his wounds sustained from combat
5. He resides in the Pacific Northwest with his 3 Malinois
6. His oldest Malinois was born on the day he was wounded and his middle Malinois was born on the day he went into that battle

CONNECT WITH RICHARD

Connect with Richard on his Website

Connect with RIchard on his Instagram

Connect with Richard on Facebook

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OVERVIEW OF GENERALIZING BEHAVIORS IN NEW ENVIRONMENTS

FIRST QUESTION… WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT FOR OUR DOGS TO UNDERSTAND BEHAVIORS IN NEW/CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENTS? WHAT’S HAPPENING? (Starts around 5:20)

• Our dogs don’t generalize behaviors like we do as humans. If you can play guitar in your living room, you can play it at a park… but for dogs, new environments, smells, sounds, etc. make generalization difficult
• In most cases, new environments essentially put your dog back to ‘ground zero’ with a behavior (or at least close to it)
• It takes a lot of practice to help our dogs generalize a behavior and become fluent, no matter the environment
• An important note to remember with new environments is that it typically means we need to ‘restart’ (or close to it) with the 3 D’s
• Distance
• Duration
• Distraction

HOW CAN WE ‘TAME OUR EXPECTATIONS’ WITH OUR DOG’S NEW BEHAVIOR IN NEW ENVIRONMENTS? (Starts around 7:30)

• We have to recognize that introducing a new environment is extremely difficult for our dogs
• Sometimes we have to take things at an extra slow pace and go ‘backwards’ in their learning
• Another way we can tame our expectations is by only going at our dog’s pace, not our own

HOW CAN PUP PARENTS HELP THEIR DOGS TRULY START TO UNDERSTAND BEHAVIORS IN NEW ENVIRONMENTS? (Starts around 11:17)

• First, if you are wanting to build fluency and generalize that behavior, what is the criteria you will you need your pup to understand (your environment, ie. do you live in a city, or the country? Are you around a lot of people or just a few, etc.)
• The key is to treat a new environment as a challenge for our dogs and going back to basics
• If your pup isn’t being successful, bring it back to the last step they were successful at - set the learner up for success - ALWAYS
• Sometimes you just need to allow your dog to decompress and explore a new environment as well, before you even start training

IF WE TRY THESE IDEAS AND OUR DOGS STILL STRUGGLE WITH NEW ENVIRONMENTS, WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO? (Starts around 17:25)

• Are you asking too much of your dog? That is a question that must be objectively answered when your dog is struggling in a new environment
• Do you have a gameplan/end result in mind? Once you do, break down that goal into micro-steps and micro-goals
• Above all, go at your dog’s pace… not your own!

We have all heard the expression, “Don’t bite off more than you can chew.” With training dogs, that expression is very applicable! We want to make sure that we are working at our dog’s pace and try to set them up for success. That means, moving at their pace, going back to the basics, and ending before we (or THEY) get frustrated. Look at other resources, and try to understand how your dog communicates.

If you are struggling with your dog’s behaviors, push through! It is difficult, but it is possible! We have faith in you.