Key Takeaways
1. Understand your dog's state of mind to build a stronger connection
Connecting with your dog requires understanding his state of mind.
Read your dog's body language. Pay attention to muscle tension, movement patterns, eye expressions, tail position, and vocalizations. These cues provide valuable insights into your dog's emotional state and level of comfort in various situations.
Recognize stress signals. Look for signs such as:
- Yawning or lip-licking when not tired or hungry
- Excessive sniffing or sudden disengagement
- Scratching when not itchy
- "Shake offs" when not wet
By understanding these signals, you can adjust your training approach and environment to help your dog feel more comfortable and receptive to learning.
2. Use passive attention exercises to promote relaxation and focus
Passive attention exercises are designed to help the dog and handler feel relaxed and able to focus on each other in a stimulating environment, and hence help prepare them for more active work.
Start with bodywork. Incorporate massage, TTouch, or other calming techniques to help your dog relax. Focus on areas like the ears, jaw, and back. This not only promotes physical relaxation but also strengthens the bond between you and your dog.
Practice breathing exercises. Synchronize your breathing with your dog's, and reward calm behavior. This helps create a positive association with relaxation and teaches your dog to remain calm in various environments. Use these exercises as a foundation before moving on to more challenging training scenarios.
3. Employ active attention games to enhance engagement and impulse control
These exercises emphasize handler focus or impulse control, switching your dog to a more active level of interaction and preparing him to work.
Implement targeting exercises. Teach your dog to touch various objects or body parts on cue. This provides a focused task and helps maintain engagement in distracting environments. Progress from stationary targets to moving ones, and eventually to remote object targeting.
Practice impulse control games. Use exercises like:
- "Doggie Zen": Teach the dog to look away from treats to earn them
- "Leave It": Strengthen the dog's ability to ignore tempting items
- "Go to Place": Send the dog to a designated spot and stay there
These games build self-control and focus, essential skills for agility and everyday life.
4. Implement the "Look at That!" game to change reactions to triggers
When we click dogs for looking at their triggers, we are aiming to change their motivations.
Reframe trigger experiences. Instead of trying to prevent your dog from looking at triggers (other dogs, people, objects), teach them that noticing these things is part of a game they play with you. Click and treat when your dog looks at the trigger, then back at you.
Build positive associations. This game helps change the dog's emotional response to triggers from anxiety or reactivity to calm interest. It also teaches the dog to check in with you in the presence of potential distractions, strengthening your bond and communication.
5. Utilize the "Give Me a Break" technique to increase enthusiasm and focus
The goal is to increase the dog's attention and eagerness to work with you.
Structure short, rewarding sessions. Work with your dog for brief periods (e.g., 10-30 seconds) with a high rate of reinforcement. Then, give a verbal dismissal cue and disengage.
Allow the dog to choose. During the break, let your dog decide whether to continue engaging with you or to do something else. If they re-engage, immediately restart the training session. This builds enthusiasm for work and strengthens the dog's desire to interact with you.
6. Master the "Off-switch" game to teach calm behavior amidst excitement
The purpose of this game is to allow a dog to reach a certain level of arousal and then reward him for calming down before resuming activity.
Alternate between excitement and calm. Engage your dog in an exciting activity (e.g., tug, chase) for a short period. Then, ask for or wait for a calm behavior (e.g., sit, down, or even just a moment of stillness).
Reward the calm state. Immediately mark and reward the calm behavior, then resume the exciting activity. This teaches the dog to think and control impulses even when aroused, a crucial skill for agility and everyday life.
7. Apply parallel games to improve comfort around other dogs
For dogs that are uncomfortable working near other dogs, CU's parallel games give them a job to do or a game to play and focus on while they are near other dogs, without any pressure to interact directly with another dog.
Start with structured exercises. Use games like parallel racing, where dogs run alongside each other separated by barriers. Gradually decrease the distance between dogs and remove barriers as they become more comfortable.
Progress to more challenging scenarios. Advance to exercises like the "Car Crash" game, where dogs pass closely while focused on their handlers. These games help dogs learn to remain focused on their task even with other dogs nearby.
8. Personalize and combine exercises for maximum effectiveness
Creatively combine the games to personalize them.
Tailor exercises to your dog's needs. Observe your dog's specific challenges and preferences, then adapt the CU exercises accordingly. For example, if your dog is easily distracted by scents, you might combine the "Look at That!" game with targeting exercises to help them focus in scent-rich environments.
Mix and match games. Combine different exercises to address multiple issues simultaneously. For instance, you might use the "Off-switch" game in conjunction with parallel games to help a dog that gets overexcited around other dogs learn to remain calm and focused.
9. Integrate Control Unleashed principles into daily life and agility training
Think inside the box.
Apply CU concepts beyond formal training. Use the principles learned in CU in everyday situations, such as walks, vet visits, or when guests come over. This helps generalize the skills and makes them more reliable in various contexts.
Adapt for agility training. When facing challenges in agility class or competition:
- Imagine a "ring-gate box" around your working area to help focus your dog
- Use targeting exercises to guide your dog through sequences
- Employ the "Give Me a Break" game to maintain enthusiasm during long training sessions
- Apply the "Look at That!" game to help your dog cope with distractions at trials
By consistently applying these principles, you can help your dog become a more confident, focused, and successful agility partner.
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FAQ
What is Control Unleashed: Creating a Focused and Confident Dog by Leslie McDevitt about?
- Behavioral program for focus: The book presents a behavioral program designed to help reactive, distracted, or anxious dogs become focused and confident, especially in stimulating environments.
- Science-based training: It uses operant conditioning, desensitization, and counterconditioning to teach self-control and focus, rather than traditional obedience or agility drills.
- Applicable to sports and life: While rooted in agility, the program’s principles and exercises are useful for daily life and other dog sports, helping dogs work calmly around distractions.
Why should I read Control Unleashed by Leslie McDevitt?
- Addresses common dog issues: The book offers practical, positive solutions for dogs that are reactive, easily distracted, or anxious—problems that often hinder training and performance.
- Empowers handlers and instructors: Readers learn to read dog body language, manage thresholds, and use creative exercises to build focus and confidence.
- Flexible and adaptable: The program is designed to be tailored to each dog’s temperament and needs, making it valuable for both novice and experienced trainers.
What are the key takeaways and core principles from Control Unleashed by Leslie McDevitt?
- Positive reinforcement and counterconditioning: The method uses rewards to change dogs’ emotional responses to triggers, turning anxiety or reactivity into calm, focused behaviors.
- Reading and respecting the dog: Handlers are taught to observe subtle body language and stress signals, adjusting training to keep dogs under threshold and comfortable.
- Building a clear rule structure: The program creates predictable, game-like scenarios where dogs learn what to expect and how to behave, reducing uncertainty and increasing confidence.
How does Leslie McDevitt define and address reactivity and stress in dogs in Control Unleashed?
- Reactivity as information-seeking: Reactivity is described as a response to anxiety and uncertainty, not dominance or aggression, with behaviors like barking or lunging as coping strategies.
- Distress vs. eustress: The book distinguishes between negative stress (distress) and positive stress (eustress), aiming to minimize distress while allowing manageable arousal.
- Behavior modification focus: The program uses desensitization and counterconditioning to build coping skills and confidence, especially for dogs with high arousal or hypervigilance.
What is the “Look at That!” game in Control Unleashed and how does it help reactive dogs?
- Counterconditioning through looking: Dogs are rewarded for looking at their triggers and then turning back to their handler, changing their emotional response from anxiety to curiosity and calmness.
- Teaches self-interruption: The game empowers dogs to self-interrupt their reactive response, reducing stress and building self-control.
- Improves handler-dog connection: It helps handlers relax and creates a positive, understandable rule structure for the dog.
What is the “Give Me a Break” game in Control Unleashed and what are its benefits?
- Short, rewarding sessions: The game involves brief, highly rewarding training bouts followed by quick dismissal cues, increasing enthusiasm and focus.
- Dog-driven motivation: Dogs learn to ask for more work, building motivation and attention span in distracting environments.
- Supports latent learning: Breaks allow the dog to process what was learned, making it effective for dogs with short attention spans or stress issues.
How does the “Off-switch” game in Control Unleashed help dogs manage arousal and impulse control?
- Arousal modulation training: The game teaches dogs to switch between high excitement and calm states, helping them regain control after arousal spikes.
- Default behavior reinforcement: Dogs are taught a strong default behavior (like a down or sit) to interrupt overarousal, which is reinforced during the game.
- Prepares for real-life challenges: This is especially useful for dogs prone to hyperarousal in agility or other activities, supporting focus and impulse control.
What foundational exercises and concepts does Leslie McDevitt introduce in Control Unleashed?
- Passive attention exercises: Techniques like massage, Tellington Touch, and breathing awareness help dogs relax and prepare for work.
- Box work and active attention: Exercises such as “box work,” Doggie Zen, Leave It, Targeting, and Go to Place build engagement and focus.
- Release cues and reorienting: Teaching dogs to wait calmly at thresholds and orient back to handlers before proceeding builds self-control and connection.
How does Control Unleashed by Leslie McDevitt approach leash and off-leash work?
- Leash as management, not control: The program teaches that a leash should not dictate a dog’s focus; dogs learn to differentiate work and break times based on handler cues.
- Default behaviors for off-leash: Dogs are taught automatic behaviors like eye contact, sit, and down to self-regulate when off-leash.
- Games for engagement: Exercises like “We don’t need no stinkin’ leashes!” and collar grab games condition dogs to remain engaged and not bolt when unleashed.
How does Control Unleashed help handlers connect deeply with their dogs?
- Mindfulness and presence: The book emphasizes being present with your dog through awareness exercises, improving handler focus and energy during training.
- Teamwork and respect: Activities like the double-leash “ballet of teamwork” foster connection and mutual understanding, while respecting each dog’s individual needs and pace.
- Heart connections: Personal stories illustrate the importance of connecting with dogs beyond performance, valuing their unique personalities and emotional states.
How does Control Unleashed integrate training into real-life agility and daily situations?
- “Think inside the box”: Handlers are encouraged to visualize the training area as a “ring-gate box” to create a focused environment and generalize CU exercises to real contexts.
- Mix and match games: The program teaches handlers to combine games like Look at That!, Give Me a Break, and Off-switch to address specific challenges in various environments.
- Focus on dog’s needs: Emphasis is placed on reading body language, adjusting criteria, and maintaining high reinforcement rates to keep dogs comfortable and engaged.
What are some key success stories or case studies from Control Unleashed by Leslie McDevitt?
- Snap’s transformation: A reactive Border Collie progressed from shutting down and running off to confidently competing in agility trials through CU’s games and gradual exposure.
- Maggie the Border Collie: Initially stressed around other dogs, Maggie learned to relax and focus using relaxation exercises and the Look at That! game.
- Junior the Jack Russell: A highly distractible terrier learned to reframe distractions into opportunities for engagement and focus, demonstrating the program’s adaptability and effectiveness.
Review Summary
Control Unleashed receives high praise from readers for its innovative approach to dog training, focusing on building focus and confidence through games and exercises. Many find it particularly helpful for reactive or fearful dogs. Readers appreciate the emphasis on teamwork and the dog-human relationship. Some criticize the book's layout and reliance on classroom settings for certain exercises. Overall, it's considered a valuable resource for dog trainers and owners, offering unique insights and practical techniques, though some find it too technical or agility-focused.
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