Episode 104. How to Train Your Dog with Love & Science with Annie Grossman of School for the Dogs

Do we really have to understand science to teach our dogs?

According to Annie Grossman, it really does help - both us & our dogs - if we grasp the basics of how dogs learn. And she should know. Annie is the author of the new book How to Train Your Dog with Love & Science as well as the founder of the dog training collective School for the Dogs based in New York City.

But science doesn’t have to be difficult, and Annie helps simplify the concepts for us. As Annie’s book says: if we don’t actually understand how dogs learn, then we’re just “muddl[ing] along with a mix of intuition, good intentions and emotional reactions.” I know I’ve definitely been guilty of this!

Annie introduces us to the Training Triad, her 3-pronged approach to changing our dogs’ behavior. We also discuss the LIMA approach – Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive.

Annie shares with us the many ways in which learning about learning benefits our lives – from making us smarter consumers to raising the next generation.

Annie & I discuss:

How her book got it’s name;
Growing up with dogs;
Her career path to becoming a dog trainer;
Drama in the world of dog training;
Do we really need to understand science to train our dogs?
Why learning how to learn benefits us in many different ways;
Why Erin was once a training class drop-out;
The importance of learning our dogs’ body language;
Annie’s Training Triad;
Blame versus change;
The LIMA approach (Least Intrusive Minimally Aversive);
Where to find Annie and School for the Dogs

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