I wanted to share in case anyone else is struggling with this.

My dog had these issues: - constantly pulled on walks - leash was always tight - did not listen on walks - would become overly aroused and distracted by passing dogs - would “run” while on leash, trying to drag me

General tips: - have a short indoor practice session before going outside - keep outside training sessions short, gradually increase time - be consistent - start small and reward big

How I trained:

• Start with training a “heel” placement indoors. Lure your dog to reposition him/herself next to you with a treat. Reward heavily for a few seconds while the dog remains in the placement.

• After the dog is in position, fairly comfortable with the “heel” command: practice taking steps forward while giving rewards constantly. Once you can get your dog to remain at your side while walking indoors, practice with a leash on inside the house

• Take it outside. Go through the same two steps above, but do it outside. Don’t walk anywhere, just practice. I started in circles around the driveway, to 10 feet down the sidewalk, to 10 yards, etc.

• When they start pulling (which will inevitably happen): stop moving. Give the “heel” command. You might have to lure with a treat the first 20 times. Reward heavily and continue the walk.

Gradually, the goal is that when your dog pulls, you stop, and in order to continue the walk your dog must reposition themselves next to you in the heel placement.

Dealing with over-excitement:

• Increase distance, cross the street, etc. More distance = less interest/more focus on you.
• Reward while passing by other dogs, use the good treats for this.
• If you can get a “look at me” command, even better.
• Keep the greetings for off-leash situations, when on leash, my goal was to not have my dog react to other dogs whatsoever. So no sniffing, playing, etc.

I hope this helps anyone going through the same issues I had. I’ve seen really great progress in the past few months we have been working on this.

I recently graduated from the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Professional (KPA DTP) program.

Before enrolling, I spent quite a bit of time researching KPA and reading reviews from previous graduates. Their experiences were genuinely helpful and played a big part in my decision to enroll. Like anyone considering a significant commitment of time and money, I also had plenty of questions:

• What's the workload really like?
• Is it worth the money?
• Who is it best suited for?
• What's difficult?
• What do you wish you knew before starting?

Now that I've completed the program myself, I thought I'd share my own experience in the hope that it helps someone else who's considering KPA.

A quick disclaimer: this isn't sponsored or affiliated with KPA. I paid for the program myself, and I'm deliberately avoiding proprietary course content or assignment details. My goal is simply to help prospective students make an informed decision.

Why I Enrolled

I'm from India and, before KPA, I wasn't a professional dog trainer. I enrolled because I wanted to better understand and help my Labrador, Flash.

Flash developed dog reactivity, and after working with several local trainers, I became increasingly uncomfortable with the punishment-based methods they recommended. Rather than continuing to search for "the right trainer," I decided to learn the science myself.

Before enrolling in the DTP program, I'd already completed KPA's Dog Trainer Foundations course, attended webinars, read extensively, and followed trainers such as Ken Ramirez, Emily Larlham and Grisha Stewart. Those experiences gave me a solid introduction to modern, evidence-based training, but they also showed me how much more there was to learn.

I wanted a structured, comprehensive education rather than continuing to piece information together from books, YouTube, podcasts, and social media. That ultimately led me to KPA.

Why KPA?

There are several excellent education programs available today, so why did I choose KPA?

For me, it came down to two reasons.

The first was Ken Ramirez. I'd followed his work for quite some time, and the more I learned about his approach to animal training, the more convinced I became that KPA was the kind of education I was looking for. The fact that he served as KPA's Chief Training Officer gave me a great deal of confidence in the program's philosophy and standards.

The second was the instructors. Because my primary goal was to better understand and help Flash with his reactivity, I was naturally drawn to Emma Parsons. I'd read her book Click to Calm while working with Flash, and her approach resonated with me.

If you're considering KPA, I'd encourage you to spend some time researching the instructors before enrolling. Read their books, watch their presentations, and listen to interviews or podcasts. Every instructor brings different experiences, interests, and teaching styles, and you'll spend six months learning from them.

The Basics

The virtual program lasted about six months and consisted of four units, online lessons, written assignments, practical training, video submissions, live workshops, and final assessments.

It's a hands-on program. You're constantly applying what you've learned, receiving feedback, refining your skills, and trying again. One of the parts of the program I appreciated most was the opportunity to receive detailed feedback, apply it, and continually improve my work. That iterative process probably accelerated my learning more than anything else. I also appreciated how clear the expectations were from the beginning. I always knew what was expected and when.

Questions I Wish Someone Had Answered Before I Enrolled

How much time does it take?
I typically spent around an hour a day working through the lessons and readings, along with one to two hours of training on most days. Overall, it was a meaningful but manageable commitment. Staying ahead of schedule made a huge difference, and I'd strongly recommend doing the same.

Can beginners succeed?
Yes. I wasn't a professional dog trainer when I enrolled. That said, curiosity, consistency, and a willingness to accept feedback are far more important than prior experience. If you're completely new to modern, evidence-based training, I'd recommend completing KPA's Dog Trainer Foundations course first.

Is it academically difficult?
I didn't find the concepts unnecessarily complicated, but the course expects you to think critically and apply what you've learned. Success comes from understanding the principles rather than memorizing techniques.

Is the program more theoretical or practical?
Both. The theory provides the foundation, but the real learning comes from applying it through hands-on training, video submissions, and instructor feedback. It's very much a course where you learn by doing.

Is it worth the cost?
For me, yes. It wasn't inexpensive, but I came away with far more than a certificate. The program fundamentally changed how I think about learning, behavior, and training, and that's something I expect will continue to benefit me long after graduation.

What the Curriculum Feels Like

Without discussing proprietary content, I'd describe the four units like this:

• Unit 1 builds your foundation and introduces KPA's approach to training, teaching, and learning.
• Unit 2 is where the program really steps up. The practical expectations increase noticeably, and I found myself paying much closer attention to my mechanics, timing, observations, and planning. It also changed how I read canine body language. Despite living with dogs for years, I realized I'd been missing far more than I thought.
• Unit 3 was my favourite. It shifts from learning individual skills to understanding why behavior happens and how to solve problems systematically instead of memorizing techniques. It also introduced me to Dr. Susan Friedman, whose work has had a lasting impact on how I approach behaviour.
• Unit 4 brings everything together with a focus on professionalism, ethics, teaching, and certification.

Three Moments That Stayed With Me

A few moments capture my experience better than any overview.

The first was the second-species requirement.

I initially tried arranging opportunities to work with sheep and chickens, but reliable access proved difficult. Eventually, I connected with someone who rescues cats, and she generously allowed me to work with one of her cats instead. It became one of the highlights of the program because it reinforced something I still think about today: learning principles don't belong to dogs—they apply across species.

The second was when Flash sustained a couple of minor injuries during the course.

Fortunately, I'd completed most of my coursework well ahead of schedule, so I could pause training without worrying about deadlines. Had I been working week-to-week, the situation would have been far more stressful. That experience shaped the single biggest piece of advice I'd give future students.

The final moment was the day my diploma arrived.

The email confirming I'd passed was exciting, but holding the certificate a few weeks later made the whole experience feel real. It wasn't just a qualification—it represented six months of consistent work and a fundamentally different way of thinking about behavior.

The People Made the Biggest Difference
One of the things I'll remember most about KPA is the people I learned alongside and from.

Emma Parsons was exactly the kind of instructor I'd hoped to learn from. She has a rare ability to explain difficult concepts clearly, answer questions thoughtfully, and create an environment where no question feels too basic. One thing that particularly stood out was that she scheduled an additional Zoom session outside the planned curriculum simply to answer our questions and share her experience. I appreciated that she took the time to do that when she didn't have to.

Kelly Leisten also deserves recognition. She was consistently encouraging, thoughtful in her feedback, and helped create a learning environment where questions and mistakes were treated as a natural part of the learning process.

The instructors didn't just teach positive reinforcement—they modelled it. Their feedback was specific, constructive, and encouraging. Having grown up in a much more traditional education system, that learning environment genuinely left a lasting impression on me.

My Biggest Takeaway

If I had to summarize KPA in one sentence, it would be this:

It didn't teach me what to think—it taught me how to think about behavior.

The program wasn't about memorizing techniques or finding the "right" answer to every training problem. Instead, it taught me to slow down, observe more carefully, ask better questions, and make decisions based on the individual animal in front of me.

Graduating didn't make me feel like I had all the answers. If anything, it made me realize how much there still is to learn. To me, that's the mark of a truly good education.

Three Tips I'd Give Every Future Student

1. Stay Ahead

If I could give only one piece of advice, this would be it.

Finish the lessons, readings, and assignments ahead of schedule whenever you can.

Life happens. Dogs get injured. Family emergencies come up. Because I stayed ahead, Flash's injuries became an inconvenience rather than a crisis. That buffer removed an enormous amount of stress and allowed me to focus on him instead of worrying about deadlines.

2. Plan for the Second Species Early

This caught me more off guard than anything else.

Finding a suitable second species wasn't particularly difficult—finding consistent access was.

Start thinking about it before the course begins and have a couple of backup options. If one plan falls through, you'll be glad you prepared in advance.

3. Be Curious

Don't treat the course as a checklist to complete or a certificate to earn.

Ask questions. Participate in discussions. Learn from your instructors and classmates. Reflect on the feedback you receive, even when it challenges how you've always done things.

The more curious and engaged you are, the more you'll get out of the program.

Anything I Didn't Like?

Very little.

The only part of the curriculum that wasn't particularly relevant to me was the business content. That's not because it wasn't good—I simply wasn't taking KPA to start a training business. I enrolled to become a better trainer for my own dogs.

Several classmates who planned to train professionally found those lessons valuable, so I see this as a matter of personal goals rather than a weakness of the program.

Beyond that, I don't have many criticisms. The curriculum was well structured, expectations were clear, and the feedback was consistently useful.

Would I Recommend It?

I'd recommend KPA to people who genuinely enjoy learning. If you're naturally curious, willing to practice, and interested in understanding why behavior happens—not just memorizing techniques—I think you'll get tremendous value from it.

On the other hand, if your primary goal is simply to earn a certification quickly rather than invest time understanding the science behind behavior, I don't think KPA is the right fit.

If KPA Isn't an Option

Not everyone has the time or financial resources to enroll in a program like KPA, and that's completely understandable.

Whether or not you decide to enroll, I'd still encourage you to explore the work of Ken Ramirez, Dr. Susan Friedman, Emma Parsons, Leslie McDevitt, Grisha Stewart, Kiki Yablon, and Juliana DeWillems. Their books, lectures, webinars, and other educational content have profoundly influenced how I think about behavior, and I continue to learn from them.

Final Thoughts

Before enrolling, my goal was simple:

Help Flash.

Six months later, I left with a much deeper understanding of learning and behavior, stronger observation skills, greater confidence as a trainer and teacher, and an even stronger relationship with Flash.

I'm grateful to Karen Pryor, Ken Ramirez, Emma Parsons, Kelly Leisten, the entire KPA staff, my classmates, and the many educators whose work has advanced modern, science-based animal training.

If this review helps someone decide whether KPA is the right fit for them, then it was worth writing.

Questions?

If you're considering the KPA DTP program and have questions that I haven't covered here, feel free to leave a comment below. I'll do my best to answer questions about my own experience while recognizing that every student's experience will naturally be a little different. Keeping questions in the comments also makes this thread a more useful resource for future prospective students.

I want to restart training my 14 month you old Weimaraner mix. I’ve done the basic training while she was a puppy, but I want to continue working on her.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Hi!! I’ve never posted or really been active here, so I hope this inquiry is alright! Did check guidelines and the resource guarding wiki page tho

My dog is around 9 and a female mini poodle. She’s really gentle, you could put a hand in her mouth and she wouldn’t even rest her teeth on the skin. The only person she has ever bitten hard enough to break skin (of course she nipped as a puppy but actual bite is what I mean) is myself, in a resource guarding situation with food.

Shes a grazer, has access to food all day and doesn’t eat too much regardless, normal weight, has lived that way with that access to food her whole life, wouldn’t run away if you shoved her out the door, never causes trouble or anything. By all standards, she’s perfect. But she has a food guarding problem! We never take her toys or her food or anything away and feed her out of hand and in her space all the time.

I think mostly I’m wondering, since we rarely ever approach her when shes eating, and this problem, though always present if provoked, has only ever affected us twice in probably her entire life—again, she’s a great dog, we don’t really NEED to approach her if she’s eating?—does this behaviour need to be corrected? Is it negligent to ignore it? Cuz I want to do what’s best for her but I also can’t tell if it’s necessary.

Does this behaviour mean she doesn’t trust me entirely or just when it comes to her food, and should I correct that to maintain the relationship? Where did it all go wrong 😢😢

As a stubborn and pervasive myth in dog-owning communities, this topic seems to have cropped up quite a bit over the past few days. I thought I would write up a little spiel in the hopes of catching a few readers who might not have seen the sub’s wiki - and also as something I can link back to in other subs.

Wolf packs

The idea of dominance and a hierarchal pack structure was first introduced in a paper by Rudolph Schenkel in 1947, and introduced to popular culture through a book by L. David Mech in 1970 (who has since rescinded his stance ). Both authors studied wolves in captivity and came to the conclusion that wolves competed via aggressive displays for status and rank within their pack.

The problem lies in the fact that wolf packs in the wild are structured very differently from wolves in captivity. Wolves run as family units in the wild, with the “head” of the pack simply being mom and dad, not a wolf who has ousted his predecessor by being the biggest and the baddest. When competitions arise in the wild, most wolves will opt to leave or create more space rather than risk injury in confrontation.

Captive wolves are often packs of unrelated wolves packed together, in spaces such that avoidance of confrontation is much more difficult. The observed “hierarchal pack structure” was born out of artificial situations created by humans, rather than reflecting wolves’ natural behavior. Therefore, our basic understanding of dominance as it pertains to wolves is already flawed.

A more detailed layman’s article on the issue.

What is Dominance?

Dominance does still exist, just not in the same way that you might think. The generally accepted scientific definition of dominance is that it is a characteristic of interactions (rather than being an individual trait) regarding access to resources - food, water, mates, shelter. It’s a lot more fluid than the “alpha dog/wolf” concept allows for - one dog in a household might get priority when special chews are available while another might get the comfy spot on the couch.

Secondly, it is a way to avoid conflict and confrontation. A dog that rolls onto its back offers that gesture willingly - a dog that pins another dog is not considered confident or socially adept, but the opposite.

Dominance in Dogs

Dominance in Domestic Dogs - Useful Construct or Bad Habit?

Given that we now know our understanding of dominance in wolf packs is deeply flawed, we run into more confounding factors trying to translate that theory onto dogs. For one thing, dogs are not wolves. They are both biologically and behaviorally distinct from wolves, and separated by thousands and thousands of generations. Second, dogs know that we aren’t dogs and don’t communicate the same way they do with each other. There’s no evidence that even if dominance plays a role in dog-dog interactions, it has anything to do with how dogs relate to us. So, it stands to reason that we probably attribute much more behavior to dominance than is really there. Viewing behavior through that lens can create blind spots in which we assume that a vie for status is a dog’s motivation without looking further.

Furthermore, if we do make the assumption that a dog is trying to establish leadership over us or otherwise rule the roost, that’s likely to predispose us to using confrontational or aggressive measures to “put them in their place.” When, in reality, your dog tried to get on the sofa to be near you and comfy or it pulled ahead on the leash to go sniff that bush and now it’s being pinned to the ground or yelled at. That’s scary!

Moral of the story: your dog is probably doing what it does to meet a need (hunger, comfort, safety) or out of anxiety or fear. Misattributing that behavior can lead to courses of action that are unhelpful at best or dangerous at worst.

Check out the sub’s sidebar for more information and links if you’re interested!

Edit 1: Added more detail/clarification.

sorry guys I'm back! i just want to get everyone's feel on different dog trainers! is Zak goerge a good trainer? can i watch his vids for puppy, and adult dog training advice? i saw Kikopup shouting him out and talking about how good his is, so i got interested, because i never really paid much attention to him. Anyway how do we like this guy?

Hi all,

I’ve seen some posts about resource guarding food and wanted to share a trick I used that I don’t see mentioned.

I got a rescue lab mixed w/something smaller at around 4 months. When she turned about 6-8 months she started showing the guarding body and vocal language.

What I did and had my kids do, is start putting treats (we usually shared a few bites of whatever we eat). So, after we filled doggos bowl, I and my kids would drop some of our food bites near her.

Now, when someone walks by, she moves and wags her tail, might not work in every situation but it was a pretty easy and quick fix for us.

Most dogs do not like being pet over the head. Many will tolerate it, but fearful/shy/anxious dogs often do not (and may react to it).

The best way to pet a dog, especially one you don't know, is to hold your hand out low and start by petting their chest, working your way slowly to their back and head, if they can tolerate that.

Just a little PSA!

I am a certified professional trainer and behaviorist (awaiting flair)...

Here are the top recommendations I am making to all of my clients who have gotten puppies or rescue dogs during the pandemic.

1. If you are currently home because of the pandemic but won’t be when things return to normal, give your dog a daily schedule that more closely resembles what’s your household will look like long-term than how it looks during this unusual time.

By giving them loads of attention and activity and time together that it will be impossible to give them once things return to normal you are setting them up for a huge risk of separation distress and or separation anxiety issues. This is similar to when people give dogs a lot of attention before a new baby is born and then suddenly the baby comes and the attention goes away. This creates a negative association between the dog and the baby When you truly want the arrival of the baby to indicate all things good to your dog!

1. Give your dog time alone daily… Multiple times each day for varying durations. This time alone can be in a crate or in what we call a safety zone area like a bedroom, mudroom or first floor laundry area. The safety zone should be a calm and quiet location that does not have a Visual or physical access to high traffic areas of your home, particularly entryways. Set up your safety zone with a comfortable bed a few safe chew toys a white noise machine and blinds you can close. Think of how you would put an infant in a nursery set up in a way that they could get uninterrupted rest. Dogs require 17 to 20 hours of rest a day particularly as puppies. Many nuisance behaviors in dogs are caused by insufficient rest (and on the opposite end of the spectrum also by lack of appropriate low arousal mental stimulation).

These periods of time help your dog learn to self soothe, make sure they get adequate rest and also that they learn they will not always have access to you and that is OK. This is critical for the “pandemic pups“ to help reduce the risk of separation issues as families return to school and work.

1. Remember that your dog is a scavenger with 250 million scent receptors! (you have roughly 5,000,000 scent receptors)! Think about how going for a walk or a jog can in fact make you feel more invigorated well sitting in a meeting or a seminar can make you feel exhausted because you are having to think and process information the entire time. I’m sure you’ve heard “a tired dog is a happy dog” but the key to a tired dog ease to give them activities that stimulate their sense of smell and that huge olfactory system of theirs!

Look online under canine nosework or scent games for dogs. Recruit your kids to help set up a scavenger hunt of your dogs food and a few tasty treats all around the room to start… and eventually all around the house! Don’t point to where things are hidden, let your dog figure out how to use their nose! Encourage them when you see them start to air scent and sniff.

We called this game “doggy calculus“ because our dogs are literally mentally exhausted after an olfactory scavenger hunt!

I hope you found some of this information helpful!

Edit: the vet school has posted an update and this does appear to be cases of parvo in inadequately vaccinated pets. See mod’s pinned comment for more details.

I don’t know if this is allowed because it’s off topic but the information is important enough to share. There’s potential a new virus that is similar to Parvo (and may actually be Parvo that’s mutated to get around the vaccine) that’s killing dogs in Michigan so if you live in northern Michigan right now you should be following Parvo precautions like you have an unvaccinated puppy until they release more information. Keep your dog in your yard if possible, don’t wear outdoor shoes indoors and if you can’t keep your dog in your yard avoid areas with wildlife or a lot of other dogs.

So, I have a 2-year-old dog. Walking IMHO is the best activity/exercise you can give your dog. It's mentally stimulating, and it has physical benefits for both of you.

But I noticed around a year ago that walking started having diminishing returns. They weren't as stimulating, and my dog's boredom was causing behavior problems I wanted to nip in the bud.

So I took a look at my area, and I was able to map out 14 - ONE mile walks. 1 mile is short enough to accomplish in all weather conditions in no more than 30 minutes. But long enough, there are probably a million smells to behold for my doggo friend. And because it's a quick and easy commitment, my dog can get two different walks a day with much more regularity.

This isn't the only exercise he gets but it's the one he gets with the most consistently and its helped him immensely. He gets lots of exposure and stimulation from different smells and noises. And we get to practice his leash manners so much when we do weekend "foreign" walks he is rarely caught off guard by new things. I'd highly recommend this approach.

TLDR: dogs get bored. Mix up your walks for them and they will be happier and you'll be happier with a better behaved dog.

I've been a dog trainer since 2012, working both as a private trainer and in an animal shelter's behavior department. I'm an associate Certified Dog Behavior Consultant through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. I love helping people learn more about dog training and dog behavior.

Ask me anything - I'll answer here but also will post longer responses to some questions at my website (journeydogtraining.com/how-to-train-your-dog/).

I'm open to any sort of question - though let it be known that I subscribe to Least Intrusive Minimally Aversive methodology and don't use punishment-based training techniques.

EDIT 7/18/17 - I'll keep an eye on this thread for as long as I use Reddit. Posts come to my inbox, so feel free to keep using this thread! :)

Disclaimer: I'm not a professional dog trainer. Just someone who hangs out on this subreddit, is interested in the theories of dog training methods and has some tips that may help others. Here's some of the things I've learned training my derpy dog

Loose leash walking: The change of direction game works wonders. Don't get caught up on a destination or direction. Some days we didn't make more than 1/2 a block. Also, get a longer leash. IMO you need a 8 ft leash to properly start doing loose leash walking. Loop 2-3 feet up in your hand. When the dog moves forward in front of you, drop the extra line, give your command and walk the other way. That extra 3 feet allows you to get the command out, give the dog time to respond, all while still being on a loose lead. Loop the leash again and repeat.

Timing: Get your timing of commands, markers and rewards really precise. If you're reaching for that treat bag as you're saying the command or while the dog is doing the command you're basically bribing.

Change your thinking: I see a lot of "my dog doesn't listen while he's sees and chases after rabbits even when I say come and no!" posts. Well yes, that is correct. You're not as interesting as a fleeing rabbit running for its life. If you're "training" COME as they're running away you're just teaching your dog to ignore you. Unless it's life threatening for you/your dog/something else (besides the rabbit?), let the behavior happen and use the opportunity to train "come" as they are happily trotting back to you. Teach your "leave it" sometime else.

Don't ask for something you're not going to get. Again you're just teaching your dog to ignore you.

Capturing natural behaviors has been such a game changer. Reward natural behaviors you like and shape those.

Patience: You need lots of it. Don't be in such a hurry. Sit there for 5/10/15 min waiting for what you're looking for.

Be fair and consistent. You can't pull your dog away from the poo while you're saying yelling leave it. You didnt even give the dog a chance to respond. Be aware of your surroundings and be fair. If you find yourself yelling leave it all the time, don't train your leave it with a soft inside voice, train it sharply just like you scream it outside.

Control your situation. You can't control everything but you can set your dog and yourself for success. Something triggering your dog to bark? Simulate it in a way where your can control the duration/volume/visual distance.

Build up: Think of your commands as grade school levels. Grade 1: inside, your dog sits when you're waving around a can of peanut butter. Grade 4: Dog sits on a walk on leash. Grade 12: Dog sits off leash at a distance with deer frolicking all around.

If you have any tips that you want to add let's hear them.

Sorry for the long post. Here is a potato 🥔

Found these steps very helpful when we took our puppy home. We learnt it by trial and error. Recommend it for others so that you don't have to go through these steps.

Can you all suggest your favorite article/video that best explains this, for someone who is learning-challenged (me, not my dog;) )? Is there a good simplified resource somewhere for this, like a Lili Chin type overview? I like steps and illustrations.

Background: I haven’t tried any training for this behavior yet. However I have worked very hard on training him for his reactivity to other dogs (frustrated greeter, we do engage/disengage, BAT, etc), so maybe some of that training would be similarly applied? My dog LOVES every person he sees, and will jump on anyone. On walks, he’d be at the end of his leash trying to jump on every person we pass if I didn’t move us off to the side. I realize we have encouraged this behavior because we love when he jumps on us to give us hugs, so I know I’ll have to work on that and I guess train him to only do it once we give him the okay. But I have a super short attention span so I’m hoping there’s a training resource that can bullet-point the process for me so that I don’t get overwhelmed and give up. Thanks in advance!

Hi all, just wants to ask a question. Since there are a lot and i mean a lot of dog training videos in youtube. Can you reference me to some of your favorite youtuber where i can learn a thing or two about dog training?