Thor
The Adventure Begins: 06/06
Coaching Resources
Start Here
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Start Here 〰️
The Handbook is a lengthy read, but has just about everything you might need to know when starting a program. This is the absolute best place to start with your training package.
Start Here
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Start Here 〰️
Guild Hall is a client portal within my website - you’ll find classes and events available only to past and present clients there, as well as discounts on certain future services. You’ll also find recommended outlets for your dog, including sports, events, and sniffspot information.
Character Sheet
Board and Train: 06/07-07/05
Overview:
Thor is a spirited and expressive little dog who needed support in managing leash reactivity and reducing his instinct to chase his feline housemates. Throughout his stay, we focused on emotional regulation, impulse control, and fostering calm behavior both indoors and outside.
Indoor Focus:
Introduced foundation skills for emotional regulation: treat scatters, matwork, and Look at That.
Emphasis on stationary coping strategies to help Thor remain under threshold.
Used these same strategies for cat integration, progressing from stillness to movement gradually.
Reinforced calm behavior and neutrality when in the presence of his cat siblings.
Where possible, encouraged participation from the cats using food motivation to build mutual comfort and positive associations.
Outdoor Focus:
Gradually transitioned indoor skills to outdoor environments.
Encouraged intermittent attention during walks without demanding constant focus.
Built responsiveness to cues using movement-based games: Super Bowls, Find My Face, This Way, and Ready, Get It.
Focused on keeping Thor below threshold and reinforcing attention and disengagement behaviors in realistic, mildly distracting environments.
Behavior Strategy:
Worked from a stationary foundation, slowly increasing complexity by layering in movement and arousal.
Applied the Premack Principle: used preferred behaviors (sniffing, rolling in grass) as rewards for disengaging from triggers and responding to cues.
Goal was not suppression, but redirection and helping Thor make alternative choices that feel good to him.
Next Steps:
Continue practicing the foundational indoor skills with both canine and feline housemates.
Use environmental rewards mindfully as part of daily walks.
Build up attention and responsiveness in new outdoor contexts.
Keep sessions short and successful to maintain confidence and avoid over-threshold reactions.
Thor made great progress during his stay and has the foundation to continue thriving with consistency and thoughtful practice!
07/10 Follow Up
🧘♂️ Overall Relaxation Protocol
This is a great next step for Thor—both at home and out in the world. Practicing this around the cats will help reinforce that calm, neutral behavior we’re aiming for. If the cats are comfortable being nearby during these sessions, it can really help build a peaceful routine for everyone. It also translates well to public spaces, reinforcing Thor’s ability to stay relaxed in more stimulating environments.
🏡 Managing the Environment
Think about how you might use crates or gates more strategically at home, especially when the energy is high. Giving the dogs some physical separation options can help prevent escalation and give everyone a chance to decompress when needed.
👫 Reinforcement Strategy: John Leads, Laura Observes
For all three pups, we discussed setting up some structured moments where John is the only source of reinforcement—whether it’s for simple things like eye contact, hanging out nearby, or offering calm behaviors. During these times, Laura should avoid carrying treats or engaging with the dogs, even if they come over. This helps build clearer expectations and keeps the dogs focused on John’s cues.
You can combine this setup with the Relaxation Protocol, or practice it separately using Laura’s presence as an additional distraction. Either way, it’s a great exercise in helping them build calm habits and reduce anticipation or overstimulation.