Episode 23
The More Behaviors, the Better - With Hannah Branigan
Training cats and dogs isn’t just about eliminating problem behaviors. It might seem counterintuitive, but sometimes, encouraging more behaviors and more distractions can keep everyone in your household a lot happier.
Hannah Branigan, self-proclaimed dog training nerd and author of Awesome Obedience, joins me on this episode of It’s Training Cats and Dogs. She shares her journey to becoming a trainer, how she manages her multi-species household and her tips for success.
Key Moments
[5:41] Hannah gives us a backstory on her animals and how she became a trainer
[15:02] Introducing cats and dogs to each other safely
[19:14] Handling border collie stalking behavior
[24:55] Hannah’s tactics for keeping dogs and cats distracted from each other
[29:13] Why adding more behaviors can help to reduce problem behavior
[36:20] How her dogs learned to give her cats a wide berth
[38:04] Is avoidance behavior something to work on?
[40:51] How to tell when it’s time to intervene
[45:45] Hannah explains how she dealt with a dog vs. chicken incident
[49:19] Predicting predatory behavior in dogs
[52:23] Why you should focus on the range of behaviors, not just specific behaviors
[54:12] What sudden behavior changes tell us
[59:21] Why tracking your progress can help you stay motivated when training
Key Links
