Tips, Articles, & Thoughts From Dog Agility Coach And Competitor Daisy Peel
If somebody’s definition of “reinforcement-based” excludes anyone who also uses corrections, that’s a strawman – they’re distorting what balanced trainers actually do to keep you in their marketing sphere. That’s not curiosity and they’re not describing training. They’re drawing a line in the sand so they can stand on their self-appointed high ground.
Prong collars and ‘tools’ get a bad rap — usually from people who are naive to their introduction and use. Here’s why I put one on Alice long before I ever plan to actually use it, and why ‘aversives as a last resort’ isn’t as fair to dogs as it sounds.
Most puppy owners get socialization wrong. Learn why quality matters more than quantity, and how to build a confident dog through low-pressure, intentional experiences.
Follow Alice’s puppy training journey with first outings, basement confidence building, and essential crate games plus blender and Dremel habituation updates.
Follow Alice’s calm first agility trial weekend: gentle puppy exposure, stress-free hotel and travel, and simple training sessions that build confidence.
Discover Alice’s puppy training plan: focus on foundational tools—markers, engagement, equipment habituation, baselines, recalls, and neutrality—before behaviors.