Is Your “Once In A Lifetime Dog” Holding You Back? #329 #podcast

Is your “Once In A Lifetime Dog” holding you back? What you believe about your dog shapes what you notice, how you respond, and the results you create together. In this episode, I’m sharing how the stories and labels we attach to our dogs influence our focus, our training choices, and ultimately our dog’s success. Through the lens of neuroscience and real-life examples, you’ll see how belief drives behavior, how confirmation bias reinforces those beliefs, and why even positive labels can quietly limit what’s possible. When you shift the story, you open the door to more possibilities and a dog who can truly become everything they’re capable of. 📝 Read the transcript: https://dogsthat.com/transcript/episode-329/ 🐾Key Episode Moments: 00:00 Why a Facebook post sparked 700+ comments 00:32 The real limitation in your dog training 01:25 How the stories you tell shape your relationship with your dog 02:36 Real life story of my dog, Encore and the power of belief 05:49 How your brain filters what matters (R.A.S.) 07:53 How labels like “reactive” change what you see 09:02 Confirmation bias in dog training 10:10 How labels become self-fulfilling 11:56 Dogs don’t need words to feel your belief 12:55 The real cost of “heart dog” labels 14:19 How beliefs shape identity 15:56 Gratitude vs limitation in how we describe dogs 16:34 Every dog has the potential to be extraordinary 17:24 The question to ask yourself about your beliefs 18:37 How to create possibility without limits Resources: 1. Podcast Episode 13: Naming Your Puppy or Dog - https://youtu.be/i5lDdF3KmR8?si=JKKMmG8bMoCofEzn 2. Podcast Episode 168: Creating Confidence For Anxious, Stressed Or Reactive Dogs Part 1 - https://youtu.be/N_XO0jqxvBg?si=VaH2LN69TfNvl0Yd 3. Podcast Episode 189: All The Things That Influence Your Dog’s Behavior And What Behavior Tells You - https://youtu.be/Tce597xfqA4?si=60mWex9k4Is1mA1h 4. Podcast Episode 224: Unleashing Fluency In Dog Training: Cracking The Canine Communication Code - https://youtu.be/_DO4sFqghhg?si=-qmqUayBh4SbqqzV 5. Podcast Episode 8: Get Your Dog in the Belief Loop of Awesome - https://youtu.be/I4YLu-GL6I4?si=U8WWom-iBSleV8CN 6. Podcast Episode 71: Pro Dog Trainer’s Secret to Help Your Naughty Dog - https://youtu.be/XUJksPoQNps?si=-rcQn4q03IqbFZLj 7. Podcast Episode 124: The Woo Side Of Dog Training: Power of Words - https://youtu.be/W42o4O2iEkc?si=AfqUlmaDkDllmsJJ 8. Podcast Episode 189: All The Things That Influence Your Dog’s Behavior And What Behavior Tells You - https://youtu.be/Tce597xfqA4?si=Ob34CN-fsMQhI0XZ P.S. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel so you get notifications of new videos! - - - - - - - Dogs That is brought to you by Susan Garrett and the Say Yes Dog Training Team. Susan Garrett’s interest in animal behaviour started at the University of Guelph where she earned a Bachelor of Science majoring in Animal Science. Since then she has developed into a preeminent dog trainer and canine sports instructor and competitor. Susan is one of the most successful agility competitors of the last three decades. She has won multiple Gold Medals at National or World Championship events with every dog she has ever owned over the past 30 years. A natural teacher and an entertaining speaker, Susan is world renowned as a leading educator of dog trainers. Her understanding of how to apply science-based learning principles to both competitive and family pet dog training has been pivotal in changing how dogs are trained. Susan is now helping many thousands of dog owners in 132 countries have the best relationship possible with their dogs. The real joy for her comes from bringing confidence to dogs and their owner through playful interactions and relationship building games that are grounded firmly in the science of how animals learn. - - - - - - - Our Website: https://dogsthat.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SusanGarrettDogAgility/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SusanGarrettDogsThat/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dogsthat LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dogsthat Pinterest: https://pinterest.ca/dogsthatcom/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/susangarrett There’s always something new happening at Dogs That, so if you’d like to be the first to know, visit our website, register to receive updates, and we'll keep you in the loop. https://dogsthat.com