In this episode of Beastly Talks, we get stuck into the difference between 'book smart' and 'street smart' dogs.

I have had a slew of dogs come in recently, all with the same "issues." They're highly trained in obedience, but they're still reactive. So... what is going on?

I differentiate between obedience – what I would call book smart – and autonomy, which I think of as street smart. Obedience is taught, practical tasks. Autonomy is life skills basically learned through the "fuck around and find out" principle.

Many owners and trainers (especially force free freaks) trap their dogs in an endless cycle of obedience, in an attempt to manage their dog's reactivity. But this creates a prison of frustration, which the dog is constantly trying to break out of, and that mindset increases the dog's reactivity. It is a vicious cycle.

So then, how do we break this cycle? How do we get the dog out of the books and into the streets? Have a listen and find out!

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