Have you ever wished you could get inside your dog's head in order to figure out why they are acting a certain way? Maybe they bark at small dogs but only when they're being walked by tall men carrying an umbrella and wearing sunglasses. Maybe they recall beautifully in from the yard, but if you ever let them off in a wooded area they'd ignore the exact same cue in favour of taking off into the distance, leaving you to chase them down shouting their name fruitlessly. By understanding the make-up of your dog's brain you can get as close to being inside it as you can.
Concepts are the building blocks of every dog's brain and each these concepts will either be a strength or weakness for your dog. Every dog is an individual and they are born with a brain that is shaped in a certain way based on a combination of factors such as their genetics, prenatal and early experiences, and their later up-bringing and lifestyle. As a dog ages and experiences more, these concepts can grow or shrink and this in turn re-shapes the brain. The behavioural outcome that we see our dog displaying in any given situation is a direct result of the strengths of the concepts that make up their brain at that particular time.
The great news for every dog parent experiencing behaviour struggles with their dog is that the brain is "re-shape-able"...what your dog has always done is not what they always have to do! There is hope, and a way to turn struggles into strengths. Games-based concept trainers play games with dogs to build concepts that may be lacking and re-shape their brains.
What are these building block concepts? Check out the graphic below:
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