Welcome to Holistic Dog Behavior The Podcast!

This episode is Part 2 of our discussion on Triggers and Stress—if you haven’t listened to Episode 3 yet, we recommend starting there for the full picture. Today, we’re diving into how environment, enrichment, and the 3D’s (Distance, Duration, Distraction) play a crucial role in managing and improving dog behavior.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How your dog’s environment impacts their behavior

• Why small changes in environmental management can prevent behavior issues

• The power of enrichment and how to make it easy and effective

• A breakdown of the 3D’s—Distance, Duration, and Distraction—to prevent reactivity

• The “Bubble Theory” of dog training and how to use it to prevent reactions

• What is Trigger Stacking? (Plus, Megan’s story about how dropping her mini lasagna on the floor made her cry 🍝😭)

Key Moments:

00:00 – Intro & Disclaimer (Feel free to skip ahead)

01:12 – What does the environment have to do with behavior?

11:26 – How changing your dog’s environment can solve behavior issues

27:00 – Enrichment (How mental and physical activities can improve behavior)

48:43 – The 3D’s: How to set your dog up for success and prevent reactivity

50:30 – Bubble Theory in dog training: Using distance to avoid reactions

1:04:00 – What is Trigger Stacking? (Why small stressors can lead to big reactions)

Recommended Resources:

@BindisBucketList on Instagram – A great source of enrichment ideas

Canine Enrichment for the Real World – A must-read book on practical enrichment strategies

Corrections & Updates:

12:57 – Correction: Humans do have a vomeronasal organ, but it is considered vestigial, meaning it is so reduced that it’s likely non-functional.

Thanks for listening! If you found this episode helpful, subscribe, rate, and review to help other dog owners find us! You can also submit your own questions for the pod atholisticdogbehavior.com/podcast

Connect With Us:

• Website: Holistic Dog Behavior

• Instagram: @HolisticDogBehavior

Send us your questions for future episodeshere!