What are his intentions?

Reading the dog’s intentions!

Learning how to correctly read your dogs intentions is one of the most effective ways that we can use to correct their mindset early and before they become reactive towards a trigger or simply support them with guidance/instructions if their mindset is already calm.

Dogs are pretty darn clear about their intentions and will let you know they are feeling impulsive/overexcited early on such as blasting out of the crate rather than waiting on the handler’s invitation to come out of the crate. The pulling, reactivity and overexcitement on the walk didn’t come out if nowhere… he told you he was feeling that way when he zoomied, dragged you out the door, ran out of the crate, jumped around and whined impatiently!

It’s the handler’s responsibility and job to correct this poor intentions and poor choices because when you don’t, the dog assumes that impulsive choices, reactivity, overexcitement, etc. is A-OK and so he’s going to continue doing all of it on the walk, on the field trip, in the house/yard, etc.