CDT Leash & Obedience Training 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A dog consistently pulls ahead on leash whenever it sees another dog. Which management strategy is most effective in the short term while training is ongoing?
- Use a head halter to physically redirect the dog's head (Correct answer)
- Increase leash corrections every time the dog pulls
- Allow the dog to greet the other dog as a reward for not pulling
- Switch to an extendable retractable leash for more freedom
Correct answer: Use a head halter to physically redirect the dog's head
A head halter (e.g., Gentle Leader) redirects the dog's head, reducing pulling force and giving the handler control while counter-conditioning proceeds.
Question 2: During loose-leash walking, a trainer uses the 'be a tree' method. What does this involve?
- Stopping all forward movement the instant the leash becomes taut (Correct answer)
- Planting feet and pulling back hard on the leash
- Rewarding the dog only when it sits next to the handler
- Switching directions every 10 steps regardless of leash tension
Correct answer: Stopping all forward movement the instant the leash becomes taut
The 'be a tree' method means the handler stops completely and becomes still the moment the leash tightens, teaching the dog that tension stops forward progress.
Question 3: A dog trained with a choke chain has learned to walk nicely only when wearing it. This is an example of:
- Stimulus control
- Learned irrelevance
- Equipment dependency (Correct answer)
- Latent inhibition
Correct answer: Equipment dependency
Equipment dependency occurs when a dog performs a behavior only in the presence of a specific tool rather than generalizing the behavior across contexts.
Question 4: Which criterion should a trainer increase LAST when teaching a formal heel position?
- Duration
- Distance traveled
- Distractions (Correct answer)
- Precision of position
Correct answer: Distractions
Distractions represent the hardest criterion to add and should be introduced only after the dog reliably heels with good duration and positional precision in a low-distraction environment.
Question 5: A client reports their dog sits on command at home but refuses to sit on leash during walks. The BEST explanation is:
- The dog is being dominant and testing the owner outdoors
- The behavior has not been generalized to the outdoor environment (Correct answer)
- The sit cue has been poisoned through punishment
- The dog needs a longer leash to feel comfortable
Correct answer: The behavior has not been generalized to the outdoor environment
Dogs do not automatically generalize trained behaviors across environments; the 'sit' cue must be proofed in multiple locations for reliable outdoor compliance.
Question 6: When teaching the 'come' cue, why should trainers avoid calling the dog for anything the dog finds unpleasant?
- It overworks the dog's recall muscle memory
- It can classically condition a negative emotional response to the cue (Correct answer)
- It creates stimulus control confusion with the 'stay' cue
- It causes extinction of the heel behavior
Correct answer: It can classically condition a negative emotional response to the cue
Pairing 'come' with unpleasant outcomes classically conditions a negative emotional response to the cue, weakening future recall reliability.
Question 7: A dog on a 6-foot leash constantly zigzags in front of the handler. The FIRST step to correct this is:
- Shorten the leash to 2 feet immediately
- Reinforce the dog heavily for any moment of walking beside the handler (Correct answer)
- Attach a second leash to prevent lateral movement
- Switch to off-leash training to give the dog more freedom
Correct answer: Reinforce the dog heavily for any moment of walking beside the handler
Marking and rewarding any instance of the dog walking beside the handler builds the correct behavior through positive reinforcement before reducing leash length or adding restrictions.
CDT Leash & Obedience Training 2
A dog consistently pulls ahead on leash whenever it sees another dog.
Which management strategy is most effective in the short term while training is ongoing?