Relationship Centered Training

Treat-Retreat was developed by Suzanne Clothier back in 1994, inspired by Dr. Ian Dunbar’s story of how he got into a rough spot with an Akita, and used thrown treats to help him and the dog save face and avoid confrontation. Suzanne’s approach is different – it’s about teaching the dog a skill set that promotes confidence.

This powerfully effective technique is used to help socially shy dogs master the intricacies of feeling comfortable interacting with and being around people. This is a dog-centric technique that is force-free, and one that does not use negative reinforcement. Instead, respect for the dog’s boundaries, arousal and abilities are combined with nuanced observation and engagement of SEEKING to help build the dog’s skills. Using thin slices, Treat-Retreat helps the dog develop skills in comfortable ways that are readily generalized.

Treat-Retreat works through multiple layers of social interactions:

• Approaching
• Moving
• Interactions
• Groups
• Postures & gestures
• Humans as training equipment
• Orchestrated greetings

This recorded webinar covers the basics of the Treat-Retreat program, using video of dogs who were enrolled in Suzanne’s Treat-Retreat classes. For anyone who works with fearful/shy dogs, Treat-Retreat is a must-have in your toolbox.

This overview is ideal for anyone who wants to learn from the originator of this technique that has helped countless dogs around the world for 25 years! 

This is a good introduction for those interested in pursuing the online Treat-Retreat course.