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THE BULLY PULLY FIELD GUIDE
From operant conditioning to prey drive, French Ring to enrichment. Learn the language, understand the different philosophies, and ask better questions about the dog in front of you.
DOG OVER DOGMA. KNOW THE DOG.
Reading tip: Beginner means useful everyday vocabulary, Intermediate adds more specialized concepts, and Advanced signals technical terminology—not a judgment of your dog's needs or your experience. Origins name the discipline or community a term comes from, not necessarily its inventor.
Words matter. Some terms have precise scientific definitions; others are trainer slang and change depending on who uses them. This glossary explains the differences without turning vocabulary into a loyalty test. Definitions are educational, not a substitute for individual safety, veterinary, or qualified behavior advice.
ORIGIN: Behavior analysis (ABC framework)LEVEL: Intermediate
What happens immediately before a behavior; a cue, context, or event that sets the occasion for it.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
You pick up the leash, and your dog runs to the door; seeing the leash came before the running.
ORIGIN: Behavioral science; general usageLEVEL: Beginner
Anything a dog does that can be observed and described, such as sitting, barking, moving away, or taking a toy.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
Instead of saying 'he was naughty,' record the observable action: 'he jumped up three times.'
ORIGIN: Behavior analysis (ABC framework)LEVEL: Intermediate
What happens immediately after a behavior; it may influence how likely that behavior is to happen again.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
Your dog sits; you open the door immediately afterward. That door opening is a consequence of sitting.
ORIGIN: Experimental psychology; B. F. Skinner's workLEVEL: Advanced
Learning in which consequences change the future likelihood of a behavior.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A dog learns that touching your hand with their nose earns a treat, so nose touches become more frequent.
ORIGIN: Experimental psychology; Ivan Pavlov's researchLEVEL: Intermediate
Learning through associations between events; a previously neutral signal can come to predict something meaningful.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
After many walks start with the jingle of keys, your dog becomes excited when they hear keys.
ORIGIN: Behavior analysis and learning psychologyLEVEL: Intermediate
A consequence that increases a behavior's future frequency in a given context.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
You reward checking in on walks, and your dog begins checking in more often.
ORIGIN: Behavior analysis and learning psychologyLEVEL: Advanced
A consequence that decreases a behavior's future frequency; this technical meaning does not itself specify a method or ethics.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
If a consequence reliably makes jumping up less likely over time, it is called punishment in learning theory, regardless of the trainer's label.
ORIGIN: Operant conditioning / behavior analysisLEVEL: Intermediate
Adding something after a behavior in a way that makes that behavior more likely.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
When your dog comes when called, you give a treat, and coming when called becomes more frequent.
ORIGIN: Operant conditioning / behavior analysisLEVEL: Advanced
Removing or reducing something after a behavior in a way that makes that behavior more likely.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A trained dog learns that moving away from gentle leash pressure makes that pressure stop, increasing that response.
ORIGIN: Operant conditioning / behavior analysisLEVEL: Advanced
Adding something after a behavior in a way that makes that behavior less likely.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A dog touches a hot surface, feels pain, and becomes less likely to touch it again. This illustrates the term, not a recommended training method.
ORIGIN: Operant conditioning / behavior analysisLEVEL: Advanced
Removing something after a behavior in a way that makes that behavior less likely.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A dog jumps during a game; the handler briefly stops the game, and jumping gradually decreases.
ORIGIN: Behavior analysisLEVEL: Advanced
A previously reinforced behavior decreases when the reinforcement maintaining it is no longer delivered; it can temporarily intensify first.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A dog previously barked for attention and got a response; if that response consistently stops, attention-seeking barking may eventually decline.
ORIGIN: Learning psychologyLEVEL: Intermediate
A learned response carries over to other cues, places, people, or situations.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
After learning 'sit' in the kitchen, a dog also sits on cue at the park.
ORIGIN: Learning psychologyLEVEL: Intermediate
A dog learns to respond differently to distinct cues or contexts.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
Your dog learns 'down' means lie on the floor, while 'sit' means place their rear on the floor.
ORIGIN: Behavior science and applied dog-training languageLEVEL: Intermediate
The point at which a dog's arousal or response becomes difficult to manage or learning becomes harder; it varies by situation.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
At a distance your dog can watch another dog and eat treats; closer up, they stop responding and begin lunging.
ORIGIN: Physiology and behavioral scienceLEVEL: Intermediate
A level of physiological and behavioral activation, which is not automatically the same as happiness or aggression.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A dog races around excitedly before a walk; another dog is equally activated by fear. High arousal alone doesn't tell you which.
ORIGIN: Behavioral and mental-health terminologyLEVEL: Beginner
An event or stimulus that reliably brings about a response.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A skateboard rolling past consistently prompts your dog to bark.
ORIGIN: Behavior measurement and experimental psychologyLEVEL: Advanced
The time between a cue or event and the dog's response.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
You say 'sit,' and two seconds pass before the dog sits.
ORIGIN: Behavior measurementLEVEL: Beginner
How long a behavior lasts.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
Your dog holds a down position for 12 seconds before standing.
ORIGIN: Applied training and behavior analysisLEVEL: Intermediate
The specific version or quality of a behavior being reinforced during training.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
First reward any nose touch to your palm; later reward only touches held for one second.
ORIGIN: Marker-based animal trainingLEVEL: Beginner
A consistent signal, such as a click or spoken word, identifying a moment of behavior; commonly paired with a reward.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
The instant the dog's nose touches your hand, you say 'yes!' and follow with a treat.
ORIGIN: Marker-based training; popularized in modern animal trainingLEVEL: Beginner
Using a clicker as a marker within a training plan.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
You click exactly as the dog steps onto a mat and then give a treat.
ORIGIN: Operant conditioning and behavior analysisLEVEL: Intermediate
Reinforcing successive approximations toward a target behavior.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
Reward looking at a mat, then stepping toward it, then putting one paw on it, until the dog stands on it.
ORIGIN: Practical animal-training methodsLEVEL: Beginner
Using food, a toy, or another item to guide a dog into a movement or position.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
Move a treat slowly above the dog's nose to guide them into a sit, then fade the food lure.
ORIGIN: Marker-based animal trainingLEVEL: Beginner
Marking and reinforcing a behavior the dog offers without prompting.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
When your dog naturally lies down, mark and reward that moment.
ORIGIN: Behavior analysis and teaching methodsLEVEL: Intermediate
Extra help, such as a gesture or lure, that makes a desired response more likely.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
You point toward a mat to help the dog understand where to go.
ORIGIN: Behavior analysis and skill teachingLEVEL: Intermediate
Gradually reducing a prompt, lure, or other aid so the dog can respond to the intended cue.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
You gradually make the hand gesture smaller until the dog can respond to the verbal cue alone.
ORIGIN: Animal-training terminologyLEVEL: Beginner
A signal indicating an opportunity to perform a learned behavior; often a word, gesture, or environmental signal.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
You say 'touch,' and your dog puts their nose on your hand.
ORIGIN: Practical obedience trainingLEVEL: Beginner
A signal telling the dog that a stay, position, or task has ended.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
Your dog stays on a mat until you say 'free,' indicating that the exercise has ended.
ORIGIN: Obedience and performance-dog trainingLEVEL: Intermediate
Practicing a learned behavior under gradually varied distractions, distance, and duration.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
Practice a familiar 'down' in your living room, then a quiet yard, then with modest distractions.
ORIGIN: Applied behavior modification and animal careLEVEL: Beginner
Changing the environment or setup to prevent rehearsal of unwanted behaviors or keep everyone safe.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
Use a baby gate to prevent door-dashing while you teach a calm greeting.
ORIGIN: Learning psychology and behavior therapyLEVEL: Advanced
Changing an emotional association by pairing a stimulus with something the dog values.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
At a comfortable distance from bicycles, you pair each bike's appearance with a favorite treat to build a different association.
ORIGIN: Behavior therapy and learning psychologyLEVEL: Advanced
Carefully exposing a dog to a stimulus at a level they can handle, increasing intensity gradually as appropriate.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
Start with the nail clipper lying nearby, then gradually introduce movement and sound while the dog remains comfortable.
ORIGIN: Exposure-based behavior therapyLEVEL: Advanced
Prolonged exposure to a feared stimulus without a practical escape option; it carries welfare risks and is not a routine recommendation.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
Forcing a frightened dog to remain next to noisy traffic without an escape option would be flooding and could worsen fear.
ORIGIN: Applied behavior analysisLEVEL: Advanced
Reinforcing a chosen alternative, incompatible, or lower-rate behavior according to a planned criterion.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
Reward four paws on the floor when greeting visitors instead of rewarding jumping.
ORIGIN: Behavioral psychology; David PremackLEVEL: Advanced
Using access to a more likely or preferred activity to reinforce another behavior.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
Ask for a simple recall, then release the dog to sniff a favorite patch of grass.
ORIGIN: Operant conditioning and behavior analysisLEVEL: Advanced
Providing reinforcement after an unpredictable number of responses or intervals, depending on the schedule.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
After a behavior is well learned, food arrives after an unpredictable number of correct responses rather than every time.
ORIGIN: Ethology and working-dog trainer terminologyLEVEL: Intermediate
Informal label for motivation related to elements of predatory behavior such as orienting, chasing, grabbing, and carrying; not a single standardized measurement.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A dog immediately orients toward a moving lure and eagerly chases it; this describes the observed behavior, not their entire personality.
ORIGIN: Animal training and motivational languageLEVEL: Beginner
The degree to which food functions as a valuable reward in a particular context.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A dog eagerly works for tiny food rewards at home but may be less interested in food in a busy setting.
ORIGIN: Animal training and motivational languageLEVEL: Beginner
The degree to which access to toys or toy play functions as a reward in a particular context.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
Your dog will enthusiastically bring back a ball for another throw, making play a useful reward.
ORIGIN: Everyday dog play and working-dog trainingLEVEL: Beginner
Interactive gripping and pulling play; can be structured with cues, rest breaks, and suitable equipment.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
Your dog grips a tug toy and pulls against you during a supervised, structured game with breaks.
ORIGIN: Everyday language; working-dog training usageLEVEL: Beginner
Holding or keeping an item; its meaning depends on context and is not automatically resource guarding.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A dog happily carries a ball around after retrieving it without threatening anyone who approaches.
ORIGIN: Applied animal behavior and clinical behavior practiceLEVEL: Intermediate
Behavior intended to retain access to something valued, such as food, a toy, a space, or a person.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A dog stiffens and growls when another dog approaches their food bowl; seek a safe behavior plan rather than testing them.
ORIGIN: Practical animal-training languageLEVEL: Beginner
A dog's willingness to participate and pay attention to a task or social partner.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
During a short session, the dog repeatedly chooses to return to the handler and participate.
ORIGIN: Working-dog and sport-dog training jargonLEVEL: Intermediate
A broad, inconsistently defined label for motivation or intensity; ask the speaker what behavior they mean.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A trainer says 'high drive' while describing a dog's intense interest in chasing a tug; ask which specific behaviors they mean.
ORIGIN: Psychology and applied trainingLEVEL: Intermediate
The ability to pause, wait, or choose a learned response when an appealing option is present.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A dog can wait briefly for a release cue before running toward a favorite toy.
ORIGIN: Zoo animal welfare and applied animal behaviorLEVEL: Beginner
Activities or environmental changes that offer meaningful opportunities for species-typical behaviors and improved welfare.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A food-search game, a sniff walk, and a safe chew offer different natural activities.
ORIGIN: Detection-dog work and modern dog sportsLEVEL: Beginner
Activities in which a dog locates a target odor using its sense of smell.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A dog uses their nose to find a hidden birch-scented target in a training game.
ORIGIN: Obedience trainingLEVEL: Beginner
Coming to the handler in response to a cue.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
You call 'here,' and your dog turns away from sniffing to return to you.
ORIGIN: Companion-dog trainingLEVEL: Beginner
Walking while maintaining enough leash slack to avoid continuous tension.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
Your dog walks near you with a relaxed, curved leash instead of pulling it tight.
ORIGIN: Ethology and animal communication researchLEVEL: Beginner
Posture, facial expression, movement, and other signals considered together and in context.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
You notice a loose body, soft eyes, and relaxed movement rather than judging mood from a wagging tail alone.
ORIGIN: Ethology and animal welfare terminologyLEVEL: Intermediate
Behaviors potentially associated with discomfort or conflict; individual signs are not definitive on their own.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A dog freezes and turns away during an interaction; you pause and consider the situation instead of assuming the dog is fine.
ORIGIN: EthologyLEVEL: Advanced
A behavior that appears out of place in context and may occur during conflict or uncertainty.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
During an uncertain social interaction, a dog suddenly sniffs the ground; context helps determine its meaning.
ORIGIN: Applied dog-training and behavior terminologyLEVEL: Intermediate
An intense response to a stimulus, such as barking, lunging, or freezing; it is not itself a diagnosis of aggression.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A dog barks and lunges when another dog appears across the street, even though the reason for the response is not yet known.
ORIGIN: Ethology, behavior science, and clinical behaviorLEVEL: Intermediate
Behavior used to threaten or cause harm; the motivation and risks require context-specific assessment.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A dog snaps when someone reaches for a painful paw; evaluate the context and safety before deciding how to respond.
ORIGIN: Canine development and dog-training languageLEVEL: Intermediate
An informal term for developmental phases when some dogs become more sensitive to new experiences; timing and degree vary.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A young dog unexpectedly hesitates at a familiar-looking object; you allow distance and gentle exploration rather than forcing contact.
ORIGIN: Developmental psychology and animal behaviorLEVEL: Beginner
Helping a dog build safe, positive, developmentally appropriate experiences with the world, not forcing greetings with every dog.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A puppy watches cyclists from a comfortable distance and has positive, controlled experiences without having to greet them.
ORIGIN: Learning psychologyLEVEL: Intermediate
A decrease in response after repeated exposure to a stimulus that has no significant consequence.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
After hearing a harmless household fan repeatedly, your dog gradually stops orienting toward its sound.
ORIGIN: Informal rescue, shelter, and dog-training languageLEVEL: Beginner
Informal term for giving a dog lower-pressure time and space to settle after stress or major changes.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
After a stressful shelter transfer, a dog is given quiet routines, rest, and time to explore at their own pace.
ORIGIN: Cooperative-care and animal-welfare practiceLEVEL: Intermediate
Handling that pays attention to an animal's willingness to participate and provides pauses or choice where feasible.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
You pause brushing when your dog moves away, then invite them back rather than restraining them to continue.
ORIGIN: Animal husbandry and positive-reinforcement trainingLEVEL: Intermediate
Training a dog to willingly participate in grooming, veterinary, and husbandry procedures.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
Your dog learns to rest their chin on your hand during a nail check and can lift it to request a pause.
ORIGIN: Bully Pully's dog-care philosophyLEVEL: Beginner
Bully Pully's guiding idea: observe the individual dog, meet needs, offer appropriate outlets, communicate fairly, and keep learning.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
You notice your dog loves sniffing more than chasing, so you add scent games and allow adequate rest instead of following a one-size-fits-all plan.
ORIGIN: Modern applied animal trainingLEVEL: Beginner
Training that primarily uses reinforcers and arrangements that set the dog up for success.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
You teach a dog to settle on a mat by reinforcing calm choices and arranging manageable practice sessions.
ORIGIN: Contemporary dog-training philosophyLEVEL: Beginner
A term used for approaches seeking to avoid aversive physical force and intimidation; exact definitions vary among trainers.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A trainer teaches loose-leash walking through rewards and environmental management rather than leash corrections.
ORIGIN: Contemporary dog-training community terminologyLEVEL: Beginner
A broad label used by trainers who combine reward-based techniques with some forms of correction or aversive consequence; approaches differ widely.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A trainer uses treats to teach a cue but may also use corrections under their approach; the exact techniques and welfare effects vary.
ORIGIN: Professional animal behavior and training ethicsLEVEL: Advanced
Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive; a framework encouraging effective behavior plans that minimize intrusiveness and aversive impact.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
Before considering a more intrusive approach to jumping, a trainer checks health, changes the setup, and teaches an alternative behavior.
ORIGIN: Traditional and modern dog-training languageLEVEL: Intermediate
An everyday training term for an interruption or consequence intended to alter behavior; ask exactly what action and learning process is involved.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A handler says 'no' or uses a leash interruption when a dog pulls. The word alone does not tell you what the dog learns or experiences.
ORIGIN: Traditional working-dog and obedience training terminologyLEVEL: Intermediate
A term often used for training that relies on physical pressure or aversive consequences; definitions and practices vary.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A handler physically guides or applies pressure to obtain a position rather than waiting for the dog to offer it; methods and intensity vary.
ORIGIN: Working-dog competitions and sport organizationsLEVEL: Intermediate
A family of rule-governed dog sports involving tasks that can include obedience, tracking, and controlled bite work.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A trained dog performs obedience routines and controlled sleeve work under sport rules and qualified supervision.
ORIGIN: International working-dog sport; German/FCI traditionLEVEL: Advanced
Internationale Gebrauchshunde Prüfungsordnung, a competitive working-dog sport covering tracking, obedience, and protection.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A competing dog completes a tracking exercise, then obedience, then protection work under the sport's rules.
ORIGIN: International protection-dog sportLEVEL: Advanced
An international dog sport testing obedience, jumps, and protection exercises in varied scenarios.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A team works through obedience and protection exercises in a themed trial environment.
ORIGIN: French working-dog sport traditionLEVEL: Advanced
A French protection-dog sport involving obedience, jumps, and bite-work exercises.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A dog completes obedience, jumping, and tightly regulated protection exercises at a ring trial.
ORIGIN: Protection Sports Association competition rulesLEVEL: Advanced
Protection Sports Association, a protection-dog sport with obedience and protection scenarios.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A team competes in obedience and scenario-based protection exercises under PSA rules.
Want to put some of these ideas into action? Explore activities and sports that match your dog's individual interests, confidence, and physical abilities.
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