
Learning Theory For Real Life Dogs
From The Everyday Trainer Podcast by Meghan Dougherty
May 8, 2026 · 39 min
About this episode
Meghan Dougherty explains the foundations of learning theory in dog training, focusing on classical and operant conditioning.
You can love your dog and still feel baffled by their choices. Why do they blow off a recall they “know,” pull like a freight train, or lose their mind at another dog the second the stakes go up? We’re going back to the foundation that makes all of it make sense: learning theory, the scientific framework behind how behavior is built and changed. I’m Meg, and I walk through the two big pillars we use in dog training: classical conditioning and operant conditioning. We talk about how associati...
People in this episode
Host: Meghan Dougherty
Topics covered
- learning theory
- dog training
- classical conditioning
- operant conditioning
- dog behavior
Keywords
- dog training
- learning theory
- classical conditioning
- operant conditioning
- dog behavior
- recall
- behavior change
More episodes of The Everyday Trainer Podcast
- When Loving Your Dog Too Much Is Keeping Them Stuck · June 12, 2026 · 1h 14m
- Boundaries First · May 29, 2026 · 1h 8m
- What If Freedom Requires Discomfort First · May 15, 2026 · 1h 3m
- Tools That Change Everything · April 24, 2026 · 55 min
- From Rock Climbing Rope To Dog Leashes · April 3, 2026 · 1h 2m
- When Does A Correction Become Clarity? · March 27, 2026 · 41 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Everyday Trainer Podcast podcast page.