Highlight Of The Month

In this episode of David the Dog Trainer Podcast, host David welcomes guest Kirubel Yohannes, a Gold Multiplicator of the Ne-Po-Po system, to discuss advanced dog training methodologies and his experiences with the system. The conversation explores the core principles of Ne-Po-Po, a training approach designed to cultivate a dog’s motivation, engagement, and ability to work with “heart and soul.” Yohannes emphasizes that Ne-Po-Po is not a strict formula but a flexible framework that incorporates various training methods to help dogs develop a strong understanding of pressure and reinforcement while maintaining enthusiasm in their work.

Yohannes explains the different levels within the Ne-Po-Po program, differentiating between Silver (theory-based learning) and Gold (practical application). He highlights the significance of shaping in Ne-Po-Po, which fosters independent problem-solving skills and gives dogs a sense of ownership over their behaviors. The discussion also delves into the use of the e-collar, particularly how it can be conditioned as an "activator" rather than solely as a tool for negative reinforcement or correction. Yohannes describes how dogs can be trained to associate pressure with activation and engagement rather than avoidance, allowing them to perform tasks with confidence and enthusiasm.

The podcast also addresses common misconceptions about Ne-Po-Po, such as the belief that it is only centered around negative reinforcement. Yohannes clarifies that the system integrates all four quadrants of operant conditioning, focusing on using pressure intelligently to encourage rather than suppress behavior. He also explains that training methods should be adapted based on the individual dog’s needs, whether working with pet dogs, sport dogs, or high-drive working dogs.

Overall, the episode offers an in-depth look at the philosophy behind Ne-Po-Po, emphasizing its adaptability, problem-solving focus, and strategic approach to developing consistent and engaged behaviors in dogs.

My Take-Aways For You

I have the legal obligation to disclose that I have never trained directly under the Ne-Po-Po® School with Bart and Michael Bellon. Ne-Po-Po® is a trademarked and copyrighted system and only Gold Multiplicators and founders are allowed to certify people under the system and claim they train under the system. However, I have attended online seminars led by Ne-Po-Po® Gold Multiplicators, trained with Silver Students, and am a consumer of the Bellons' Martin Systems E-Collars, so I know the material quite well…I deeply respect and appreciate their innovation in this space. And I believe their strategies and approach to training are quite revolutionary.

From what I have talked about with a student who's attended the Silver program, the main focus around the theory of Ne-Po-Po is to understand why a dog does what it does. Quickly, you understand that like most organisms, a dog is always aiming to enhance or better its situation. This explains the strategies dogs choose in order to co-exist with us, with other dogs/animals, and with their surroundings. We all know how clever dogs are with coming up with solutions to their problems, sometimes even to our detriment! So that's my first takeaway, analyze behaviors, and think first, why is my dog doing what it's doing? By thinking through this lens, you might be able to creatively solve problems for your dog in more effective ways and build better communication and trust.

Along the same lines of why dogs make decisions, a big concept in the Ne-Po-Po philosophy is the potency of autonomous decision making in dogs. To simplify, if a dog thinks it came up with a solution to a problem, the behavior exhibited to create this solution is 10x stronger than a behavior that you artificially created for them. To use an example from the podcast, imagine a dog that picks up its food bowl with its mouth and brings it to you. You think "oh, the dog must be hungry" and you feed it. That dog is a million times more likely to reproduce that behavior than if you tried teaching your dog to hold its leash in its mouth. And the dog will hold that food bowl with so much passion and precision because it thinks it is the creator of that solution. So, what does that mean for us? Well...if you are creative and have good for-thought, you systematize your training to create opportunities for your dog to think that THEY are the ones creating the outcomes. And here's a little plus, the same principle applies to negative outcomes. If a dog thinks that it punished itself for something, they are 10x less likely to perform the same behavior again. A hypothetical example would be a dog that jumps up on a kitchen counter when the stove top is turned on. The dog jumps up and gets burnt and now that dog is way less likely to jump up again than if you were to simply scream at it to not get up there. Disclaimer, do not leave your stove top turned on for your dog to burn itself, it’s just an example!

Anyway, I don’t want to spoil too much of the podcast, but there are lot of golden nuggets of information in there, so I highly encourage you to watch it!