Why some trainers want dogs to learn calm before commands
Bottom line
Whole Dog Journal is urging pet parents to rethink what comes first in dog training. In a September 28 article and companion video, certified dog trainer Jae Thomas argues that foundational skills like settling, engagement, and learning how to learn should come before classic obedience cues such as sit, stay, and loose-leash walking. Thomas frames those early lessons as choice-based and relationship-centered, with an emphasis on rewarding calm behavior, reinforcing voluntary attention, and using marker training to help dogs understand what earns reinforcement. (whole-dog-journal.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the message lines up with broader behavior guidance that prioritizes reward-based training and early behavioral support as part of preventive care. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior says reward-based methods are safer and more effective for welfare and the dog-human bond, and it identifies early socialization and training as standard-of-care issues because behavior problems are a leading cause of relinquishment. That gives clinics a practical opening to coach pet parents away from a narrow “obedience first” mindset and toward calmer handling, better engagement, and earlier referral to qualified trainers when needed. (avsab.org)
What to watch: Expect more behavior education aimed at pet parents to focus less on cue compliance alone, and more on emotional regulation, agency, and trainer credentialing. (whole-dog-journal.com)
Whole Dog Journal’s latest training coverage makes a simple but notable argument: the first things a dog should learn aren’t sit and stay. In a September 28 article tied to a video interview, certified dog trainer Jae Thomas says the real starting points are settling, engagement, and teaching dogs how learning works, positioning those skills as the base for later obedience and public-life success. (whole-dog-journal.com)
That framing reflects a longer shift in companion-animal behavior work away from compliance-first training and toward emotional regulation, relationship-building, and reinforcement-based learning. Whole Dog Journal’s piece says many people still default to early obedience cues, but Thomas argues that approach can miss the one-on-one relationship that makes later training stick. She also warns against forcing behaviors, including demanding attention or physically pushing a dog into a crate and calling it crate training. (whole-dog-journal.com)
The specifics are straightforward. Thomas recommends teaching dogs to settle and calm themselves, especially because many high-energy dogs don’t naturally develop an “off switch.” She describes engagement as a dog choosing to pay attention because they want to, not because they feel compelled. And she says dogs should be taught how to learn through clear criteria, a marker such as a clicker or verbal “yes,” and reinforcement that matters to the individual dog. In the article, she ties that to shaping and choice-based training, arguing that dogs repeat what works. (whole-dog-journal.com)
Importantly, the piece doesn’t dismiss obedience altogether. Whole Dog Journal notes that recall, sit-stay, and polite leash walking still need to be proofed for safety and reliability. The distinction is sequencing: emotional control and voluntary engagement first, then more formal cue work layered on top. (whole-dog-journal.com)
That approach is broadly consistent with veterinary and credentialing bodies that favor reinforcement-based methods. AVSAB says current evidence shows reward-based methods are safer and more effective than aversive-based methods for welfare, training effectiveness, and the dog-human relationship. CCPDT likewise says reinforcement-based strategies should be the primary approach for teaching new skills and building a foundation for advanced training, while also cautioning trainers to avoid management plans that unnecessarily limit a dog’s agency or control. (avsab.org)
For veterinary professionals, the bigger significance is preventive behavior care. AVSAB’s puppy socialization statement says the first three months are the primary and most important period for socialization, and it calls early socialization before full vaccination part of the standard of care when done safely. The same statement says behavior problems are a leading cause of relinquishment and death in dogs under 3 years old. In that context, advice about settling, engagement, and low-stress learning isn’t just training philosophy. It fits into a larger clinical effort to reduce fear, improve handling, strengthen the human-animal bond, and head off behavior-related fallout that can later surface as safety, welfare, or retention issues. (avsab.org)
There’s also a client-communication angle. Pet parents often arrive expecting a checklist of cues, but this story offers clinics a clearer way to explain why calmness, focus, and reinforcement history matter before precision obedience does. It may also help teams normalize earlier referral to credentialed trainers. Thomas is identified by Whole Dog Journal as CPDT-KA certified, and her author profile highlights clicker training, free shaping, and desensitization as areas of focus. (whole-dog-journal.com)
What to watch: As behavior medicine and primary care continue to overlap, expect more educational content, puppy programs, and trainer partnerships to emphasize regulation and relationship skills early, while reserving traditional obedience goals for later proofing and real-world reliability. (avsab.org)