Shaped by Dog with Susan Garrett

Beyond "Yes" And "Good": Why Your Dog Needs "Spotlights" #327

Mar 13, 2026
They explain why generic markers like “yes” can lose meaning and introduce “Spotlights,” location-specific reinforcement markers. You’ll hear how Spotlights tell a dog what reward is coming, where it will be delivered, and how to trigger the right emotional response. Examples cover food, toy, and activity Spotlights and why clarity prevents dogs from leaving early or hesitating.
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ADVICE

Adopt Spotlights To Give Clear Rewards

  • Use spotlights (location-specific reinforcement markers) that tell your dog what the reinforcement is, where it will be delivered, and trigger the right emotional response.
  • Susan says a spotlight always means something specific, unlike a vague yes or good.
ANECDOTE

Using A Soft Good For Calm Conditioning

  • Susan uses a soft cooed good only for relaxation tasks so the puppy expects a small, easy-to-swallow food and stays calm during nail trims or massages.
  • She avoids the clicker here because it would over-excite and break the relaxed position.
ADVICE

Separate Excitement Cues From Calm Cues

  • Teach distinct spotlights for opposite emotional states, for example use chase to trigger prey-drive games and never use it for relaxation exercises.
  • Susan highlights that mixing cues (chase during relaxation) would confuse the dog.
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