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Mastering Leadership with Your Dog: Dr. Sophia Yin’s “Learn to Earn” Program

  • Dr. Zeke Zekoff
  • Apr 27
  • 2 min read

Updated: Apr 27



Building a strong, positive relationship with your dog doesn’t require dominance or intimidation. Dr. Sophia Yin’s "Learn to Earn" program offers a science-based, humane alternative to traditional training methods, focusing on leadership through consistency, communication, and reward-based training.


The foundation of the "Learn to Earn" program is simple: dogs must say “please” by automatically sitting to gain access to anything they want—food, toys, attention, or going outdoors. This approach transforms daily interactions into opportunities for positive reinforcement, teaching dogs self-control, attentiveness, and emotional regulation.

Instead of only conducting training sessions at set times, owners are encouraged to integrate training throughout the entire day. Meals, treats, affection, and playtime become rewards for polite behavior. By using these everyday moments, dogs quickly build habits of good behavior rather than treating obedience as something only required during formal training.


A major benefit of this method is that it changes the dog’s perspective: they learn that remaining calm and looking to their owner for guidance leads to good things. This method proves especially effective for dogs dealing with anxiety, hyperactivity, fear, or general unruliness.


Key components of the program include:

  • Tethering: In the initial stages, dogs are tethered to their owners to ensure supervision and create more opportunities for reinforcing good behavior.

  • “Say Please” by Sitting: Dogs must sit automatically for treats, petting, leashing, door access, and even attention.

  • "Leave It" Exercises: These exercises teach dogs self-control around temptations and reinforce their focus on the owner.

  • Training Throughout the Day: Every kibble and every interaction becomes a potential training moment, reinforcing desired behavior until it becomes second nature.


Owners are urged to consistently reward good behavior within two seconds and to ensure undesirable behaviors never receive a reward. This clear, predictable system builds trust and respect, leading to a dog who looks to the owner for guidance—not out of fear, but because it’s rewarding.


Dr. Yin’s approach reflects modern, humane training philosophies supported by behavioral science. With dedication and consistency, the “Learn to Earn” program can dramatically improve a dog’s behavior and strengthen the human-animal bond.


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