The Training Type Test
Transform Your Dog’s Behavior from the Inside Out
and finally enjoy life together
Whether you’re raising your first pup or trying to fix old frustrations, the Training Type Test lets you ditch the guesswork and discover the root cause of your dog’s behaviors with a proven method built on behavioral science, not quick fixes or obedience drills.
True behavior change doesn’t start with “sit.” It starts with insight.
Take the first step …
Your Dog’s Training Type
& Why Knowing It Changes Everything
Your dog’s Training Type is their unique combination of Temperament + Disposition.
Temperament is your dog’s neurobiological baseline—the blueprint that shapes how they process information and make decisions. While it’s heavily influenced by breed, temperament runs deeper. It’s a stable, hardwired layer of personality that remains consistent over time and across situations. The different Tempers each require different training approaches: A Sentinel thrives on structured leadership, while a Synergist will find that approach harsh and disconnecting.
Training attuned for Temperament is the difference between success and shut down.
Disposition is how your dog’s emotional matrix is expressed in behavior. Unlike temperament, disposition is flexible. It is shaped by learning, environment, and neuroplasticity which means we can actually change disposition through intentional training because behavior is driven by disposition: A dog with low Composure might bark or bolt at the slightest disruption; one with high Connection might have intense separation anxiety. To change behavior, you have to target disposition.
When you have these two puzzle pieces, you have the critical information other trainers are still guessing at.
TEMPERAMENT PROFILE
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Calm, confident, and with a protective temperament, Sentinels are typically independent thinkers. Less interested in obedience training, more interested in doing their job.
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The Synergist is intelligent, cooperative, and driven by purpose. They thrive on task-oriented training, making them naturally responsive and willing to please. They excel with consistent guidance and positive reinforcement.
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Marauders are bold, energetic, and fiercely independent, with a natural drive for hunting and problem-solving. They are tenacious, spirited, and highly determined requiring consistent training and mental stimulation.
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Heralds are often small in size but big in personality. They are alert, lively, and affectionate, forming strong bonds with their owners. Sensitive to noises and stranger-danger, they act as self-appointed alarm systems, alerting everyone when they perceive a hint of a threat. They need patient, nurturing, positive training.
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DISPOSITION
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Composure describes a dog’s ability to regulate their emotional responses to stimuli, manage arousal, and maintain self-control.
Shut-Down ←→ Frenzied
Shut-Down: Emotionally collapsed, unresponsive, frozen.
Frenzied: Over-aroused, chaotic, unable to regulate emotions.
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Connection describes a dog’s tendency to seek and maintain social bonds, engagement, and attachment with humans or other animals.
Aloof ←→ Clingy
Aloof: Detached, uninterested in social bonds.
Clingy: Overly attached, anxious without constant interaction.
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Optimism describes a dog’s general expectation of success or failure, influencing their confidence in navigating the world
Pessimistic ←→ Ebullient
Pessimistic: Assumes failure or negativity is inevitable.
Ebullient: Overly optimistic, hopeful to the point of impulsivity.
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Grit describes a dog’s persistence and determination in the face of difficulty or setbacks.
Apathetic ←→ Relentless
Apathetic: Indifferent, unmotivated, lacks drive or perseverance.
Relentless: Unyielding, obsessive determination, never gives up.
= Training Type
Train the Type, Transform the Dog
How the Training Type Test Works
Functional Temperament Profile + Disposition= Training Type
The Training Type Test™ pinpoints your dog’s unique temperament and personality. It powers the MariDog Method and gives you a hyper-personlized Insight Driven Action Plan to Transform your dog’s behavior from the inside out.
1️⃣ Identify Your Dog’s Functional Temperament
Understanding your dog’s temperament allows us to train to their type. It’s the key to efficient, results-driven training.
Temperament refers to your dog’s inherent behavioral tendencies, shaped by breed, genetics and evolutionary function. It determines how your dog perceives and interacts with the world, and what they think their role in it is. Unlike personality, which can be shaped by experience, temperament is stable and consistent.
The Functional Temperament Profile reveals your dog’s Temper - Sentinel, Marauder, Synergist or Herald. Their Temper determines which training methodologies are best suited to them, be it positive reinforcement, clicker training, Behavior Adjustment Training, leadership-style training, or something other approach.
2️⃣ Measure Your Dog’s Disposition Metrics
When we move the metrics, we transform behavior.
Next, we assess where your dog falls on the MariDog Disposition Metrics Spectrum:
The metrics are the components of your dog’s personality and measure their emotional regulation, social tendencies, confidence, and resilience. Personality emerges from the balance of these traits:
• A composed, connected, optimistic, and gritty dog appears confident and adaptable.
• A frenzied, aloof, fatalistic, or apathetic dog may struggle with reactivity, anxiety, or disengagement
By manipulating the metrics through training, we can shift behavior:
• Increasing Composure helps a reactive dog stay calm.
• Adjusting Connection fosters secure social bonds without dependence.
• Building Optimism encourages confidence in uncertain situations.
• Strengthening Grit enhances persistence and problem-solving skills.
3️⃣ Use Training Type Test to Power Your Dog’s MariDog Method Training Plan
You’ll get a series of training exercises that will move the metrics and change your dog’s unwanted behavior.
Once your dog’s Functional Temperament Profile and Disposition Metrics are identified, the MariDog Method tailors training by following a structured process:
Select a Training Approach – Based on your dog’s Temper, we determine the most effective training methodology for your dog.
Target a Problem Behavior – We identify specific behavioral challenges (e.g., reactivity, separation anxiety, lack of focus) that need modification.
Adjust the Right Disposition Metrics – Using the equalizer model, we identify the relevant metrics to shift your dog’s unwanted behavior:
~ Reactivity? - Target Composure for emotional regulation
~ Separation Anxiety? Adjust Connection for secure independence.
~ Alarm Barking? - Boost Optimism through confidence-building.
Functional Temperament Profile + Disposition Metrics = Training Type™
Sentinel | Marauder | Synergist | Herald
Train the Type, Transform the Dog
Sign up now for early access
and get 75% off + 1 month Premium level membership free
to the MariDog Training Club
What You Get When You Take the MariDog Training Type Test™
The Key to Your Training Success
You’ll discover your dog’s Functional Temperament Profile (Sentinel, Synergist, Marauder, or Herald) and where they fall on the MariDog Disposition Spectrum—giving you a roadmap tailored to their natural instincts and behavioral tendencies.
Your Customized Training Plan
Based on your dog’s unique blueprint, you’ll receive a personalized training plan designed to meet your dog where they are. This plan offers targeted strategies and step-by-step guidance to address your dog’s specific challenges and harness their strengths.
Science-Backed Insights
The MariDog Training Type Test™ is built on real behavioral science, so you get practical, actionable insights without drowning in technical lingo. You’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of your dog’s innate traits and exactly how to apply that knowledge to everyday training.
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One month free in the MariDog Training Club
Your Go-To Resource for Smarter, More Effective Dog Training
Live Trainings & Deep-Dive Workshops
Get exclusive access to live coaching calls, hands-on training sessions, and behavioral deep dives. Whether you need help refining leash skills, addressing reactivity, or just strengthening your bond, there’s always fresh, actionable content to keep you moving forward.
The Training Library Resource Hub
Can’t make a live session? No problem! As a member, you’ll have access to an ever-growing library of training videos, behavior breakdowns, and troubleshooting guides—so you can learn at your own pace, whenever you need it.
A Community That Gets It
Surround yourself with like-minded dog guardians who share your commitment to ethical, effective training. Our private community is a judgment-free space to ask questions, share progress, and connect with people who understand the challenges and joys of training.
Sign up now for early access to
The MariDog Training Type Test™
and get 75% off + 1 month free in the MariDog Training Club
Discover Your Dog’s Training Type™
Functional Temperament Profile + Disposition Metrics = Training Type
Sentinel | Marauder | Synergist | Herald
Train the Type, Transform the Dog
Because Dog Training Should Start with the Dog
Most dog training starts with the outcome—“I want my dog to sit, come when called, stop pulling on the leash.” Or it starts with the method—“Positive reinforcement, balanced training, dominance theory, this collar or that harness.” But here’s the problem: that’s all backward: Training should start with who your dog is.
Just like people, every dog has a unique way of thinking, learning, and responding to the world. Some thrive on structure and guidance, others are independent problem-solvers. Some are deeply attuned to their humans, while others are driven by instinct and environment.
The Training Type Test™ helps you uncover your dog’s natural training personality so you can work with their instincts instead of against them.
Discover your dog’s Training Type™
Functional Temperament Profile + Disposition Metrics = Training Type™
Sentinel | Marauder | Synergist | Herald
Train the Type, Transform the Dog
Sign up now for early access
and get 75% off + 1 month Premium level membership free
to the MariDog Training Club
Functional Temperament Profile + Disposition Metrics
= Your Dog’s Training Type™
Sentinel | Marauder | Synergist | Herald
Train the Type, Transform the Dog