Blog

Ever wondered what it takes to train the show stopping tricks you see frisbee dogs and stunt dogs perform? In this episode Sara and I talk about training big moves — what to think about, how to break them down, and what you need to consider to keep both you and your dog safe. 

Need a strategy for getting reinforcement off your body? Wondering what other skills you should have on board before that first competition? In this episode Nancy and I talk about all of the pieces that go into preparing our dogs to perform their best.

Shaping: People either love it or hate it! Join Julie and I for a conversation on why it should be a tool in your training toolbox and how you can build your skills so you and your dog can become a talented shaping team.

As positive reinforcement trainers we often use food for everything! In this episode Irith and I talk about desensitization and counterconditioning... and why Irith actually prefers not using food for these cases unless we need to. 

Join us for a fantastic panel discussion with Dr. Amy Cook, Denise Fenzi, Kim Palermo, and Petra Ford on sports dogs, their big feelings, and how to help them thrive.  

What do we know about anxiety in our canine companions? Join us for a conversation about what causes anxiety and what we can do about it. 

Have you ever wondered how unilateral deafness might impact learning? What a dog with vision impairments might face? Angelica shares her experiences with both and shares her story in this episode. 

Having a peaceful household when you live with multiple dogs can be tough — join Loretta and I for a conversation about what it takes, and tips on how to introduce a new dog to your household even if there may be a significant size difference. 

You've heard of Fight or Flight and maybe Freeze, but did you know there are actually 5 F's that dogs can exhibit under stress? Join us for an interesting conversation on working with reactive dogs!

In this episode Irith and I talk about what anxiety looks like in dogs and what we can do to help our dogs feel safe and build confidence. Plus, I ask Irith to talk about what factors influence how long these behaviors take to work and what factors influence prognosis. 

Core strength is important for both ends of the leash — so for this episode, Liz and Kelly both joined me to talk about their relative expertise... Kelly shared what to consider and why it matters for our four-legged teammates, and Liz talked about fitness for the human-half of the team! 

We hear so much about puppys and adolescents, but it's rare to focus on seniors — in this episode, that's exactly what we do. We take a deep dive into what it means to live with and love our dogs in their golden years. 

Teenagers get a bad rap — join me and Erin for a conversation about what you can really expect and how to survive canine adolescence and then come out with an awesome sports dog on the other side.

If you've ever struggled to convey to your dog that you want them to keep doing a thing... Whether it's a stationary behavior or a moving one, this episode is for you. Kamal and I break down why he teaches duration as a concept and what it means to approach training duration that way! 

 It's easy to assume we're all born knowing how to play - but sometimes reclaiming that childlike sense of fun is harder than it looks! Join us for a conversation on the skills we need to rediscover and those we need to teach our dogs to get toy play everyone involved can enjoy.

 One of the skills you'll need for retriever hunt tests is the blind retrieve — where the dog retrieves downed game that they didn't see land. In this episode Jennifer talks me though exactly what that means and how she approaches it in training.

Wondering what the hype is about when it comes to Location Specific Marker cues? Shade and I talk about what they are, what they can offer your training, how to decide when it's time to consider adding a new one, the role of anticipatory behaviors and more!  

Have a dog that's easily distracted or driven to chase prey-like critters? In this episode Tracey and I talk about overcoming critter distractions and building behaviors so you can both enjoy the outdoors again.

Ever wondered if your dog can remember which hides they've already found? In this Episode Julie and I dive into problem solving multiple hides and using contrast to create clarity in nosework.