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Behavior problems can wreak havoc on our lives with our dogs. So when issues occur what options are there? How do we decide which to pursue? Karen and I take a deep dive into what factors to consider when making those difficult decisions, including the choices no one ever wants to make: rehoming and behavioral euthanasia.   Transcript Mel

Position changes are a skill needed in both rally and obedience. Taking the time to teach a good foundation will make the more advanced position changes much easier. In this blog, I'm working with Excel, who wasn't quite two when I videoed these sessions. Excel is a dog who finds movement very reinforcing, and therefore, stillness is difficult. For

Ever wondered why canine conditioning matters, or why it's become so popular? In this episode Ashley and I dive into its importance for sport dogs of all types.    Transcription Melissa Breau: This is Melissa Breau and you're listening to the Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast, brought to you by the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy, an online school dedica

Balance can feel elusive. It gradually walks towards the door, slipping behind other guests and furniture unnoticed until it's gone or thinking of leaving. A loss of balance can significantly reduce your quality of life and the activities safely available to you. It's helpful to look for ways you have power in situations, from both a physical and a

Have a pup that struggles to wait their turn? Nicole and I talk about the forms that FOMO (fear of missing out) can take when it comes to our dogs, how to prevent it, and what we can do about it.   Transcription Melissa Breau: This is Melissa Breau, and you're listening to the Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast, brought to you by the Fenzi Dog Spor

Chin rests are useful for so many things! It's one of my favorite behaviors to teach. I use chin rests for obedience behaviors, such as teaching a close front and getting a quiet hold, but it's also useful for cooperative care, consent, and start button behaviors. In addition, chin rests help the dog be still, so it's helpful to settle the dog and

Worried about the wheels coming off while playing the game of agility? Join Bronagh and I as we talk about the ways that Control Unleashed can help your agility dog adapt to experiencing the unexpected in a trial, seminar or even group class environment.   Transcription Melissa Breau: This is Melissa Breau and you're listening to the Fenz

All dogs at some time need confinement to a crate, or an X-pen for recovery. Rest and a reduction in physical movements are required to enable the body to heal, and recover.Keeping dogs calm, and occupied over this period is not only vital to their recovery, but their mental health. We don't want sad confined dogs, or conversely dogs confined and g

In this episode Pat Stuart joins me to talk about box feeding - a method he's helped popularize! We talk about what it is and how it can be used in training and distraction proofing.  Transcript Melissa Breau: This is Melissa Breau and you're listening to the Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast, brought to you by the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy, an online s

Flexibility is the ability of muscles (and muscle groups) to lengthen and move a joint through range of motion. Mobility is the ability of a joint to move through range of motion. Movement is a complex marriage of biology: joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles, neurological input and control, pain, medical conditions and medications, and behaviour. S

Join us for a panel discussion all about focus! What IS it? How do you train it? And what do we do if our dog doesn't seem to have it?   Transcription Melissa Breau: This is Melissa Breau, and you're listening to the Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast, brought to you by the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy, an online school dedicated to providing high qual

Canine Fitness is one of those topics that can become as sophisticated as you want to make it! Today Kelly and I talk about what it's like to get geeky about fitness.   Transcription Melissa Breau: This is Melissa Breau and you're listening to the Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast brought to you by the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy. An online scho

The dreaded mistake You're at an agility trial with your dog. You point to the tunnel, but they go over the jump next to it instead. You're pretty sure you called out the right word, and that your body language was solid, but your dog went to the wrong obstacle anyway. So what do you do? You go back to the club. You practice a lot with jumps and tu

Fear of the vacuum. Barking out the window. A dog that struggles with grooming. Handling the seemingly unfounded feelings our dogs sometimes have about certain things can be complex; join Irith and I as we talk about the training tools and techniques we can use to change the behaviors we see and relieve those feelings.   Transcription Mel

It's that time of year again when I the most common question I get is, "What camera should I buy for Shoot the Dog?"https://youtu.be/E6ONYZbQBigThe question seems simple, but the answer can be mind-boggling in its complexity.If you are here to just get an answer and then race off to the camera store to make your purchase, I'll start with my recomme

Have a dog who is a bit TOO enthusiastic about saying hello? In this episode Erin and I talk about what you can do.   Transcription Melissa Breau: This is Melissa breau, and you're listening to the Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast, brought to you by the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy, an online school dedicated to providing high quality instruction for

Understanding the Importance of Exercise It can feel safer, or necessary, to stop moving when arthritis pain strikes. But engaging in the right kinds of exercise not only enhances overall health and fitness but also contributes to an improved quality of life when integrated into a treatment program. This includes the following benefits:Strengthenin

Ever wondered how leading trainers can take a dog that is all about the "GO" and balance it out with beautiful focus and control? In this episode Sara and I chat about her approach to building a dog with the skills for both action and control.   Transcription Melissa Breau: This is Melissa bro, and you're listening to the fnc Dog Sports P

Who doesn't want overnight results, in every area of their life? Achieving fitness goals, building muscle, conditioning your body—no matter how you express it, striving for a specific outcome in your workouts likely takes more time than anticipated. If you're wondering just how long, keep in mind: results won't manifest overnight, but they will com

 What is commitment? How do we teach our dogs to understand when to go and when to pay more attention to our cues? Laurie and I talk about that and more in this week's episode of the podcast.  Transcript Melissa Breau: This is Melissa Breau and you're listening to the Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast, brought to you by the Fenzi Dog Sports Academ