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Join me and Dr. Amy Cook for a conversation on where her ideas for The Play Way came from, the science that inspired it, and how it's evolved (and continues to evolve). We also discuss the one letter that Amy thinks every trainer should add to their conversations about reactivity and thresholds.  Transcript Melissa Breau: This is Melissa Breau

Give this episode a listen to learn a bit more about Jessica, her background, what Circle Work is and what led her to develop 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 quality instruc

There are certain topics in the dog training world that feel almost taboo - among them is the topic of behavioral euthanasia. In this episode Deb and I have a frank but thoughtful conversation on evaluating the severity of a behavior issue and what factors go into that sort of decision.   Transcription ​Melissa Breau: This is Melissa Brea

You've taught your dog the exercises—but do you know how to show them in the ring?Join Petra Ford for a deep dive into what actually happens during an AKC obedience trial, from Novice through Utility. She goes beyond the rulebook and training videos to explore the flow of a performance—what the judge says, how you respond, when you can talk to

With the upcoming one day conference on matters of motivation, Denise, Crystal, and Jane joined me to share their takes on what motivation really is and why it matters.   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 school de

The more tools in your toolbox the more dogs you can help — in this episode Karen shares her experience using box feeding (aka the "dopamine box") to build confidence, desensitize to sounds, develop duration as a concept, for scent work, tracking, and to develop working under pressure.   Transcript Melissa Breau: This is Melissa Breau and

 If you've ever walked into a Rally ring and felt like your dog wasn't quite with you, you're not alone. Connection is one of the most important—and often overlooked—skills in Rally. Without it, everything feels harder. With it, everything flows. In Rally, connection isn't just nice to have—it's essential. It affects the quality of your heelin

If you've found yourself thinking, "I'm gonna do that differently with the next puppy," or "Next time I'll do this perfectly," you're not alone. Join me, Kim, and Erin for a discussion on what they prioritize with future sports dogs, why there's always something they'd do differently "next time," and how they're tackling things right now.   &n

 Why Reward Placement Matters: When a dog receives reinforcement, they're likely to repeat not only the behavior they were doing, but also the position they were in and where they were looking when the reward arrived. In heeling, this means that if you feed your dog out in front or with their head turned, you're unintentionally reinforcin

Life can be really hard, and today's political climate (and fallout from) is a lot. And let's be real—it's not getting better anytime soon.This means we have two choices: let stress run the show or take control of how we manage ourselves. The difference between managing stress and taking control is huge, and understanding it can help us shift from

 Have a dog who likes frisbees? Join us for a conversation about UpDog — including What's UpDog and how you can compete!  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 school dedicated to providing high quality instruction for

Precision heeling and contact heeling may seem similar in some ways - but they're also very different. Join me for a conversation with Denise Fenzi on when she uses which one and how (and why) she approaches training both!    Transcription ​Melissa Breau: This is Melissa Breau and you're listening to the Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast brought t

Tracey McLennan joins me for a conversation on how her software background has informed her approach to dog training and led to her framework for smarter, faster, training progress.   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

You've put in the time. You've taught your dog how to sit, down, stay, come when called—maybe even a few fun tricks. At home, everything looks great. Your dog responds eagerly, watches you closely, and seems to love training time. But the moment you step outside or walk into a more distracting space, things start to fall apart. Suddenly, you're bac

Jane Ardern joins me for a conversation about how our release cues can influence our dog's state of mind and ability to learn. She shares what the field-bred spaniels she's owned have taught her about frustration, frantic behavior, anticipation, and relaxation... with several helpful takeaways bound to apply to any dog sports team.   Tran

 When it comes to teaching Rally behaviors, props can make a huge difference in both how quickly your dog learns and how cleanly they perform the skills. Whether you're introducing something new or polishing an existing behavior, the right prop provides clarity, precision, and support for both dog and handler. Enter your text here ...Props lik

In this episode, we talk to Petra Ford, the 2025 National Obedience Champion, about her recent win and what it takes to compete at the top levels of obedience here in the US, how she approaches training, and more!​  Transcript ​Melissa Breau: This is Melissa Breau and you're listening to the Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast, brought to you by the Fenz

​Curious what musical freestyle is and whether it might be for you? Join Julie and I for a conversation that includes tips and tricks for laying out your routine, choosing which tricks to train, and more!  Transcript ​Melissa Breau: This is Melissa Breau and you're listening to the Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast brought to you by the Fenzi Dog Sport

Michael Shikashio joins me for a conversation around the impact arousal has on aggression, and how we should think about the two when working on behavior cases... plus, he shares a bit of behind-the-scenes info on the planning for the 2026 CANIS conference!   Transcription Melissa Breau: This is Melissa Breau and you're listening to the F

Talking about Negative Reinforcement can cause some big feelings in the positive training community - but in this episode Karen and Sophie take a look at when it's inevitable in our dogs' lives and what we should be thinking about for our own dogs.  Transcription ​Melissa Breau: This is Melissa Breau, and you're listening to the Fenzi Dog Spor