E378: Loretta Mueller - "Multi-Dog Households: Adding a New Dog"

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. 

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  2216 Hits
2216 Hits

Teaching Around for Rally: Building a Fast and Solid Behavior

In rally obedience, the "around" behavior is one of the most frequently used skills, second only to heeling. It is most commonly seen in the right finish, but many other signs also incorporate the dog circling the handler. Teaching around as a solid behavior will be a valuable investment as you and your dog progress through the rally levels.

When competing in higher-level events, having a speedy and reliable around behavior is crucial. Dogs that circle their handlers slowly lose precious time on this one move. By incorporating games and exercises that focus on speeding up your dog's around, you can enhance their performance in the ring.

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  2651 Hits
2651 Hits

E377: Karen Deeds - Advanced Reactive Integration: Bringing The Pieces Together

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!

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  2437 Hits
2437 Hits

Design Your Training Session for Success

Effective dog training techniques for success are all about building your dog's confidence through small victories. When your dog experiences consistent success, they become more motivated, eager to learn, and confident. Achieving these small wins makes training feel rewarding for both you and your dog. Our goal should always be to train in a way that sets our dogs up for success and ensures they know how to "win" during each session.

While perfection isn't always possible, rehearsing correct behaviors as often as we can is key to developing a solid foundation. By learning to read your dog's abilities and responding to them, you can ensure each training session is a productive one.

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  2774 Hits
2774 Hits

E376: Irith Bloom - Creating Confidence and Calm for Anxious 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. 

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  1911 Hits
1911 Hits

E375: Liz Joyce & Kelly Daniel - Core Fitness for Both Ends of the Leash

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! 

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  2514 Hits
2514 Hits

E374: Deb Jones, Jennifer Summerfield, and Julie Symons on Living With and Loving Your Senior Dog

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. 

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  1946 Hits
1946 Hits

E373: Erin Lynes - "Surviving Canine Adolescence"

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.

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  2322 Hits
2322 Hits

E372: Kamal Fernandez - Teaching the Concept of Duration

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! 

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  2199 Hits
2199 Hits

E371: Crystal Wing - Learning to Play

 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.

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  1986 Hits
1986 Hits

E370: Jennifer Henion - Breaking Down the Blind Retrieve

 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.

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  1459 Hits
1459 Hits

Rally: A Great Introduction to Other Dog Sports

Rally is a fun activity that is an excellent introduction to other dog sports. Dog sports are not only a fantastic way to bond with your furry friend but also to engage their minds and bodies in meaningful activities. Among the various dog sports available, rally stands out as an excellent introductory sport for several compelling reasons. Whether you're new to dog sports, looking for something fun to do with your dog, or trying to expand your dog's skills, rally can pave the way for a rewarding journey into other disciplines.

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  2677 Hits
2677 Hits

E369: Shade Whitesel - Choosing Location Specific Marker Cues

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!  

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  2108 Hits
2108 Hits

E368: Tracey McLennan - Overcoming Critter Distractions for the Real World

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.

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  1860 Hits
1860 Hits

Teaching Stillness as a Concept

For many dogs, stillness is a challenging concept to grasp. Especially in sports-bred dogs, which are highly motivated by movement, training methods often focus on encouraging and rewarding action. As a result, teaching stay behaviors can be more difficult. However, introducing the concept of stillness can help your dog remain calm, composed, and focused in various situations, benefiting high-energy or anxious dogs in particular.

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  2244 Hits
2244 Hits

E367: Julie Symons - "One of a Kind Hides & Creating Clarity in Nosework"

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. 

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  1438 Hits
1438 Hits

E366: Deb Jones, PhD - Redefining Focus: What Training for Focus Looks Like

What really goes into having a focused dog? Join us for a conversation what it means to train focus — and how we can split a complex behavior down into component parts to build a strong but flexible skillset every sports dog needs.

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  1852 Hits
1852 Hits

July 4th, 2024: Ask Me Anything with Denise Fenzi (featuring Crystal Wing!)

 For those who were planning on spending the Fourth with their dog on the couch, hiding from the fireworks, or those not in the US, but interested in a chance to talk training with Denise we hosted a live Ask Me Anything with Denise Fenzi on July 4th! 

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  1845 Hits
1845 Hits

E365: Dr. Amy Cook, Crystal Wing, and Erin Lynes - "The Power of Play"

What's the big deal about play, anyway? Join us for a conversation on the benefits of play... and how to tap into your inner child, so both you and your dog can enjoy playing together! 

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  1868 Hits
1868 Hits

E364 - Sharon Carroll - Training & Competing with "Differently Motivated" Dogs

In this episode Sharon and I talk about what engagement looks like for those "differently motivated" dogs and how to handle it when our dog appears to be ignoring our cues. 

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  1942 Hits
1942 Hits

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