Webinar Presentations
Questions or Problems? Please send email to allthethings@fenziacademy.com
Webinars will run approximately 1-2 hours including presentation and questions.
Click here for a list of frequently asked questions
Kristina Spaulding, PhD, CAAB - The Importance of Agency
Click here to view guest instructor biography
Date: Thursday, June 17, 2021
Time: 3pm Pacific Time (Click here for time at FDSA (Pacific Time).
Fee: $19.95 - Registration required PRIOR to scheduled presentation time.
Agency describes the overall amount of control an animal has over its environment. Control is a big buzzword in the dog world right now. There is an increasing call from professionals to give our dogs more control. How do agency and control actually impact behavior? Why are they so important? Luckily for trainers, we have many decades worth of research on this topic! And the research suggests that providing animals with a sense of agency is critically important for promoting their emotional wellbeing. It turns out that control changes how the brain functions and can influence the animal's entire world view!
This talk will start with a discussion of learned helplessness and what it tells us about the impact of lack of control. I will cover how control (or lack of it) influences brain function and how it can change an animal's approach to his or her environment in dramatic ways. Finally, we will talk about different ways of increasing control for our dogs. This webinar is great for puppies and adult dogs and for pet owners and professionals alike.
Watch the trailer
Dr. Jennifer Summerfield - Getting to Know You: Understanding Dog-Dog Greetings
Date: Thursday, June 17, 2021
Time: 6pm Pacific Time (Click here for time at FDSA (Pacific Time).
Fee: $19.95 - Registration required PRIOR to scheduled presentation time.
For most of us, it makes intuitive sense that when people greet each other in social settings, there’s a lot going on in those first few moments! Handshakes (or other traditional greeting rituals, which can vary in different cultures), eye contact, and the words we use to address each other are all important components of human greeting behavior.
Dogs are highly social animals with a rich repertoire of communication signals at their disposal, so it shouldn’t surprise us to learn that they have their own forms of species-specific ritualized greeting behavior. And just like in human society, dog-dog greetings can go well, or poorly… and can lead to anything from a polite passing “hello” or a successful round of play, to an explosion of barking and lunging, or even an all-out fight.
In this webinar, we’ll discuss the anatomy of a “normal” dog-dog greeting interaction, as well as common variations you might see depending on breed and general personality. We’ll also talk about how these interactions can go wrong – due to poor social skills, fear/anxiety issues, or previous negative experiences. Video examples will be used to help illustrate the discussion.
Watch the trailer
Nancy Tucker - Harmonious Walks: Redefining Loose-Leash Walking
Date: Thursday, June 24, 2021
Time: 3pm Pacific Time (Click here for time at FDSA (Pacific Time).
Fee: $19.95 - Registration required PRIOR to scheduled presentation time.
Dogs who pull like a tank, dogs who play tug with the leash... Sound familiar?
Ask any trainer why clients reach out to them for help, and somewhere in the top three reasons you’ll find “walking on-leash”. It’s such a common problem, and the simplest solution is actually the most unexpected one.
In this webinar, we’ll cover how to achieve harmonious walks. Attendees will learn how to attain that elusive “loose-leash walking” behavior in the most enjoyable way. We’ll move away from focusing on the traditional heeling behavior, and towards recognizing and meeting dogs’ needs through foundation skills and on-leash games that anyone can do.
“Harmonious walks” means everyone wins. Happy dogs, and happy guardians!
Watch the trailer
Denise Fenzi - High Drive Dogs: When the Abnormal is Absolutely Normal
Date: Thursday, June 24, 2021
Time: 6pm Pacific Time (Click here for time at FDSA (Pacific Time).
Fee: $19.95 - Registration required PRIOR to scheduled presentation time.
What could possibly be desirable about a dog who hangs off your pants for hours a day? Whatever could be making your client beam with pride as they discuss these behaviors? And why on earth would anyone breed these qualities into their dogs on purpose?!
Dogs bred for the protection sports and working applications are notably different from more typical pet dogs. This talk will help you understand the terminology used by the working dog community, explore the specific behavior traits that they find desirable, and, hopefully, help you come to understand their perspective so that you can better work with these dogs and clients in the future.
By the end of the talk, Denise hopes that you will share her appreciation for dogs who appear, by all accounts, to be absolutely abnormal, when in fact they are exhibiting the height of desirable behavior.
Watch the trailer
Kathy Sdao - But My Dog's Not Food Motivated (Repeat)
Date: Thursday, July 1, 2021
Time: 3pm Pacific Time (Click here for time at FDSA (Pacific Time).
Fee: $19.95 - Registration required PRIOR to scheduled presentation time.
When a client says this during our initial consultation, my response is “He’s not food-motivated yet.”
Eating is an operant behavior. We can often increase its probability and intensity and lessen its latency through structured training procedures. Developing fluent eating might seem laughable if you have a ravenous Rottweiler or always-hungry hound, And yet, situations requiring skilled intervention abound: a senior dog whose appetite is fading; a wary dog who has learned to distrust treats; a pampered dog fussy about meals.
While various medical conditions may contribute to the creation of a finicky eater, so can unwise behavioral practices. We’ll review several common mistakes and provide alternatives.
Please note: This webinar is back by popular demand. Please check your webinar library before purchasing.
Melissa Breau - Intro to Treibball (Repeat)
Date: Thursday, July 1, 2021
Time: 6pm Pacific Time (Click here for time at FDSA (Pacific Time).
Fee: $19.95 - Registration required PRIOR to scheduled presentation time.
Want to build your distance control and connection with your dog while participating in a great new sport? Or maybe you’ve always been fascinated by herding, but don’t have sheep. Check out Treibball!
Sometimes called “ball herding” or “urban herding,” treibball is a cross between billiards and soccer that you play with your dog. It’s perfect for a dog who is retired from other sports, dogs new to the sports world, or reactive dogs (since most venues restrict access to the competition field).
We’ll cover the basic rules of the game and the foundation skills to get you started. Come learn about this relatively new dog sport!
Please note: This webinar is back by popular demand. Please check your webinar library before purchasing.
Questions or Problems? Please send email to allthethings@fenziacademy.com
