E426: Karen Deeds and Dr. Sophie Liu - A Real Look at Negative Reinforcement

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. 

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  138 Hits
138 Hits

E425: Erin Lynes and Tracey McLennan - Meeting Your Dogs Needs

Dogs with a lot of interest in the environment, who come to the outside world with big feelings or who need an outlet but aren't safe off leash are our topic in this episode! Erin shares how dog powered sports can help and Tracey shares insights from working with prey-driven dogs. 

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  224 Hits
224 Hits

E424: Michael Shikashio - Arousal and Aggression (Plus a Peek at CANIS 2026!)

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...
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  1139 Hits
1139 Hits

E423: Julie Flanery - "Building A Musical Freestyle Routine"

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!

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  1786 Hits
1786 Hits

E422: Petra Ford - Competing in Obedience at the Top

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!
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  1030 Hits
1030 Hits

E421: Jane Ardern - Anticipation vs. Relaxation: Training Release Cues

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. 

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  1348 Hits
1348 Hits

E420: Sharon Carroll - "A Real Look at Reducing Reinforcement"

If you plan to compete, you need a plan for reducing reinforcement - but so often this is where trainers go wrong! Join us for a conversation about how Sharon recommends you reduce reinforcement to maintain attitude and correctness.  

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  1942 Hits
1942 Hits

E419: Nancy Little - "Weave Pole Performance"

Thinking about weave pole training? Whether you're troubleshooting a problem or beginning to teach weaves to a new dog, in this episode we dive into Nancy's thoughts on how to approach things... and where so many teams seem to go wrong.

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  1326 Hits
1326 Hits

E418: Irith Bloom - "Getting Geeky On Behavior Change"

What is Applied Behavior Science? Learning Theory? Why bother, if folks have been training dogs for more than 10,000 years? Irith and I get into all that and more in this episode on the science of behavior change!

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  2141 Hits
2141 Hits

E417: Focus and Engage with Denise Fenzi, Petra Ford, and Karen Deeds

With the upcoming Focus & Engage one-day online conference only a few days away, join us for a preview of what you can expect, and an in depth conversation on acclimation, arousal, focus, and engagement.  

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  3226 Hits
3226 Hits

E416: Tracey McLennan - "A Framework for More Efficient Training"

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. 

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  1476 Hits
1476 Hits

E415: Denise Fenzi - Contact Heeling v. Precision Heeling: What's the Difference?

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!  

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  2426 Hits
2426 Hits

E414: Crystal Wing - The Role of Relationship in Dog Training

Looking to improve your relationship with your dog and improve your teamwork? In this episode, Crystal breaks down the factors that go into fostering that relationship in a healthy way. 

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  1924 Hits
1924 Hits

E413: Sara Brueske - What's UpDog: A Conversation on Frisbee Games

 Have a dog who likes frisbees? Join us for a conversation about UpDog — including What's UpDog and how you can compete!

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  1876 Hits
1876 Hits

E412: Petra Ford - "Balancing Motivation & Precision"

Do you find your dog tends to fall flat as you continue to raise criteria in training? Or maybe you have a dog that is SO enthusiastic that precision feels like an impossible dream? Join us for a conversation on balancing motivation and precision in your sports training. 

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  2903 Hits
2903 Hits

E411: Kim Palermo & Erin Lynes - "Building a Sports Foundation"

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.  

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  1989 Hits
1989 Hits

E410: Ashley Escobar - The Art & Science of Jump Training

Jumps make up a significant percent of every agility course - yet so often they receive only a small percentage of our training time. If you've ever wondered what jump grids are, how to teach your dog collection, or whether cavalettis might improve your dogs performance... give this episode a listen!  

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  1834 Hits
1834 Hits

E409: Sarah Rodriguez - Making Training More Accessible

We always say train the dog in front of you -- but in this podcast, Sarah shares the importance of considering the handler as well. Adjusting training so it's effective and easy for both members of the team may require some additional creativity... but it's more than worth it. Join us for a conversation on making training more accessible in this ep...
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  1990 Hits
1990 Hits

E408: Karen Deeds - Another Look at Box Feeding

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. 

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  2663 Hits
2663 Hits

E407: Denise Fenzi, Crystal Wing, & Jane Ardern on Motivation

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.  

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  2811 Hits
2811 Hits