Lack of progress in training is very frustrating for every dog. But do you even assess progress the right way? As a dog trainer, I evaluate progress through two key parameters. In this episode I share why it doesn't matter at all if your dog has a bad training session, how you need to help your dog succeed during every single moment of training, an…

Is your dog refusing food in training? Do they routinely turn their nose up on the most delicious treats? There are FIVE main reasons for this ... and they are NOT what you'd think! Today we dive into WHY your dog may be noping out of treat training - and how to help them appreciate food rewards Want to get started with our training programs for fr…

Using treats in reactivity training doesn't work for you because your dog refuses food completely around triggers? That is actually a very common issue ... with one easy, ingenious solution! In this episode I share the #1 question that will determine whether your dog can be trained with food - as well as how to do it! Want to get started with our t…

This week I discuss four non-negotiable life skills that EVERY dog owner needs to teach their dogs. These skills will set your dog up for success in situations that could otherwise be very stressful or even traumatizing! Want to get started with our training programs for free? Visit spiritdogtraining.com/free…

You sent me a lot of emails and this week I answer your questions about socialization! We discuss "over socialization", how to socialize young puppies, setbacks in socialization during the teenage stage, why you need "boring" dogs for socialization and much more. Want to get started with our training programs for free? Visit spiritdogtraining.com/f…

In this episode I share actionable tips for socializing your dog! Starting at home ... and advancing all the way to the dog park. As you work through the 4 stages of socialization exercises, you will learn how to make sure your dog has a positive experience around all people and dogs. Want to get started with our training programs for free? Visit s…

"Socializing" is a big buzz word in dog training ... but what does it actually mean? What is a well-socialized dog? And why are many socialization classes counter-productive? In this episode I discuss my thoughts around socialization and the frequent mistakes I see. In the next part I will share actionable socializing exercises you can do with your…

When we are tackling a big training project, it is easy for us to lose track of the most important thing: To have FUN with our dogs! In this episode I explain why FUN is the foundation of your relationship and how to make sure that you never miss out on daily fun with your dog. Want to get started with our training programs for free? Visit spiritdo…

In this episode I share my thoughts around a question that's pressing for all dog owners: "How long until my dog's behavior is fixed?" I discuss the three components that impact how long training will take ... and give you a way to reframe thinking about training timelines, too! Want to get started with our training programs for free? Visit spiritd…

Why does SpiritDog Training exist? What is the driving force behind it ... and what's my mission for dog owners worldwide? This is a philosophical episode that dives into the really big questions - that we should all answer for ourselves! Want to get started with our training programs for free? Visit spiritdogtraining.com/free…

A lot of dog owners worry about reinforcing unwanted behaviors by offering treats. For example: a dog freaks out at the window, the owner scatters treats and the dog stops barking and starts eating ... is that actually making them MORE likely to flip out? (Hint: no!) In this episode I explain why not every treat is a reward - and how you can naviga…

Are you trying to fix your dog's reactivity with a "Look at me" approach? And your dog is fine as long as they are engaged with you ... but as soon as you take your eyes off them, they flip out again? In this episode I explain what the big misconception about engagement training for reactivity is - and how you can break through the training plateau…

"How do I become a dog trainer?" is a question I get several times a week. In today's episode, I share three insights into working as a dog trainer that you probably did not expect! From honing training skills over people training to not spending a lot of time with one's own dogs ... I don't hold any secrets back in this one! If you want to start t…

Is your dog reactive ... but only sometimes? Only towards some people ... some dogs ... or in some situations? Selective and situation-specific reactivity can be really puzzling for dog owners. In this episode I explain how to make sense of it ... and how to work with dogs who are not always reactive. If you want to start training with our library …

A topic that has been requested many times ... how do you navigate family disagreements and training? What about family members who are not committed to training ... family members who give you well-meaning (but useless) advice ... or family members who are fighting you regarding training? In this episode I share my experiences on navigating all of…

In this second episode on breed-specific training, I discuss why you may be WRONG in believing that your dog needs a breed-specific training approach. Falsely holding out for this can actually harm your training progress! So let's break down the difference between breed-specific training issues ... and "run of the mill" training issues. If you want…

Are your criteria too muddled? Are you able to be black and white in training? Or do you try to teach unrefined behaviors ... and hurting yourself with it in the long run? Today I explain why you should NOT be a wishy washy trainer! If you want to start training with our library of over 1,300 training videos for free, visit spiritdogtraining.com/fr…

It's a huge misconception that in order to teach our dogs how to do something right, we wait for them to get it wrong. If you attempt to train like this, you and your dog will be frustrated and disapppointed. In this episode I discuss why you already have the teaching skills you need deep within you ... and the questions you need to ask yourself to…

The #1 question I always asked myself when teaching group classes "What do my students talk about in the car?" In this quick episode I discuss why your trainer should care about each and every student's happiness and their dogs' successes. If your trainer doesn't seem invested in making you proud of your dog - look for a different trainer! If you w…

Did you know that no two breeds are trained the same? If you do not take your dog's breed(s) into account when planning your sessions, you won't be successful. In this episode I explain how your dog's breed impacts training decisions, and how you can tailor training to your specific dog! If you want to start training with our library of over 1,300 …

Should you teach your dog multiple things at once? Or will they get confused? How do you decide which behaviors to work on at any one time? In today's episode I will discuss whether you should train several behaviors ... and how to decide which ones! If you want to start training with our library of over 1,300 training videos for free, visit spirit…

Living with and training a reactive dog is a taxing, tiring task! What if there was a shortcut? In this episode I discuss if there is a way to cut corners in reactivity training ... and what the results will look like. If you want to start training with our library of over 1,300 training videos for free, visit spiritdogtraining.com/free…

We are never only training a skill ... we are always training a skill and an emotion. Out of the two, the emotion is actually the one you should be most concerned about! Today I dive into why the wrong emotion can ruin skill training (even if the dog is good at the skill) ... and how to help your dog find the right mindset. If you want to start tra…

As a dog trainer who uses a lot of food rewards, one of the most common questions I get us "... And what happens when you don't have a treat?" Today I unravel how to make your dog independent from having to be bribed and lured, and explain why having or not having a treat should not make a difference in a well-trained dog! If you want to start trai…

Scent work is a fascinating dog sport. It's welcoming to dogs of all ages and physical abilities ... and it's an amazing way to bond with your dog! In this episode we interview highly accomplished scent work competitor, judge and professional bed bug detection dog handler Paige Gordon about how to get started and progress in the sport.…

Every day I work with dog owners and help them break through behavioral and training struggles. And every day I know that if dog owners were more mindful of these 6 things ... a lot of issues would NOT happen in the first place! Today I give you a list of the 6 things I wished every dog owner did - implement these to see immediate improvement in yo…

Most dog owners with more than one dog would love to train them all at once. But is this even possible? Is it a good idea to have everyone train at the same time? What about dogs that can wait their turn? And what should you do if your dogs are so attached that you cannot separate them? In this episode I answer all of these questions!…

Training often fails because we are not progressing skills well. But what does it actually mean to "advance a skill"? How do we break down the training process for our dogs correctly? How many steps are involved in teaching a solid behaviors? In this episode you will find answers to all of these questions!…

Do you struggle to motivate yourself to train? Is consistency hard for you and your dog? There actually is a secret to training every day ... I call it "training momentum". In this episode I share how you can reach training momentum, and why most dog owners are only a few training sessions away from breaking through this wall!…

Treats are reinforcements and corrective collars are punishments ... but is that really what the definition of those words is? Are you using reinforcers as skillful as you could? And did you know that the environment is constantly reinforcing and punishing your dog, too?

How do you find the right dog trainer for you and your dog? What expectations should you have for a dog trainer? But also ... what is your dog trainer expecting from YOU in the coaching relationship? In this podcast I take a deep dive into my expectations for dog owners and trainers. And I also have a pretty big surprise for you ...…

We want our dogs in a happy, eager and enthusiastic state of mind for training ... but what exactly should we do to achieve this? In this episode, I am sharing 10 tips that will make your dog more comfortable - and ultimately, this will make your training more successful, too!

Is your dog reactive towards unannounced visitors? Do they love to chase wildlife when you run into it? Are they barking and lunging ... but only when coming across certain other dogs? Unpredictable behaviors are one of the hardest things to address in dog training. It feels like we don't even have a place to start! The good news it that with the r…

Preemptive doubts can hurt your dog training and hinder your progress! We discuss where the mindset of "this won't work ..." comes from and how to break through it. I talk about how many times I have personally failed, and why this should never be a reason to stop pursuing new training ideas!

If treat training makes you go "meh", this episode is for you. I discuss other forms of rewards (toys, praise, access to the environment) as well as whether rewards are even always needed! This is a big episode to answer all questions regarding treat alternatives.

Not all training problems are equal. Some require immediate attention and intervention ... while others are not as pressing. It can be hard to know whether you need to jump into action or not. This episode discusses the 4 criteria to determine whether you need to start training TODAY - or whether you can sit back and stop worrying.…

My own dog training is always evolving ... and yours should be, too! In this episode I explain the continuous feedback loop between you and your dog that will take your training to the next level. I also share how I always improve my own training and online classes!

When training isn't working, both dog and human are left frustrated and demotivated. But it does not have to be this way! There are 5 common reasons why training isn't working ... as well as solutions! In this episode I discuss the most common training roadblocks in detail, and explain how small changes will lead to big improvements!…

In this episode I dive into the nitty-gritty of what clickers are and how they work. I bust some myths and explain how to decide whether clickers are going to work for your dog and your training goals. I also share how I have come 180 degrees when it comes to using clickers for my own clients!

In this episode I discuss why some dogs are so unfocussed, impatient, demanding and hard to train ... and why you should NOT hope that they'll grow out of it (they won't!) But don't worry - I reveal the #1 thing you can do today to help your dog grow in all of these skills and become a joy to train!

What does your work stress have to do with dog training? Why does our dog do worse the longer a training session goes on?And how can we predict our dog's seemingly unpredictable outbursts? The surprising answer to all of these question lies in trigger stacking. In this episode, I dive deep into the detrimental effects of trigger stacking - as well …

Ready to dive into training for 2024? But hold on - Setting the wrong training goals will hinder your progress and demotivate you! In this episode I share the surprising truth about why traditional training goals are bad, as well as 6 goals to will truly accelerate your training progress.

In this episode I talk about a client case study. They reached out to me the day before Christmas with a big ask: To teach their dog and their visitors' dog to stop fighting! Listen in to learn how I handled this, and how to decide between training and "damage control" - especially during the busy holidays!…

A lot of dog owners struggle with their dog's behavior in the yard. Whether digging, barking, fence fighting or chewing on patio furniture ... many dogs do NOT inherently behave well outside! In this episode I go into detail on why dogs misbehave outside and how to fix it.

Management is a very unpopular topic among dog training students ... but without management, training is likely to fail! Today we dive deep into understanding why management is the foundation of any training you do - as well as the key to success.

Is your dog failing at group training classes? Are they always the odd one out who's barking, pulling on leash and being unfocused? In this episode I discuss 3 ways to make group classes easier - as well as how to know if a group class is NOT the right place for your dog.

Did treat training not work for you? In this episode I explain why some dogs don't take treats outside, why they only listen when they see a treat, why they sometimes learn the wrong thing with treat training ... and how to turn all of this around by improving your training mechanics!

Is your training stagnating? Did your dog make progress initially, but then you hit a plateau? It's frustrating and disappointing when you don't see progress anymore! The good news is that there are 5 common reasons why training is stagnating ... with 5 easy solutions! In this episode I discuss small changes you can make to get back on track and wa…

Can old dogs learn new tricks? Every dog trainer will tell you 'yes', but the true answer is more complex than this. In today's episode I dive into the WHY and HOW of teaching adult dogs novel behaviors, and re-training known skills! We also discuss when you should NOT teach your old dog a new trick.…

"Ignore bad behavior" Does this really work? In which situations is ignoring the right approach ... and in which might it make your dog's behavior WORSE? Dive in and discover why behavior can be stopped by ignoring ... and why it sometimes is absolutely the wrong choice!