Published every Friday, the Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast is brought to you by the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy. Each episode of the Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast will feature an interview with a leading name in the competitive dog sports training world, talking in depth about issues that often get overlooked by traditional training methods.
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E373: Erin Lynes - "Surviving Canine Adolescence"
27:11
27:11
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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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E372: Kamal Fernandez - Teaching the Concept of Duration
24:12
24:12
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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!By Melissa Breau
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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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E370: Jennifer Henion - Breaking Down the Blind Retrieve
22:05
22:05
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22:05
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.By Melissa Breau
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E369: Shade Whitesel - Choosing Location Specific Marker Cues
34:13
34:13
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34:13
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!By Melissa Breau
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E368: Tracey McLennan - Overcoming Critter Distractions for the Real World
35:06
35:06
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35:06
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.By Melissa Breau
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E367: Julie Symons - "One of a Kind Hides & Creating Clarity in Nosework"
28:02
28:02
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28:02
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.By Melissa Breau
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E366: Deb Jones, PhD - Redefining Focus: What Training for Focus Looks Like
40:48
40:48
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40:48
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.By Melissa Breau
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E365: Dr. Amy Cook, Crystal Wing, and Erin Lynes - "The Power of Play"
45:34
45:34
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45:34
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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E364 - Sharon Carroll - Training & Competing with "Differently Motivated" Dogs
35:42
35:42
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35:42
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.By Melissa Breau
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E363: Hélène Lawler - Reliable Distance Downs
31:15
31:15
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31:15
Ever wonder how herding dog handlers get those fabulous downs at a distance? Hélène Lawler joins me to talk about building reliable behaviors at a distance... useful whether you want to herd sheep or nail your startline stay and drop on recall!By Melissa Breau
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E362: Kelly Daniel - "Wellness and Your Canine Athlete"
24:00
24:00
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24:00
Wellness is about both the physical and the emotional being. Today Kelly and I take a deeper look at what that means and what we, as handlers, can do to ensure the wellness of our canine athletes.
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E361: Irith Bloom - The Role of Choice and Habit in Dog Training
1:02:51
1:02:51
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1:02:51
Choice and habit both play a role in our dog training - and if we want to change behavior, it's important to determine which that behavior falls into to create an effective plan. During this episode, Irith and I talk about how to know and what to do!
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E360: Petra Ford - "Training For Engagement"
28:11
28:11
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28:11
Engagement and attention are not the same thing — In this episode Petra dives into what training engagement looks like and why it's crucial to compete successfully.By Melissa Breau
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E359: Ashley Escobar - Teaching Conformation Skills: What You Need to Know
21:22
21:22
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21:22
Competing in conformation is so much more than running in circles — join me and Ashley for a conversation on the skills it takes to become best in class.By Melissa Breau
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Ever wondered what to expect at our annual in-person event? This week we'll hear from several people who have attended multiple events about what they love and why they keep coming back.By Melissa Breau
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E357: Aleks Woodroffe - "Using Handler Pressure As a Tool in Nosework"
19:38
19:38
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19:38
Whether you realize it or not, every time you and your dog step to the line handler pressure will play a role in the search. So, how can you use it to your advantage? Aleks and I discuss exactly that in this episode of the podcast!
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E356 - Dr. Sue Yanoff: What To Do When Something Goes Wrong with Our Sports Dogs
34:14
34:14
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34:14
When your dog comes up lame, when is it time to worry that it may be something serious? What do you do if your general practice vet doesn't seem concerned... but you know there's something wrong? What should you do to chase down a diagnosis? Sue and I chat about all that and more in this week's episode.…
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E355: Heather Lawson - The Concept of Duration
24:06
24:06
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24:06
Duration is about so much more than just a sit or down stay! Join us for a conversation on how teaching duration as a concept makes it easier to generalize to new behaviors.By Melissa Breau
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E354: Junior Handlers in Agility with Sasha Zitter, Benah Stiewing, McKenzie Minto
41:05
41:05
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41:05
Boundless Junior Agility Company or BJAC exists to support junior agility handlers — join us for a conversation about the future of the sport, how you can lend your support, and what challenges junior handlers face that may be overlooked by other competitors.By Melissa Breau
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E353: Loretta Mueller - Getting Started in Agility
34:35
34:35
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34:35
Ever wondered what key foundation information is essential to getting a good start in agility? In this episode Loretta and I talk about exactly that — including a look at some of the terminology that it's easy for beginners to get tripped up on!By Melissa Breau
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E352: Laurie Huston - "Commitment in Agility"
14:39
14:39
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14:39
What is commitment? How do we teach our dogs to understand when to go and when to pay more attention to our cues? Laurie and I talk about that and more in this week's episode of the podcast.By Melissa Breau
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E351: Sara Brueske - "Building Controlled Behaviors in Sports Dogs"
16:41
16:41
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16:41
Ever wondered how leading trainers can take a dog that is all about the "GO" and balance it out with beautiful focus and control? In this episode Sara and I chat about her approach to building a dog with the skills for both action and control.By Melissa Breau
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E350: Erin Lynes - Teaching Polite Greetings
23:31
23:31
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23:31
Have a dog who is a bit TOO enthusiastic about saying hello? In this episode Erin and I talk about what you can do.By Melissa Breau
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E349: Irith Bloom - Dealing with Feelings
53:04
53:04
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53:04
Fear of the vacuum. Barking out the window. A dog that struggles with grooming. Handling the seemingly unfounded feelings our dogs sometimes have about certain things can be complex; join Irith and I as we talk about the training tools and techniques we can use to change the behaviors we see and relieve those feelings.…
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E348: Kelly Daniel - Beyond the Basics: Getting Geeky About Fitness
23:59
23:59
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23:59
Canine Fitness is one of those topics that can become as sophisticated as you want to make it! Today Kelly and I talk about what it's like to get geeky about fitness.By Melissa Breau
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E347: Deb Jones, PhD, Crystal Wing & Nicole Wiebusch - How Do You Get a Focused Dog?
39:48
39:48
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39:48
Join us for a panel discussion all about focus! What IS it? How do you train it? And what do we do if our dog doesn't seem to have it?By Melissa Breau
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E346: Pat Stuart - The Benefits of Box Feeding
54:07
54:07
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54:07
In this episode Pat Stuart joins me to talk about box feeding - a method he's helped popularize! We talk about what it is and how it can be used in training and distraction proofing.By Melissa Breau
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E345: Bronagh Daly - The Power of Agility + Control Unleashed
22:33
22:33
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22:33
Worried about the wheels coming off while playing the game of agility? Join Bronagh and I as we talk about the ways that Control Unleashed can help your agility dog adapt to experiencing the unexpected in a trial, seminar or even group class environment.By Melissa Breau
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E344 - Nicole Wiebusch: Dogs Get FOMO Too
30:15
30:15
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30:15
Have a pup that struggles to wait their turn? Nicole and I talk about the forms that FOMO (fear of missing out) can take when it comes to our dogs, how to prevent it, and what we can do about it.By Melissa Breau
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E343: Ashley Escobar - Conditioning for Sports Dogs
26:40
26:40
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26:40
Ever wondered why canine conditioning matters, or why it's become so popular? In this episode Ashley and I dive into its importance for sport dogs of all types.By Melissa Breau
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E342: Karen Deeds - When Behavior Goes Wrong
1:01:15
1:01:15
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1:01:15
Behavior problems can wreak havoc on our lives with our dogs. So when issues occur what options are there? How do we decide which to pursue? Karen and I take a deep dive into what factors to consider when making those difficult decisions, including the choices no one ever wants to make: rehoming and behavioral euthanasia. Content Warning: Conversat…
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E341: Janice Gunn - "Maintaining Connection in the Obedience Ring"
34:04
34:04
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34:04
This week Janice Gunn joins me to talk about how she evolved her finger follow method to encourage connection while competing in obedience — from ring entrances to exercise transitions to leaving the ring for your jackpot!By Melissa Breau
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E340: Kayla Dever - Balancing Trialing and Training
42:37
42:37
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42:37
Join me for a conversion with Kayla Dever as she shares her story - starting in the service dog world, evolving in flyball, and now hosting and competing in nosework!By Melissa Breau
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E339: What is a Confident Dog, Anyway? with Dr. Amy Cook, Julie Daniels, Petra Ford, and Sara Brueske
1:10:48
1:10:48
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In preparation for the upcoming confident dog conference at FDSA, I invited 4 of the presenters for the conference on the podcast to talk about what confidences looks like in our dogs, how much of it is innate vs. something we can instill, and what the process of building confidence looks like. Join us for this fascinating conversation!…
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E338: Preparing Young Sports Dogs for Competition (Part 2)
1:05:26
1:05:26
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1:05:26
Join me, Megan Foster, Stacy Barnett, Barbara Lloyd, and Hélène Lawler for a continuation of our conversation about preparing young sports dogs to compete - including the good, the bad, and the ugly! Note: This episode ran long so we've split it into two parts.By Melissa Breau
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E338: Preparing Young Sports Dogs for Competition (Part 1)
1:03:04
1:03:04
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1:03:04
Join me, Megan Foster, Stacy Barnett, Barbara Lloyd, and Hélène Lawler for a conversation about preparing young sports dogs to compete - including the good, the bad, and the ugly! Note: This episode ran long so we've split it into two parts.By Melissa Breau
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Looking for another way you can teach your dog to use his nose? In this episode Lucy and I talk about teaching your dog to track! Join us to learn a little about training your dog for competition tracking.By Melissa Breau
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E336: Jennifer Summerfield, DVM - Gut Health and Your Dog
38:18
38:18
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38:18
Microbiome and gut health has become a hot topic in recent years — join Dr. Jen and I to talk about what you need to know about your dog's digestive health.By Melissa Breau
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E335: Petra Ford - Getting Started on Competition Heelwork
25:55
25:55
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25:55
Petra and I talk about what it takes to get really pretty heelwork — namely, position, a good focal point, and strong engagement skills.By Melissa Breau
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In this episode Irith and I dive deep into what arousal is, what it means, and what we can do about it. Irith breaks down both the science and the practical, applicable skills we can apply.By Melissa Breau
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Come learn all about this new nosework game! Julie and I chat about what's involved, how to get started, and answer some of the most frequently asked questions about the new sport!By Melissa Breau
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E332: Laurie Huston - Teaching Commitment in Agility
16:18
16:18
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16:18
What can commitment do for your agility team? Laurie and I chat about what it means and the difference it can make when playing the game!By Melissa Breau
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E331: Megan Foster, Julie Daniels, Amy Cook, and Erin Lynes on Adolescent Dogs
1:11:23
1:11:23
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1:11:23
In prepping for the Adolescent Dogs One Day Conference, we brought on a number of the presenters and panelists to chat about what changes we see during adolescence and how we can best handle them.By Melissa Breau
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E330: Shade Whitesel - "From Toy Skills to a Formal Retrieve"
28:50
28:50
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28:50
Shade Whitesel joins me to talk about how fluent toy play skills allow for more two-way communication during training, and how toy skills can be used to build a faster, better formal retrieve.By Melissa Breau
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E329: Amy Cook, PhD - "Thresholds and Decision Making with a Reactive Dog"
52:35
52:35
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52:35
What is a threshold? Does it matter? Join Amy and I for a fascinating discussion on how what we know can impact or enable our choices when we're out with our dogs.By Melissa Breau
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E328: Megan Foster - "Building & Maintaining Your Agility Startline Stay"
23:05
23:05
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23:05
What do position changes have to do with maintaining a startline stay? Join Megan and I as we chat about teaching and maintaining your startline... even once you begin competing!By Melissa Breau
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E327: Jennifer Henion - "R+ Training for Retriever Hunt Tests"
21:37
21:37
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21:37
Jennifer Henion joins me on the podcast today for a conversation about hunt tests — what they are, how she wound up focused on them, and managing the culture that comes with them.
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E326: Hélène Lawler - Start Buttons, Stop Buttons, and Arousal, Oh My!
36:04
36:04
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36:04
Hélène joins me to talk about the power of start buttons, stop buttons, and arousal checks when training our dog sport behaviors... and our life skills.By Melissa Breau
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E325: Deb Jones, PhD - "Canine Cooperative Care"
36:35
36:35
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36:35
Have a problem when you want to do your dog's nails? Or maybe for you it's some other aspect of grooming or vet care! In this episode Deb and I talk about cooperative care training — what it is and why it matters.By Melissa Breau
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