Episodes
Join return guest Monique Feyrecilde, a licensed veterinary technician with a specialty in behavior to discuss all things support for dogs in the vet clinic. The long-awaited second edition of her book Cooperative Veterinary Care is here, and Sarah could not wait to discuss it on the podcast with Monique. From simple things that can be done right away to help your dog at the vet to complex training, this book, and this conversation has it all. BUY THE BOOK:...
Published 05/07/24
Is it ok to withhold toys to produce more drive for them? Are we sometimes producing welfare deficits to our advantage with our sport dogs? The answers might surprise you. Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cogdogradio Music by AlexGrohl from Pixabay
Published 04/30/24
Published 04/30/24
If you have worked with Sarah in person you might have heard her tell a handler “only one of you is allowed to be a shitshow.” This is her tongue in cheek way of communicating the when the environment is challenging, at least one end of the leash must have the skills to face those challenges. Of course, in an ideal world, both the dog and handler have the skills required for the challenged they are faced with, but we simply do not live in an ideal world! Sign up for courses and join the...
Published 04/23/24
Barking never means one thing; we always have to consider the conditions under which barking is occurring to know how to best respond. Some dogs are perfectly happy while barking, and some are distressed. And what about the social pressure to keep our dogs quiet? Sarah’s renewed thoughts on barking, thanks to her Icelandic Sheepdog, Rayya, are here for you. Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on Patreon:...
Published 04/16/24
In response to the “trainer wars” between the balanced and force-free communities Sarah and past podcast guest (and friend) Lisa Mullinax sit down to talk about the place where ethics meet efficacy. Lisa and Sarah do not claim a label as trainers (neither balanced nor force-free), and have both undergone an evolution in the behavior field that has helped them to arrive at a place free of dogma and full of compassion. Know the opinions expressed here are vulnerable and honest, and there...
Published 04/09/24
Not a junior? Don’t know any kids? This podcast is still for you. The refreshing take on our sport from Sasha Zitter and Benah Stiewing will be music to your ears. Boundless Juniors Agility Company is a nonprofit organization focused on elevating the experience of junior handlers in agility, and it is so much more. Enjoy! https://www.bjacamp.com/ Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on Patreon:...
Published 04/02/24
Stop! Before listening, go watch this SNL skit about Surprise Party Sue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4R1yybhmHg Ok, now, is Sue a dog you know? Maybe Sue is your dog. Maybe she is a client’s dog. This skit is something Sarah uses to explain to her clients how their dogs are behaving, and from there discussions like “is this ok/normal?” and also “what can we do about it?” can happen. When these questions were posed on social media, the answers were surprising. Listen to hear Sarah’s take...
Published 03/26/24
Is fetch a problem? Does fetch cause problems? Is chasing a ball different from marking and finding a bumper? Can we utilize retrieving in beneficial ways? All this and more as Sarah explores the popular dog owner game of “fetch” with friend of the podcast Liza Rader KPA-CTP of Focus Dogs in British Columbia. focusdogs.ca @focusdogs Click here for the bundles: https://focusdogs.thinkific.com/collections There is also a BIPOC scholarship that is 20% - just e-mail Liza about it! Sign up...
Published 03/19/24
One of Sarah’s most popular episodes of all time, this episode explores the ethical and effective role punishment might play in a least-intrusive, minimally-aversive (LIMA) framework. Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cogdogradio Music by AlexGrohl from Pixabay
Published 03/12/24
Sarah is joined this week by assistant professor of psychology at Boston College, Dr Angie Johnston. Angie is the director of the Canine Cognition Center and Social Learning Laboratory, where she compares human and dog learning, studies the ways dogs learn from humans, and so much more. Find more here: sites.bc.edu/doglab Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cogdogradio Music by AlexGrohl from...
Published 03/05/24
Working with stranger-directed aggression cases can be dangerous because, as the professional on the case, you are also the dog’s trigger (and potential target). Join Sarah in conversation with Lisa Mullinax CDBC of Serenity Canine–an expert in stranger-directed aggression in dogs–to learn about the steps professionals can take to help everyone stay safe in these sessions. From tools and tips to risk assessment, this is a meaty episode for dog pros and dog nerds alike. Sign up for courses...
Published 02/27/24
The old ways of “free” shaping behaviors are out and the much-improved process of shaping via component parts is in. Join Sarah in conversation with Tromplo founder Agnieszka Janarek for a discussion that goes into frustration, resilience, and core skills as a way of life. Find Agnieszka at Tromplo: www.tromplo.com And on instagram @tromplo Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on Patreon:...
Published 02/20/24
Do dogs need to be trained to relax, or will they relax when their needs are met? Should they be asked to relax if their needs haven’t been met? Where can we draw the line between taught relaxation and exercise? All this and then some. Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cogdogradio Music by AlexGrohl from Pixabay
Published 02/13/24
We all want to help our dogs experience less stress at the vet, and there is actually some scientific data to support two ideas that some might already be doing naturally: avoiding lobbies and staying with dogs through procedures. Break down the research, and also get into some of the culture of vet med with geneticist and veterinarian Dr Jessica Hekman. Find Jessica at http://www.dogzombie.com/ and functionalbreeding.org Sources: Hekman, Jessica P., Alicia Z. Karas, and Nancy A....
Published 02/06/24
Amy Cook, PhD is a dog behavior consultant extraordinaire and she sat down to chat with Sarah about the importance of planned, trained, and rehearsed management strategies for navigating the world with reactive dogs. http://playwaydogs.com/ https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/courses/7467 Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cogdogradio Music by AlexGrohl from Pixabay
Published 01/30/24
Sarah welcomes Erin Marion aka Down to Earth Dog Lady to the podcast to talk about working with dogs who are deaf, blind or both. The conversation takes several rich and unexpected turns, so you won’t want to miss it. As Sarah recently learned, you might not think you need any special skills pertaining to deaf or blind dogs, until you do! Find Erin: www.downtoearthdoglady.com Instagram : @ downtoearthdoglady Facebook: @ downteoarthdoglady TikTok: @ downtoearthdoglady Sign up for courses and...
Published 01/23/24
You will do best to train your dog for the real life scenarios they will face, rather than complain about how hard those scenarios are. In the world, at the vet, or in sports, we must train our dogs how to cope with or respond to the very real things that will happen to them. Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cogdogradio Music by AlexGrohl from Pixabay
Published 01/16/24
After 20 years in the field of dog training and behavior, Sarah has learned a few things about the inner workings of a dog business. One thing that she sees her colleagues struggle with is managing criticism and complaints, so she has her tips on this for you today. Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cogdogradio Music by AlexGrohl from Pixabay
Published 01/09/24
Happy New Year! Let’s talk about all the trophies you won’t receive, but that you do actually deserve. Plus, a special patreon question! Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cogdogradio Music by AlexGrohl from Pixabay
Published 01/02/24
The way agility classes are run directly affects the success dog and handler teams experience in the trial environment, and the safety of those environments. Join Sarah and FX Agility’s Megan Foster as they discuss how agility class instructors can best support their students to improve trials for everyone involved. Find Megan at https://fxagility.com/ GET THE EBOOK: https://fxagility.mykajabi.com/a/2147753976/ERxVJFAT Sign up for courses and join the membership here:...
Published 12/26/23
Blanket statements like “puppies have to play with other puppies to grow into well rounded adults” or “dogs do not need dog friends, they need to learn to listen to you,” are thrown around in dog training circles every day. As you might have guessed, Sarah has a more nuanced take. Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cogdogradio Music by AlexGrohl from Pixabay
Published 12/19/23
What can we do to help our senior dogs thrive? Turns out, a lot of the same stuff we do for our younger dogs, with some adjustments! Join Sarah with experts on senior dogs Dr Heather Misner and business partner Ann Waterbury to talk all about supporting our oldies. It’s ok if you cry…. Find Ann: https://sounddogconnection.com/ Find Heather: https://www.ruffday.vet/ Find both: https://www.wagsniffascent.com/ The Super Senior sign-up:...
Published 12/12/23
In this episode Sarah is joined by Justine Shuurmans to discuss her innovative and family-friendly “Dial Method.” Sarah met Justine in person at the Aggression in Dogs Conference in Chicago just a few months ago and they both got excited about each others’ work instantly. When Sarah watched The Dial Method video, she couldn’t wait to get Justine on the podcast to talk about it. Enjoy! https://www.thefamilydog.com - for pros and families https://www.thefamilydog.com/team-tfd - for the...
Published 12/05/23
What to do when your puppy or adolescent dog has a meltdown about something, in all its nuanced glory. Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cogdogradio Music by AlexGrohl from Pixabay
Published 11/28/23