Session 104: The Essential Guide to Hiking with Dogs with Jen Sotolongo

Mike has trained dogs for over 25 years, including dogs of celebrities, and is an author and lecturer. He is the author of Good Dog, Happy Baby: Preparing Your Dog for the Arrival of Your Child, There's A Puppy In The House: Surviving the First Five Months, and has another coming soon. We discuss how he got started in the dog training business and what methods of training inspired him to explore more in the business.  We talk about some key factors for people who are trying to find a good trainer. What to ask, what to look for, etc. We talk about how social media has changed the judgement for how trainers approach critical training scenarios such as how they respond to babies, and considering options for rehoming. We talk about recent belief in "purely positive" methods.  Mike cites a few interesting examples and talks about misinformation regarding studies; whether it's a summary that over simplifies or flawed studies that then become spread as fact. It was a fascinating interview and you'll find lots of wisdom in his approach.

30 Juni 202159min

Dr. Lori Cesario is a leader in the field of veterinary oncology. We've spoken before, but you won't want to miss this follow up interview. It's packed full of useful tools - case studies for specific breeds, where to find the best solutions and preventative steps you can take to keep your dog's risk of getting cancer low. Lori talks about steps to take to gain a better understanding of some of the characteristics - where we live, how our dog compares in size to their breed, when and whether they were spayed or neutered.  Dr. Cesario talks about the best ways to verify the claims made online - she talks about PubMed.gov, a database for studies published in veterinary and human medicine. Resources The resource page she mentioned about breeds in the episode is located here. To visit Dr. Cesario's website, visit https://www.caninecanceracademy.com or click here. Her podcast can be found on multiple platforms. To find it on your favorite platform click here.

15 Mars 202129min

We have a new conversation with Eric Letendre, a great trainer based in the Massachusetts area. Last time I spoke to Eric (in episode 66) he'd published his first book, The Deadly Dog Training Myth. There is so much conversation about remote training collars, but specifically a lot of misunderstandings about what they are for and what they can do. And it is important to note that a lot of understanding can be gained with this technology by understanding Skinner's Four Quadrants. I talked about this in podcast sessions 73 (part 1) and session 74 (part 2). Note that these will open in new tabs so you won't lose your place here. I ask Eric about some of the mistakes people make when it comes to choosing a collar. We talk about "lesser"/"cheaper" collar types. I tell a funny story about a client who had a very interesting experience and why he gave up on it. Misuse and misunderstanding are a very big factor when considering this training method. Eric talks about dog owners basic use methods; As a low level negative reinforcement (or pressure and release) Using it as a positive reinforcement (at a comfortable level) We'll talk about how it can be an incredibly good or bad tool to use depending on the type you use, and your understanding about the psychological approach that you take when training your dog with it. Imagine a dog's response when you get certain things out and the positive response you receive. When you bring out the remote training collar, what association do you imagine the dog having? After listening to this podcast, it won't surprise you to know that dogs (trained properly) have a positive response to an e-collar! Eric will talk about his philosophy about when the collar is applied during a real life training session and why that is. We talk a bit about each of our philosophies and the importance of that timing. Eric's YouTube Page The Deadly Dog Training Myth on Amazon

2 Jan 202150min

On this, our 100th episode, I am going to give a consolidated answer to a question that comes up a lot. When and why I use food as a trainer, when and why I don't use food, and when and why I do or don't use corrections or dog collars. It's all connected, and it's time we dive in on this particular subject. So much of the confusion about this group of topics is that, like everything, for every trainer there is a different opinion. And it's easy to take one specific episode (of the previous 99) and think that I either am or am not a "food treat" trainer based on the topic at hand. Different situations dictate those circumstances and I will explain why. It's important to understand that one of the drawbacks (or at least an observation you should consider) is that the treats become "the point" for why they obey a command. For example; find an opportunity to evaluate the process when you do and another when you don't. Was their willingness to obey tempered when they saw that you did not actually have a treat for them? There are several ways to evaluate this - we'll talk about a lot of ways to determine the best way for you to train your dog in a way that works best for your situation.

15 Nov 202035min

On this episode I talk to Brooke Mihajlovich, a dog trainer who has recently started her practice to Washington state from Indiana. Brooke focuses on remote training collars to help with training without a leash.  She and her husband both shared a love of Doberman's, and part of their passion to make sure that their new dogs were well trained. Her participation in training her dog sparked her love and talent for training dogs herself. Brooke's philosophy focuses on changing the relationships with their owners at a fundamental level. It's important to create a relationship that focuses on their "humans" as leaders more than just owners. Her primary focus is to give them tools to create a relationship bond that creates very positive results for both the pet and the owner. We get into some of the other areas of training including  Spatial awareness Loose leash training movement on leash (rather than simply pulling) "auto sits" when stopping Shoulder movement and eye contact Controlling and managing the environment Off leash training Electric Collar Training This is a particularly controversial training with some, but Brooke and I talk about how to do it the right way. It's important to understand that once humans understand that it's not what some might conjure up in their mind about a typical shock they understand that it is subtle, and is designed for a minimum threshold for creating a behavior pattern. Her website is K9CommunityMovement.com, and you can find her on social media at the following destinations; Facebook Instagram I hope that you enjoy this episode, and if you have more questions for Brooke, I hope you'll reach out!

19 Sep 202035min

In this episode I speak to Dr. Lori Cesario, a board certified veterinary oncologist. We discuss her passion about being a vet as a child, and her appreciation for the role a certain oncologist in her life played that influenced her decision to specialize in that field. Lori talks about some early detection techniques, and what owners can do to find problems before they become serious. There are dozens of possible manifestations that could be symptoms of cancerous cells.  Lori also talks about some newer testing procedures, like BRAF gene mutation tests that can be good check up tests that can be done every six months. She also discusses some interesting upcoming tests coming to the marketplace. We discuss specific breed related risks, learning about the normal baseline for your dog's health, and her new podcast called, Your Dog Wants You To Know This! (iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcasts) Dr. Cesario's website is loaded with content and is a helpful resource for pet owners. Visit her site at CanineCancerAcademy.com.

10 Sep 202030min

On today's episode I talk with Cat Matloub and Dr. Judi Stella of Good Dog, Inc. We'll talk about some of the reasons that the company was founded, and what the company mission is today. Cat Matloub is the Head of Partnerships and Community Legal Affairs and talks about the overall mission of the project and what their focus is to date. One challenge that they found was that families were having  difficulty finding reliable information online when trying to add a new dog to their family. Between disreputable groups who were trying to sell something and the difficulty navigating between responsible information and an enormous amount of disinformation, the founders decided to apply their experience from the technology field to create a resource that was available to the public. Dr. Stella is the Head of Health, Standards, and Research, and discusses healthcare treatment options, socialization practices. One of her key objectives includes knowing what the standards are for their listed breeders, and maintaining accountability to consistent standards. Among many interesting insights in this interview is what they learned during this process about how many truly extraordinary dog breeders there are, and how they are in a way some of the unsung heroes of the process.  I hope you enjoy! Sean

28 Aug 202040min