Dog Talk by Happy Dog Training

This episode discusses the likely most controversial tool in dog training, the electric collar, aka shock collar. This tool can get some people's blood boiling. However, most online videos are ignorant of what this tool is suitable for and how to use it. It is either hailed as the greatest thing since sliced bread or condemned as a torture tool. Instead of piling onto this mess, I aim to explain the shock collar, when and why one may consider using it, when it is the best or only option, and how to see it in the context of real-world challenges instead of theoretical abstracts.

This episode discusses dumb ideas, some of which have become accepted norms. We review three cases of stupidity in particular. First, trainers attacking dogs as a means of temperament testing. Second, deworming dogs that have no parasites. Third, a relaxation protocol by Karen Overall which has nothing to do with relaxation, for starters.

This episode discusses the advantages and disadvantages of rescuing a dog from a shelter vs buying a dog from a breeder. We review what you should consider in making the right choice for your family. This includes the different risks and considerations going into this decision. It's not about what is better in abstract but how to approach this decision for each person or family.

This episode discusses stress in dog training. It is a supplement to The Layered Stress Model episode. We review unavoidable learning stress moments that come with all learning. Understand what kind of stress is important to avoid and what stress is short-lived and irrelevant. We further review why stress measurements in many dog training studies are misleading. The episode closes with a brief review of the Salirli study on learning stress from different training tools. You will be surprised to hear about those findings.

This episode discusses problems without resolutions. A skilled dog trainer can address many challenges with dogs successfully. However, with experience comes perspective and a deeper understanding of what can and can't be addressed through training. Some problems are simply not fixable. Sometimes management is the only viable option, and failing to understand that just causes frustration. Also, in some cases, a dog may be inherently unsafe to live with, and the answer is, unfortunately, predetermined. We discuss some unfixable scenarios that are easy to manage and some sobering, sad cases where euthanasia was the only responsible solution.

Play-based dog training is the most effective form of dog training there is. Because it speaks to the fundamental nature of dogs. Canines refine their innate hunting skills through rough-and-tumble play with their littermates.

This episode discusses animal welfare for dogs. The permanent management of unwanted dog behavior has become a pandemic. It’s all the rage with veterinary behaviorists, force-free dog trainers, animal rights organizations, and other groups unburdened by knowledge or understanding of typical dog behavior. The approaches and characteristics are multi-fold. They include walking your dog during off-hours, avoiding certain homes or situations, buying enrichment toys, drugging dogs, and many more. This creates animal wellness concerns for dogs.

This episode discusses the intelligence of dogs. How smart are they? We review the two experiments that place the dog's cognitive ability around the age of a 2-year-old child. Discuss Chaser, the Border Collie from 60 Minutes and how to look at the intelligence of dogs compared to people.

This episode discusses natural remedies for dogs. I am not a veterinarian and this is not health advice. I am sharing my own experiences with natural approaches that have worked well for me for over a decade. If these approaches are right for you and your dog is your personal decision. This is a purely informational episode. I review my practices and experiences dealing with parasites, ticks, fever, cleaning sprays, and ear mites.

Living with an aggressive dog is stressful. Never being sure what will happen on your daily walk, potential injuries, vet bills, legal consequences, etc. You don’t have to live like this. This episode discusses our training approach to working with aggressive dogs. We are specialized in resolving dog aggression of all types and will do all we can to give you the dog you always wanted. We have over 18 years of experience resolving aggression in dogs.

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Casara Andre about helping dogs with cannabis. I met Dr. Andre during a dog trainer conference in 2019 and subsequently worked with her team to assist two of my dogs with ailments, injuries, and aging through the use of cannabis. The results were remarkable, and we discuss them in more detail in this episode. Dr. Andre founded Veterinary Cannabis, helping animals with physiological challenges. She also leads Medicine of Wonder, providing a holistic approach to helping animals with emotional dysfunctions. Further, Dr. Andre is at the forefront of researching and exploring the use of psychedelics to help with trauma through Veterinary Psy.

We discuss a wide range of topics, including physiological and neurological applications for cannabis, understanding the basics, and how to get started with exploring it for your pets under the guidance of cannabis-trained veterinarians. We discuss the shortcomings of the current veterinary behaviorist synthetic drug approach (e.g., Prozac and its cousins) compared to the comprehensive wellness approach of training, cannabis, and human counseling. Dr. Andre outlines her comprehensive approach to addressing emotional dysfunction with cannabis through Medicine of Wonder. We also discuss the possible uses of psychedelics for humans and dogs, a highly promising research field in mental health. And more.

I hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we had recording it. Dr. Andre is a fountain of knowledge, and her enthusiasm and passion for her field are contagious as these are exciting times in mental health medicine.

This episode discusses the different phases of teaching dogs new skills. We review acquisition, fluency, discrimination, generalization, and maintenance. Further, we examine two often ignored aspects of the learning process—first, the difference between visible and internal progress. Second, the learning law of readiness was first documented by Edward Thorndike in 1910.

Unfortunately, far too many dog trainers fail to understand the ethological meaning of the terms dominance, submission, and aggression and misuse them. If this topic interests you more, I highly recommend the books by ethologist, Roger Abrantes and animal behavior expert Temple Grandin.

Dominance and submission are terms ethology defines, not dog trainers. To explain these, we have to examine their origin briefly. This starts with a look at the dog's ancestors—wolves.

In this episode, we discuss veterinary visits with your dog. Taking your dog to the vet can be scary for your furry family member. It’s an unfamiliar place with many different animal smells. Your dog can sense the discomfort of other dogs already there. It can make your buddy tense before you even set foot inside the office. And then there is that wobbly scale, strange people coming up to touch, squeeze, lift, and examine—the vet is not much fun for a dog.

Making veterinary trips a calmer experience pays off quickly, as your dog must see the vet regularly for shots, checkups, and possible treatments. We have tips to help you and your dog.

In this episode, we discuss dog training models. Generally, models are simplified views of reality to focus on the most important aspects to reduce complexity. As a result, all models are incomplete by nature. Models can be essential and valuable but never encompass all aspects and have gaps by definition. None of that is a problem unless we try to squeeze the complexities a model omitted into its limited scope. We discuss, the models of operant conditioning, the pack-oriented model, and the drive model of dog training in more detail.

In this episode, I speak with biologist Carl Person. Carl founded Animalia Herpetofauna, Inc.—one of the top rattlesnake avoidance training companies. Carl and his team have trained all my dogs to avoid rattlesnakes, and Animalia Herpetofauna is where I send all my clients for rattlesnake avoidance training. You will enjoy this conversation.

Besides Carl's background and approach, we cover a wide range of topics, including the different types of rattlesnakes you encounter in the United States and their different kinds of venom, rattlesnake bites, the two available antivenoms, first-aid tips after bites and what not to do, the problems with rattlesnake vaccines and of course rattlesnake avoidance training.

In this episode, we discuss dog parks. On the one hand, they provide a much-needed space for socialization, but on the other hand, they are dangerous places. We unpack the challenges and provide some tips to minimize the risks.

Dog parks can be fun for dogs and people. You can bring your dog to these fenced areas to socialize and play off-leash games. Play with other dogs or whatever else you and your furry companion might enjoy doing. Dog parks are a great way to add variety to your dog’s routine. It helps with their biological fulfillment and results in a happier dog.

However, most of us have probably seen how one single, misbehaved, hyperactive, or simply very pushy dog can instantly change the entire atmosphere at a dog park, creating a not-so-safe environment. Whoever brought that dog in usually earns nasty looks from the other dog owners. Still, more importantly, it turns what should be a fun time for people and their dogs into a stressful situation for everyone involved. That dog park is no longer safe.

Let’s review a couple of simple tips on how you can do your part to ensure that dog parks are fun for everyone and remain as safe as possible for all people and dogs.

In this episode, we discuss the end of life for our canine companions, how to make the last moments less stressful for them, euthanasia, the veterinary process, options to consider for you and your family, and more. This episode covers a very emotional and serious topic. Be honest with yourself before listening if this topic is appropriate for you.

Sadly, our dogs don’t live as long as we do. One dog year roughly equals seven human years. The correct calculation is more elaborate, but seven years is close enough for reference. With proper nutrition and care, 15 human years are achievable for most dogs, even with large breeds. After all, the oldest dog we know of died at over 30 years old. His predominant barn-hunting diet probably had a lot to do with that. But, because of their shorter lifespans, we always have to say goodbye to our dogs far too early. We hope this horrible day only arrives after a long and happy life and that their final moment is peaceful and in the presence of their beloved family. Unfortunately, not every dog is as fortunate in this regard.

In this episode, we discuss enriching dogs' environments. This is a much broader topic than is often acknowledged. Enrichment is important for most species. We all have experienced boredom. It’s the birthplace of regrettable ideas. Just remember some of the things you came up with as a teenager when you were bored. Some of them probably got you into trouble. But this is not just about the sins of our youth. Boredom and mental stagnation are rarely good things. Once we stop engaging our minds, we are at higher risk of Alzheimer’s Disease and mental decline. Mental stimulation is important for long-term health. This is no different for dogs. Teaching dogs to make good decisions and solve problems doesn’t happen through solitary confinement. Engaging dogs on multiple levels is essential for happiness and well-being.

It is especially important to provide dogs with mental and physical stimulation when they are kept in closer confinements like crates and kennels.

Podcast Episode 33: When Dogs Attack

In this episode, we discuss dog attacks. We review the risks and frequency of dog attacks on people nationwide. Taking precautions to avoid unnecessary risks and several self-defense options with a good chance of working.

Not a day goes by without dogs seriously injuring and, in many cases killing people somewhere in the United States. These stories make the local news where they happen but rarely make the national news. People get mauled by stray dogs or dogs that broke out of yards. Small children get killed by family dogs or neighbor dogs. Some people get partially eaten by dogs. Every day there is another horrific story.

If you wonder how to rescue a dog, we have tips for you! Sadly, millions of dogs live in animal shelters across the nation. So when you are ready to add a new member to the family, animal shelters are a great place to find a wonderful companion. You don't have to go to a breeder to get a good dog. Of course, there is nothing wrong with purpose-breeding. It is essential to maintain dog breed and health standards. There are good reasons to get purpose-bred puppies as working dogs, hunting dogs, service dogs, sport dogs, etc. However, shelters and rescues overflow with amazing dogs of all breeds, temperaments, and drives. So, when you're looking for a great pet, please consider rescuing.

In this episode, I speak with certified, professional canine nutritionist Kay Stewart about the importance of canine nutrition. We should feed our dogs to thrive, not just survive. We discuss the importance of healthy food, limits of veterinary knowledge around nutrition, health improvements from raw feeding, how food can help lower veterinary costs during your dog's life, increased dog longevity through raw feeding, the economics of raw feeding, the nutritional balance of dog food, the carb/sugar content of dog kibble, how to include your vet in a raw transition and other topics.

In this episode, we discuss separation anxiety in dogs. Every dog finds forced isolation unpleasant. No dog enjoys you going to work and leaving them alone for eight to ten hours a day. Dogs are social creatures. While dogs sleep a lot and do need their alone time, most of the time, they would rather be with you than away from you. Some dogs just handle this separation better than others. However, separation anxiety in dogs goes far beyond this basic reality.

In this episode, we discuss the importance of motivation in dog training. Motivation is the most important aspect when training any dog and, sadly, the most neglected. In the sports dog world, the importance of creating the right motivation is understood and used well, but it is ignored in many other areas of dog training.

We discuss the two different types of motivation that matter. The motivation to do or have and the motivation to avoid. Both are equally important, and any effective dog training program includes them in the right ratio.

In this episode, we discuss emotions in dogs. We explore the limbic system, the part of the brain responsible for emotions in all mammals. I briefly overview the Blue-Ribbon emotions and how and why this matters when working with dogs. The information in this episode is largely based on Affective Neuroscience by Jaak Panksepp.

In this episode, we discuss how the industry of dog training is failing dog owners. Too much ideology gets in the way of helping people live more harmoniously with their dogs. We touch on the current state of affairs, the problems this creates for dog owners, training tool bans, and where all of this can lead. We'll close with a domestic example of where we are heading and some international examples that went too far.

In this episode, we discuss if you should train your dog. This may seem like a silly question at first, but it's actually not. If your dog has behavioral issues, yes, hire a trainer. If you have specific requirements for camping, off-leash hiking, wanting to participate in a dog sport, or joining a therapy dog team, you should hire a trainer. But what if your dog is a nice boy or girl, doesn't have any issues, and just hangs out with you anyways? Sometimes training is optional and sometimes unnecessary. We'll discuss it.

In this episode, we discuss dog walking. Dogs love walking, but they naturally would travel up to twenty miles daily if left to their own devices, while humans cover ten miles at best. Dogs naturally travel about four miles an hour, and humans about two miles an hour. People feel a social connection at maybe six to eight feet apart, but dogs still feel connected at 50-100 yards apart. The only disagreement between you and your dog is about the walking speed and what should happen during the outing.

This episode discusses the risks and benefits of spaying and neutering dogs. Studies have shown that we need to make some changes. It is often advocated to sterilize dogs to protect them from cancer. However, it turns out the opposite is true. A study published at UC Davis in 2013, titled Long-Term Health Effects of Neutering Dogs: Comparison of Labrador Retrievers with Golden Retrievers found that sterilization of Golden Retrievers before six months of age increases their risk of joint diseases later in life by 400% to 500% percent! Similarly, for Labrador Retrievers and German Shepherds (separate UC Davis study in 2015) by 300%. These are alarming numbers.

In this episode, we discuss eleven dog myths that keep persisting despite them being false. This includes dog myths around veterinary procedures, food, training, play, emotions, intelligence, and more.

1. Myth: Don't take your dog for walks before its shots are complete.
2. Myth: Feeding raw food is dangerous.
3. Myth: Letting your dog win during tug-of-war will make it more aggressive.
4. Myth: Don't let your dog walk ahead.
5. Myth: Transition to different dog food slowly.
6. Myth: Old dogs can't learn new tricks
7. Myth: Dogs should walk on your left side
8. Myth: Dogs don't have emotions/don't feel pain the same way people do.
9. Myth: When a dog bites people, that's just its personality.
10. Myth: Dogs are dumb.
11. Myth: Spaying/neutering your dog prevents cancer.

In this episode, we discuss why clarity matters for dogs. Clarity matters in communicating with your dog, training your dog, and living with your dog harmoniously. Family dogs do best when they understand how everything in the home functions, how each family member interacts with them, and what each family member accepts and doesn’t accept in their interactions.

Not much enrages the temperaments of dog trainers more than arguing about the true nature of dogs. One would think that we had settled this argument by now, but clearly, we haven’t. And while we probably have as many opinions as we have dog trainers, most viewpoints fall on the spectrum of two major camps. I call them the “pack leader” and the “cooperative partner” groups.

In this episode, we discuss leash aggression in dogs. Most dog owners use this term if their dog loses their mind at other dogs, people, cars, bikes, or whatever, when on a leash. Off-leash the dog may even be fine. Just on a leash, it acts like a lunatic. And there is, of course, the close relative of this term, leash-reactivity. Both are used interchangeably, so to explain this behavior, I will stick with leash aggression as it is probably more commonly used.

But what does leash aggression mean? It’s a pretty useless phrase as it doesn’t describe what is happening. It only indicates that a dog is having an aggressive reaction for some reason.

In this episode, we discuss dog misbehavior. That generally means any behavior by your dog you don't care for. But much of what is called dog misbehavior is rooted in genetic frustration. Most misbehavior is not that but simply a normal—and perfectly fine—behavior expressed in an inappropriate context.

If a frustrated herding dog that lives in a backyard and gets a walk here and there chases squirrels or rabbits in his yard, no one cares. However, people start caring rather quickly if it does the same with kids on skateboards. It’s the same behavior. In one context, it’s perfectly okay. In another context, not so much.

In this episode, we discuss food aggression in dogs. When I was a less experienced trainer, I thought this was an issue of poor pack hierarchy in the home. I know many dog trainers continue to believe this. Today I know better. I wasn’t completely wrong back then; my knowledge was just incomplete. Food aggression in dogs can certainly be a rank issue, but most of the time, it isn’t.

We generally distinguish two types of food aggression in dogs: a genetic predisposition or a learned behavior. The former is more common and has to be managed, and the latter is less common but can be resolved.

Before diving in, please understand that food-aggressive dogs are not automatically bad dogs. They are often great dogs aside from food aggression. This challenge is easily managed and not a reason to give up on your otherwise amazing dog.

In this episode, we'll discuss the concept of punishment. This is the follow-up promised in episode nine about reinforcement. But, while reinforcement is about creating behaviors, punishment is about controlling and stopping behaviors.

Punishment hardly sounds good and evokes all kinds of emotions. Instead of piling on, we keep it factual to clear up misconceptions. Understand how punishment is inevitable, and you are probably doing it right now and are just calling it something else.

We discuss how the common understanding of the term leads to emotional and unproductive attitudes. Further, we review how psychology defines punishment and the proper application of learning science. What it is and isn't, and how it fits into the overall process of dog training.

In this episode, we discuss the flaws of many scientific dog studies. Instead of peer-reviewed, validated, solid scientific studies, we deal with far too many manipulated, unverifiable 'studies' that are meaningless at best and misleading or manipulated at worst. We discuss how science is supposed (and used) to work. Learn why studies based on surveys and questionnaires are mostly useless. Understand how results are often manipulated to produce a desired, pre-determined outcome instead of factual data. And how even well-intentioned, honest scientists produce a lot of bad, incorrect data when studying dog training methods.

In this episode, we discuss what goes into creating reliability in dogs during training. We review the stages of learning: acquisition, fluency, generalization, discrimination, and maintenance. We review which aspects of learning science come into play during the process and how dog training tools factor into the equation.

In this episode, I discuss how we handle allergies with our personal dogs. We go over why an allergy test is the best way to get started and what other options to consider when addressing your dog's allergies with the help of your veterinarian.

In this episode, I share my thoughts on dog food. We go over how to evaluate commercial dog foods, kibble quality, special veterinary dog foods, and alternatives, Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) in dogs, my journey of feeding dogs from kibble, to cooking, to raw feeding, and why raw feeding is safe.

In this episode, we discuss canine consent. It is the idea that dogs are sentient beings who deserve agency in their lives. According to this concept, dogs should be allowed to make their own decisions and not made to do anything they don't want to. We explore if that makes sense, or is nonsense, or if it's a good idea taken too far.

Every dog has a threshold at which it fails to perform. There is always a breaking point. That can mean distractions become too intense for a dog to follow obedience commands still. It can be that a fearful dog is getting too stressed and shuts down or blows up. It can be that an aggressive dog acts upon its triggers. When the stress is too high, the dog fails.

Stress has multiple layers. For example, a dog not feeling well can react toward a stimulus one way, although it would handle things differently if it were feeling better. Or a dog with too much pent-up energy can’t focus on a task until some of that energy has been drained.

By focusing only on triggers upon which a dog reacts, we make it much harder on ourselves and our dog to better deal with its environment. The layered stress model describes the different stress layers we should address before working on any behavioral challenges. The Layered Stress Model was developed by Chad Mackin.

In this episode, we'll discuss reinforcement. There are many misconceptions on the internet, YouTube, etc., about reinforcement. Especially positive reinforcement is advocated as the singularly required approach for everything around dogs. Instead of adding to the opinion pile, I want to provide some context on the complexity of reinforcement and discuss some of the fundamentals that are often ignored. Reinforcement is essential, but it is important to understand where it fits and doesn't in the overall picture of dog training. Our discussion includes:

• What is Reinforcement?
• Examples of Reinforcement
• Underutilized Reinforcers: Scent, Chase, Locations, People, Activities, etc.
• The Premack Principle and Deprivation
• Reinforcement Varies by Dog and Circumstance
• Primary and Secondary Reinforcers
• Competing Reinforcers
• Positive and Negative Reinforcement
• Reinforcement in the Brain
• The Limits of Reinforcement
• Positive and Negative Reinforcement Can't be Separated
• Differential Reinforcement (DRI, DRA, DRO, DRL)
  • DRI: Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behaviors
  • DRA: Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behaviors
  • DRO: Differential Reinforcement of Other Behaviors
  • DRL: Differential Reinforcement of Low Rate of Responding

We work with many dogs with varying degrees of anxiety. For example, my favorite breed, the German Shepherd Dog, is supposed to be naturally unshockable. This is based on the breed standard and origination. However, I work with many German Shepherd Dogs because they are fearful in some way. But fear isn't just rampant in German Shepherd Dogs. This affects all dog breeds in the United States. I recently worked with a Belgian Malinois who bit people coming to the home out of fear. This is equally disturbing. Fear and anxiety in dogs are some of the most common challenges we are contacted for. The reasons for this fear epidemic in dogs are multifold.

In this episode, we briefly touch on the common symptoms and cases of fear and then discuss in detail what happens in a dog's brain when they are afraid. We also discuss how helping dogs with their fear works and what limits we must accept.

Play-based dog training is the most effective form of dog training there is. Because it speaks to the fundamental nature of dogs. Canines refine their innate hunting skills through rough-and-tumble play with their littermates.

Hiring a dog trainer can be daunting. You are confronted with many certifications you have never heard of and have no idea what they mean. You can search online but are those ratings meaningful? Are their reviews genuine? It can be hard to know what to look for. And then, all kinds of groups and well-meaning people have lots of opinions on what you should do. None of that makes it easier. This episode provides an overview of what to consider when hiring a dog trainer.

Potty training your dog teaches it not to soil the home. It is often the first challenge dog owners face. Depending on your approach, you either have a good time with your dog during this phase or live through a peeing and pooping nightmare. Potty training a dog is not rocket science. It does, however, require consistency and commitment.

This episode features a dog training conversation with my shadow student Sara White. I first met Sara during a dog training workshop we attended together. Later, she contacted me about my shadow program, and here we are. Sara opted for an extended shadow experience and, as a result, got to see and discuss a lot! We also worked with her own two dogs and attended another workshop in the middle of it.

In this podcast, we discuss the importance of understanding the seeking system. The conversation also touches on workshops—we attended one together—and learning principles. Of course, we discussed Sara's dogs, Exodus and Harley, and socialization and obedience training. The conversation went far and wide. Enjoy!

Unfortunately, far too many dog trainers fail to understand the ethological meaning of the terms dominance, submission, and aggression and misuse them. If this topic interests you more, I highly recommend the books by ethologist, Roger Abrantes and animal behavior expert Temple Grandin.

Dominance and submission are terms ethology defines, not dog trainers. To explain these, we have to examine their origin briefly. This starts with a look at the dog's ancestors—wolves.