Visit us at shapedbydog.com If you hear dog training advice based on the Dominance Theory, it’s time to rethink that approach. I’m diving deep into what you need to know about dog trainer red flags and choosing a method to prevent harmful mistakes that lead to lasting success for you and your dog. I’m sharing why these outdated, force-based beliefs…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com "Just stop watching!" coming from Susan Garrett might surprise you, but I've got tips for mastering active learning when viewing dog training videos! Turn any training video into a powerful tool for success and discover how to get more out of dog training online with effective strategies to accelerate success for both yo…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com The science of Matching Law is vital for everyone with a dog to understand for dog training and daily life so you can get consistent behavior without needing to use punishment. It’s something we can all use to our advantage as positive reinforcement based trainers! Knowing about Matching Law and its relationship to reinf…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com If you’ve ever had a setback in dog training, you are not alone! Setbacks can lead to frustration, but there’s a step-by-step process that harnesses the power of perception to reframe, reclaim, and revitalize our responses. I want to help you turn any setback you may have into an instant success for both you and your dog…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Puppy frustrations! Everyone will be frustrated with a pup occasionally, but it doesn’t need to be a way of life. Here’s the good news. You can turn the anarchy of puppy problems around to create calm, cooperation and confidence with simple solutions for success with easy wins. Get my top tips to end the chaos and say go…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Is your puppy or dog stopping on walks? You're not alone! I’m sharing how to keep them moving with confidence and how to turn those hesitant moments into fun, forward motion. I’ve got practical solutions that will help you understand why your puppy or dog refuses to move on walks and what to do next. With easy-to-follow …

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Harnessing excitement in dog training and understanding arousal lets you create better focus from your dog! Whether your dog gets over the top or seems super laid back, knowing their emotional pathway and what you can do to help them get in the optimal zone will make a world of difference to your training and life with y…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Answering your top questions on reactivity, dog behavior, agility, frustration, sports dogs, neutering and more! You'll hear tips on training multiple dogs, strategies for improving focus, impulse control, and drive, and how to handle things like lunging, growling, nipping and jumping up. If you have any other questions …

Visit us at shapedbydog.com "How do I walk multiple dogs?' is a popular question. I'm sharing my tips and step-by-step guide to walking more than one dog at once so walks are stress-free and enjoyable for everyone. The process I've got for you is how I teach my dogs to walk together calmly and happily, no matter what distraction is nearby. In this …

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Want an easy, fun way to boost your dog's skills, strengthen your bond, and lay the foundation for advanced training while having fun? Look no further than Vito's Thinking Game! I'm sharing how to play and why it has so much power. Whether you're a seasoned dog trainer or a first-time puppy or rescue dog owner, this game…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Imagine there's a secret booster button we could press, and our dog would suddenly turn into a superhero, and we'd have dog training superpowers. Guess what? I've got that booster button for you, and am sharing how to activate it. It all starts with being present to our presence, hacking for our self talk, and knowing a …

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Why do dogs eat poop? It’s known as coprophagia and how to stop it is a popular question. Poop eating in dogs is more common than you might think. When your dog eats their own poop or another dog's poop, it can be distressing, and if it's out in public, downright embarrassing! I'm walking you through the three main reaso…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com I love giving dogs food puzzles and have a step-by-step plan that I believe will build confidence, end frustration and grow resilience for puppies and dogs of all ages. Strategic use of food puzzles creates essential coping skills, provides enrichment, and helps dogs work through failure in training, which we all need be…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com When is the right time to start agility training with your puppy? That's a popular question I receive, and I'm sure other world champions also get asked! So, to answer, I’m covering everything you need to know about starting agility with a puppy, including the most important factor, and when and how I begin training. Eve…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com The best place to train a puppy or rescue dog might be the best-kept dog training secret you need to know! It's something no one ever tells you, and it will create success with dog training so your dog can be an amazing companion. You don't need to be on a downward spiral of frustration and disappointment, and I've three…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com One of the most frequent questions we see is how to get dogs to stop barking, but this week, a Shaped by Dog listener asked the opposite. They want to help their dog start barking. I teach this as a parlor trick, and have the training steps for you. I’m also sharing expert insights from my good friend, Matt Folsom of Mod…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com What if I told you that you could dramatically improve the outcome of your dog training sessions in 60 seconds? Using just 1 minute to train and evaluate helps me be far more efficient and create success for my dogs quickly. It’s been part of my dog training for at least 20 years and it’s something everyone can do. This …

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Do you have a dog who's really fussy about the treats that you give them? I'm going to show you how to get your dog grabbing treats no matter what you put in front of them. Previously, I shared games of chase that dogs love to play. Now we're amplifying the chase element for dogs by adding restraint, and I've got 6 new f…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com I'm sharing 10 fun and engaging games of chase to play with dogs to increase food drive for picky eaters. Now, you might have a dog who loves treats, but they will still have a great time playing the games with you, so give them a try! The games are quick to play and are a great way to connect with your dog. Playing will…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com If you are trying to train a dog who is fussy about food, or if you know someone who is in that situation, you may think, "this dog training is never going to work." And you know, you're probably right! Training will be a challenge unless you have something of great value for the dog. We’re continuing our focus on how to…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com This episode is all about my girl This! with reflections on this year's Canadian Dog Agility World Team Tryouts. You are all part of Team This! and I'm sharing my goals, challenges, and joys. These same things can relate to whatever you're going through with your own dog. Never give up. At 20 months of age This! didn't e…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com How can I train my dog if they're not interested in food? That's a question I'm often asked, and before we get to the how, we need to look at the why! A dog not really wanting to take food is something I've experienced from time to time. I'm covering the top ten reasons why a dog might have low food drive and not be moti…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com How many thresholds does your dog cross a day? It could be a physical or emotional threshold. Training thresholds are important to understand, and thresholds can explain why some dogs seem anxious and refuse to budge, and others get way overexcited. I’ve got tips to help dogs with balancing emotions to cross any type of …

Visit us at shapedbydog.com What if I told you that the secret to unlocking your dog's success lies within the walls of your own home? I've been using a training den for many years, and so have my students. I’m covering how to use a training den to fast track your dog’s success and confidence, what I keep in my training den, and why it creates a bo…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Dog training by nature is quite nuanced. Now, there are behaviors that everyone can get at some level with their dogs, like sit and down and fetch, but to get really brilliant behaviors, we need to understand the nuances. The really good news is that even if you’ve never trained a dog before, you can get this dialed in, …

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Have you ever been triggered by social media dramas about dog training methods? It's likely something we all experience. There was a recent incident at Crufts that flowed into the social channels this week that had a lot of thoughts flooding into my brain, including the question of how can we, as a community of dog lovin…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Have you tried shaping a timid, shy, softer or fearful dog and found your dog could not offer behaviors or engage in dog training sessions? The challenge is real! Recently, we looked at shaping high-drive dogs, but what about dogs on the other side of the spectrum who seem unmotivated? Help is at hand, and we’re covering…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com I recently asked ChatGPT to list the top 10 frustrations people experience with dogs and am covering how to break down dog behavior problems to help make things better for everyone. Making things better is the key no matter what challenge you have, and it will give you relief from frustration and allow you and your dog t…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com High drive, frantic, hyper dogs can be overwhelming! I’ve got shaping tips to help you end dog training frustration. High drive dogs can also be a lot of fun to train once you’ve made a few tweaks and the step by step I’m sharing I’ve learned from my very driven dogs. There are a lot of myths about dogs who seem to get f…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Recently, I asked for your questions about using shaping in dog training, and wow, did you deliver! I’m covering misconceptions about shaping, where shaping went wrong for me in the 90s with my dogs and a wall, what you need to know about successive approximations, and how behavioral blocks set dogs up for success. Plus,…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Ever wondered if your puppy's behavior is normal or cause for concern? From biting to lunging, fearing to growling, chasing, chewing and more, it can be hard to know what's normal and what's not. There’s a range of behaviors that people might consider problems, but many really are normal, and they can vary based on a pup…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Are you ready to take your dog training to the next level? Whether you're just starting, have been at it a while, or are an experienced dog trainer, I've got hacks to fast track success and take you and your dog to a completely different level of understanding. I'm diving into shaping behavior and why it's the key to unl…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Does your dog get hyper and lose focus the closer they get to something really exciting? You are not alone, and I have a training plan to help you create calm and focus for over-the-top dogs. I’m covering why dogs can get out of control near things they love and what to do about it when you want to be a positive reinforc…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Have you ever wondered how to fix your dog’s unwanted behavior when you want to train with positive reinforcement? In episode 256, I covered the magic question, "What was that cookie for?" that helps us all understand how we may be contributing to the behaviors of our dogs that we want to change. So, I’m following up wit…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com With the growing popularity of positive reinforcement-based dog training, there's an increasing popularity of criticizing the use of positive reinforcement. And truthfully, it isn't all unfounded because there can be a huge variability in people's results when they choose not to use physical corrections or verbal intimid…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com There are a lot of rescue dogs out there. And bravo for those of you who are opening up your homes and adopting them. In this episode, I'm doing a deep dive into the emotions of rescue dogs, and the priorities I have when I bring a rescue dog into my home. This episode is for everybody, regardless of whether you have a r…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Do you have or know a dog or older puppy who still isn't completely house trained? If this is you, don't worry, I've got you covered! I’m sharing the reasons a dog might not be fully house trained, what to do about it, a common mistake people make, and how to teach your dog to tell you when they want to go outside to pot…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com I was recently asked, "Do you think there's a way we could instantly make our dog's life better?" and I thought about it and decided it would be a great topic for an episode of Shaped by Dog. The way I narrowed down my list to 7 things might surprise you. The good news is that putting these proven tips into action will n…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Feeding dogs raw food and how to train with raw fed dogs are topics I get asked to talk about a lot! I’m covering how I use raw food to my dog training advantage and how I plan what food I’m using when and where. Even if you don’t feed raw, the tips on type of treats for dogs and using treats for training is for everyone…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Non-Reward Markers have long been used in dog training, but are they really necessary? And what drives our choice to use an NRM? An NRM, sometimes called a No Reward Marker, could be a word people use to freeze a dog from making a poor choice during training or even be something like, “ah”, “no”, “hey”, “stop”. I’m cover…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Recently something happened in my own dog training that I’m sharing in this episode, and it’s all about our expectations of our dogs. Along with our expectations, our beliefs and biases play a role in our relationship with our dogs. We’re all bombarded with unrealistic expectations about dogs daily, so challenging what w…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com We’ve got another ask me anything episode, because your questions are so good! I’m sharing answers on topics like training contacts in dog agility, daily training routines for puppies, overcoming fears in dogs, training in multiple sports, feeding schedules for dogs, exercise for dogs, dealing with reactivity between dog…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Ever set goals for your dog but struggled to make progress? I’m doing a deep dive on how to change that! Whether you're a new puppy owner, facing challenges with your dog or want to excel in dog sports, achieving your training goals is possible! Discover the power of setting goals and celebrating achievable milestones to…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com What's better than 30 years of dog training experience? It’s NOT 31! I’m covering why the duration someone spends training dogs does not create expertise, going against the commonly held belief that longevity in a profession guarantees proficiency. Now, 30 years of growing skills and being open to new ideas can create ma…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com For every puppy owner using a socialization strategy that grows confidence and connection, there’s a thousand who don’t do it at all or do it terribly wrong. I’m sharing exactly how I socialize my puppies, including my current five-month-old, Prophet, so that everyone can do the same thing to get the best start to a life…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Recently, a professional dog trainer told me her favorite Shaped by Dog episode is 16, where I explain the simple concept of “antecedent arrangements” as one of the most effective, animal behavior science solutions to ANY dog training problem. Although it’s an all-time favorite of my students and dog training professiona…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com There are 14 canine myths commonly accepted as truths and I’m doing some serious debunking to separate fact from fiction. For example, have you heard the myth about “Doodles never shed”? It's a myth because it's genetics. If you breed a shedding breed to a non-shedding breed, we can't predict what we're going to get. Don…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com My puppy, Prophet, turned four months old this week! At this point, the Prophet knows nothing. What!? Now, my definition of ‘know’ is different. Although he doesn’t “know” much, Prophet recognizes many behaviors and several markers, and that’s the start of true understanding. I’m sharing exactly what my daily routine and…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Help! How do I get my dog to focus on me and pay attention? Today I’m sharing the positive reinforcement “secrets” that make your dog prioritize you over environmental distractions. If you feel non-existent to your dog around other dogs, squirrels, cats, people, bicycles, etc. – but you’ve been taught to collar pop and s…

Visit us at shapedbydog.com Trick or Treat! It’s almost Halloween and although not every country celebrates it, I want to suggest a dog training plan-a-palooza to prep for holidays and celebrations no matter where you live. Halloween and similar events can be scary and dangerous for dogs! I’m sharing common but deadly candy ingredients your dog mus…