Is competition work something your dog would enjoy?  Tara and Laura discuss the differences between doing the sport of tracking as a hobby versus for competition.  They explain what a handler that is doing tracking for competition should expect, how to know if your dog is actually enjoying it, and when to decide that maybe just having it as a fun hobby is the better option.

Sponsored by K9 Workingmind

This episode was edited and mastered by The WillaWoman. Our song "Working Minds" was also created by The WillaWoman.

Hear more of her work here: https://tinyurl.com/TheWillaWoman

What are you really feeding your dog?  Tara and Laura welcome back biologist & nutritionist, Adette Quintana, to talk about how proper nutrition for our dogs can have a major impact on their lives.  They discuss some common nutritional myths, understanding what is actually in your dog’s food, and ways to make sure your dog is getting the best nutrition possible.  Recommendations for more information from Adette include the book Food Pets Die For, The Forever Dog, and The Forever Dog Life as well as the website dogsnaturallymagazine.com for extra resources. 

You can contact Adette at petnutritioncoach.com as well as find her on social media @petnutritioncoach too if you would like more information or to schedule a personal session for your dog.

Sponsored by K9 Workingmind

This episode was edited and mastered by The WillaWoman. Our song "Working Minds" was also created by The WillaWoman.

Hear more of her work here: https://tinyurl.com/TheWillaWoman

I put my hand in the way.  They meant to grab the toy.  Their mouth just ran into me while they were in the moment.  This week Tara and Laura expose the truth about these statements when it comes to a dog putting their mouth on someone.  They explain how owners making excuses for a dog using their mouth in these ways can be detrimental and can cause more behavior problems.  They also discuss how owners can inadvertently teach their dogs to use their mouth, but then confuse them when they are upset when they do just that when in play, reacting to something, or engaging with people.

Sponsored by K9 Workingmind

This episode was edited and mastered by The WillaWoman. Our song "Working Minds" was also created by The WillaWoman.

Hear more of her work here: https://tinyurl.com/TheWillaWoman

Working dog versus companion dog, what’s the difference?  This week Tara and Laura welcomed Gabriel Martin, a military veteran and former canine handler in the police force, to talk about his experiences with working dogs and now his own companion dog.  Gabriel shares his personal journey in understanding how to better communicate with his dog, Dusty, and how important it is to understand the role and amount of time it takes to handle work dogs.  He offers an amazing perspective coming from his background being in both fields of a working canine handler to a domestic companion dog.

Sponsored by K9 Workingmind

This episode was edited and mastered by The WillaWoman. Our song "Working Minds" was also created by The WillaWoman.

Hear more of her work here: https://tinyurl.com/TheWillaWoman

Tara and Laura were honored this week to speak with special guest and country singer, Brittany Moore.  They discussed one of her biggest singles, “Give a Girl,” and the meaning behind this wonderful song that resonates with every dog owner.  Brittany shared her personal journey and the inspiration behind this song, her own dog Banjo.  Follow Brittany Moore on any social media platform at Brittany Moore Music and make sure to watch as she starts traveling this year and puts out her new music!

Sponsored by K9 Workingmind

This episode was edited and mastered by The WillaWoman. Our song "Working Minds" was also created by The WillaWoman.

Hear more of her work here: https://tinyurl.com/TheWillaWoman

Is protection training and bite work something for every dog?  In this episode, Tara and Laura discuss the trend of doing bite work and protection training with dogs and the problems that can arise.  They don’t shy away from the reasons why this can be a dangerous sport or training for a dog and the difficulties that are seen after the training is done.  If you are considering doing this type of work for your dog, take a listen to understand if this is the right training plan for your dog.

Sponsored by K9 Workingmind

This episode was edited and mastered by The WillaWoman. Our song "Working Minds" was also created by The WillaWoman.

Hear more of her work here: https://tinyurl.com/TheWillaWoman

What is the downside to force training?  In this episode, Tara and Laura discuss the negative side effects to using force training when working with a dog.  They explain how using force tools, such as prong or shock collars, even for just obedience work can break down a person’s bond with their dog and cause more problems in the future.  Wouldn’t you rather your dog want to work for you because they are motivated by you and not because they are worried about being corrected?

Sponsored by K9 Workingmind

This episode was edited and mastered by The WillaWoman. Our song "Working Minds" was also created by The WillaWoman.

Hear more of her work here: https://tinyurl.com/TheWillaWoman

How can you make progress with a high energy, undersocialized dog?  In this week’s episode, Tara welcomed Jordan Genung to talk about the training journey with his dog, Max, who missed out on some of his socialization due to being a parvo puppy and trying to keep him healthy.  Max is a high drive dog with a close bond to his dad and more persistance than most would know how to harness.  Tara discusses the ups and downs with Jordan working with a dog like Max and how rewarding it is seeing his progress.  

Sponsored by K9 Workingmind

This episode was edited and mastered by The WillaWoman. Our song "Working Minds" was also created by The WillaWoman.

Hear more of her work here: https://tinyurl.com/TheWillaWoman

Love may be in the air, but is it really love you between you and your dog or something else?  This Valentine’s episode Tara and Laura explained how sometimes us trying to show affection to our dogs can actually be pressuring them.  They also discussed how dogs show affection to each other and that this behavior should be the same even with their human pack members.  It’s important to know if you or your dog are actually being inappropriate instead of showing affection.

Sponsored by K9 Workingmind

This episode was edited and mastered by The WillaWoman. Our song "Working Minds" was also created by The WillaWoman.

Hear more of her work here: https://tinyurl.com/TheWillaWoman

Does your dog really understand what you are saying?  This week Tara and Laura posed the question for listeners to determine how they talk to their dogs.  They used different examples of communication that include body language, tone, frequency of commands, and more to explain how some forms of communication can frustrate our dogs and the importance of understanding the best ways to talk to our four-legged companions.

Sponsored by K9 Workingmind

This episode was edited and mastered by The WillaWoman. Our song "Working Minds" was also created by The WillaWoman.

Hear more of her work here: https://tinyurl.com/TheWillaWoman