Lift Your Leg - the art of training a dog

We talk everything dog. We drift from topic to topic with many important nuggets to get you thinking. We tackle raising puppies, building dogs up, corrections, flaws of working dog people, dog training groupies, reactive dogs etc.

Monique Anstee and Jessica Bernatchez, dog trainers from Vancouver Island, discuss the importance of freedom, joy, and empathy in retraining a reactive dog, emphasizing practical strategies for managing reactivity and fostering a happy, balanced life for dogs and their owners.

key topics

• The importance of giving dogs freedom to reduce reactivity
• How body language and posture influence dog behavior
• The role of empathy and emotional intelligence in training
• The impact of dog parks on reactivity and behavior
• Strategies for managing stressful situations with dogs
• The significance of off-leash time and natural play
• How to handle encounters with unfamiliar people and dogs
• The importance of patience, slowing down, and savoring moments
• Common misconceptions about dog training and discipline
• The value of experiential learning and outdoor adventures

Ever feel like your energy is just... off? 🤔

Veronica shares a powerful moment during her Shadow Week experience. She realized that her energy wasn’t weak; it was muddled. Sometimes, we need a little push (or a drop kick, as she puts it!) to shake off the confusion and get back in the zone.

This journey is about rediscovering the joy of working with dogs, even when it feels like you're stumbling.

The best part? It’s all about the little victories. Each step forward is a reminder that we can always find our way back to what we love.

Enjoy listening to Veronica from She Walks Dogs in Okotokes, Alberta

#DogTraining #FindYourEnergy #NaughtyDogge #ShadowWeek #DogLovers #Victoria, BC

Monique Anstee from The Naughty Dogge in Victoria, BC, chats with Melody Shaw from Kuri K9 Trail and Train in Nanaimo, BC. They dive into the insights from their recent Bootcamp and Shadow Week experience, and here are some Key Takeaways

1. **Atmosphere Matters**: A positive, engaging environment fosters learning.

2. **Direct Communication**: Open dialogue enhances understanding and reduces defensiveness.

3. **Transformation is Possible**: Both reactive dogs and owners can experience significant growth in a supportive setting.

4. **Fun is Essential**: Rediscovering the joy in training leads to better relationships with our dogss.

5. **Innovative Techniques**: Embracing new methods can reinvigorate training practices.

I hope you enjoy the listen, and please share this podcast with your dog clubs and friends.

I want us to redefine categories of dog trainers from Force Free and Balanced to Leave the Essence in and Take the Essence Out. Hear our thoughts...

Creep is a fearful dog lacking trust, and life experiences. Retraining him has been a whole lot of fun. I've been videoing his progress and in this episode we discuss questions asked, what the videos miss, and other such things. Join Hayley and I as we iron things out.

This episode is dedicated to Pico, the Border Collie. It's all the things you need to be aware of training a clever and sensitive dog. This podcast applies to all herding breeds, and sensitive dogs, and weirdos, including reactive dogs.

Happy Training Folks.

We discuss the trend of trainers being uncommitted to their clients - the easier and friendlier road that fails the client. We also get into the politics of today, and other topics.

It's not about engagement games, food rewards, toys or corrections. Training dogs is about relationships, and what makes us fresh, alive and relevant to our dogs. We discuss Monique's last seminar in Abbotsford and TNT Kennels, hosted by Janice Gunn. It was such a fun weekend, with a consistent thread seen in many of the dogs there.

While this podcast is interviewing Alison who just succeeded in the ring with her Tibetan Spaniel Vinnie, it is about finding out how she learned to get out of her own way to have this success. This podcast applies to all with reactive dogs who are struggling with the same.

This turned out to be a deep discussion about the process of growth.