What to listen for:

Today, Stacy and Crystal sit down with Bobbie Lyons. She owns and operates Pawsitive Performance LLC which offers dog training, fitness training, and trick training around the globe.

Bobbie is the lead instructor and program director for the Certified Canine Strength and Conditioning Coach program that is offered through North Carolina State University and North Carolina State University Veterinary Medicine.

For every training session, she kicks things off with the question: "How can I set the dog up for success and give them the best information they need to successfully complete the behavior?”

Listen in as Bobbie explains how a regular, personalized fitness routine goes a long way in as little as a few weeks. She speaks on the importance of teaching your dog to be in charge of the movement you’re training for mastery, rather than trying to impose a behavior only in the way that you as the handler see fit.

Bobbie gives her best advice on solidifying foundation behaviors in puppies without being prescriptive nor stifling their natural urge to move and explore at their own pace. She discusses how we can find the most appropriate exercises for our dog, from puppy to all the way to senior.

Finally, Bobbie talks about building those neurological pathways that result in what most people refer to as “muscle memory.” It comes down to exposing the body to a particular movement, then improving upon the movement by exposing the body to the pieces that strengthen it.

Key Topics:

• Bobbie’s background as a dog fitness trainer (01:52)
• The benefits of private lessons and tailoring training to your dog (06:02)
• “It’s not just about the dog, but the handler as well.” (09:02)
• Working with puppies (15:21)
• “What you practice is what you get.” (19:35)
• Bobbie’s recommended exercise frequency (26:15)
• Letting your puppy tell you when they’re done training (32:16)
• Why puppies should be exposed to every surface (34:57)
• Strengthening breathing and sniffing (42:40)
• What to do if your dog is thrashing as a form of self-regulation (50:40)
• Keeping your senior dog fit (58:37)
• The right way to warm up and cool down (1:11:34)

Resources:

• Pawsitive Performance (where you can go to book private sessions with Bobbie)
• Bobbie Lyon's Canine Campus
• Bobbie's Personal FB Page
• Bobbie's Border Collie Litter group
• Bobbie's FB Group

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