The Dog's Way Podcast: Dog Training for Real Life

On this episode I introduce Melissa Stagnaro, the Vice President of American Retteungshunde Sport Association. With the long name, it is commonly nicknamed "RH".

They are an organization that does "sport" search and rescue.

This is a great sport for your dog that is incredibly unique, and focuses on some pretty high-level activities for fun and exercise.

We talk about the origins. FCI, (which is the International Dog Federation) partnered up with a newly formed group called the International Rescue Dog Organization. They ultimately created four levels of sport competition related to rescue. They focus on scents, urban disasters, earthquake simulations, footstep tracking, building collapses, and much more.

We talk about what this looks like for people that want to join in, and Melissa discusses their interest in getting more people involved in existing events and establishing more clubs.

There is an event going on in Washington state as well. For more information on that, click here.

For more information visit SearchAndRescueSport.org.

On this episode I talk with Elaine Rosen, President and CEO of Dog Lodge, based in Texas. She also is the host of the podcast, Dog Lodge Radio.

Dog Lodge is a great non-profit that deals with elderly and special needs dogs. It is essentially a senior dog retirement home and hospice care facility. They focus on providing a permanent home to dogs whose futures are particularly bleak. They concentrate primarily on dogs that may have come from shelters, rescues, and some private homes. Elaine and her business partner started the concept together after considering where the deficits existed in care for dogs and found that there were many rescues available but not a lot of help for senior animals. They found some land in Hempstead, Texas, and with a lot of support and dedication they have created quite an incredible organization.

Elaine talks about the initial fear prior to getting started - would anyone besides them would care this much about senior dogs? She and her business partner quickly found out that there was a lot of support for the effort.

The expense and work involved is intense; determining intake criteria, medical care needs and costs, and more. Sean and Elaine also talk about the owners of pets who are near the end of their frustration with their pets and are considering re-homing.

One of the cornerstones for taking in animals is a determination of the quality of life that they can provide based on it's medical needs. If they cannot provide a high standard of care for the animal, they have no business taking it in.

They help arrange foster homes as well. It really is an incredible non-profit organization.

They started a podcast called Dog Lodge Radio: Animal Issues That Matter. It focuses on their organization, but also animals other than dogs - they find and share fascinating stories about various sanctuaries for different animals, including horses and elephants!

To learn more, to reach out for help, or contribute to the organization, you can visit their website DogLodge.org. They are perpetually in need of contributions. You can visit their website and donate by clicking here, or visit their Facebook page here. They also accept in-kind donations. For information about that, contact them here.

On this episode, I sit down with Brad Bevill, who is an incredibly talented dog behavior expert. Brad's focus for dogs is teaching them to be in a follower mindset and balanced emotionally. Brad's focus for people is teaching them to be fair, and consistent leaders for their dogs, and to teach them how to fulfill their dog's lives more profoundly. Brad and I talk about how he discovered this passion of his, how he transitioned from the corporate world, and what his mission has been since 2013.

Brad owns and operates Bevill Dog Behavior with his wife in Dallas, Texas, and operates multiple locations in the area.

Brad's focus is on a broader approach to training, and one of his priorities is to help owners find a true connection with their dogs. Their mission is to educate humans, train dogs, and rebuild relationships.

Brad's company can be found on the following platforms;

• His website, BevillDogBehavior.com
• on Instagram @BradBevill
• His Facebook page, here

Andi Brown is the author of The Whole Pet Diet, an interesting book on dog and cat nutrition. It's been a bit of a theme for the last few episodes. This is the end of that "mini-series" on nutrition for now, but I felt this story was a great way to round that all out.

Andi's story about her interest in pet nutrition that set her on this course starts with a personal account from the 80's of her own cat who had a host of health issues. Told that it was simply a genetic disease that had no cure, she felt she had no options until she met a friend whose focus was nutrition and natural health. After some exploration and her friend preparing a recipe that contained chicken and vegetables, a four-day transformation of her cat occurred and revolutionized the way they thought about diet as a part of their pets' overall health.

Andi talks about the standard for manufactured "pet" food, and some of the horrific discoveries she learned about them. She equates some of what the finalized product becomes (she calls it "vitaminized cardboard").

Part of her approach is something she calls "The 8-week challenge", and it outlines a direct approach to quality food as the core approach to your pet's better health.

You can find more information at TheWholePetDiet.com.

Her book is available wherever books are sold. Click here to find it on Amazon.

She features some great recipes on her website as well! Click here for options.

Sean McDaniel interviews Dr. Gary Richter, a veterinarian from Oakland, California. Dr. Richter is an author and a designer of pet nutritional products and has a lot of interesting approaches to veterinary medicine as well as dog and cat nutrition.

The Ultimate Pet Health Guide, written by Dr. Richter, was originally approached to focus on the health benefits of fresh, whole food nutrition, but as he wrote it, it soon went into some of the common health challenges that he sees with pets. He addresses those individually, and his suggestions for pet nutrition take on a lot of the same form as if you saw him for a visit in his practice in Oakland, CA.

After a few years in practice, Dr. Richter started seeing limits for treatment for his patients. He was frustrated with not offering help beyond traditional limits. He began to explore more holistic approaches that were less traditional to treat chronic problems. Acupuncture, chiropractic, herbal therapy, and other treatment modalities became a part of his overall approach.

His website at DrGaryRichter.com

Link to buy his book on Amazon

Information to learn more about Gary and contact info for his practice at HolisticVetCare.com

This new book by Michael Wombacher is an incredibly illustrated and interesting book that I felt warranted another conversation! Michael's book has just been released and we sat down to discuss it.

Making a photo rich book that used the images as so much of the story was something he really wanted to do, but he talks about the intense challenges that come with it! It was over two and a half years in the making and has just been released.

We go in depth about what "integrated dog training" means, and how it covers obedience training (not necessarily puppies).

The book is available on Amazon by clicking here, or you can go to this cool Indie Bookstore Finder for an independent bookstore in your area.

Sean and Michael talk about the book and the balanced method of training contained within. Michael also talks about different methods for the same command. This accounts for dogs of different breeds and sizes, etc.

We talk about training equipment and the pros and cons as well as how to use it all.

It's an incredible interview and body of work. It's absolutely worth checking out both!

Jen Sotolongo joins us on this episode to talk about her Adventure Dog Camps! What they're about, how she got started, and who the camp is designed for (dogs and humans).

Sean and Jen discuss some of the unique things that many don't realize are essential for a dog to learn prior to going on an adventure like this. Jen shares some interesting stories about different types of challenges and wonderful learning and bonding opportunities exist with these adventures.

Jen focuses on the following adventures with your dog;

• Camping
• Cycling
• Flying
• Hiking
• Traveling
• Running
• and Gear Guides and Reviews

Jen's mission is for everyone to experience the joy of taking their dogs on adventures, and created the ultimate sleep-away camp style retreat! She talks about open this is for all skill levels, and a camp retreat that is coming up this September!

• Learn advanced dog handling skills specific to outdoor adventures
• Trying new activities with your dog
• Become part of the adventure dog community
• Connect with other like minded pet owners
• Create lasting memories with your companions.

To book a spot on the upcoming camp on September 19-22 in the Central Oregon area go to LongHaulTrekkers.com/adventure-dog-camp to learn more, or visit https://longhaultrekkers.com/adventure-dog-camp-application-form/ to go straight to the application!

Mike has trained dogs for over 25 years, including dogs of celebrities, and is an author and lecturer. He is the author of Good Dog, Happy Baby: Preparing Your Dog for the Arrival of Your Child, There's A Puppy In The House: Surviving the First Five Months, and has another coming soon.

We discuss how he got started in the dog training business and what methods of training inspired him to explore more in the business. We talk about some key factors for people who are trying to find a good trainer. What to ask, what to look for, etc.

We talk about how social media has changed the judgement for how trainers approach critical training scenarios such as how they respond to babies, and considering options for rehoming. We talk about recent belief in "purely positive" methods.

Mike cites a few interesting examples and talks about misinformation regarding studies; whether it's a summary that over simplifies or flawed studies that then become spread as fact.

It was a fascinating interview and you'll find lots of wisdom in his approach.

Dr. Lori Cesario is a leader in the field of veterinary oncology. We've spoken before, but you won't want to miss this follow up interview. It's packed full of useful tools - case studies for specific breeds, where to find the best solutions and preventative steps you can take to keep your dog's risk of getting cancer low.

Lori talks about steps to take to gain a better understanding of some of the characteristics - where we live, how our dog compares in size to their breed, when and whether they were spayed or neutered.

Dr. Cesario talks about the best ways to verify the claims made online - she talks about PubMed.gov, a database for studies published in veterinary and human medicine.

The resource page she mentioned about breeds in the episode is located here.

To visit Dr. Cesario's website, visit https://www.caninecanceracademy.com or click here.

Her podcast can be found on multiple platforms. To find it on your favorite platform click here.

We have a new conversation with Eric Letendre, a great trainer based in the Massachusetts area. Last time I spoke to Eric (in episode 66) he'd published his first book, The Deadly Dog Training Myth.

There is so much conversation about remote training collars, but specifically a lot of misunderstandings about what they are for and what they can do. And it is important to note that a lot of understanding can be gained with this technology by understanding Skinner's Four Quadrants. I talked about this in podcast sessions 73 (part 1) and session 74 (part 2). Note that these will open in new tabs so you won't lose your place here. I ask Eric about some of the mistakes people make when it comes to choosing a collar. We talk about "lesser"/"cheaper" collar types. I tell a funny story about a client who had a very interesting experience and why he gave up on it. Misuse and misunderstanding are a very big factor when considering this training method.

Eric talks about dog owners basic use methods;

1. As a low level negative reinforcement (or pressure and release)
2. Using it as a positive reinforcement (at a comfortable level)

We'll talk about how it can be an incredibly good or bad tool to use depending on the type you use, and your understanding about the psychological approach that you take when training your dog with it. Imagine a dog's response when you get certain things out and the positive response you receive. When you bring out the remote training collar, what association do you imagine the dog having? After listening to this podcast, it won't surprise you to know that dogs (trained properly) have a positive response to an e-collar!

Eric will talk about his philosophy about when the collar is applied during a real life training session and why that is. We talk a bit about each of our philosophies and the importance of that timing.

Eric's YouTube Page

The Deadly Dog Training Myth on Amazon