The Keep it Simple Stupid DOG Training Podcast

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If you find the K.I.S.S. Dog Training Podcast helpful, you can support the show directly for as little as $3 per month. Dog training is my full-time business, and creating podcasts, videos, and blogs takes time away from that work. Listener support helps me continue sharing practical, science-based, positive-reinforcement dog-training information designed to make life easier for dogs and their humans.

Support the podcast here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1353841/supporters/new

Are your expectations for your dog realistic?

In this episode, Mike Deathe of K.I.S.S. Dog Training looks at one of the biggest causes of frustration in dog training: expecting too much, too quickly.

If a dog has practiced an unwanted behavior for months or years, it is unrealistic to expect that behavior to disappear after a couple of weeks of training.

Mike explains why he does not like talking about “fixing” dogs. A more realistic goal is to manage, modify, and improve behavior over time.

Topics include:

• Setting realistic dog-training expectations
• Why long-standing behaviors take time to change
• Managing, modifying, and improving instead of “fixing”
• Building skills gradually in more distracting environments
• Why consistency matters more than cramming
• Short daily training sessions versus occasional long sessions
• Working through frustration without giving up

The second half looks at expectations when bringing a new dog or puppy into the family.

Mike discusses the commonly used 3-3-3 guideline—three days, three weeks, and three months—and why a newly adopted dog may not show its full personality immediately.

He also explains why owners should think about breed tendencies, work schedules, potty training, crate training, veterinary care, grooming, exercise, daycare, dog walkers, and training before bringing a dog home.

Unrealistic expectations can create frustration for both the owner and the dog—and in some cases can contribute to dogs being relinquished to shelters or rescues.

The goal is to go into dog ownership with your eyes open, understand the dog in front of you, and focus on steady improvement rather than instant results.

K.I.S.S. Dog Training provides private, positive-reinforcement, in-home dog training throughout the Kansas City metro.

Learn more:
https://kissdogtraining.com/

If the podcast has helped you, the best thing you can do is leave a review. You can also follow the show and share an episode with another dog owner who might benefit from it.

Support the show

Mike Deathe owns Keep it Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Dog training. We can be reached through comments here, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kissdogtraining. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedeathe/, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikedeathekissdogtraining/.  And of course at our website https://kissdogtraining.com/ 

SEND US A QUESTION OR TOPIC FOR A FUTURE SHOW...

If you find the K.I.S.S. Dog Training Podcast helpful, you can support the show directly for as little as $3 per month. Dog training is my full-time business, and creating podcasts, videos, and blogs takes time away from that work. Listener support helps me continue sharing practical, science-based, positive-reinforcement dog-training information designed to make life easier for dogs and their humans.

Support the podcast here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1353841/supporters/new

What if your dog knew what was about to happen before it happened?

In this episode, Mike Deathe of K.I.S.S. Dog Training explains two important training concepts: predictive cues and generalization.

A predictive cue is a word or signal that tells your dog what is coming next.

Words like Paw, Touch, Brush, Nails, Tail, Table, or Say Hello can help prepare a dog for veterinary care, grooming, handling, or social interaction. When those cues are consistently paired with positive experiences and rewards, the dog has more information and fewer surprises.

Predictability can help dogs feel safer and more confident.

The second half focuses on generalization.

Dogs do not always understand that a behavior learned in one environment applies everywhere else.

A dog may perform beautifully inside the house but struggle with the same skill in the backyard, driveway, neighborhood, or park. That does not necessarily mean the dog is stubborn or refusing to listen.

The environment changed.

Topics include:

• What predictive cues are
• Preparing dogs for veterinary and grooming care
• Using cues for handling and social interactions
• Giving dogs choice
• Hand signals versus verbal cues
• Why dogs struggle to generalize
• The role of distraction in dog training
• Practicing skills in multiple environments
• House → backyard → driveway → sidewalk progression
• Why dogs may appear to “forget” known behaviors

If you want your dog to perform reliably in different situations, you have to practice in different situations.

Teach the behavior where it is easy, then gradually add distance, duration, distraction, and new environments.

K.I.S.S. Dog Training provides private, positive-reinforcement, in-home dog training throughout the Kansas City metro.

Learn more:
https://kissdogtraining.com/

If the podcast has helped you, the best thing you can do is leave a review. You can also follow the show and share an episode with another dog owner who might benefit from it.

Support the show

Mike Deathe owns Keep it Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Dog training. We can be reached through comments here, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kissdogtraining. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedeathe/, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikedeathekissdogtraining/.  And of course at our website https://kissdogtraining.com/ 

SEND US A QUESTION OR TOPIC FOR A FUTURE SHOW...

If you find the K.I.S.S. Dog Training Podcast helpful, you can support the show directly for as little as $3 per month. Dog training is my full-time business, and creating podcasts, videos, and blogs takes time away from that work. Listener support helps me continue sharing practical, science-based, positive-reinforcement dog-training information designed to make life easier for dogs and their humans.

Support the podcast here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1353841/supporters/new

Are all dogs supposed to love other dogs, strangers, dog parks, and doggy daycare?

No.

In this episode, Mike Deathe of K.I.S.S. Dog Training challenges the common belief that every dog should be a social butterfly.

Some dogs genuinely love everybody and everything. But those dogs are the exception, not the rule.

A dog's genetics, early socialization, past experiences, breed tendencies, personality, and history all influence how comfortable they are around other dogs and people. If you adopted a dog with an unknown background or missed social-development experiences, forcing that dog into busy social environments can make problems worse.

Mike discusses why owners need to work at the dog's pace rather than forcing the dog to match their expectations.

Topics include:

• Why not every dog is naturally social
• Dog reactivity and fear
• The role of genetics and early socialization
• Doggy daycare and whether it fits your dog
• Working at the dog's pace
• Finding compatible playmates
• Exercise alternatives for dog-selective dogs
• Avoiding unrealistic expectations

The second half introduces SniffSpot.

SniffSpot allows dog owners to rent private yards and fenced spaces where their dogs can safely exercise without encountering unfamiliar dogs.

For dogs that cannot handle dog parks or daycare, that can provide a valuable alternative. It can also create a controlled environment for practicing recall, redirection, play, and eventually introducing one compatible dog at a time.

The goal is not to force every dog to become social.

The goal is to understand the dog you actually have and build a lifestyle and training plan that works for that dog.

K.I.S.S. Dog Training provides private, positive-reinforcement, in-home dog training throughout the Kansas City metro.

Learn more:
https://kissdogtraining.com/

If the podcast has helped you, the best thing you can do is leave a review. You can also follow the show and share an episode with another dog owner who might benefit from it.

Support the show

Mike Deathe owns Keep it Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Dog training. We can be reached through comments here, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kissdogtraining. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedeathe/, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikedeathekissdogtraining/.  And of course at our website https://kissdogtraining.com/ 

SEND US A QUESTION OR TOPIC FOR A FUTURE SHOW...

If you find the K.I.S.S. Dog Training Podcast helpful, you can support the show directly for as little as $3 per month. Dog training is my full-time business, and creating podcasts, videos, and blogs takes time away from that work. Listener support helps me continue sharing practical, science-based, positive-reinforcement dog-training information designed to make life easier for dogs and their humans.

Support the podcast here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1353841/supporters/new

What is your dog learning when you are not actively training them?

In this episode, Mike Deathe of K.I.S.S. Dog Training covers two important concepts: Happy Visits and owner-absent behaviors.

Happy Visits are short, positive trips to places your dog may eventually find stressful, such as the veterinarian or groomer. Instead of every visit involving an exam, vaccination, nail trim, or grooming procedure, sometimes the dog simply walks in, gets some treats, experiences the environment, and leaves.

For puppies, Happy Visits can help build positive associations from the beginning. For older dogs that already have fear or anxiety, the same idea can be used more gradually to help change how the dog feels about the experience.

The second half looks at something Mike calls owner-absent behaviors.

Imagine a dog spending eight to ten hours a day sitting at a window and barking at people, dogs, delivery drivers, and the mail carrier. From the dog's perspective, the barking works—because eventually everyone goes away.

That means the behavior is being practiced and reinforced for hours while the owner is gone.

Topics include:

• Happy Visits to veterinarians and groomers
• Fear Free handling and positive associations
• Helping fearful dogs through gradual exposure
• High-frequency, short-duration practice under threshold
• Owner-absent behaviors
• Self-reinforcing barking
• The “curse of the mailman”
• Preventing dogs from rehearsing unwanted behavior
• Curtains, window coverings, white noise, crates, and baby gates
• Management while teaching alternative behaviors

Successful dog training is not only about what happens during a training session. It also means looking at what your dog practices throughout the rest of the day.

Reward the behaviors you want, manage opportunities to practice the behaviors you don't want, and set your dog up to make better choices.

K.I.S.S. Dog Training provides private, positive-reinforcement, in-home dog training throughout the Kansas City metro.

Learn more:
https://kissdogtraining.com/

If the podcast has helped you, the best thing you can do is leave a review. You can also follow the show and share an episode with another dog owner who might benefit from it.

Support the show

Mike Deathe owns Keep it Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Dog training. We can be reached through comments here, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kissdogtraining. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedeathe/, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikedeathekissdogtraining/.  And of course at our website https://kissdogtraining.com/ 

SEND US A QUESTION OR TOPIC FOR A FUTURE SHOW...

If you find the K.I.S.S. Dog Training Podcast helpful, you can support the show directly for as little as $3 per month. Dog training is my full-time business, and creating podcasts, videos, and blogs takes time away from that work. Listener support helps me continue sharing practical, science-based, positive-reinforcement dog-training information designed to make life easier for dogs and their humans.

Support the podcast here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1353841/supporters/new

This episode covers two important topics: getting children involved in training the family dog and understanding the responsible use of muzzles.

First, Mike Deathe of K.I.S.S. Dog Training shares a real puppy-training example involving a young child and an energetic English Bulldog puppy.

Running, yelling, and excited movement can easily trigger chasing, mouthing, and overexcitement in a puppy. Instead of simply keeping the child away from the dog, Mike explains how the family created a structured training routine.

Dad controlled the leash as an anchor while the child carried treats and practiced simple skills like Sit, Down, Watch Me, Stay, and calm movement around the house.

The result was not just better puppy behavior—it gave the child a safe way to participate in training and helped the whole family work together.

The second half focuses on muzzles.

Mike explains why a muzzle should not automatically be viewed as a sign of a “bad dog.” When properly introduced and conditioned, a muzzle can be a responsible safety tool for dogs dealing with reactivity, aggression, fear, injury, pain, or stressful handling situations.

Topics include:

• Safely involving children in dog training
• Using an adult as the leash anchor
• Teaching children to reward calm behavior
• Starting leash work inside the house
• Removing the stigma around muzzles
• Why dogs should be conditioned to wear one before it is needed
• Basket muzzles versus restrictive fabric muzzles
• Using food and short sessions to create positive associations
• Muzzles as part of responsible behavior management

The goal is to teach dogs and people what to do—not wait for mistakes and punish them afterward.

K.I.S.S. Dog Training provides private, positive-reinforcement, in-home dog training throughout the Kansas City metro.

Learn more:
https://kissdogtraining.com/

If the podcast has helped you, the best thing you can do is leave a review. You can also follow the show and share an episode with another dog owner who might benefit from it.

Support the show

Mike Deathe owns Keep it Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Dog training. We can be reached through comments here, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kissdogtraining. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedeathe/, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikedeathekissdogtraining/.  And of course at our website https://kissdogtraining.com/ 

SEND US A QUESTION OR TOPIC FOR A FUTURE SHOW...

If you find the K.I.S.S. Dog Training Podcast helpful, you can support the show directly for as little as $3 per month. Dog training is my full-time business, and creating podcasts, videos, and blogs takes time away from that work. Listener support helps me continue sharing practical, science-based, positive-reinforcement dog-training information designed to make life easier for dogs and their humans.

Support the podcast here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1353841/supporters/new

This episode looks at two very different dog-training topics: how we can make walks easier for other dog owners and whether laser pointers are a good toy for dogs.

First, Mike Deathe of K.I.S.S. Dog Training looks at walking from the other side of the leash.

Once your own dog is under control and redirectable, what can you do when you see another owner struggling with a reactive dog?

Often, the best answer is simple: give them space.

Cross the street. Step into a driveway. Turn around. Use a parked car as a visual barrier. Stay aware of your surroundings so you can make those decisions before the dogs get too close.

Mike calls this giving the other dog the “gift of space.”

The second half focuses on laser pointers.

Although they may seem like an easy way to exercise a dog, some dogs can become intensely fixated on the moving light. Even after the laser is turned off, they may continue searching for it or begin chasing reflections, shadows, and light patterns around the house.

Topics include:

• Helping owners with reactive dogs
• Staying aware and present during walks
• Using distance to reduce pressure
• Crossing streets and using visual barriers
• Giving dogs the “gift of space”
• Dog impulse control and frustration tolerance
• Why laser pointers can create excessive fixation
• Better exercise and enrichment alternatives

The goal is to keep dogs calm enough to think, make good choices, and stay under threshold.

K.I.S.S. Dog Training provides private, positive-reinforcement, in-home dog training throughout the Kansas City metro.

Learn more:
https://kissdogtraining.com/

If the podcast has helped you, the best thing you can do is leave a review. You can also follow the show and share an episode with another dog owner who might benefit from it.

Support the show

Mike Deathe owns Keep it Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Dog training. We can be reached through comments here, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kissdogtraining. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedeathe/, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikedeathekissdogtraining/.  And of course at our website https://kissdogtraining.com/ 

SEND US A QUESTION OR TOPIC FOR A FUTURE SHOW...

If you find the K.I.S.S. Dog Training Podcast helpful, you can support the show directly for as little as $3 per month. Dog training is my full-time business, and creating podcasts, videos, and blogs takes time away from that work. Listener support helps me continue sharing practical, science-based, positive-reinforcement dog-training information designed to make life easier for dogs and their humans.

Support the podcast here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1353841/supporters/new

Is asking, “May I pet your dog?” really enough?

In this episode, Mike Deathe of K.I.S.S. Dog Training argues that there should be one more step: the dog should get a choice too.

Many children are taught to ask the owner for permission and then immediately walk up and pet the dog. That works fine with some dogs, but not every dog wants to be touched, hugged, or approached by strangers.

Mike explains a different approach.

Ask the owner first—but then allow the dog to decide whether they want to approach.

For nervous, fearful, or reactive dogs, Mike discusses using distance and simple counterconditioning exercises instead of forcing interaction. One example is the “name game,” where a person says the dog’s name, tosses a treat, and walks away without attempting to pet.

Topics include:

• Why owner permission may not be enough
• Giving dogs choice during social interactions
• Teaching children safer ways to approach dogs
• Counterconditioning versus flooding
• Recognizing stress signals and threshold
• Using distance with fearful or nervous dogs
• The “name game” for building positive associations
• Why some dogs simply do not want to be petted
• Respecting individual dog personalities

The goal is not to make every dog love every person.

The goal is to understand the dog you actually have, respect their comfort level, and create safer interactions for both dogs and people.

K.I.S.S. Dog Training provides private, positive-reinforcement, in-home dog training throughout the Kansas City metro.

Learn more:
https://kissdogtraining.com/

If the podcast has helped you, the best thing you can do is leave a review. You can also follow the show and share an episode with another dog owner who might benefit from it.

Support the show

Mike Deathe owns Keep it Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Dog training. We can be reached through comments here, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kissdogtraining. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedeathe/, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikedeathekissdogtraining/.  And of course at our website https://kissdogtraining.com/ 

SEND US A QUESTION OR TOPIC FOR A FUTURE SHOW...

If you find the K.I.S.S. Dog Training Podcast helpful, you can support the show directly for as little as $3 per month. Dog training is my full-time business, and creating podcasts, videos, and blogs takes time away from that work. Listener support helps me continue sharing practical, science-based, positive-reinforcement dog-training information designed to make life easier for dogs and their humans.

Support the podcast here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1353841/supporters/new

Dog training does not always fit neatly into a standard formula.

In this episode, Mike Deathe of K.I.S.S. Dog Training looks at two real client situations that required thinking outside the box while still staying true to a positive-reinforcement training philosophy.

The first involved a high-drive working-line Lab and an owner with limited mobility who used a wheelchair. Traditional training alone was not going to solve the problem because the dog first needed appropriate ways to burn energy, build impulse control, and learn to pay attention.

Mike explains how tools like a tether tug, an automatic fetch machine, structured fetch games, and carefully selected doggy daycare helped create a training plan that actually worked for both the dog and the owner.

The second example involves a client who had become dependent on a prong collar from previous training.

Rather than turning the collar into a confrontation, Mike focused on teaching loose-leash walking and keeping the leash slack. Over time, the client realized the prong collar was no longer doing anything useful and chose to switch to a regular flat collar.

Topics include:

• Adapting training to the individual owner
• Working with high-drive dogs
• Building impulse control before advanced skills
• Creative exercise and enrichment options
• Loose-leash walking
• Moving away from reliance on training tools
• Teaching instead of correcting
• Staying flexible without abandoning your principles

The goal is not to force every dog and owner into the same training system.

The goal is to understand what they actually need, find a workable path forward, and continue rewarding the behaviors you want.

K.I.S.S. Dog Training provides private, positive-reinforcement, in-home dog training throughout the Kansas City metro.

Learn more:
https://kissdogtraining.com/

If the podcast has helped you, the best thing you can do is leave a review. You can also follow the show and share an episode with another dog owner who might benefit from it.

Support the show

Mike Deathe owns Keep it Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Dog training. We can be reached through comments here, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kissdogtraining. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedeathe/, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikedeathekissdogtraining/.  And of course at our website https://kissdogtraining.com/ 

SEND US A QUESTION OR TOPIC FOR A FUTURE SHOW...

If you find the K.I.S.S. Dog Training Podcast helpful, you can support the show directly for as little as $3 per month. Dog training is my full-time business, and creating podcasts, videos, and blogs takes time away from that work. Listener support helps me continue sharing practical, science-based, positive-reinforcement dog-training information designed to make life easier for dogs and their humans.

Support the podcast here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1353841/supporters/new

Dog training is about more than teaching Sit, Down, Stay, and Come.

In this episode, Mike Deathe of K.I.S.S. Dog Training explains how three different parts of dog training work together: skills, routines, and management.

Training skills are the behaviors we actively teach, such as Sit, Down, Watch Me, Stay, and Recall.

Routines are the repeated patterns that make those skills useful in everyday life. Feeding schedules, crate routines, potty breaks, hand feeding, and short daily practice sessions all create opportunities for the dog to learn what works.

Management is how we prevent unwanted behavior from being practiced in the first place. Crates, baby gates, leashes, long lines, Gentle Leaders, and front-clip harnesses can all help owners control the environment while better habits are being built.

Topics include:

• Training skills versus everyday routines
• Why frequency and consistency matter
• Creating positive crate routines
• Using hand feeding as built-in training time
• Managing potty training successfully
• Preventing unwanted behavior before it happens
• Introducing dogs gradually
• Using Sit instead of repeatedly saying No or Off
• Rewarding alternative behaviors

The goal is to use all three together.

Teach the behavior you want, build routines that reinforce it, and manage the environment so your dog has fewer opportunities to practice the behavior you do not want.

K.I.S.S. Dog Training provides private, positive-reinforcement, in-home dog training throughout the Kansas City metro.

Learn more:
https://kissdogtraining.com/

If the podcast has helped you, the best thing you can do is leave a review. You can also follow the show and share an episode with another dog owner who might benefit from it.

Support the show

Mike Deathe owns Keep it Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Dog training. We can be reached through comments here, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kissdogtraining. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedeathe/, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikedeathekissdogtraining/.  And of course at our website https://kissdogtraining.com/ 

SEND US A QUESTION OR TOPIC FOR A FUTURE SHOW...

If you find the K.I.S.S. Dog Training Podcast helpful, you can support the show directly for as little as $3 per month. Dog training is my full-time business, and creating podcasts, videos, and blogs takes time away from that work. Listener support helps me continue sharing practical, science-based, positive-reinforcement dog-training information designed to make life easier for dogs and their humans.

Support the podcast here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1353841/supporters/new

Does every dog need doggy daycare or regular trips to the dog park?

No.

In this episode, Mike Deathe of K.I.S.S. Dog Training takes a practical look at dog parks and doggy daycare and explains why the right answer depends entirely on the individual dog.

Some dogs thrive in large social environments. Others become fearful, overstimulated, frustrated, reactive, or simply do not enjoy being around large groups of dogs.

Mike discusses why owners should avoid the “throw them in and hope it works” approach and instead evaluate their dog’s personality, play style, impulse control, and comfort level.

Topics include:

• Why not every dog enjoys dog parks or daycare
• Counterconditioning versus flooding
• How to evaluate a doggy daycare facility
• Questions to ask before enrolling your dog
• Group size, temperament, age, and play-style matching
• Why smaller rotating play groups may work better for some dogs
• Recognizing overstimulation and poor impulse control
• Alternatives for dogs that do not enjoy group play
• Why owners should remain involved and supervise their dogs
• Working with your trainer, veterinarian, and daycare as a team

Doggy daycare and dog parks can be excellent outlets for the right dog—but they should never be automatic decisions just because other dogs seem to enjoy them.

The goal is to understand the dog you actually have and choose environments where that dog can succeed.

K.I.S.S. Dog Training provides private, positive-reinforcement, in-home dog training throughout the Kansas City metro.

Learn more:
https://kissdogtraining.com/

If the podcast has helped you, the best thing you can do is leave a review. You can also follow the show and share an episode with another dog owner who might benefit from it.

Support the show

Mike Deathe owns Keep it Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) Dog training. We can be reached through comments here, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kissdogtraining. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedeathe/, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikedeathekissdogtraining/.  And of course at our website https://kissdogtraining.com/