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

Why won’t some dogs play fetch? And does rolling onto the back always mean a dog wants a belly rub?

In this episode, Mike Deathe of K.I.S.S. Dog Training tackles two common dog-owner questions.

First, Mike talks about fetch.

Some dogs naturally love the game, while others need to learn how it works. If your dog grabs the ball but refuses to bring it back, they may actually be trying to turn fetch into a game of chase.

Mike explains how using two identical toys can help teach the dog to return and drop one item in exchange for the next. He also explains why you should end the game while your dog still wants to keep playing instead of waiting until the dog gets bored.

The second half focuses on canine body language.

A dog rolling onto its back does not always mean “please rub my belly.”

For some dogs, especially fearful, anxious, or reactive dogs, rolling over may be an appeasement or “tap out” behavior. If the dog is stiff, avoiding eye contact, keeping its mouth closed, growling, or otherwise looking uncomfortable, reaching in to pet the belly may make the dog feel trapped.

Understanding the difference requires looking at the whole dog—not just one body position.

Topics include:

• Teaching fetch with two toys
• Preventing fetch from turning into chase
• Ending games while the dog still wants more
• Reading canine body language
• Belly-rub behavior versus fearful submission
• Signs of stress and discomfort
• Why fearful dogs need space and choice

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

Bringing a new dog into a household can go smoothly—but only if you resist the temptation to simply put the dogs together and hope for the best.

In this episode, Mike Deathe of K.I.S.S. Dog Training discusses two closely related topics: resource guarding and introducing a new dog to an existing pack.

Mike explains that resource guarding is a normal canine behavior. Dogs may guard food, toys, people, resting areas, or other valuable resources. The goal is not necessarily to eliminate every hint of guarding, but to manage the environment so dogs are not repeatedly put into situations where conflict is likely.

Topics include:

• Feeding dogs separately
• Using crates and baby gates for management
• Removing food bowls after meals
• The difference between separation and isolation
• Avoiding unnecessary competition over high-value resources
• Using Leave It and redirection before conflict escalates

The second half focuses on introducing a new dog.

Mike recommends beginning with a parallel walk at a comfortable distance, then moving to a monitored backyard introduction before bringing the dogs inside. Once indoors, gates and zone training can allow the dogs to experience one another gradually without being forced into constant interaction.

Introductions should be short, controlled, and repeated frequently rather than allowing dogs to become overstimulated.

Mike also discusses the commonly used 3-day, 3-week, 3-month adjustment guideline and why a newly adopted dog may not show its full personality immediately.

The goal is simple: go slowly, stay under threshold, manage the environment, and create successful experiences instead of waiting for problems to happen.

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 tackles two topics that can create serious problems when convenience gets put ahead of safety: off-leash dogs and wireless fences.

Mike Deathe of K.I.S.S. Dog Training starts with one of his biggest pet peeves—dogs being allowed off leash in areas where leash laws apply.

Your dog may be friendly, but that does not mean the dog coming around the corner is. Some dogs are fearful, leash reactive, dog selective, or simply uncomfortable being approached. When an off-leash dog rushes a dog that is properly restrained, the situation can escalate quickly.

Mike also discusses wireless fences and the questions owners should consider before using one.

Topics include:

• Why leash laws protect more than just your own dog
• The danger of “Don’t worry, my dog is friendly”
• Why reactive dogs may feel trapped on leash
• Wildlife entering a wireless-fence boundary
• Children and strangers unknowingly entering the dog’s space
• Territorial behavior in front yards
• Why wireless fences should not replace supervision
• The difference between brief bathroom access and leaving a dog outside unattended

Mike explains that he prefers physical fencing and positive-reinforcement training whenever possible, while recognizing that some homeowners may face restrictions that make other options necessary.

The goal is not to judge owners. It is to understand the risks, think through the environment, and make decisions that protect 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

Good dog training is not about one brilliant session. It is about what happens between sessions.

In this episode, Mike Deathe of K.I.S.S. Dog Training looks at two closely related topics: the importance of frequency and consistency in training, and a different way to approach leash pulling.

Mike explains why short, frequent practice sessions are often more productive than trying to push through a difficult hour. When a dog is struggling around another dog, distraction, or new environment, the answer may be to slow down, increase distance, stay under threshold, and give the dog more opportunities to practice successfully.

The second half focuses on leash skills.

Instead of starting with a short four- or six-foot leash and constantly correcting pulling, Mike recommends beginning with more freedom on a 15-foot long line. The dog learns an out-and-in game: move away, come back, Sit, get rewarded, and then go explore again.

As the dog becomes successful, the working distance gradually decreases from 15 feet to 10 feet and eventually to 5 feet.

Training also progresses through increasingly difficult environments:

• Inside the house
• Backyard
• Front yard and driveway
• Sidewalk
• Neighborhood walks
• Parks and higher-distraction environments

The goal is to teach the dog how to walk with you rather than constantly fighting against leash pressure.

Related K.I.S.S. Dog Training books mentioned in the episode include How to Make Your Dog Come Without Being a Butthead and Woe Dog Woe.

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 to love every person, every dog, and every situation?

No.

In this episode, Mike Deathe of K.I.S.S. Dog Training discusses one of the biggest misconceptions dog owners face: the idea that every dog should be highly social and comfortable everywhere.

The dogs we notice in parks, neighborhoods, patios, and public places are often the dogs that are naturally comfortable being there. What we do not see are the many dogs that are fearful, leash reactive, dog selective, people selective, or simply happier in quieter environments.

Mike explains why comparing your dog to the neighbor’s “perfect” dog can create unrealistic expectations and unnecessary frustration.

Topics include:

• Why many dogs are socially selective
• The difference between puppy socialization and adult behavior
• Why an adult dog’s history matters
• Managing, modifying, and improving behavior rather than promising a complete “fix”
• Understanding your dog’s individual limits
• Working below threshold
• Why flooding can make fear and reactivity worse
• Using distance and gradual exposure
• The importance of regular practice

A dog does not need to enjoy dog parks, crowded sidewalks, strangers, or every dog it meets to be a good dog.

The goal is to understand the dog you actually have, help that dog improve where possible, and avoid forcing it into situations it is not ready to handle.

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

Toys are not just something to throw on the floor and hope your dog entertains himself.

In this episode, Mike Deathe of K.I.S.S. Dog Training and Emery Kittle discuss how toys, treats, and interactive feeding products can become useful parts of a positive-reinforcement training program.

Mike explains how Kongs, treat-dispensing toys, food puzzles, and even homemade enrichment can help reduce boredom, create positive crate associations, and give dogs appropriate ways to use natural behaviors such as chewing, digging, and problem-solving.

The discussion also covers using play itself as a training reward.

Topics include:

• Using frozen Kongs and interactive feeding toys
• Creating positive associations with the crate
• Building a designated digging area for dogs that love to dig
• Teaching impulse control through tug
• Using Sit, Wait, Take It, and Drop It during play
• Teaching dogs to trade rather than guard objects
• Using two-ball fetch to encourage retrieving and releasing
• Choosing toys based on your dog’s chewing style
• Managing high-value toys and treats safely in multi-dog homes

The trainer’s tip looks at separation anxiety and how food-based activities can help change the emotional meaning of departure routines. Instead of every pair of shoes, set of keys, or purse signaling something negative, those cues can gradually become associated with something the dog enjoys.

Emery also discusses picky eaters, overfeeding, treats, table scraps, food freshness, and when a sudden change in appetite may warrant a veterinary visit.

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

January is National Train Your Dog Month, which makes it a perfect time to get back to some of the basics.

In this episode, Mike Deathe of K.I.S.S. Dog Training focuses on three foundational areas that can make a huge difference with a new puppy or dog: hand feeding, crate training, and socialization.

Mike explains how hand feeding can be used for much more than simply delivering food. It can help build attention, engagement, recall, Sit, Down, Stay, Leave It, crate skills, and the early foundations of loose-leash walking.

He also discusses why crate training should be part of normal everyday life. If the crate is only used when the family leaves or goes to bed, the dog can begin associating it with losing access to the people they love. Instead, Mike recommends building positive crate routines during ordinary activities such as watching TV, preparing meals, and answering the door.

The episode also looks at socialization and the difference between working with a young puppy and an adult dog who may already be fearful or reactive. The goal with adult dogs is often management, modification, and improvement rather than promising a complete fix.

The trainer’s tip shows how to make hand feeding even more useful by moving around the house and practicing attention and basic skills in different locations.

Emery Kittle also contributes discussions about raw feeding, pet nutrition, and supplements.

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

A puppy under the Christmas tree sounds perfect—until the wrapping paper is gone and the real work begins.

In this holiday episode, Mike Deathe of K.I.S.S. Dog Training and Emery Kittle discuss why giving a puppy or dog as a surprise gift is usually a bad idea unless everyone involved has already planned for the responsibility.

A dog is not a short-term present. It is a long-term commitment involving training, veterinary care, grooming, feeding, exercise, scheduling, and daily responsibility.

Topics include:

• Why surprise puppies often create problems
• Making sure the entire family actually wants the dog
• Matching the breed and individual dog to your lifestyle
• Planning for potty training, work schedules, daycare, and dog walkers
• Considering grooming and veterinary costs before choosing a breed
• Preparing existing pets for a new puppy
• Why young children should not be expected to carry the responsibility
• Talking with a trainer, veterinarian, and groomer before bringing the dog home

Mike also offers a better holiday-gift idea: wrap the crate, bed, bowls, and puppy supplies, announce that the family is going to get a dog, and then spend the next several weeks preparing properly.

Another option is fostering. Fostering gives the family a chance to experience dog ownership while also helping a rescue dog—and sometimes the foster turns into the perfect permanent match.

The trainer’s tip covers the beginning of leash training and why the best place to start is often inside your own home, where distractions are low and the dog can learn to move with you before tackling the outside world.

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

Thanksgiving may be the theme, but this episode is really about one of the biggest problems in dog training: frustration.

Mike Deathe of K.I.S.S. Dog Training explains why waiting until you are frustrated to work with your dog often leads to poor training decisions. When frustration takes over, owners tend to focus more on mistakes, punishment, and what they want the dog to stop doing instead of clearly teaching what they want the dog to do.

Topics include:

• Why simply saying “No” gives a dog very little useful information
• Redirecting unwanted behavior into a behavior you can reward
• Why punishment and frustration are not the same thing
• Using cause and effect without becoming angry or physical
• Why dogs do not generalize training well between environments
• Why expecting 100% reliability is unrealistic
• Teaching first and increasing difficulty gradually

Mike also discusses how something learned perfectly in the living room may fall apart in the backyard, driveway, park, or around distractions. Reliable behavior has to be practiced in the environments where you expect to use it.

The trainer’s tip continues the theme by looking at stress, counterconditioning, and threshold. A little stress is not automatically harmful, but pushing a fearful or reactive dog past threshold can turn training into flooding and give the dog more opportunities to practice the behavior you are trying to change.

The better approach is short sessions, frequent practice, gradual progress, and keeping the dog successful.

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 is all about questions from listeners.

Mike Deathe of K.I.S.S. Dog Training and Emery Kittle answer a mix of dog-training and pet-nutrition questions covering everything from food and sensitive stomachs to reinforcement, trainer credentials, and treats.

Nutrition topics include:

• Are dogs carnivores?
• Foods dog owners should be cautious about
• What to consider with a sensitive stomach
• Why some dogs tolerate certain proteins better than others
• How to gradually transition from one dog food to another

The training side covers the difference between positive reinforcement and positive punishment. Mike explains why he prefers teaching and rewarding the behavior he wants rather than waiting for a dog to make a mistake and then correcting it.

The episode also looks at the dog-training industry itself. Because dog training is largely unregulated, Mike explains why owners should ask about education, certification, continuing education, experience, and training philosophy before choosing a trainer.

Another common question is whether owners will always need treats. Mike explains how rewards can progress from a continual schedule, where the dog is rewarded frequently while learning, to more selective and intermittent reinforcement as the behavior becomes reliable.

The trainer’s tip also compares private in-home training with group classes and explains why learning skills at home first can make a distracting group environment much more productive later.

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/