Hear real examples and case studies of the dogs that Phyllis and I have trained, illustrating the principle that sometimes less is more. One case is how Phyllis took a dog aggressive pit bull and taught her to live with her pack of dogs. We emphasize the importance of keeping things simple. We start with the foundational elements, which are often rushed when training dogs. We analyze whether a dog follows our lead, how to build trust, and what clients truly need from their training experience. This podcast offers numerous examples of how we have guided clients to change their behavior in order to improve their dogs' performance in lieu of over-training the dog

However, this podcast isn't just for dog trainers. Dog owners will also find valuable tips to enhance their relationship with their pets.

Phyllis Smuland has been training challenging dogs for nearly four decades. Her clients often become loyal supporters, frequently returning to her for help with multiple dogs across generations. She relied on referrals for nearly 35 years without a website or formal marketing until about five years ago, yet she managed to build a successful income based solely on word-of-mouth recommendations.

In this engaging and insightful conversation with fearful and feral dog expert, Julie Hart, we explore the nuances of working with fearful and feral dogs. Julie shares her journey, beginning with her early experiences fostering dogs and how she transitioned into specializing in canine rehabilitation. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing a dog’s innate ability to adapt and learn through natural social interactions rather than relying solely on food rewards and obedience training. Julie shares personal stories, including her deep bond with Chardonnay, a foster dog she ultimately kept, and how each of her dogs has played a role in shaping her understanding of canine behavior. This podcast is from A Dog's Eye View Podcast also available on Spotify

The reason we make dogs sit is usually to gain control over them and help them calm down. But does this method actually work, and are there better alternatives? Which dogs succeed with sitting as a calming technique, and why? Also, are there any dogs that should not be asked to sit? Sitting is offered as a natural behavior by dogs for many reasons such as watching, waiting, and submission or acquiescing. So how can we tell if asking a dog to sit is achieving the desired behavior? Join me and my mentor, friend and guest, Phyllis Smuland of Canine Counselor Inc. as we dissect the common practice of dog sitting, why we do it, and if we need to.

There are several photos we reference during this talk. To view the photos please go to my Facebook page Hart to Heart Canine Dated 1-27-25 https://www.facebook.com/share/19gQocof5H/

Also I will post this podcat on my Youtube channel - What Dogs HAve Taught Me - and insert the photos into the audio for you to see. https://www.youtube.com/@juliehartdogrehab/videos

Phyllis' website is www.caninecounselorinc.com

I am so lucky that my guest today moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico last year and now I get to hang out with her on a regular basis. Kelly Engel had years of involvement with dog shows, rescue, and animal control before opening her business, Know Thy Dog in Montana. Her facility offered real-world lifestyle training and behavior counseling. Kelly excelled at helping challenging dogs live more fulfilling lives with their families. Currently living with 17 dogs of various shapes and sizes, Kelly believes in the healing power of a pack of dogs and outdoor adventure to bring dogs back to balance. Kelly shares great stories, wisdom from training aggressive dogs for many years, and her thoughts on the challenges dogs and their humans face and how to help them. She also has a Venn diagram for the ultimate balance of skills for dog trainers. With experience, one realizes we can only learn the tippy-tip of knowledge about another species and why it is important to be aware of the many grey areas in dog training.

While taking a five-year sabbatical from training, she delved into feral dogs when she moved to New Mexico. This is when Kelly and I came up with the idea of a joint immersion workshop with feral dogs. Find out more information on this 2 and 6-day workshop at my website www.hart2heartcanine.com/store

Kelly is opening a new business in Santa Fe in 2025. This area can really use Kelly's expertise and I am excited to see her business succeed. When she launces her website the address will be www.kellyengel.com

Martha Hoffman shares her depth of knowledge and insights about dog temperament, especially when evaluating for hearing dogs, dog behavior, and observations from living in Bali and observing the Bali Heritage Dogs. This one is not to be missed!

To learn more from Martha:

Her book is Lend Me an Ear: Temperament, Selection and Training of the Hearing Ear Dog

Martha's Patreon is https://www.patreon.com/c/faunabotanica/posts

Facebook is https://www.facebook.com/martha.hoffman2

The dog photos on the promo for this track are Bali Dogs taken by Martha Hoffman

Anyone that has trained dogs and their people for over 40 years has to have lots of wisdom for us newbies and dog owners. Trish Wamsat of Homeschooled Hounds in California shares her successful mindset, training programs, and what she learned by working at a veternarian's office for over 15 years. Trish and I also talk about challenges of navigating an "always and never" dog training mentality and how it feels to be a moderate. Trish has tried not to stand out by being a tall blade of grass until now. I am honored to have Trish be part of my podcast and share her wisdom with you.

Renowned Attuned Horseman Warwick Schiller shares many insights about energy and attunement with animals and about his Principles of Training. Even though his book is about horses, it is so relevant to our relationship with our dogs, nature and each other. Join me for a Hart to Heart about the best info about dogs that is about horses, and life in general.

I highly recommend Warwicks's book "Principles of Training: Understanding the Relationship Between You and Your Horse, and Why Effective Training Works". Warwick's website is www.warwickschiller.com

Nelson Hodges joins me for part 2 of his interview where we discuss the depth of the Canine Human Relationship Institute courses and how changing perspectives can help us help dogs live better lives with humans.

Nelson Hodges joins me to talk dog behavior, his beginnings with Pato the Aggressive Duck, and how nursery rhymes have affected our views of our dogs close relative, the wolf. Nelson has been rehabilitating and training severe case dogs for over 40 years.

It takes a special kind of person to stay in dog rescue for 20+ years. My guest Lanya Androlewicz is a unique combination of compassion, stability, honesty and realism that has allowed her to not turn a blind eye to dogs in need. Listen in while we talk about our ethics of dog rescue, how we stay sane, spay neuter from a rescue standpoint, how we run the rescue People's Anti-Cruelty Association, and lots of fun stories intertwined in between.