A criticism often leveled at force free training is that it doesn't work or isn't as effective as more traditional punishment-based methods. Your Family Dog has tackled this topic before, but today Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring use an internet video making the rounds to once again address some of the more common criticisms about positive reinforcement training.

For show notes please see: Your Family Dog

We all have our own little quirks, and so do our dogs. In fact, a lot of the things our canine friends do cross the line from quirky into downright weird. Whether it's fake-peeing, favoring one leg over the other when going to the bathroom, or rolling in dead animals, there are all kinds of things that make us scratch our heads and say "Why does my dog DO that?" Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring discuss the weird things our dogs do and what may (or may not) be going through their furry little heads while they do them.

For show notes and more, please go to: Your Family Dog

The new year is upon us! For many of us, this means setting goals and making resolutions. For almost as many of us, this also means having them blown to smithereens before January even hits its halfway point. So what can we do about it? Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring offer advice not only on how to set goals for yourself and your dog, but also on how to achieve those goals and give yourself and Fido grace if you fall short.

For shows please go to: Your Family Dog

The holidays are here and what better way to celebrate than with a buffet? Join  Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring as they serve up a smorgasbord of tips and tricks on everything from traveling with your pups to getting uncooperative pets to take their pills.

For more info and show notes please go to: Your Family Dog

It's time for trainer talk! Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring are joined by fellow positive reinforcement trainer Susan Riley-Coyner BA, RVT, CPDT-KA, KPA CTP, to talk about the benefits of positive training, their experience as crossover trainers, and where dog training might be headed next.

For show notes, please go to: Your Family Dog

We've all heard the phrase "you are what you eat," and we all know about the importance of eating a healthy, balanced diet (even if we don't always do a good job with it). But what about our pets? Good nutrition is just as important for our animals as it is for us, but the information out there is often just as confusing as well. Today Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring are joined by veterinary nutritionist Dr. Laura Gaylord to discuss the importance of good nutrition and how to begin putting together a healthy diet for your furry friends.

For more information please see: Your Family Dog

It's the most wonderful time of the year...but also sometimes the most stressful, both for people and their pets. Parties, visitors, traveling, and of course all the food can throw even the calmest and most well-trained dog for a loop. But chaos doesn't have to be the name of the game! Julie and Tina provide advice and tips on how to manage the hustle and bustle of the holidays so that you and your dogs can both find some comfort and joy.

For more information and show notes: Your Family Dog

So you've got a new dog- now what? You love Fido, but he's got some behaviors you could live without- things like jumping, chewing the furniture, and tugging at the leash. Where do you start with all this? What do you tackle first and how? Join Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring as they discuss the best way to start when it comes to training and behavior modification so you can get started on the road to success.

For show notes please go to: Your Family Dog

Physical therapy is one of those things nobody thinks about until they need it. And if we don't think about it for us, even less do we think about it for our dog. But dogs, like humans, can benefit from physical therapy, even without it being necessitated by injury or surgery. Join Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring as they chat with Steph Evans, a physiotherapist for both humans and their pets, about the benefits of physical therapy and the best way to keep you and your dog in tiptop condition.

For show notes and links please go to: Your Family Dog

Long time listeners of Your Family Dog will be familiar with the Five Freedoms and how they can help your dog have a happier, healthier life. Similar to this is the idea of the Five Domains- the five areas of life where you can not just remove negative experience from your dog's life but actively add in positive ones as well. Julie and Tina talk about the Five Domains and how simple additions to your routine can make a big difference in the life of your canine friend.

For show notes and more, please see: Your Family Dog