Good Dog Workshop

All puppies bite. It's how they test things and explore their world. Not because they're aggressive or trying to take over or want to hurt you. Marina & Brian delve deep into this topic to help you navigate your way through one of the most normal things that puppies do.

In this episode, Marina & Brian discuss 3 new clients for their DogMatch service, where they help match up their clients with a dog that is right for their lifestyle. As Brian says "If you call us to help you find a new dog through DogMatch, you won't be calling us later for training."

In today's episode, Marina talks with Brian about her recent experience with her German Shepherd LADY who had heartworms when Marina adopted her. It's a common ailment for dogs and it is treatable, but it can be challenging for owners to get their dogs through the heartworm treatment while still fulfilling their dogs' needs.Please consult a veterinarian for proper medical diagnosis and treatment of heartworms.

In this episode, Marina & Brian discuss the "Learned Helplessness" of two recent clients' dogs. It's a sad thing to see but both dogs showed they can get past it and become happy and balanced. Find out more about this and learn how you can prevent something like this from happening to your dog!

In this episode, Marina & Brian discuss Marina's new foster dog GEORGE, a hound mix found as a stray in Texas. Learn how we at Good Dog Workshop work with George to help him overcome his anxiety, leash reactivity and resource guarding, and to ultimately help him find his new Forever Home.

Within a very short time after meeting German Shepherd MARY, Marina added Mary (now Lady) to her pack and is learning more about her by the hour. In this episode, Marina & Brian discuss the newest addition to the Good Dog Workshop pack: how she fits into her new pack already, what she knows (and doesn't know), and how we'll be able to mold her natural talents to make her into a fine Good Dog Workshop "lady".

Sometimes you end up being our own client. In this case, Marina's awesome German Shepherd SASHA will be retiring soon, so Marina & Brian are doing their DogMatch service for themselves. In this episode, get a behind-the-curtain peek into the process of finding a new dog as Marina & Brian share their search for a new dog assistant for their Good Dog Workshop pack who is also a new family pet for Marina. Listen to them discuss all the steps they go through when helping a client find the next dog for their family: What breed? What size? Male or female? How old? What temperament? Why now? and so forth.

In this episode, Marina and our awesome intern Faith discuss dogs, how Faith came to find Good Dog Workshop, some of the training sessions they've done together,  what Faith has learned, and what she hopes to do with dogs going forward.

Marina & Brian take another light-hearted look at a sampling of online inquiries from dog owners with 'misbehaving' dogs. Listen and learn as Marina & Brian discuss what they 'read' from what's written (and not written) about the dogs' behavior, the dogs' environment and the people. 

Marina & Brian discuss the importance of training your dog to be trustworthy off-leash. Through off-leash training, you can use your voice (at a great distance) to keep your dog safe, under control yet still give your dog the freedom to explore while still being attentive to you & your pack. This is a great skill that further strengthens the bond between you & your dog!

Equal parts fun AND annoying, puppies are not for everyone. In this episode, Marina & Brian share everything they've learned about two new puppies that they've spent a ton of time with. Hear the good, the bad & the ugly about STAR the Lab mix and SUSHI the cattle dog mix! 

Marina & Brian discuss a seemingly growing trend: Elderly, physically-limited dog owners getting energetic dogs. Sometimes it involves people ending up with a puppy or high-energy dog pushed on them by their adult kids who got a dog for themselves, then move back home and suddenly the elderly parents have to take care of the dog. But more often than not, it involves older people with health issues which severely limit their ability to exercise a dog, but choose a puppy having forgotten how much work and physical activity is required to raise a puppy. And that often leads to rambunctious & frustrated pups who do whatever they feel they need to to release their energy: destructive chewing, jumping on people and furniture, digging in the yard, incessant barking, and nipping and biting people — a lousy situation for people and for the puppy. There are so many ways to avoid this. Listen to found out how.

Ever notice how people with small dogs oftentimes let their dogs get away with behavior that they wouldn't let slide with a big dog?  Marina & Brian discuss the problems dog owners have when they raise their small dogs differently than their big dogs. 

After each training session with a client, the Good Dog Workshop staff discuss with each other in great detail what occurred during the training. Get a behind-the-scenes look into the work done AFTER the training session is done.

Want to know what's been going on with BAGEL the beagle, SQUIRTY the Corgi, and BEAN the Boxer? Marina & Brian share the latest about a few of the dogs they've recently worked with and fostered. PLUS, meet CALLIE, a super sweet female cattle dog who is the newest member of the Good Dog Workshop pack. 

One dog is being blamed for the fights but she's not the problem. The fights keep getting worse and worse. Dogs AND people are getting hurt. Something has to give. Find out what happened.

Good Dog Workshop is looking for another dog behaviorist / trainer! Listen to learn what we're looking for in a new hire and why we value HONESTY, INTEGRITY and EMPATHY more than certifications and number of years working with dogs.

Brian interviews fellow dog behaviorist Paul Hewitt, founder of Beard Meets Dog based in Bournemouth, England. Learn about Paul and how he got his start in the dog behavior world, his philosophies on working with dogs, his favorite breeds, and his ultimate goal for the future of Beard Meets Dog.

From Brian: In November of 2021, my cattle dog RED passed away from a very aggressive inoperable nasal tumor. And just last week at the end of February 2022, my beagle VIVIAN passed away after a long bout with lymphoma. The loss of Red and Vivian has been devastating for me personally and incredibly impactful to Good Dog Workshop and the work am do with my clients. We at Good Dog Workshop know that you—our listeners—grew to know and love Vivian and Red through the podcast and we appreciate your support during our grief.As we all know, life keeps moving on no matter what happens or how we feel, and we must continue to move as well. So we include in this podcast our thoughts and experiences as we look for two new assistants to add to Brian's pack.

Brian & Marina discuss a recent training session with a client who said her dog had "severe" separation anxiety. It turns out that lots of dog owners perceive many things as 'separation anxiety' and often not what it really is. 

In this episode, Marina & Brian discuss BAGEL, a young beagle whom Brian is fostering from the Fauquier SPCA. These days, Brian chooses a foster dog not only to help out a dog in need and to make the dog more adoptable, he is also essentially interviewing Bagel as a potential new pack member & assistant for Good Dog Workshop. Find out Brian's checklist for his next assistant and his routine for bringing a new dog into his home and pack.

For today's podcast, Brian surprises Marina with a series of questions that she had no previous knowledge of on a wide variety of topics ranging from Easiest Breed, Funniest Dog Names, Emotional Support Dogs, and the Startle Lady at the Dog Park!

In this second-to-last myth podcast, Marina & Brian discuss the widely-held belief that if a dog has been surrendered by someone, there must be something inherently wrong with the dog. Nothing could be further from the truth. Listen as Brian & Marina talk about the real reasons dogs are surrendered, returned, given up, dumped and how the people contribute to—and in most cases—create the problem behaviors.

Brian & Marina discuss the outstanding work of recent clients with their young pit bull SADIE. Within less than 20 minutes, Brian was able to help these clients transform their anxious, barking 7-month-old into a respectful, calm, happy pup. This was an excellent example of how WE (the humans) are the most important component in our dogs' environment; and if we change, our dogs can change! These clients and their dog were fantastic!

Marina & Brian give their no-nonsense reasons why German Shepherds are not for everyone. It's been said that "The breed is marked by a willingness to learn and an eagerness to have a purpose". This can be a phenomenal dog with the right leadership and—of course—proper exercise, but without it, this breed often becomes anxious and starts making bad decisions...which often involve using its teeth. Before considering this breed, do your research and do an honest self-evaluation of your available time, lifestyle, and leadership to make sure a German Shepherd is right for you.And please call or text us directly if you have any questions about getting a German Shepherd or need help with your own: 703-489-1319.Please don't forget to give us a 5-star review wherever you listen to this podcast. Thank you for your support!

All dog parks are NOT the same! Hear what Marina has to say about some new dog parks she visited with Sailor and Sasha on her recent trip to North Carolina and Tennessee. 

Let's just call this one Whack-A-Mole. In this podcast, Marina & Brian discuss a training session they had with 4 very different dogs, 3 very different humans, an endless peppering of conflicting, incomplete and contradictory information, AND a client who repeatedly turned her back in mid-conversation and started talking to one of her dogs. Truth is stranger than fiction.  All names of dogs and people were omitted to protect the privacy of these clients.

Marina & Brian discuss some of the common problems which result from a lack of Leadership with a dog. Find out some of the reasons why dogs misbehave and fail to respond to their owners.

Marina & Brian debunk the 5 most common things that dog owners are told cause aggression: Playing Tug, Roughhousing, Staring At, E-Collars, and Other Dogs. Take a listen and found out why these things DO NOT cause aggression, what their actual purpose is, and how to get the most benefit from them.

In this episode, Marina & Brian discuss adolescent dogs (generally between 6-18 months), and some of the typical challenges that come along with dogs at that stage in life, including the particular issues that have arisen with so many "COVID Puppies" who were adopted/bought during the pandemic last year. They go over in great detail 2 adolescent dogs they recently worked with and how the future looks for those 2 dogs.

Marina & Brian discuss the pros and cons of traveling with your dog  and how to do it safely and enjoyably!

In this episode, Brian & Marina tackle one of the most common myths about dogs: A wagging tail means the dog is happy. Listen to learn the truth behind this snapshot of a dog's body language.

Brian discusses Leadership with expert Strategist & Leadership Coach Shari Goodwin, author of best sellers Reinventing Greatness: Leading Yourself & Others Through Change with Confidence & Trust and Take the Reins! 7 Secrets to Inspired Leadership. Whether you're working with people, dogs or even horses (Shari's specialty), Leadership—and the energy and intention you project—is something you need to be aware of to be an effective Leader in your professional AND your personal life.

Marina & Brian discuss BUCKY, a big, handsome German Shepherd looking for his "forever home". Learn more about Bucky and help spread the word to find him a family who is perfect for him!

Marina & Brian explain another myth: When bringing dogs together, you should let THEM sort out any issues. WRONG! We (the people) need to be in charge of our dogs, and that means that we sort things out between dogs, not let them "figure it out" themselves.

Marina & Brian dive into the sometimes muddy waters of diagnosing dog behavior problems, beginning with our first phone call with the client / dog owner. What we're told about a dog's behavior is often just the tip of the iceberg, and it's our job to figure out what's really going on, and to show our clients how to resolve the problematic behavior.

The 6th installment of our series on Myths surrounding dog behavior, Marina & Brian discuss how Positive Reinforcement Only is NOT only positive reinforcement. 

Marina & Brian take a look at Nat Geo's TV show "Dog: Impossible" and analyze the training methods & techniques used to help dog owners with their dogs' unwanted behavior. Watch his show to see what trainer Matt Beisner says and does, and then learn why so much of it is ineffective.

In this episode, Marina & Brian discuss a person's (or dog's) physical position in the pack relative to others. Many think if the human is out front, the human must be in charge (or if the dog is out front, the dog must be in charge). Not so. Listen and learn why this is a myth.

Marina relays her recent experience in which she was bitten by a German Shepherd. What a cool story!

Myth: A LEASHED dog does not equate to a CONTROLLED dog. Many counties in the U.S. have leash laws but just because a dog is leashed, doesn't mean the dog's owner has control of him. And for those of us living in counties without a leash law, a dog off-leash does not equate to a dog not in control. Listen and share your comments & questions!

Next in the countdown of Myths, Marina & Brian discuss: Holding your hand out to let a dog sniff you. So many people do it when they're meeting dog for the first time — Find out why it's not the best thing to do!

In this new series, Brian & Marina discuss some common myths about dogs. This episode's topic is: If you ever let your dog jump up on you, he'll jump up on everyone. Listen and find out the truth about this myth.

In this new series, Brian & Marina discuss some common myths about dogs. This first one: Can a dog be too young or too old to train?

In part 2 of this series, Marina & Brian discuss the socialization issues of 3 different dogs: Rose, Buki and Gordita.

Marina & Brian discuss the importance of spending "quality time" with your dog. What does "quality time" mean? What does it look like? Why is it important? And how do my dog & I benefit from it? (Hint: It's the opposite of being lazy with your dog.)

Marina & Brian discuss the importance of socializing your dog, and that it's never too late to get started! How long do YOU go without interacting with another person? Let's be fair to our dogs and provide them the same need and get them socialized every day.

Marina & Brian discuss Marina's new German Shepherd, SASHA, and their evaluations of three other shepherds with very different temperaments.

Marina & Brian discuss the good, bad and ugly of "board & train" services.

Marina & Brian have an impromptu discussion about German Shorthaired Pointers, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers and other ultra-high-energy dogs. You'll hear their very frank opinions about these specific dogs and what you can expect if you bring one into your home/life.

Marina & Brian discuss a recent client with 4 dogs. Although the client called us for one dog's behavior, one of the other dogs had a much bigger problem AND their new puppy was already picking up bad habits from the older dogs. A whole lot to address here.