Podcasts about rottie

Deborah Wolfe talks about Bears, Racoons, a horse hotel guest and fishermen saving a man & dog from a bear. The show begins with a discussion of a guilty plea in the black market bear parts trade, and an incident where fisherman saved a man & dog from a bear. What do dog owners need to know to keep dogs safe from bears and cats safe from coyotes. Plus did you know there is a very large horse who stays in a fancy hotel? News about stoned raccoons, fentanyl concealed in dog treats and why you get a different kind of loyalty from rescued cats & dogs; and why dogs rescued on vacation trips sometimes need training once home. For the most part adopted rescued pets like Chopper the Rottie cross (who behaved like a security officer at all times ) make for the most grateful and loyal and delightful pets EPISODE NOTES: Wild to Wonderful: Rescued Pets, Bear Escapes & Stoned Raccoons

It's Q & A Day. Thanks for your questions! Loving the detail you give which allows me to dive further into your issues. Don't forget, if you'd like your question answered, shoot your questions over to Info@leadyourpacklv.com We appreciate you all. Have you subscribed to my channel or seen my social media content? I post almost daily! Check it out @leaderofthepacklv on all platforms

Our Paw Pics winner of the month is Timmy the Cat from Laveen! Plus, Valerie Johnson from Rotten Rottie Rescue joins us to talk about how the rescue helps to save animals. 

Welcome Back into The Cafe! On this week's episode the doctor is in, Dr. Sunny Ravencourt that is. Sunny Ravencourt is from The University of Coruscant, he'll tell us all about the UofC and of course he will also answers the BMC 5: 1) What is your SW Story? 2) Who are your 5 favorite SW characters? 3) What is your favorite SW film? 4) What is your favorite animated SW series? 5) Who would you be in the world of SW? Bonus: What Star Wars subject would you like to know more about? Also I have a special appearance from Lacey, my beautiful Rottie...  You can follow Sunny, on Twitter @UofCoruscant, website www.universityofcoruscant.com The BMC Question of The Week: What is your favorite LESSER known Star Wars location? The question will be pinned to the top of my Twitter account all week, you can reply to it there, thank you. Please if you have any feedback for The BMC Holo-Booth, you can send it to @ThatBMCPod or @LazyPorg on Twitter, you can also Like the Facebook page @ThatBMCPod you can also email me a voice mail at PorgBach@Gmail.com or follow the link below to leave a message. Until next time: I have spoken! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebluemilkcafe/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebluemilkcafe/support

This is a recording of our live chat on twitter.  Apologies for the audio, our main recording failed and this is the backup.Wow.  We had Marla, a differently abled person on our show to chat about disability rights, accessibility, and her wonderful and amazing dog Kuno.  It opened our eyes to the world that is very differently experience by those in wheelchairs.It's a powerful discussion.  Marla is an amazing person!Kuno: https://twitter.com/servicerottieshttps://servicerotties.com/Bunsen and Beaker Links:The Bunsen and Beaker Website has adorable merch with hundreds of different combinations of designs and apparel- all with Printful- one of the highest quality companies we could find!www.bunsenbernerbmd.comOur Spaces Sponsor: Bark and Beyond Supplyhttps://barkandbeyondsupply.com/Bunsen and Beaker on Twitter:https://twitter.com/bunsenbernerbmdBunsen and Beaker on Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/bunsenberner.bmd/InstaBunsandBeakshttps://www.instagram.com/bunsenberner.bmd/?hl=enSupport the showFor Science, Empathy, and Cuteness!Being Kind is a Superpower.https://twitter.com/bunsenbernerbmd

The sad passing of Queen Elizabeth is a chance to remember her many dogs and the love of dogs the Royal family exhibits to this day with their many dogs. How many Royals own cats? Are corgis the only dog the queen owned? If you were a Royal you could afford any pet so what pets do they choose? Even with their wealth and access to trainers and handlers the royals have had some pet tragedy that Deborah explains is sometimes unavoidable. Sometimes pets get into trouble and the owners must not blame themselves forever as even the Royals, Ellen and Oprah have had pet tragedies. Fall is pumpkin season so let them eat pumpkin!! Deborah explains how pumpkin can help your dog regulate his system and suggests it as a great treat. Next Deb helps some listeners with dog behavior problems including an older gigantic Rottie who lunges at people, car sickness and separation anxiety. Old dogs can learn new tricks! Lola the terrorist terrier rescued from California can learn to be alone even after two years of barking for daycare. EPISODE NOTES: Royal Family Dogs

The Rottweiler has a rich, storied history dating back to the days of the Roman Empire. The "Rottie," as it is often affectionately known, is an energetic, powerful, watchful breed. Rottweilers can be loving, sweet, exemplary pets if raised properly--with lots of early socialization and no-nonsense rules. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Season 3 Ep.2 Of Major Key Podcast. Hosted By It's Da Pilot. Episode 2 Of The Season 3 With Special Guest Lil Rottie. We Discuss The Start Of His Career, Getting Signed And The Moves He's Made So Far In The Music Industry. Also Giving You Our Perspective On Local & Global

Steven, Chase, and Wayne don't just do breweries! They venture into somewhat of a rarity in SC... a beer garden! The Palmetto Trio sit down with owners John and Yana Allen and then play a little Pups 'N Pints. 

The deep fake videos where humans are celebrated for saving dogs lives, and the true real-life story where dogs are credited with saving a man's life. The rise of fake animal rescue videos Fake animal rescue videos are on the rise and they are getting more sophisticated. The latest effort from Australia, showed up on TikTok and it had millions of people fooled. So, what did the experts find to debunk it as fake and what is being done more broadly to stamp out this awful practice? TikTok deletes fake animal rescue video How to spot a fake animal rescue video London Calling: Urban Dogs Pampered Chef/owner Barry Karacostas' wife handed him an ultimatum: get your life together and stop partying. She also handed him their dog's leash. Forced to come home to feed and walk Leo, their Rottweiler, Barry's priorities shifted. The pair started running in the park off lead. Both became more fit, and Barry stayed sober. They were on the right path … and it led to a brand-new business. Now he's reimagining wellness for every dog – and human – in London as a thank you to the species he credits with saving his life. Dog Lovers Live – The Vets Unleashed Dog Lovers Live, a discovery of dog loving podcasters and YouTubers. The Vets Unleashed is a podcast for animal lovers, cocktails and snacks. Join The Bow Tie Vet Guy Dr Mike McClenahan and his best mate Dr Scott Weinman, as animal professionals and animal lovers discuss the wild kingdom - after hours! The Vets Unleashed: https://thevetsunleashed.libsyn.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thevetsunleashed/ About Barry Karacostas, Urban Mutts Barry Karacostas was a chef-owner going through a difficult time. His dog, Leo, was a kind-hearted Rottie who knew just what he needed. Dragging Barry out for daily walks led to conversations with other dog lovers. As he and Leo became fit and healthy, Barry invited more dogs to join their off-lead pack. His Dog Jogger business attracted celebrity clients. As he learned about canine psychology, Barry realized dogs needed true wellness. He opened Urban Mutts Dog Club & Hotel … a re-imagined day care and hotel facility that is the ultimate “five-star hotel” for dogs and their Londoner companions. Urban Mutts Hotels Instagram: Dog Jogger Instagram: Urban Mutts Linked In Profile

HELP SAVE DOGMANITY This four-part series aims to raise awareness about the plight of homeless dogs in America. We can help save thousands of these homeless dogs from being euthanized each day around the country so stay tuned to the series and may it inspire you to become involved and take action to help these animals. Our first show will highlight Volunteer KELLY AMBROSE of MOUNTAIN ROTTIE RESCUE a nonprofit organization run by volunteer fosters located in The Capital District of New York, Central New York, and Catskill Mountain areas dedicated to re-homing homeless dogs of all breeds. Some dogs are owner surrendered, but most come from kill shelters. KELLY AMBROSE and her staff of compassionate, knowledgeable, and dedicated volunteers open their hearts and their homes to nurture these abused, frightened, abandoned dogs so that they may find a forever home. Mountain Rottie Rescue is known for its due diligence in reviewing applications of potential adopters and they work tirelessly to match each canine client with the right person/family environment.   MOUNTAIN ROTTIE RESCUE INSTAGRAM  TWITTER: @MountainRottie  MOUNTAIN ROTTIE RESCUE   NEXT WEEK SHOW #2  TUNE IN TO MEET  Valerie Ellsworth - Founder of the NOTHING BUT LOVE CANINE FOUNDATION which provides financial support for spay & neuter services and heart-worm treatment for rescue dogs in need all over the United States.  

HELP SAVE DOGMANITY This four-part series aims to raise awareness about the plight of homeless dogs in America. We can help save thousands of these homeless dogs from being euthanized each day around the country so stay tuned to the series and may it inspire you to become involved and take action to help these animals. Our first show will highlight Volunteer KELLY AMBROSE of MOUNTAIN ROTTIE RESCUE a nonprofit organization run by volunteer fosters located in The Capital District of New York, Central New York, and Catskill Mountain areas dedicated to re-homing homeless dogs of all breeds. Some dogs are owner surrendered, but most come from kill shelters. KELLY AMBROSE and her staff of compassionate, knowledgeable, and dedicated volunteers open their hearts and their homes to nurture these abused, frightened, abandoned dogs so that they may find a forever home. Mountain Rottie Rescue is known for its due diligence in reviewing applications of potential adopters and they work tirelessly to match each canine client with the right person/family environment.   MOUNTAIN ROTTIE RESCUE INSTAGRAM  TWITTER: @MountainRottie  MOUNTAIN ROTTIE RESCUE   NEXT WEEK SHOW #2  TUNE IN TO MEET  Valerie Ellsworth - Founder of the NOTHING BUT LOVE CANINE FOUNDATION which provides financial support for spay & neuter services and heart-worm treatment for rescue dogs in need all over the United States.  

We're back with episode 111 of Shaking It Up With The Sharks. Today Johnny and Katie are joined by up and coming rapper, artist and entrepreneur, Lil Rottie who's been on the rise over the last year with an eye toward taking his brand to a global level. Remember, when you're looking to level up your skills in the Real Estate game and close more deal with less showings in record time, join me and a host of other real estate ninjas over at: https://directrealestatevt.com Now, sit back and enjoy the latest episode of Shaking It Up With The Sharks.

Jo discusses all things Rottweilers with resident Rottie expert Ross McCarthy of The London Dog Behaviour Company. Ross has over 25 years experience working with Rottweilers, including training for working trials and personal protection, and explores with Jo breed traits, training methods and approaches to working with guarding breeds within the industry.

For those who pay close attention, dogs are fantastic teachers. Today, a story about a man whose dog saved his life … and a woman whose dog can teach us all good boundaries. London Calling: Urban Dogs Pampered Chef/owner Barry Karacostas' wife handed him an ultimatum: get your life together and stop partying. She also handed him their dog's leash. Forced to come home to feed and walk Leo, their Rottweiler, Barry's priorities shifted. The pair started running in the park off lead. Both became more fit, and Barry stayed sober. They were on the right path … and it led to a brand-new business. Now he's reimagining wellness for every dog – and human – in London as a thank you to the species he credits with saving his life. Don't Pet My F***ing Dog Kimberly Gauthier loves her dogs and their walks in her Washington state neighborhood. What doesn't she love? When strangers rush up to pet them without getting permission! Her popular blog post No! You Can't Pet My F***ing Dog has polarized readers. Some agree … while others are less understanding. On today's show we find out: can Kimberly help break (Dog Edition Co-host) Pam's habit of petting strange dogs? The Hydrant Jim and Pam stop by the hydrant to sniff out the latest dog gossip, innuendo, @jokes, and notes.  Chapters 1:10 On Today's Show 2:18 London Calling: Urban Dogs Pampered 11:51 Don't Pet My F***ing Dog 20:01 The Hydrant 21:57 On the Next Episode Barry Karacostas - Urban Mutts Barry Karacostas was a chef-owner going through a difficult time. His dog, Leo, was a kind-hearted Rottie who knew just what he needed. Dragging Barry out for daily walks led to conversations with other dog lovers. As he and Leo became fit and healthy, Barry invited more dogs to join their off-lead pack. His Dog Jogger business attracted celebrity clients. As he learned about canine psychology, Barry realized dogs needed true wellness. He opened Urban Mutts Dog Club & Hotel … a re-imagined day care and hotel facility that is the ultimate “five star hotel” for dogs and their Londoner companions. Urban Mutts Hotels Instagram: Dog Jogger Instagram: Urban Mutts Linked In Profile Kimberly Gauthier Kimberly Gauthier started her Keep the Tail Wagging blog in December 2011 as an expression for her love of her dogs. She chronicles her adventures in dog nutrition, raw feeding, health, training, behavior, and more. No longer a hobby, her site is now a woman/minority-owned small business. The goal? To raise awareness of natural alternative canine care and wellbeing. She is the author of A Novice's Guide to Raw Feeding and Keeping it Raw™: 100 Questions Pet Parents Ask About Raw Feeding for Dogs. Keep the Tail Wagging A Novice's Guide to Raw Feeding Keeping It Raw No You Can't Pet My F-in Dog !

Rottweilers are strong, beautiful dogs. They have many fans, including Will Smith and his famous family. In the effort to learn more about this fascinating dog breed, Isabel had the pleasure of interviewing an avid Rottie enthusiast, German-born Judy C. Taylor of Bossy Pawz in Chicago, IL. They enjoyed German-inspired drinks while discussing all things raising, training, and loving Rottweilers, the W pronounced with a V in German. Judy and Isabel play Fun Facts - Rottie Edition and Judy gets a solid A+. She definitely knows and loves this breed. She talks about the pet sitting clients that turned her from a Doberman lover to a Rottweiler enthusiast and how she came to make Kovu and Kion her own. EPISODE NOTES: Rottweiler, with a V

The 2020 Rottie Awards are finally here! It has thrills! It has chills! An event so spectacular it even has its own antagonist! Enjoy the stunning conclusion to the epic adventure of who could select the best, bad horror film of October!

In this podcast episode, we recall the stories of the individuals who brought about great dog breeds and how some famous breeds came to be named for individuals. The world’s beloved dog breeds are the product of careful, patient breeding by many people over many years. But, occasionally, a great breed is the product of years of painstaking work by an individual. Some of these people are fondly remembered by generations of dog fanciers. Others are forgotten and some live on through their canine namesakes. They are the hobbyists, scientists, even tax collectors whose purpose-bred dogs make the world a better place. This is a short history of how some dogs got their names. Bonafide Bits: In the early 1950s, a Doberman Pinscher named Storm won Westminster’s Best in Show, two years in a row. The Gordon Setter was among the breeds recognized when the AKC was founded in 1884. Hollywood elites Humphrey Bogart, Gary Cooper, and Cary Grant all kept Sealyham Terriers. The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is the only breed named after a fictional character. North Carolina’s state dog, the Plott Hound, was bred to be a big game hunter. Sir Edwin Landseer’s painting ‘Alpine Mastiffs Reanimating a Distressed Traveler’ hangs in the AKC Museum of the Dog. Featured Breeds: Doberman Pinscher Sleek and powerful, possessing both a magnificent physique and keen intelligence, the Doberman Pinscher is one of dogkind’s noblemen. This incomparably fearless and vigilant breed stands proudly among the world’s finest protection dogs. Discover more about Doberman Pinschers at AKC’s Doberman Pinscher Breed Biography. Manchester Terrier The Manchester Terrier is named after the English city where much of the breed’s early development took place. Sleek, racy dogs who possess a terrier’s ratting instinct and the graceful contours of coursing hounds, Manchesters are spirited, bright, and athletic. They combine the streamlined grace of a coursing hound and the instincts of a fearless rat terrier. These racy dogs come in two size varieties:  Standard (not exceeding 22 pounds) and Toy (not exceeding 12 pounds). Discover more about Manchester Terriers at AKC’s Manchester Terrier Breed Biography. German Pinscher The sleek, no-frills German Pinscher is among Germany’s oldest breeds and the prototype of other pinscher breeds. This energetic, super-intelligent dog was at first used as a rat catcher but can be trained for all types of canine work. Discover more about German Pinschers at AKC’s German Pinscher Breed Biography. Rottweiler The Rottweiler is a robust working breed of great strength descended from the mastiffs of the Roman legions. A gentle playmate and protector within the family circle, the Rottie observes the outside world with a self-assured aloofness. Discover more about Rottweilers at AKC’s Rottweiler Breed Biography. German Shepherd Dog There are many reasons why German Shepherd Dogs stand in the front rank of canine royalty, but experts say their defining attribute is character: loyalty, courage, confidence, the ability to learn commands for many tasks, and the willingness to put their life on the line in defense of loved ones. German Shepherd Dogs will be gentle family pets and steadfast guardians, but, the breed standard says, there’s a “certain aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships.” Discover more about German Shepherd Dogs at AKC’s German Shepherd Dog Breed Biography. Yorkshire Terrier Beneath the dainty, glossy, floor-length coat of a Yorkshire Terrier beats the heart of a feisty, old-time terrier. Yorkies earned their living as ratters in mines and mills long before they became the beribboned lapdogs of Victorian ladies. Discover more about Yorkshire Terriers at AKC’s Yorkshire Terrier Breed Biography. Maltese The tiny Maltese, “Ye Ancient Dogge of Malta,” has been sitting in the lap of luxury since the Bible was a work in progress. Famous for their show-stopping, floor-length coat, Maltese are playful, charming, and adaptable toy companions. Discover more about Malteses at AKC’s Maltese Breed Biography. Parson Russell Terrier The Parson Russell Terrier is bold and clever, swift enough to run with horses and fearless enough to dig in and flush a fox from his lair. Independent problem-solvers, PRTs can have their own ideas on how to go about things. Discover more about Parson Russell Terriers at AKC’s Parson Russell Terrier Breed Biography. Russell Terrier Upbeat, lively, inquisitive, and friendly, the jaunty Russell Terrier was developed by England’s “Sporting Parson” for use in foxhunts. The adorable Russell Terrier looks like a plush toy come to life but is an eager, tireless working terrier. Discover more about Russell Terriers at AKC’s Russell Terrier Breed Biography. Gordon Setter The Gordon Setter, the black avenger of the Highlands, is a substantial bird dog named for a Scottish aristocrat. Athletic and outdoorsy, Gordons are bold, confident, and resolute in the field, and sweetly affectionate by the fireside. Discover more about Gordon Setters at AKC’s Gordon Setter Breed Biography. English Setter The English Setter is a medium-sized sporting dog of sweet temper and show-stopping good looks. It is one of the AKC’s four British setters created to work on the distinctly different terrains of England, Ireland, and Scotland. Discover more about English Setters at AKC’s English Setter Breed Biography. Bloodhound The world-famous “Sleuth Hound” does one thing better than any creature on earth: find people who are lost or hiding. An off-duty Bloodhound is among the canine kingdom’s most docile citizens, but he’s relentless and stubborn on a scent. Discover more about Bloodhounds at AKC’s Bloodhound Breed Biography. Sealyham Terrier The Sealyham Terrier is brave and spirited, but not as spiky as smaller terriers. These sturdy, outgoing companions are recognized by their “fall,” the mass of hair covering the forehead. Sealy fans enjoy their dog’s sly sense of humor. Discover more about Sealyham Terriers at AKC’s Sealyham Terrier Breed Biography. Golden Retriever The Golden Retriever, an exuberant Scottish gundog of great beauty, stands among America’s most popular dog breeds. They are serious workers at hunting and fieldwork, as guides for the blind, and in search-and-rescue, enjoy obedience and other competitive events, and have an endearing love of life when not at work. Discover more about Golden Retrievers at AKC’s Golden Retriever Breed Biography. Dandie Dinmont Terrier The unique-looking Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a tough but dignified little exterminator. Sturdily built for the rigors of farm life, they will agreeably adapt to city living. Dandies are compact companions blessed with a big personality. Discover more about Dandie Dinmont Terriers at AKC’s Dandie Dinmont Terrier Breed Biography. Irish Wolfhound The calm, dignified, and kindly Irish Wolfhound is the tallest of all AKC breeds. Once fearless big-game hunters capable of dispatching a wolf in single combat, Wolfhounds today are the most serene and agreeable of companions. Discover more about Irish Wolfhounds at AKC’s Irish Wolfhound Breed Biography. Cesky Terrier The Cesky Terrier, national dog of the Czech Republic, is a clever and adventurous playmate for kids and an eager walking buddy for the folks. They are tenacious at work, but a little more laid back and tractable than the usual terrier. Discover more about Cesky Terriers at AKC’s Cesky Terrier Breed Biography. Plott Hound The Plott Hound, a hound with a curious name and a unique history, is a rugged, relentless hunting dog who is a mellow gentleman at home but fearless, implacable, and bold at work. This eye-catching scenthound is North Carolina’s state dog. Discover more about Plott Hounds at AKC’s Plott Hound Breed Biography. Saint Bernard The Saint Bernard does not rank very high in AKC registrations, but the genial giant of the Swiss Alps is nonetheless among the world’s most famous and beloved breeds. Saints are famously watchful, patient, and careful with children. Discover more about Saint Bernards at AKC’s Saint Bernard Breed Biography. For more information about a specific breed visit the breed’s parent club or AKC.org. Shareables: When the Romans first beheld the Irish Wolfhound they were wonderstruck. The world’s beloved dog breeds are the product of careful, patient breeding by many people over many years. The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is the only dog breed named after a fictional character.

Here on The Fenrir Rottie Show we make podcasts about man's best friend so if this is your first time here don't forget to subscribe! These videos are made and aimed at adults in a stage of their life to purchase or adopt a dog, we want to help them choose the right breed and become excellent canine leaders to help end the number of dogs that end up in shelters.

Here on The Fenrir Rottie Show we make podcasts about man's best friend so if this is your first time here don't forget to subscribe! These videos are made and aimed at adults in a stage of their life to purchase or adopt a dog, we want to help them choose the right breed and become excellent canine leaders to help end the number of dogs that end up in shelters.

Educational and informative podcasts from Fenrir Canine Ltd. covering everything you could possible want to know about the incredible Rottie dog breed.For our products and training courses visit:www.fenrircanineleaders.com

Educational and informative podcast from Fenrir Canine Ltd. covering everything you could possible want to know about the incredible Rottie dog breed.For our products and training courses visit:www.fenrircanineleaders.com

Educational and informative podcasts from Fenrir Canine Ltd. covering everything you could possible want to know about the incredible Rottie dog breed.For our products and training courses visit:www.fenrircanineleaders.com

Educational and informative podcasts from Fenrir Canine Ltd. covering everything you could possible want to know about the incredible Rottie dog breed.For our products and training courses visit:www.fenrircanineleaders.com

CANE CORSO vs ROTTIE! What's The difference!? Both the Cane Corso and Rottweiler are amazing breeds, but it is easy to get the 2 mixed up, so in todays video we break down the differences between the Cane Corso and the Rottweiler!ODIN COLLAR: https://fenrircanineleaders.com/colle...ULTIMATE CANE CORSO OWNERS GUIDE:https://www.fenrirdogtraining.com/p/u...MY PERFECT PUPPY COURSE - https://bit.ly/33sMhaXMY BOOT CAMP COURSE - https://bit.ly/38aVI0cOUR RAW FOOD MASTERCLASS - https://bit.ly/2UStYK1FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/FenrirCanin...Here on The Fenrir Cane Corso Show we make podcasts about man's best friend so if this is your first time here don't forget to subscribe! These videos are made and aimed at adults in a stage of their life to purchase or adopt a dog, we want to help them choose the right breed and become excellent canine leaders to help end the number of dogs that end up in shelters.

Welcome Back into The Cafe! On this week's episode the doctor is in, Dr. Sunny Ravencourt that is. Sunny Ravencourt is from The University of Coruscant, he'll tell us all about the UofC and of course he will also answers the BMC 5: 1) What is your SW Story? 2) Who are your 5 favorite SW characters? 3) What is your favorite SW film? 4) What is your favorite animated SW series? 5) Who would you be in the world of SW? Bonus: What Star Wars subject would you like to know more about? Also I have a special appearance from Lacey, my beautiful Rottie... You can follow Sunny, on Twitter @UofCoruscant, website www.universityofcoruscant.com The BMC Question of The Week: What is your favorite LESSER known Star Wars location? The question will be pinned to the top of my Twitter account all week, you can reply to it there, thank you. Please if you have any feedback for The BMC Holo-Booth, you can send it to @ThatBMCPod or @LazyPorg on Twitter, you can also Like the Facebook page @ThatBMCPod you can also email me a voice mail at PorgBach@Gmail.com or follow the link below to leave a message. Stay tune after the show, episode 4 of The Return of The Jedi NPR radio drama, hope you've been enjoying them. Until next time: I have spoken! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebluemilkcafe/message

Welcome back to elviews! Majimbe takes a seat along with Rabbid Rottie & Jiggy978. Rabbid, a producer and a veteran in the music game, and Jiggy978 a talented artist that works closely with Rabbid and today they brough us the gems! S/o to Lina Baby from Wreckroom E.T. You can find Jiggy’s new single “Get […]

Summary: Julie Daniels has worked with dogs her whole life. In fact, she learned to walk by holding on to a German Shepherd. Today she is one of the foremost names in the sport of dog agility in the United States. She was one of the early champions of the sport and helped many clubs throughout the country get up and running. She owns and operates both Kool Kids Agility in Deerfield, NH and White Mountain Agility in North Sandwich, NH. Julie is well known as a premier teacher at all levels of play— She has competed, titled and won with all sorts of dogs through the years, including two Rottweilers, a Springer Spaniel, a Cairn Terrier, two Corgis, and four Border Collies. She is the only person to make USDAA National Grand Prix finals with a Rottie or a Springer, and she did it two times each. She is also a two-time national champion and a two-time international champion. Links: Leave FDSA A Voicemail! We're collecting questions for our annual anniversary edition! Have a question for an instructor? Leave it here! Next Episode: To be released 12/21/2018, we'll be sharing several student stories! 

Summary: Julie Daniels has worked with dogs her whole life. In fact, she learned to walk by holding on to a German Shepherd. Today she is one of the foremost names in the sport of dog agility in the United States. She was one of the early champions of the sport and helped many clubs throughout the country get up and running. She owns and operates both Kool Kids Agility in Deerfield, NH, and White Mountain Agility in North Sandwich, NH. Julie is well known as a premier teacher at all levels of play. She has competed, titled and won with all sorts of dogs throughout the years, including two Rottweilers, a Springer Spaniel, a Cairn Terrier, two Corgis, and four Border Collies. She is the only person to make USDAA National Grand Prix finals with a Rottie or a Springer, and she did it two times each. She is also a two-time national champion and a two-time international champion. Next Episode:  To be released 9/14/2018. TRANSCRIPTION: Melissa Breau: This is Melissa Breau and you're listening to the Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast brought to you by the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy, an online school dedicated to providing high-quality instruction for competitive dog sports using only the most current and progressive training methods. Today we’ll be talking to Julie Daniels. Julie has worked with dogs her whole life. In fact, she learned to walk by holding on to a German Shepherd. Today she is one of the foremost names in the sport of dog agility in the United States. She was one of the early champions of the sport and helped many clubs throughout the country get up and running. She owns and operates both Kool Kids Agility in Deerfield, NH, and White Mountain Agility in North Sandwich, NH. Julie is well known as a premier teacher at all levels of play. She has competed, titled and won with all sorts of dogs throughout the years, including two Rottweilers, a Springer Spaniel, a Cairn Terrier, two Corgis, and four Border Collies. She is the only person to make USDAA National Grand Prix finals with a Rottie or a Springer, and she did it two times each. She is also a two-time national champion and a two-time international champion. Hey Julie! Welcome to the podcast. Julie Daniels: Hi Melissa. So glad to be back with you! Melissa Breau: I’m glad to have you! To start us out, can you just share a little bit of information about the dogs in your life right now and what you’re working on with them? Julie Daniels: Oh yeah, everybody’s favorite question. My current pack is just three Border Collies. I have one who’ll be 13 very, very soon, and she does whatever she wants, completely spoiled, it’s just wonderful to see. She’s doing great. And my competition dog is now 10 years old, which seems impossible to believe. I’ve just moved him down from Championship to Performance and Preferred level so that he can jump a lower jump height. But he’s doing great and we’re having a ball. And I have a youngster named Koolaid, whom anybody who takes my classes has been following now since the last couple of years. She’s just turned 3, and she’s dynamite and so challenging and fun to train. Always has been, always will be. She keeps me young, keeps me getting smarter, keeps my chops honed every single day. So those are my three Border Collies. Melissa Breau: I wanted to talk today about canine confidence. Can you define what confidence is when it comes to our dogs? Julie Daniels: Oh boy. Confidence can be so elusive, and I also find confidence in dogs and people both to be very elastic. It sort of comes and goes, and they look great, and then all of a sudden we’re shrinking because something makes us feel insecure, and sometimes it’s not environmental, it’s mental. So confidence is tough to define, but let’s consider confidence to be a sense of personal well-being felt by the dog. How does that sound? Melissa Breau: That certainly makes sense to me. Julie Daniels: In other words, an optimism that all will be well. Melissa Breau: If that’s our definition, what are the differences between a confident dog and a not confident dog? Why is that confidence so important for dog sports and stuff we want to be doing with our dogs? Julie Daniels: I think it’s so important, because the world throws us curve balls on a regular basis and life does not go as expected. When that happens to the confident dog, as it will every single day pretty much, the confidence of some dogs carries through a sense of wellbeing and optimism that all will be all right when the world surprises them. A dog who is not confident doesn’t feel that way. I think what happens is a dog who has an internal or higher level of confidence tends to say, “Oh boy, what is that?” when he sees something unexpected, and that’s of course what we’re trying to develop. The dog who is not confident, whether it be in the moment or whether it be an overall set point, that dog tends to say, “Oh no, what is that?” So there are the two extremes: “Oh boy, something new!” “Oh no, I’ve never seen that before!” Those are the two extremes between the dog who has the wellbeing, the optimism, afforded by internal confidence versus the dog who has a much lower confidence set point. Melissa Breau: How much of that is just innate — who the dog is — versus something you can train or teach? Julie Daniels: Tough question, but not as tough a question as it used to be, because we know that quite a bit is innate, and we also know … actually, if I can borrow from research done on humans, we know for a fact that human beings can reset their confidence set point, their happiness set point, their optimism set point. We can rewire and reframe in humans. And certainly it’s the same in dogs. You can see overall changes in the confidence set point and the happiness set point as you work with these problems, so it’s not a life sentence. If the innate set point is low in terms of confidence, happiness, optimism, all these things which we want for our dogs in their lives, there is so, so much we can do. Thanks to research on humans via, let’s say, SPECT analysis and many other brain work, we can measure the activity centers and the levels of involvement in different areas of the brain, and we can know for a fact that it’s quite possible to reset and rewire even, neurologically, the happiness and confidence and joy centers in the brain. So we can change, for our dogs as well as for ourselves, we can change the hand that we were dealt with. It is quantifiable and measurable, at least in humans, that many, many people have successfully done so. So it’s not something that is fated, if your dog happens to have been born less confident than you would like. Melissa Breau: That’s really interesting. I hadn’t realized there was research that’s been done on that in people. That’s neat. Julie Daniels: Let me make mention of my personal favorite book, which is definitely a layperson’s book. It’s by Daniel Amen, M.D. Dr. Amen is one of the leading experts in the world on SPECT analysis of the brain in humans, and his book is quite amazing. Change Your Brain, Change Your Life. Melissa Breau: Interesting. Julie Daniels: Well worth looking up. Melissa Breau: For those who are starting out with a dog that’s a little on the less confident side, where do you start? What does that type of training look like? How do you help them reset their brain? Julie Daniels: Well, it goes without saying, but it should be mentioned: there are no mistakes. We don’t call out mistakes on a dog who already is harder on himself than any of us would ever be. I think that’s probably the best start point is there are no mistakes. Anything that the dog offers is going to be well received and reinforced. It’s not simple, and yet it is that simple. We want to build the dog’s feelings of wellbeing first, so no mistakes. By that I mean anything that the dog offers is by definition correct and reinforceable. That’s where to start. And this is in daily life. This is not a measure of “I told you to do this,” or “I told you to do that.” I’m not talking about training. I’m talking about anything the dog offers in daily life. Melissa Breau: What does that look like? Can you walk me through an example? Julie Daniels: I would want to help any dog of any age who feels insecure. I would want to help that dog become attracted to life. To, let’s say, novelty. So one of the things that I advise people to do all the time, and I’m just saying this over and over and over, it’s so easy to do, and it’s amazing that days go by and we don’t think to do it. When your dog lacks confidence, you should make a habit of taking beloved familiar items around your house and putting them in unfamiliar places. That is the first step toward developing attraction for novelty. That’s what we want. Remember when I said earlier we’re trying to develop the dog’s ability to say, “Oh boy, what is that?” and we currently have a dog that says, “Oh no, what is that?” So by taking beloved items … they can’t be just neutral items. They really should be things that the dog already enjoys, for example, his food bowl. There’s a good one. Put it on your head. Just put it upside-down on your head after you’ve washed it. There you are, standing in the kitchen, washing the dog food bowls, and your dog’s probably going to be interested in that because it’s a beloved item, a familiar and well-trusted item, and there you go, you just put it upside-down on your head. Perfect. Do something like that every single day. Pretty soon, when you make yourself do it every day, pretty soon you’re doing it ten times a day because it’s just fun. Melissa Breau: Makes you laugh. Julie Daniels: But you forget, if you don’t make it a conscious effort initially, and sometimes you’ll think at the end of the day, Well, what did I show this dog that was different in a positive way, that was unexpected and novel in a positive way? Because obviously if you’ve scared him, you haven’t done any good. So it’s got to be a beloved item, and it’s got to be put in a novel place but a familiar place. We’re not talking about taking it on the road, because you said, “Where do you start?” You start at home. You start in a comfortable, happy place. Melissa Breau: If you put that food bowl on your head, are you then going to get lower so that the dog can sniff you and sniff the bowl? Julie Daniels: That’s a great idea! See? You’re good at this already! Yeah, that’s a great idea. But play that by ear, Melissa, because if your dog said, “Oh no, what is that?” then that’s a mistake. But if your dog said, “Hey, that’s my food bowl,” now it’s perfect, and I think what you said is just great: scootch right down. You don’t need to say anything. This is one thing that I think is difficult to do. We want to talk our dogs into something: “Come and check it out.” And that really is not what you should do. You should allow the dog to show you whether he’s interested or curious enough to come and see it. Anything that he offers you is reinforceable, even if he decides to leave the room. And the best reinforcement if he backs away would be what? What would the absolute best reinforcement you could give him if he backs away, because that’s not really what you intended to do, because you realize that unexpectedly you’re on the wrong side of confidence. So what it’s very important for you to do, if he shows you that he’s actually concerned, is take it off immediately. I would say take the food bowl off your head, put it right side up, put it on the floor between you, and say nothing. Allow your dog to make a decision to be attracted to his beloved food bowl in this new context of it being on the floor “where it belongs.” Now you can have your reinforceable event and you’re not going to cause a problem. I think very often, it happens so very often, either with young puppies or generally with dogs who lack confidence, I think so often we mean well, but we scare them. Melissa Breau: Because they’re already not sure about things, and we’re throwing novel things at them, and that can be intimidating. Julie Daniels: Yes. Melissa Breau: I know a lot of people who wouldn’t appreciate being put in front of a full room to give a presentation, because that’s one of the things that makes them feel not confident. Julie Daniels: Yeah, I think so. Melissa Breau: Would you mind sharing maybe one of the other exercises that you use to help build confidence, or a little bit more on how you work on that with them? Julie Daniels: Attraction to novelty, I think, is fundamentally first. That really is where to start. But let’s look at once we’ve made a few inroads, and now, in addition to being able to put the food bowl on your head and your dog thinks that’s funny, now you switch to a colander and you’ve got other things on your head. So I think once you’ve got an inroad made with your dog, I think the next thing for me is substrates. Now you want to put things under foot and allow your dog to feel them. It’s not just about “Oh my gosh, plastic is so hard,” and “Tarps make a lot of noise,” and “Bubble wrap — oh no.” It’s not just about that. It’s about things that might feel different neurologically. For example, when I started working with a teacher in canine fitness, my little Koolaid didn’t like the nubby Paw Pods. Anybody who’s done any fitness work knows about those little nubbies on the various pieces of equipment. They almost always have them, and she just didn’t like that at all. This is in general quite a confident, self-assured puppy, but those things, boy, she just didn’t like the nubbies, and so of course being the mom I am, I thought, Well, why don’t I just teach her the skills on smooth surfaces first, and then we’ll transfer to nubbies, which would sound like a logical progression, but I was advised against it for a very important reason, which I have internalized and embraced. And that is those little nubbies are actually very important stimulators neurologically, and so we want the feet to be on the nubbies. I really took that to heart and went with it, and I am so glad that I did. Just so you know the end of the story, Koolaid loves the nubbies and can pound onto four Pods, pretty much stick the landing, and is very happy beyond the nubbies. But it was a process getting her used to it. But that sort of fits the good advice that I was given from very good teachers who have the eye and have the chops to guide me in my canine fitness classes. That sort of thinking fits perfectly with how I feel about substrate training to build confidence. You want obviously to start with things that are relatively non-threatening to that particular dog. Some dogs need to start with smooth surfaces. Plastic, for example, meaning hard, molded plastic. It just feels different and is smooth underfoot. Other dogs would do better to start with crinkled-up paper inside a box or shredded paper. Some dogs are a long ways away from being able to step on empty water bottles, and other dogs just jump into the kiddie pools full of empty water bottles. So it’s a continuum as to who likes what. Remember you said earlier about it’s so a dog can be confident about one thing but not another thing. Well, look at little Koolaid who didn’t like the nubbies, but boy, she loves empty water bottles. And normal, everyday grinding sounds that many dogs are offended by, she was actually attracted to going in. So you never know. We all have different feelings about substrates, and I think one of the best things you can do as a second step after novelty would be to introduce and to find out the hierarchy of what feels good to your dog under foot and what feels a little bit concerning to your dog under foot, and try to build … not just tolerance, I don’t work with tolerance, but try to work for attraction to these things that might be concerning to your dog initially. So substrates come after novelty. Melissa Breau: I want to talk about that just a little bit more. Some dogs definitely seem confident in a lot of situations, like you mentioned Koolaid, but they’re terribly unconfident in other situations, or in a particular setup, or something. I was curious how common that is, and how someone can work to break apart one of those more complex cases to figure out what it is that they’re actually seeing, what it is that the dog is maybe not so sure about. Julie Daniels: It’s very common, and what is more, it’s very normal. I think probably most of us have little things that are harder for us than they are for other people, and little things that other people find difficult which we find easy. So I don’t think it’s the least bit strange. I think it’s to be expected. I do find that if you have a dog who’s in general a little bit more reserved, it’s tempting to assume he’s reserved about everything, and that’s not necessarily the case either. So it could be that you just need to explore and experiment with what kinds of things do bother this dog, and what kinds of things is this dog a little bit more self-assured about. By that I mean he has an optimistic sense when he goes toward it that this might be a good thing. When you see that in your dog, I think you want to make note of it, that your dog is not afraid of everything. Many people who think their dogs are afraid of everything are just plain wrong about that. And if you don’t give the dog a chance at this early level that you and I are talking about, then you really won’t know where your dog’s strengths do lie, and almost every dog has some. Melissa Breau: So, I’m going to take the next step here. I know we’re planning a rerun of your webinar on all of this stuff on building canine confidence. That’s what inspired me to bring up the topic to do a podcast about it. Can you share a little bit on what you cover in that webinar? Maybe who might want to take it? Julie Daniels: I hope everybody will take it! First of all, it makes me so proud and happy that I work for a person who values the quality of the webinar, the quality of the recording of the webinar, so much that she is going to give this webinar to the people who bought it the first time for free, because the audio — my fault, not your fault, Melissa — was absolutely terrible, and it was not what it should have been. So you and I have been practicing, you’ve coached me on where to be, and you and I have been playing with the microphone to make sure. I bought a better microphone, I have a better setup, and I know that the audio will not fail this next round. But it just makes me so happy that I get another crack at this, Melissa. That I’m going to get a chance to present the material in a way that everybody can hear it the way I intended it to be heard. And the fact that my boss is somebody who wants everybody who bought it the first time to have the benefit of this improved recording production values makes me so happy. So I hope everybody will tune in, of course. We will be talking about the various things that we can do to help dogs who feel insecure, and we’ll be talking about what’s that look like, what does it mean. We’ll pretty much take off running with the kinds of questions that you’re asking me here today. We’ll be talking about creating attraction to novelty, and we’ll be talking about building of course a positive conditioned emotional response. The all-important CER that everybody talks about these days has so much to do with whether the dog is able to work on confidence in the first place. So this initial attraction, this initial feeling of wellbeing becomes a baseline of optimism so that the dog can feel happy about coming into training situations expecting to do well. It means a lot to me. The next step is really that we want to build initiative. The subject of this webinar, building canine confidence, is way too broad. But we’re zeroing in on two factors: initiative and self-reliance. After we’ve talked a little bit about the baselines that you and I are talking about, we’re going to talk about building initiative as a major force in helping dogs become more confident and rewiring their brains to change their confidence set point and their happiness set point even, if you will. So building initiative, obviously in small steps, and the first steps will vary from dog to dog, as we’ve already talked about. But all first steps should come from a feeling that all will be well. That’s what we’re after, that positive CER, and maintaining that positive conditioned emotional response as we go forward and ask the dog to experiment in the world with more and more novel stimuli. I think I also will be talking a little bit about how it’s OK if the confidence of the team, the dog-person team, originates with the handler. I know many, many successful dogs in sports, and I’ve had several myself, who would not be able to run with anyone else, for example. And I know obviously many dogs who don’t much care who they run with. They just want to run, and if they get good information from their handlers, so much the better, but the game is so much fun and it has value of its own. But it doesn’t have to be that way in order for a dog to be successful, no matter what the sport is. Obviously my sport is agility, but I don’t think it matters. I’ve seen many, many, many teams where the dog gets that initial charge of confidence from the handler, the leader if you will, and then from there it just energizes and snaps, and you can see that teamwork, that confidence, being passed back and forth from the dog to the handler. And they reinforce each other as they go, whatever the sport may be. So I want to build that for people and their dogs, and it’s so very doable for us to be able to help dogs in that way and build a team using these kinds of exercises to build confidence. So I have several fun things to do along the way that make that much easier, including we raise the dog’s energy level, very important, motion builds confidence. I have people feeding in motion rather than, “Oh, we’re done. Now let’s stop and eat.” I don’t do it that way. I feed in motion because movement gets the brain working, movement helps optimism, movement builds confidence, believe it or not. It’s very important. I also work hard to put the dog, if you will, in his prefrontal cortex, since we were talking about the brain earlier. But if you consider it a continuum from the unconscious reactions to the conscious reactions, the dog who has a low confidence set point is, generally speaking, operating from the limbic system, is operating where fear resides, operating where the “Oh no” resides. What we want to do is bring him forward into his rational brain so he can be engaged with his brain, he can use his brain to solve problems in a constructive way. So here’s where we absolutely need the dog to welcome novelty rather than shrink from novelty, so that the dog can predict fun and predict happiness as he comes forward into a novel task, a novel presentation in the world, whatever it be. And then we talk in the webinar a good deal about choice and control, how important those things are, how important it is to let the dog make decisions, to give the dog choices all along the way. Not just with the end goal behavior, but all along the training continuum the dog should be able to make small choices and find that every single choice is reinforceable. The whole bit about breaking things down into small pieces, as you said, part of the beauty of being able to break things down into small pieces is that the dog gets to make all these tiny choices and every single choice is reinforceable. It’s a wonderful thing for the dog to learn how successful he can really be. So yeah, we might have an end goal behavior, and we’re breaking it down for that reason, but we really should be vested in the process rather than the outcome, and we should be thinking of this as, “He’s going to get to make twenty little choices, twenty correct choices, in the next two minutes, and that is plenty for this one session, and then we’ll come back and do it some more.” Melissa Breau: That’s awesome, and I think that explains to people both what your approach is for this, and gives them a little bit of insight into what they can expect to learn even more about if they join for the webinar. I also wanted to ask you about the other thing you have coming up, which is your new Magic Mat class. Can you share a little on what the class will cover and what kinds of problems those skills help with? Julie Daniels: Oh boy, yeah, let’s change the subject. This is a new class, which I’ve just been designing over the summer. It’s called Magic Mat: Where to be, when to go, and what to do. But it really is more broad than that. Magic Mat is a good, catchy name, and everybody knows me for my dedication to matwork, and certainly mats will be covered. But it’s really about what I call placement props – stations and platforms. So yes, we will cover some targeting and perch work and matwork, for sure, but we’re also doing platforms and stations and boundary training and that kind of thing, all by dog’s choice. So all kinds of methods and problem-solving techniques based on where to be. I put up a picture in the course description today. I put in my front yard, in my door yard, driveway, I literally hauled out a whole bunch of stations and platforms and targets and various things, a perch or two, that I use around the house on a regular basis. I put them in my front yard and took a picture, honestly, because I want people to understand that (a) you need a variety and (b) you’ve got this stuff around your house. Everybody’s got something. You don’t have to buy an expensive item, a Klimb table. One of my favorite raised stations is a wooden pallet that I got for free, and I put a yoga mat on it. It’s very common in my class for people to use a chair, a sling chair, a canvas chair because we take those to the shows all the time, so it’s very handy to have your dog trained to hang out on your chair. Not that you would leave them there, that’s not really what I mean, while you go have a Pepsi. But it’s a hangout place with you so that the dog can hang out with you in a comfortable and confident way without disconnecting. It’s a place to relax, a place to be, and a place to, for example, wait your turn or wait for something exciting to happen or be polite during dinner. That’s a good one. We use stations here for that. It’s not taught by “You have to go to your station, now stay.” That’s the opposite of anything I would do. It’s taught around … here, I’ll just give you an example of how on earth would you train your dog to go wait in a certain place while you’re having dinner and just hang out there, and do it all the time.   My now 13-year-old was instrumental in choosing her own place to wait during dinner, and she chose this very cushy armchair in the other room, the living room, being right next to the dining room. All of a sudden the other dogs were a little bit closer, and I noticed that she was over there in the living room, on this chair, with her adorable little chin coming over the top of the chair, “Hello, anyone, anyone?” So I decided, OK, she’s getting some macaroni. So I just got up from the table, walked over, and gave her a piece of macaroni. That’s awesome for her to decide. My friend from Virginia used to say, “Go long. Teach them to go long.” Instead of being the dog who’s bugging the people, be the dog who’s out in the backfield, and good stuff will be thrown to you. So that’s how I treated her, and that’s how she taught herself to station on a chair in the other room when we were eating. Isn’t that clever? So dog’s choice is a big component. For example, where I live now, in quarters that are a lot smaller, I have set up a couple of stations which I think will work fine during dinner, and I’ll let the dogs tell me whether I’m right nor not right. They will hang out, they’ll tend to go to the station and usually sit. One of my dogs would always choose down over sit. That’s fine. A default sit is what I’m developing in Koolaid, and so she would be more apt to sit on the station. But they can do whatever they want. This is a place where they are allowed to show patience in hopefulness of being rewarded. I will admit out loud, here and now, that I am a person who would toss a piece of macaroni to the dog on the station. Perhaps you wouldn’t do that, so that’s fine. You’ll develop your own reinforcement delivery systems. But we’ll talk about things like variable interval reinforcement, and some of the things about how to develop duration by dog’s choice, because it’s not always that easy when good things are going on. So in this class we’ll do things like take turns. We will use stations so that one dog is a waiting dog and one dog is a working dog, and then we switch back and forth. I’ll talk about things like, How do you do that by dog’s choice? Does waiting need to pay more than working? I can use my own example of two brilliant agility dogs, Sport and Colt, who were very good at taking turns in this way. All of a sudden one day, I noticed a funny thing in Sport. I went to trade dogs and it was going to be Colt’s turn to wait on the station and Sport’s turn to work. As I made the switch, I saw in Sport’s face, as I said his name, I saw him say with his face, “Oh, OK, I wanted to be the waiting dog.” Of course he came out and looked pretty happy to have a turn. However, why did he want to be the waiting dog? Dogs don’t lie. Why was it a disappointment for him to hear that it was his turn? You’ve got to look at those things, and in my family it was very clear: Sport had to be paid more for working and less for waiting, and Colt had to be paid more for waiting and less for working. It was much harder for Colt to wait. But in Sport’s case, once he learned what a great deal, a better deal, I had made waiting than working, guess what: “Actually, I’d rather be the waiting dog, if you don’t mind. If it’s all the same to you, just throw 17 cookies over here by the station, and Colt can have another turn.” So you’ve got to go dog by dog, and you’ve got to be prepared to switch it up, as I had to do. Over time, the dog is a member of that thinking, working team, and the dog is going to have opinions, and the dog’s feelings are going to develop as the game goes along and the dog becomes an expert in the game. So be prepared. It’s a two-way feedback system. All training should be a two-way feedback system. Learn from your dog as the game goes on, and listen to what he’s saying about how it’s going to play. Such fun, it is so much fun to use placement props. And of course if you’re interested in the TEAM Foundations training, I’m terribly interested in that, I absolutely love it. I don’t know that I’ll ever go for TEAM titles, although I guess why not? But I don’t think they’re necessary in order to get the utmost out of the program. Denise did a podcast at one point, maybe you remember it, about TEAM, and one of the things that she mentioned still resonates with me. I still advise my students to do it. She said, “If you’re having trouble in obedience,” she of course was talking about obedience, but I’m not, I’m talking about agility, the exact same thing applies. She said, “If you’re having trouble with some of the advanced exercises in obedience, just take …” I think she said a week, maybe she said two weeks, but “take that time off from all that advanced training and just do the exercises from TEAM 1, Level 1, and then go back to your advanced work and see if you don’t notice improvement.” Well, I heard that and decided I’m going to do that with my agility people, and it was such a resounding success for the exact same reason. TEAM Foundations is for all sports. It’s not just for obedience. I don’t think it’s sport-specific at all. And much of TEAM training benefits from good station work, good platform work, good targeting skills, perch work, all kinds of really fun challenges that use what I’m calling placement platforms. Yeah, where to be, when to go, and what to do is the whole concept of this Magic Mat class, and we’ll use lots of fun things. Please, anybody who’s interested, go to the course description and click on the … I think it’s called Prerequisites and Supplies. Click on that tab to see the picture of all the cool stuff that I dragged out into my front yard, which is a subset of all the many different training props and placement platforms that I use around my own house in my everyday training. So you don’t need anything fancy. I will want you to develop a station before class so you come to class ready with a target and with a perch and with a station and with a platform. It’s not hard. We’ll be talking about that before the class actually begins on October 1. So between the week and a half or two weeks between registration and the beginning of class you’ll have lots of chance to talk about what you’d like to build or make or find, or what’s the best dimension and size for your size dog. We gear the platforms, we gear the stations, to the size of each dog, so there are some good rules of thumb to go by, and we’ll be talking about those before the class gets going. So it’ll be busy. All my classes are busy. I like them like that. There’s lots to talk about and lots of fun along the way as we see what the dog has to say about each game that we play. It’s a very, very fun process. Melissa Breau: For folks who have already taken some of your other classes, which I know you do some matwork in some of those, can you talk about the difference between what they learn in that class and what the new material in this class will dive into and what you’re planning to cover? Julie Daniels: I will cover matwork in Magic Mat. With a name like Magic Mat, I think you have to. But I’m best known for my matwork. In Week 1 of the Magic Mat class, we will do both Step 1 and Step 2 of my four-step Magic Mat protocol, so we’ll go through it a little bit more quickly. The class I’m doing now, Cookie Jar Games, dives deeply into matwork, and likewise in Baby Genius I actually go through the different steps at length. But in this Magic Mat class we will do all four steps of matwork, but we don’t dive into it quite as deeply because we have so many other kinds of placement props to use. But matwork is one of my dearest loves and really is a foundation behavior for any dog that I raise. And any dog that comes here for board and train learns matwork as well. I think it’s that powerful a motivator for the dogs. Melissa Breau: If somebody’s listening to this and trying to decide if it’s the right class for them, do you have anything on who should take the class, what kind of guidance you can give for that? Julie Daniels: Sure. I guess you could call it a concept class, because it’s a patience class. Some dogs lose confidence when they’re forced to wait, and some dogs just fry their brains over how difficult it is to wait. So it’s very compatible with people who have problems with impulse control in their dogs. For example, the dinner example that I gave is a good one. If your dog can’t hang out politely, if you have to lock your dogs away whenever you want to eat something, this is a very good class for you. It wouldn’t hurt the over-eager door greeter, either, to do a little station work. It’s very helpful for them. In my limited experience with reactive dogs, station training is very, very helpful in giving them a secure place to be where nobody will bother them. So I think it could be useful for that, but I’m not an expert in that and will not be diving into that specifically. But in terms of impulse control, I think it’s a great class for dogs who need impulse control. I think it’s a great class for confidence building and for training that is all about hurry up and wait: “We’re not going to go yet, and now you have to wait, and now we’re going to go now, and I need you at full energy now.” A lot of dogs who once you institute a pause, a major pause, in the action, inertia wins and now the dog has a great deal of trouble getting back up to full energy. This class is very good for that as well, because the “when to go” builds anticipation along with patience, and raises the value of the exercise that’s going to come after the station work is completed rep by rep. It actually builds the dog’s enthusiasm for the work at hand as well. So I think it does a lot of good for dogs who tend to get bored with training, and I think it has a lot to offer dogs who need impulse control in their training. Melissa Breau: Gotcha. Awesome. I’ve got one last question for you, Julie. It’s the question I’m asking all of my guests at the end lately. What’s something you’ve learned or been reminded of recently when it comes to dog training? Julie Daniels: Oh gosh, that’s way too easy. It just hit me over the head this past weekend. I don’t get to show all that often in agility anymore, and my competition dog, Sport, who is now 10, is a pro. Thankfully, he’s still going strong, and we’re having a lot of fun whenever we do get to get out to an agility trial. I got to trial this past weekend, not every day of the weekend, but two days out of three, and all of a sudden it became glaringly apparent that I had no start line. Here I am doing start line work on a regular basis in all my classes, in person and online. OK, I guess I haven’t trained that lately, but the dog is such a pro it would never have crossed my mind that my start line would break. But everything breaks. Everything breaks. Behavior doesn’t stay the same when you don’t work on it. So that’s the lesson. We don’t stay in the same place when we stop training. We go backwards. That’s the way it is. And here’s me leading out on the outside of a curve because I have such a good start line, and my dog passed me going 90 miles an hour. I was able to save that run by having him wait in his contact, which drew uproarious barking from him. He thought that was about the stupidest assignment he’d ever heard. But he did wait, and I got around the corner and was able to complete the opening. Not pretty. But that’s the lesson, boy, it just hit me like a ton of bricks over the weekend, like, Hmm, better do a little start line work with your pro dog, because nothing stays fixed if you don’t work on it. You have to constantly maintain all these foundation behaviors that you think you have control of. Anyway, so that was my lesson, and boy, nobody had more fun with that than all my students who were at the show. Melissa Breau: I’m sure you shared your lesson, and I’m sure they’ll take it to heart, right? Julie Daniels: I hope so. I can only hope so, yes. Melissa Breau: Thank you so much for coming back on the podcast Julie! It was great to chat again. Julie Daniels: Likewise, Melissa. Thanks for having me. Such fun to talk to you. Melissa Breau: And thank you to all of our listeners for tuning in! We’ll be back next week with Sarah Stremming and Leslie Eide to talk about raising a performance puppy. If you haven’t already, subscribe to our podcast in iTunes or the podcast app of your choice to have our next episode automatically downloaded to your phone as soon as it becomes available. CREDITS: Today’s show is brought to you by the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy. Special thanks to Denise Fenzi for supporting this podcast. Music provided royalty-free by BenSound.com; the track featured here is called “Buddy.” Audio editing provided by Chris Lang and transcription written by CLK Transcription Services. Thanks again for tuning in -- and happy training!

Have you ever said to yourself, “I want to want what God wants, but I really want what I want.”  Yea-us too.  Today’s guest, Elisa Morgan and Lee talk about that moment in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus prayed a prayer of honesty and abandon.  “Take this cup from me, but not my will but yours be done.”  What could change if we prayed that same prayer over our lives? About Our Guest: Elisa Morgan was named by Christianity Today as one of the top fifty women influencing today’s church and culture. She has authored over twenty-five books including The Beauty of Broken, She Did What She Could, and Hello, Beauty Full. Her newest release is The Prayer Coin: Daring to Pray with Honest Abandon (www.theprayercoin.org). For twenty years, Elisa served as CEO of MOPS International and now is President Emerita. Today she speaks internationally and serves as a co-host of the syndicated radio program, Discover the Word, produced by Our Daily Bread Ministries. She also writes for that devotional and her blog, Really, which reaches thousands. With her husband of thirty-nine years, Evan, she has two grown children and two grandchildren who live near her in Denver, Colorado. Wilson, her Rottie-wannabe, takes her on walks in the open space behind her home.   Elisa Morgan- http://www.elisamorgan.com/ MOPS International- http://www.mops.org/ Moms in Prayer International- www.MomsInPrayer.org

Summary: Julie Daniels has worked with dogs her whole life. In fact, she learned to walk by holding on to a German Shepherd. She is one of the foremost names in the sport of dog agility in the United States. She was one of the early champions of the sport and helped many clubs throughout the country get up and running. She owns and operates both Kool Kids Agility in Deerfield, NH, and White Mountain Agility in North Sandwich, NH. Julie is well known as a premier teacher at all levels of play. She has competed, titled, and won with all sorts of dogs through the years, including two Rottweilers, a Springer Spaniel, a Cairn Terrier, two Corgis, and four Border Collies. She is the only person to make USDAA National Grand Prix finals with a Rottie or a Springer, and she did it two times each. She is also a two-time national champion and a two-time international champion. Links Kool Kids Agility White Mountain Agility Next Episode:  To be released 4/06/2018, featuring Dr. Jessica Hekman to talk about building a performance dog. TRANSCRIPTION: Melissa Breau: This is Melissa Breau, and you're listening to the Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast brought to you by the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy, an online school dedicated to providing high-quality instruction for competitive dog sports using only the most current and progressive training methods. Today we'll be talking to Julie Daniels. Julie has worked with dogs her whole life. In fact, she learned to walk by holding on to a German Shepherd. She is one of the foremost names in the sport of dog agility in the United States. She was one of the early champions of the sport and helped many clubs throughout the country get up and running. She owns and operates both Kool Kids Agility in Deerfield, NH, and White Mountain Agility in North Sandwich, NH. Julie is well known as a premier teacher at all levels of play. She has competed, titled, and won with all sorts of dogs through the years, including two Rottweilers, a Springer Spaniel, a Cairn Terrier, two Corgis, and four Border Collies. She is the only person to make USDAA National Grand Prix finals with a Rottie or a Springer, and she did it two times each. She is also a two-time national champion and a two-time international champion. Hi Julie! Welcome to the podcast. Julie Daniels: Hi Melissa. Melissa Breau: To jump into things, can you just share a little bit of information about the dogs you currently share your life with and what you're working on with them? Julie Daniels: I have three Border Collies at this time, and my oldest, who is 12-and-a-half — don't tell her that — she recently injured herself. She tore the collateral ligament in her knee. That's a long rehab, and although she's 12, it is very difficult to keep her down. But my best friend is Karen Kay, who is an expert in rehab for both people and for dogs, a fitness expert, so we're diligently bringing Boss back, slowly but surely. But it's tough. Even at 12-and-a-half, if a dog is used to taking a lot of activity and getting a lot of exercise, it's very, very difficult to tone that down and do specific things. But anyway, that's my 12-year-old. My 10-year-old is Sport, and he's a finished product. He likes training as much as anybody. It's just a pleasure to live with and to show he's quite the guy. My youngster, now 2-and-a-half, is Kool-Aid, and I'm having a lot of fun with her. Kool-Aid has been a Fenzi-ite her entire life, so she's one of the stars, even in Baby Genius and also in Adolescent Sport Dogs. She's just a pleasure to work with and train. You'll see a lot of her. Melissa Breau: Awesome. I know here at FDSA one of the things you're perhaps most well known for is your “Genius” series. I know a big part of those classes — and all of your classes, really — is about building confidence. Can you share a little bit about why that's so critical for young dogs and maybe how you go about it? Julie Daniels: Right off the bat in puppyhood, we want our dogs to feel excited about the environment. We want them to do a couple of things. We want to nurture curiosity so that they feel attraction for novelty, which is the natural puppy trait. It is something they were born with — puppies are born curious — so I feel it's up to us to nurture that; yes, to guide it and direct it, but not to lose it. Don't lose that curiosity. Not so different from human children, I think. That's a very important thing. The other thing we want to do is develop a small measure of self-reliance in very young dogs so that they offer interaction with the world. And that gives us a chance to choose — to shape, if you will — what we like best about their behavior choices so that we can guide them along the way to a mutually satisfying life with humans. So yeah, those two things. Melissa Breau: To dig in a little bit into one of the Genius classes, Baby Genius is on the calendar for April. How much of that class is about teaching skills and “learning to learn,” for lack of a better term, and how much is about teaching the dogs a positive attitude toward life and training? Julie Daniels: They're both so important. They're both pretty much flipsides of the same coin. I think it's super, super important that you never get away from how the dog feels about life. So that positive conditioned emotional response that we all talk about, the positive CER, is really for interacting with people, interacting with the environment, as I spoke of before. We want to develop the curiosity and the initiative of the very young dog, and that starts in Baby Genius, big time. So it's not just about skills, no matter what you do. Even if you are training skills, you're always working on how the dog feels about life and how the dog feels about interacting with you, training with you, playing with you, if you will. So I have to say that the class is pretty much half of one and half of the other. It's not so much about skills. Good question, Melissa. I really thought about how to respond to that, and I'm thinking half and half, but it's probably more about life and less about specific skills. Guidance, yes, lots of guidance, and puppy's choice is extremely important in the class. So things are, by design, geared toward helping them choose behaviors that we would like for them to keep, but it's probably more about life, Melissa, and less about skills. So there you go. Melissa Breau: With that said, what are some of the skills you cover? Julie Daniels: Ah! I have to give those away? Let me talk about one that's both, because I could go on all day about that, and you probably have another question or two for me. So why don't I talk about one in specific that I think is maybe a good example of the life version and the skills version, and that would be the recall, because you can't do a baby class without working on recall, and yet I don't really start out working on recall at all. I work on name. I want to create extremely high value for name and attraction, orientation, toward the sound of name. So that's not operant. That's classical conditioning. And I do a whole lot with that just with the little name game. When you're playing name game — with any dog, mind you, not just with a baby; it happens to me a lot that I get adult dogs in for board and train, and they need a refresher on how they feel about hearing their name. It happens to many, many dogs that they've learned not to enjoy hearing their name, so I change it. But with babies it's so easy and fun to just play games, and don't forget: say your dog's name and don't think it's not a recall. Don't think, Oh, the dog needs to be going the other way when I call his name. No, no. It's classical conditioning I'm talking about, so I want that dog to love, love, love the sound of his own name. That's different from the operant games that we play for instilling a recall, which are also important. That's the skills part. But when you ask me whether it's more skills or more enjoyment, you know, life enjoyment, I think it's life enjoyment. I think name game is much, much, much more important in Baby Genius, much more important than the skill of, for example, recall. Melissa Breau: I imagine that the skills you focus on puppies has evolved some over time and that all of this didn't just spring from your brain fully formed. Do you mind sharing just a little bit about how you've decided over the years what it is important to focus on with a puppy versus what you really can wait on until the dog is a little bit older? Julie Daniels: That's fun, isn't it? It's hard to break a brain apart into various classes when you want to teach everything at once. This program started at least twenty years ago with a camp that I did up at White Mountain Agility. I was doing five to eight camps per year, and one of them I decided had to be only for novices. I called it Novice Geniuses, and that camp was a huge success. It was tons of fun, if you can imagine, and it was very, very useful for a lot of people in learning to start their dogs off on the right foot. It certainly was adamant about how the dog feels about it is much more important than whether the dog takes away this particular skill or that particular skill. So it was a great camp like that. And that's what I started out to do for FDSA. I called it Puppy Genius, and it was pretty much the Novice Genius program with a very few elements left out, which were for older dogs. Ultimately it was way too big a territory. It was too large a class in scope, and so I then broke it down into two classes called Baby Genius, for these youngsters, and that's what's coming up in April for the young dogs, and then Adolescent Sport Dog is what I called the former older dog elements of Novice Genius. I tried to break the class into two and then expand upon each of the elements within that smaller scope, and I think that worked out really well. That's what I'll continue to do. So Baby Genius really is for the younger dogs, and as we all know, foundation is everything, and so many dogs can benefit from Baby Genius. Any dog could benefit from the Baby Genius class because it is so elementary, absolutely no prerequisite required, and any dog can play. As I said, I take in many adult dogs for board and train who need, for example, name game, which you could play with a 7- or 8-week-old puppy. Melissa Breau: If people wanted to take one of the more advanced classes, do they need that first class? Is it a prerequisite, or can they just take the one that they need, or what is your recommendation there? Julie Daniels: When I taught Adolescent Sport Dog, I wanted very much for Puppy Genius or Baby Genius to be prerequisite material. It didn't work out that that was all that necessary because I ended up going back to those foundations as we needed to do them. So it worked out as a standalone class, and I don't think I would make it a prerequisite. But it's one of those classes — I feel the same way about my empowerment class — well, everybody ought to take it! But if, for some reason, you don't, I can make it work for you! So I'm not worried about it as a prerequisite, but it sure is good stuff for anyone. Melissa Breau: Excellent. I think some people think, Oh, Baby Genius, my dog's no longer a baby, but like you said, it's still applicable, it's still good stuff, it's still foundation skills that every dog should have. Julie Daniels: That's a good way to describe it. It's foundation. Melissa Breau: I know we talked a little bit about building confidence earlier, and I know in the description for your shiny, new, shaping class you mention that it will focus on using shaping principles to build confidence and teamwork. So I wanted to ask you why it is that shaping is such a good tool for accomplishing those two things. Julie Daniels: It's one good tool, obviously. It's not the only way to do things, we all know that, but it's one good tool for building confidence, specifically because shaping done well inspires the dog of any age — it can be any age dog — to offer a little bit more, to try a little bit more, to use the initiative that I spoke about earlier, to develop the curiosity and then use initiative. What we're working toward when we build upon those things, we're working toward a measure of self-reliance, so we want the dog — and that's where confidence comes in — we're building the dog's ability to make a choice and to enjoy the consequences of this choice. Every once in a while in life it's really important that the consequence teach the dog not to do that again. We let daily life do that. We let other dogs do that. We humans can use artful shaping to almost eliminate the need for a tough consequence to make it hard on the dog. We can become expert at noticing the tiny little elements of curiosity and initiative, and by rewarding those in specific ways, we can create more and more behaviors along that same line that strengthen the dog's ability to behave or perform in the way that we would like to see again. So shaping is artful; yes, it's scientific — and we will go into the science — but really this shaping class is not as scientific as some other shaping class would be, because it is only using the principles of shaping, which are good, clean mechanics and keen observations — very, very important elementary skills for shaping practices, but we are only using those shaping practices in order to get to the good stuff, the bigger picture of curiosity, initiative, self-reliance, you know, eagerness to work, not just for correctness. So that's how this class will run. One of the lectures — I'll just tease you — that will be one of the first lectures in Week 2, for example, is called, “When Did Silent Shaping Become Rigid Shaping?” Do you get what I mean? Melissa Breau: Yes. Julie Daniels: That's what I mean about you can be scientifically spot-on and not really be creating what you want in your dog. Melissa Breau: That's an interesting lecture title, and that will hopefully be a really great thing for people to think about, even before they get a chance to read the lecture. I know in the description you also mention that a lot of your favorite confidence-building games are perfect for practicing shaping. What did you mean by that, and can you talk us through an example of how that works? Julie Daniels: Oh gosh, I'd love to. Some of the games that we play in confidence-building classes, not just empowerment, but that's the big one that is well known in the Fenzi world. Empowerment uses many strange materials, and people will talk about they have a cardboard collection, they have a bubble wrap collection, they have a metal utensil collection. People talk about their bakeware collection. Some people actually cook with this stuff. We certainly don't. I mean that kind of thing, interaction with things that pop underneath you, things that feel squishy and move underneath you, they're unstable, things that make noise, for example, metal noise is very big in obedience training and it's also very, very big in seesaw training. We did a huge amount of work with noise making with metal, and we use noise tolerance, meaning someone else is making the noise and you don't have any say about it. That can be tough for some dogs and easy for others. The other element of that is noise empowerment: what if I'm being invited to make the noise myself. I'm controlling it, I'm in charge of it, I learn what it sounds like, and now it's up to me whether I want to make that happen again and again. So we create the dog's desire to be part of the environment in an active way. We want the dog to be an active participant in the experiences that he's going to have. That's about confidence and empowerment and such. Shaping is the absolute best way to get those things, and you can well imagine that some puppies — or any dog; I'm saying puppy only because I'm teaching Baby Genius, but any dog is invited to play — you can imagine just that taking a closer look at a pile of bubble wrap and plastic on the floor is probably a clickable event for many, many dogs, whereas there would be other dogs who would actually inadvertently scare themselves by jumping in the pile knowing nothing about what is going to happen. That would be handler error. That would be a poor job of establishing operations for the shaping that we want to do. So it's much better for us to learn artful ways to observe what the dog is doing, what the dog is about to do sometimes, and to offer delivery of reinforcement in such a way that the dog is not going to be offended but is going to be curious about doing more and gradually more. So shaping being the practice of building successive approximations toward an end-goal behavior. There are two ways that I make use of that. One is that I'm using end-goal behaviors that are not “world peace.” If your dog jumps into a bin full of bubble wrap, good for you, but you didn't just earn a MACH. So I separate, in other words, the elements that we're working with from the real-world elements of competition, and to a certain extent remove them from daily life, and embrace the dog's ability to enjoy silly things. They're silly things, there's no doubt about it. But it doesn't take a big stretch to see that the dog's confidence with these silly things — if, again, we do a good job of generalizing and creating fluency for these skills — it doesn't take a big stretch to see their usefulness in the dog's daily life as he meets other things in the world. So that's what we're trying to do. We take silly games and we build, through good shaping practices, we build the dog's desire to interact with the novelty in the environment, and we build the dog's enjoyment of the surprises that could happen as a result of that. Does that make sense? Melissa Breau: Absolutely, and I think there's a thread here that you've hinted at a little bit as we've gone through all the questions that's spot-on for everyone to ask you next, which is this idea that people, when they get into dog training, largely think dog training is about the dog, but the more involved they become, most of us realize that it's really at least half, if not three-quarters, about our own skills as a trainer. I wanted to ask how you balance teaching good handler mechanics with canine learning in the class and what aspects of handler skills you plan to talk about. Also, if you'd like to mention why they're so important, that would be awesome, especially when it comes to shaping. Julie Daniels: In the shaping class we'll be talking first and foremost about the handler's job. As I was hinting at, it's our job to set up the scenario so that the dog can be successful. I just call that establishing operations. That's what I was trained to call it back in the 1970s. Establishing operations meaning by the time the dog sees the apparatus or the setup, you have created this little microenvironment — and you have a plan, by the way — so that you are able to build, bing, bing, bing, one success on top of another very quickly so that you're creating this curiosity and this initiative that you wanted to create. For example, it would be a huge mistake to just crowd your dog into a busy place and say, “Hey, I happen to have some bubble wrap. I think I'll do a shaping game of squash the bubble wrap.” But if the environment is absolutely wrong for that new skill, developing that new skill, it will not go well, and that is handler error. It is our job, first and foremost, to set up the operation in such a way to invite success and know what the early steps are going to be, so that we can create, bing, bing, bing, reward, reward, reward, right, right again, bingo, what a genius, ta-da! That's the first order of business as trainers: we're going to be talking about how to establish operations in order to inspire success. And then we'll be talking about how to … obviously the clicking part, but then how to deliver the reinforcement in such a way to invite another success or more behavior or just a repetition of the current behavior. So we'll be talking a whole lot about delivery, as well as about how to establish what we're trying to do. Both those things are important. Melissa Breau: One of the things that I saw on your syllabus that I don't think we've ever really talked about here on the podcast before is this idea of delivery of reinforcement. I know we have a webinar coming up about that in a few weeks with another instructor, but I wanted to ask you about it anyway. How does delivery of reinforcement influence training, and how do you make those decisions? Julie Daniels: I'm glad it is going to be. It's a webinar, it deserves its own webinar, it's really a very big part of the picture and can influence the success of the dog greatly. Part of delivery of reinforcement is geared toward inviting the next rep. The very best example I can think about that is in Chicken Camp. Bob Bailey always says, “Click for behavior, feed for position,” and he's talking about the artful way we move the cup of corn as the chicken is reaching forward and pecking with it. The same thing happens in agility practices with foundation training. We're always moving the reward down the line. We want to be continuing forward toward the behavior that we're trying to create, because necessarily we've only got a tiny little piece of it. That's what shaping's all about. So we're trying to build the next step of the behavior, and using the reward delivery is one very, very effective means of inviting a next correct response. Would you like an example, Melissa? Melissa Breau: Yes, please. Julie Daniels: One good example would be — this isn't necessarily in the Baby Genius class, but it was just in the Canine Fitness class that I was doing with my own instructor, Karen Kay; I'm a student as well as a teacher — so I'm a student in Canine Fitness class, and we were shaping — not just luring, but we were shaping — a complete 360-degree turn on a wobbly surface, so it's very complex, and I was working with Kool-Aid. Well, Kool-Aid already knows an outside turn, and she knows a spin, and she can certainly follow a lure around in a circle. So I could have gotten that done, probably most anybody could get it done, just by luring a circle with a cookie — can you imagine — and then feeding the cookie. Is that shaped? No, not at all. Have you helped create a behavior? Well, maybe. You don't really know. But your dog can indeed follow a cookie around in a circle. There's nothing wrong with that, so I'm not criticizing that. But many of us would choose to do that, and I think it's better to choose to do that, through shaping practices. That would look just a little bit different. Even if you did decide to lure the initial turn of the head, you wouldn't just continue that cookie around in a circle. You would click for that initial head turn before the puppy even gets to the cookie. Then you would deliver that cookie, and as you deliver that cookie — this is the part we're talking about here — you're going to move it a couple or three inches further along the circle. See what I'm picturing? And then you're going to let go. So what's going to happen? Well, you'd better click quickly, because what is going to happen — because you now have removed the lure — what is going to happen is the dog is going to turn around back toward you, and that is not the direction we want to go, is it? We're trying to lure a circle away from us. So what you need to do instead is click before the dog turns back. Can you imagine how quick that is? You perhaps have less than a second in which to get that next click in, and now, Melissa, here's where it comes in again. Reward delivery is buying you the rest of the circle. In perhaps ten little increments around the circle, just as an estimate, you get ten repetitions of creating that puppy's turn around the circle. Instead of one continuous repetition, you get ten repetitions of the puppy learning to turn and move in that circular fashion. That's why shaping, in that one little tiny example, that's why shaping is superior to luring in a simple task like that. Sometimes it's hard to understand that. I'm really glad you brought up this question, and I'm sure it will come up in the webinar as well. It's difficult to help people understand that they actually should do it that way, because if you can picture in my example, it would have taken, oh, I don't know, two seconds perhaps, to lure the entire circle and then give the cookie, and it probably took, I don't know, ten seconds, fifteen seconds, it could possibly even have taken twenty seconds to do it the way I've just described. So I'm hoping, I'm banking on the fact that people will consider the value of shaping as in long-term learning, instead of incidental reps here and there of a behavior, that shaping is more powerful long-term. So that's why I would suggest doing it the way I'm doing it. Shaping is better for long-term learning. It helps the dog offer behavior and learn from the consequences that he can offer more behavior. It just creates a dog who's stronger, more resilient, with a measure of self-reliance, learning to operate in the environment in cooperation with the human. Melissa Breau: Not only that, but in the example you used, he gets maybe ten cookies instead of just one cookie because of the repetition of the behavior. Julie Daniels: For sure. No small matter, that's right! Melissa Breau: In the shaping class, what other skills or concepts are you planning to cover? Julie Daniels: Well, let's see. We'll be doing a whole lot with empowerment-based behaviors. We'll also be doing a little bit with behaviors that will be useful in dog sports. For example, we will be shaping a tuck sit. But I also — this is a disclaimer for Baby Genius class and for shaping class too — we will use props. When we want the babies to learn a specific skill, we're going to use a prop to help them get these things right, because babies don't have the power. In the shaping class, the dog may well have the power, but rather than use just pure shaping techniques to get what we want just in space, we'll use those props to hurry those behaviors along and to help the dog learn to initiate onto equipment. It sounds like it's hard to wean from props, but it's not. If you don't wean from your lures — you know, the primary reinforcer being used as an enticement to behave — that is harder to wean from, if you don't do it early on. We'll be doing that part very early on. But props themselves are not difficult to wean from. Once we have established behaviors that have been created through the props, we'll put them on cue, and then weaning from the props is not difficult. So I'm not worried about that. But we'll be using, in shaping class we'll be using things like platforms and sit targets and maybe some mats, but certainly target sticks. I love to use gear ties and expandable target sticks. We'll do raised targets and low targets, we'll do paw targets and nose targets, and sit targets and stand targets. There's also room in that class — hopefully I've covered everybody's interests now — so we'll also have some room in that class to work on individual projects. I don't think there'll be any individual projects in the first three weeks of class. We'll all be geared toward the foundations, and some people and some dogs will be ahead of others, and that's no problem; I have plenty of material. But I think in the last three weeks of class, this being a first-time class, I'm going to experiment. Can people go off on their own tangents, and I've said yes. Quite a few people have e-mailed me about this. One that has come up many times is that people saw that I was doing the concept of between, beginning in Week 1, and if you think about it, that is the basis for two-by-two weave pole training, so several people have already asked, “Can I use this class to shape weave pole performance?” And I've said, “Absolutely, yes.” This is a great use of shaping, and we are all going to cover the concept of going between two things. There are so many uses for that, not just in agility, but for the people who want to free-shape weave poles, this is a great class. It's a great class. But you'll have to be patient with me, because for the first three weeks we're all going to be working on these foundation skills relating to shaping, and we will be exposed to a lot of different kinds of elements. We're not just going to do between for six weeks, sorry. So once you've gone through the basic empowerment-related and curiosity-related and skills-related behaviors that we'll be shaping — which also, by the way, will build your own expertise with the shaping process and the various ways to build an operation, to establish an operation, to run the operation, and to use reinforcement criteria and timing in effective ways — I figure that's about three solid weeks without doing too much else. And then I'm hoping that Weeks 4, 5, and 6, people who have very specific individual agendas such as weave poles, such as, for example, drop on recalls, such as perfect front tuck sits, such as parallel path, there are so many good things, heeling, I don't really have a problem with that. I think I'm going to experiment with letting people go off on their own individual tangents, and we'll see whether that works out well as a class or whether we actually need six full weeks just to work on the mechanics of shaping. I don't think we will, because this class is geared toward being an overview of good shaping practices and then taking those skills to our activities, whether it be a dog sport in specific or just daily life skills such as getting out in public and the like. I feel like that's my best use of the class is to be able to help people do what they want to do. I'll tell you where I went with this … Melissa Breau: Yeah, yeah, definitely. Julie Daniels: Through all along my good shaping practices, I've been gearing my young dog, Kool-Aid, toward being my seminar dog. So obviously she's going to have to have a myriad of skills. Agility is my sport, but shaping is one of the best and most fun things I do, and I've started another in-person shaping class just last week and I decided, OK, you're 2-and-a-half, little girl, how about you be my dog now? So she is, in this class, my one and only demo dog. She is all by herself for the first time. She did not have her big brother there who's the expert and she's just the tagalong. No, she's now the seminar dog, and so for the first time I had a separate dog bed for her, and I put an x-pen around her because, again, I'm establishing an operation where she can be successful. If I just put her in the middle of the room on her dog bed, I don't even know all of the dogs that are coming into that class yet, that would be a very poor trainer's decision. So I protected her with an x-pen around the dog bed so that she could see everyone and they could see her, she could not get into trouble, and nobody could bother her. But she has the opportunity to learn to raise and lower her arousal state according to whether she is on duty or off duty. That's a really good life challenge that can be built through shaping, which is what I did with this dog. She's an extremely busy dog, and she, her whole life, has wanted all the turns. So for her now to say, OK, I'm back on the dog bed with a bone, and all the other dogs in class are going to be working this, that's tough for her. But you know what? She truly behaved like an old pro. These students, most of them know me, and they know this dog, and they were impressed by what she could do. I think if they didn't know me and I had told them that this is my demo dog and she's been doing this work for a year or so, they would absolutely have believed it. She just did a great job, and it's because she knows how to raise and then lower her arousal state. By the way, we'll start this work in Baby Genius. It's not just all about “Yay, yay, yay, the people are coming.” And I am a person who allows baby dogs to say, “Yay, yay, yay, the people are coming.” I truly allow my baby dogs to be pretty much a happy nuisance around people, because I do err on the side of life happiness and attraction for people and the world in general, like we were talking about earlier. So that means I've got a lot of training to do to get from that as, for example, a 6-month-old to now a 2-and-a-half-year-old who's already my seminar dog. That's a lot of training, but it's all been done through dog's choice training and through good shaping practices. So the end-goal behaviors that I want are broken down very finely into manageable steps for this particular dog, so that now I have a dog who looks fully … she's not fully trained, right? But she looks really good in a crowd when she's working on behaviors that I have built through shaping. So even though she had never been in this crowded an environment all by herself being the only teacher's dog there, she was able to come in and out of demo mode. She was able to raise her arousal state and then lower her arousal state each time she went back in the pen. I know I'm biased, but I don't believe she complained even once. Melissa Breau: That's awesome. Julie Daniels: Yeah, she really had it down about how to behave. I think that's part of shaping good behavior rather than coercing good behavior either through commands and corrections or just through pressure, pressure, pressure. This dog wasn't trained with pressure. When I wanted to demonstrate down on a mat, I just let her out of her little pen and I just — with a flourish, because that's the cue — flourished the mat and laid it out for her, and she ran, not walked, and threw herself down. And so then I told the class — this is true, so you'll learn this too, if you take the class — that she's never been commanded to lie down on the mat. Never. She was shaped. And any of the students who've taken, for example, cookie jar games, we build mat work from scratch. In the fall I'll actually be teaching a class specifically dedicated toward all these targets, including mats and platforms and sit targets and the like. But just to be honest, this dog was a hundred percent shaped to lie down on a mat. She was never coerced. And that down could not be more reliable. Melissa Breau: That's awesome. Julie Daniels: That's the value of shaping. Melissa Breau: Hopefully, students have their wheels turning a little bit and they're trying to decide whether either of these classes is appropriate for their dog. Do you have any advice for those people trying to make their class selection or decide if they should sign up? What's appropriate, what's not appropriate, how should they make those decisions? Julie Daniels: I think if a person has already taken one of the foundation shaping classes that have already been offered, then I think you probably already have the background that I'll be covering in the first three weeks. I'm sure my spin is a little bit different, but the good practices are the good practices, and so you could pretty much move on to another more skills-based class. Baby Genius, as I said, is good for all dogs, but it's extremely foundation-oriented. There's a good deal of background classical conditioning in there, a good deal of operant conditioning in there, a little bit about shaping just because that's the way I do things, but it's more geared toward all the elements of living with humans as a young dog. One wonderful thing that Fenzi does now is put up the sample lectures. I do think that's a wonderful way to get a feel for how a class will be run and what sorts of things the teacher concentrates on. Obviously it's only one little tiny lecture. Baby Genius, for example, has about sixty lectures in it, and I use forty of them in any class, so I try to make the class different every time through, and the Gold level students, I think in any class, cause the class to develop in a different way, so it's never the same class twice. That is definitely the case in Baby Genius, and all dogs are invited to come look at first-level foundation skills. My shaping class is definitely a fundamental shaping class. There's nothing advanced about it. It's the specifics, the basics, and the groundwork of shaping, and my take on it is to put it to use immediately in real-world elements. Melissa Breau: Thank you so much for coming on the podcast, Julie! Julie Daniels: Thanks! Melissa Breau: As per usual, it's been awesome … and thank you to all of our listeners for tuning in! We'll be back next week with Dr. Jessica Hekman to talk about the biology of building a great performance dog, so it should be a good interview. If you haven't already, subscribe to our podcast in iTunes or the podcast app of your choice to have our next episode automatically downloaded to your phone as soon as it becomes available. Credits: Today's show is brought to you by the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy. Special thanks to Denise Fenzi for supporting this podcast. Music provided royalty-free by BenSound.com; the track featured here is called “Buddy.” Audio editing provided by Chris Lang.

SHOW NOTES:  Summary: Julie Daniels has worked with dogs her whole lie. In fact, she learned to walk by holding onto a German Shepherd. Today she is one of the foremost names in the sport of dog agility in the United States. She's one of the early champions of the sport and helped many clubs throughout the country get up and running. She owns and operates both Kool Kids Agility in Deerfield, New Hampshire and White Mountain Agility in North Sandwich, New Hampshire. Julie is well known as a premiere teacher at all levels of play. She has competed, titled, and won with all sorts of dogs through the years including two Rottweilers, a Springer Spaniel, a Cairn Terrier, two Corgis, and four Border Collies. She's the only person to make USDAA National Grand Prix Finals with a Rottie or a Springer and she did it two times each. Links mentioned: Koolaid's Tantrum Sit www.koolkidsagility.com  Thinking in Pictures, by Temple Grandin Animals in Translation, by Temple Grandin Animals Make Us Human, by Temple Grandin Next Episode:  To be released 4/28/2017, featuring Julie Symons.  TRANSCRIPTION: Melissa Breau: This is Melissa Breau and you're listening to the Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast brought to you by the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy, an online school dedicated to providing high quality instruction for competitive dog sports using only the most current and progressive training methods. Today we'll be talking to Julie Daniels. Julie Daniels has worked with dogs her whole lie. In fact, she learned to walk by holding onto a German Shepherd. Today she is one of the foremost names in the sport of dog agility in the United States. She's one of the early champions of the sport and helped many clubs throughout the country get up and running. She owns and operates both Kool Kids Agility in Deerfield, New Hampshire and White Mountain Agility in North Sandwich, New Hampshire. Julie is well known as a premiere teacher at all levels of play. She has competed, titled, and won with all sorts of dogs through the years including two Rottweilers, a Springer Spaniel, a Cairn Terrier, two Corgis, and four Border Collies. She's the only person to make USDAA National Grand Prix Finals with a Rottie or a Springer and she did it two times each. Hey, Julie. Welcome to the podcast. Julie Daniels: Hi, Melissa. Melissa Breau: How are you doing today? Julie Daniels: I'm really ready for this and I'm doing great today. How are you? Melissa Breau: Good. Good. I'm excited to talk about this. I know we've talked a little bit in the past about other things, but I don't think we've ever had a chance to focus on the dog stuff. Julie Daniels: No. My first podcast. I'm used to be on TV with people making faces behind the camera to try to make me screw up, so this is very different for me. Lots of fun. Melissa Breau: Good. Good. Well, to start us out can you tell us a little bit about the dogs you have now and what you're working on with them? Julie Daniels: Oh, yeah. I currently live with three Border Collies plus my roommate's All-American mix, and I've got quite a houseful here. I often have dogs in for training as well. So our mix is always fluctuating and the personalities are always changing in their interrelationships. But Boss, my oldest, is eleven and a half years old, still strong and healthy, hale and hearty, runs with the boys and completely spoiled. Sport is my competition dog currently, he's going on nine years old, still competing well, fingers crossed of course. Over the years I've lost three top agility togs in their prime of life so I do hold my breath and count my blessings every time I'm able to go to the start line with Sport. But then I have a youngster and Karen also has a youngster. So we have two adolescent sport dogs in the household who need training every day. They are night and day in their personalities and just so much fun to work with every single day. So we have two youngsters and then the older dogs. Melissa Breau: What are the youngsters' names? Julie Daniels: Comet and Kool-Aid. Doesn't that just roll off the tongue? Karen's rescue mix is Comet who was not supposed to survive as a puppy. He has a liver shunt that was supposed to kill him and didn't so he's a real unique individual. And my young Border Collie is now a year and a half, Kool-Aid. She came full of confidence and Comet came full of fears and different issues. So they truly are night and day and they are best buds, best friends, absolutely perfectly compatible in their differences if that makes sense. Melissa Breau: Yeah. That's kind of awesome, actually. Julie Daniels: Yeah. Yeah. It is. It's awesome. Melissa Breau: So in addition to Comet I know most of your dogs right now are Border Collies, but you've had a lot of different experiences with a lot of different breeds. You've worked with a wide range of breeds and I really wanted to ask you kind of what the secret was, if you have any advice out there for people in the dog sports world who may be competing, whatever their sport, with just a breed that's not traditional for what they're doing. Julie Daniels: Oh, yeah. Yeah. Thanks for asking that because I think people do think of my sport, agility, as particular to a few breeds doing well, and it's really not that way at all. Any sport that you want to do can be enjoyed with any dog. I always tell people, start with the dog you love. That's the only way to do well anyway. And I think I can tell you from experience, all the extra work that it takes to make it in a sport with an unlikely breed, all I can tell you is keep at it because it's worth it. It's just plain worth it to go out there and do well with a breed or an individual dog, actually, of any breed who was not expected to do well. The pride just wells up in the teamwork that you accomplish over the years. I think no matter what your sport is that's the case. So don't worry about what breed you have. Choose the breed you love and play the sports that you're interest in. Melissa Breau: Your focus has been agility for the last while, but I was curious how you originally got into dog sports since I know you were in agility in the very early days, I'm assuming there's a story there. Julie Daniels: Yeah. I think you just called me old, Melissa. Melissa Breau: I didn't go that far. Julie Daniels: It's true, I was one of the early people who saw agility coming from overseas and just jumped and said this is the sport I've been waiting for, that is true. So before that I was into competitive obedience and I actually had a Rough Collie whom I had for 13 years who developed an overshot bite, actually not exactly an overshot bite but a faulty bite as in common in the breed, and that's the only reason why I went from breed to obedience. Of course like many people, just kind of never looked back, enjoyed the performance aspects more than the confirmation aspects, and just started down that road of dog sports as a team sport. That's where my interest lies. Melissa Breau: So how did you get from those initial days in obedience and become a positive trainer? Julie Daniels: Well, positive dog training. Well, it's been dogs and me my whole life, I mean, since before I could walk. My family loved dogs, my mother's father had favorite farm dogs. So having been raised with that kind of exposure and being a very young, small child in a big family I was raised with a good deal of what I would say benign neglect. All my dogs were walk-ins when I was a kid. My parents were all about, “You're not feeding that dog, are you? We didn't need another mouth to feed,” so to speak. Of course I lied, no, no, not feeding the dog, then pretty soon it's no, but look what he can do. So ta-da, meet my next new dog. So my parents were open as much as they didn't want me to have more animals I just had all kinds of animals as a kid from very, very, very young age. As a little kid overpowering an animal doesn't work, even a small animal, but certainly not big dogs, and relationship first and food second, that does work. I will say some of my earliest, fondest memories of being a small child in a big family, my mom was not particularly generous with praise, but one thing she said about me on a regular basis when speaking to other people, “Julie can do anything with any dog.” And I grew up knowing that was true, feeling that from the bottom of my heart from the time I was a tiny child. So yes, as an adult earning money in college by training dogs and that kind of thing, of course I got off on the bandwagons which were popular at the times, much more corrective methods in the era of choke chains and stuff. I went down that path too, just like most people did, but it wasn't really a stretch for me to come back, if you know what I mean, because I had such a base layer of success with positive reinforcement from the time I was a tiny child. Melissa Breau: So what got you from doing obedience over to agility in those early days and then what led you to really kind of champion it and help set up clubs and things like that? Julie Daniels: I saw agility first in…must I admit this? 1986. So my daughter was three years old, I was a stay at home mom, I had, oh, I don't know, four or five dogs at the time and all the neighborhood kids hung out at my house. I truly did see, I think I saw a book by Peter Lewis called The Agility Dog and I just jumped at it. I don't know how to describe it, but at the visceral level that's the sport I've been waiting for. So it really wasn't that hard once I started researching who was doing agility back then and trying to find out what was available in this country which was not much. And by the way, no internet, no cell phones, right? So my telephone bills were over 200 dollars a month, much more than I now spend on my cell phone which is kind of funny. But trying to make connections that we take for granted today back then was not simple and not easy. So anyway, I got in touch finally with the person who really was starting an organization, an official agility organization in the United States which is USDAA. Ken Tosh and I have known each other since 1986 and he put me together with other people around the country who also were like-minded and he also organized these trips which were grueling but so satisfying. I actually bought a trailer and literally brought equipment all over the East Coast and we operated at major horse shows like Dressage at Devon and Fair Hill and all kinds of prestigious horse shows where people just…we literally came in and set up an agility rink full of equipment and people just brought their animals. So listen, I got to work with pigs, goat, miniature horses, all the stable dogs. So it was a very exciting and wonderful way to spend a weekend. Over and over. My little girl came with me so Heather was exposed to all of this from a very, very early age too, my daughter's name is Heather. She's a very well-traveled individual. We literally brought the sport to new locations. And you know what? When I was younger I remember making fun of the Tupperware ladies because they had to cart all that stuff around so that's Karma for you. Melissa Breau: That's great. You mentioned traveling all around and by demoing it, it kind of sounds like, almost, letting people come in, try the equipment, how did it kind of get to that next stage, that next step? What was it like to kind of help it get its legs? Julie Daniels: Because I believe in this as a team sport, the best, most fun team sport I've ever played, it was easy for me to see that as a worthwhile way for me to spend my allowance and spend my vacation and travel time. So long before there were any official competitions there were a few of us diehards who were driving oh, certainly it was 800 miles down to Danville, Virginia, and I would drive that just to play with friends down there for a weekend on their equipment on their location. And there were no trials, so we're not even going for any kind of prestige, we just want to play the game. So to be in at the ground level, I think it's true in any endeavor but it certainly was true in agility, you just really had to want to play the game, and I don't think I've ever lost that. I love to play the game. It's the best team sport I've ever enjoyed. Melissa Breau: Well, I want to switch gears a little bit and talk about your recent Baby Genius class at the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy as well as the class you're offering this session, and I think the day this airs will actually be the very last day before registration closes. People have one more day to actually go sign up. Which is you're offering your adolescent sports dog class this session. Most people, when they first get a puppy, there's kind of a mix of emotions there, right? People are really excited but there's also this sense of fear, this fear of messing up that perfect puppy. So I wanted to ask you, any advice you have for kind of overcoming that fear to actually accomplish things? Julie Daniels: Yeah. I think that's a very important point, Melissa, because I think we all have that kind of fear and should embrace it and laugh about it. We all know with our positive training methods that one rep is only one rep. One session is only one session. So you got off on the wrong foot? Just go in a different direction and do better next time. It really is that simple. But I know that fear that you're talking about. Usually when I have chosen a dog or a dog has chosen me in the past I tend to gravitate towards dogs who have issues, what other people would not want to try to raise. But yeah, I do have the occasional puppy in my life. In fact, Kool-Aid is one of those, my current youngster, who really didn't come with any issues. She was beautifully bred, beautifully raised, a wanted child, and came without the problems that I normally embrace in a puppy and boy, did I ever have that feeling too. So when I first started Baby Genius class I thought, I just have to put that out there. So I wrote that, how does that feel? Exactly like you're saying it, I sure hope I don't screw this up, and I have that feeling just like everybody else has that feeling. Even though I know in my heart it's going to be a wonderful and beautiful relationship that will change and grow as we both grow together you can't avoid that feeling of gosh, I hope I don't screw this up, and did I cause every little thing that happens. Oh, no, did I cause this? Look at the monster I've created. But you have to embrace that, laugh it off, just like we have to do that with parenthood and human children, you know, any one day…in fact, I remember posting on Facebook when Kool-Aid was ten months about criteria and I had asked Karen to please tape because Kool-Aid was just in one of those adolescent moods that are so difficult to regain your equanimity with. She just was being a little brat at the door if you know what I mean. And by ten months old these criteria of being polite when the door opens, those are pretty well in place, right? But nothing is perfectly well in place with an adolescent. That's the beauty of the adolescent, you never know. She just was berserk. I can't describe it any other way. Screaming, flipping, pounding, rushing the door and banking off it, punching me, punching the other dogs. So my poor adult angels, you know, and are being long-suffering and polite at the door, and this little brat puppy is just throwing the tantrum of her life. So I remember posting it, putting it out there, and just saying, “I don't care who you are, your ten-month-old puppy can look perfectly trained day after day but then come tantrum day.” And I think it's very important to embrace. Tantrum day is a normal part of adolescence, a normal part of growing up, and not the end of the world. The test is for the handler, the owner, the dog mom to embrace the needs of the puppy in that moment. So the real question becomes, do I let her work this out? Do I help her by holding her collar? Do I let the other dogs go and make this dog stay behind? Which, by the way, don't do that. That's a mistake. What I ended up doing was a lot of fun. It was interesting for me and it sort of gave me the next phase of that work that I needed to do with Kool-Aid. I really didn't know that the tantrum was going to go on for a full two minutes. You don't know that kind of thing until you're in the moment, and it really did go on for two full minutes. I looked at the video afterwards and decided based on that… By the way, you should tape yourself, I don't care if you're taking a class or not, videotape is so incredibly useful. The camera can always see something that you didn't see in the moment nor should you see everything in the moment. You should be focused on your criteria and let the camera do its job of catching what's going on behind you. Anyway, a little bit aside, but a plug for videotaping yourself whether you're gold, silver, or bronze. Melissa Breau: So what did you wind up doing that day with her throwing her tantrum? Julie Daniels: Well, I truly did let her work it out, Melissa, and in the future I decided, no, I think because she really had so much trouble working it out I put my hand in the collar next time and just helped her. I didn't pull her down but I eliminated the option of, for example, charging the door and banking off of it or harassing the other adult dogs. I eliminated those options by just holding, slipping two fingers down through her collar. A bigger dog, more fingers, simple as that, and eliminating the options that I really did not want to see again, did not want her practicing which might inadvertently be self-reinforcing because they feel pretty good, that kind of venting. So eliminating those options actually helped her better herself in the future so that's the way I do it now with this particular dog. A different dog, if it had played out differently, letting her work it out might be the best way to go, but for Kool-Aid it wasn't. I'll have to share that video. It's not currently in one of my lectures for that class. I bet I should share that. Especially now people are going to want to see it. Melissa Breau: Yeah. Probably. To kind of talk back through that for a second, I was originally just going to ask you what's special about dogs at this phase of their life, kind of that ten month to two year old phase. Kind of what do you see…is it just that you should kind of expect that they're going to go through that testing boundaries phase and be prepared to deal with it? Is it something more than that? Julie Daniels: Yeah. I actually love that question, what's special about that phase, and I think there's one underlying common denominator and that's puberty. It is a special phase and I think what you said is true, you do need to embrace that the boundaries will be tested. I think any sport dog is going to be testing all your theories. So I think it's important to embrace that phase, but puberty changes everything. It's very, very different and we tend to expect that what was taught to the teeny baby is in there pretty good by virtue of our having taught it young, and I think it's fair to say it's in there, but what you said is absolutely true. In this stage of puberty everything will be tested. So all those things you thought were in there pretty good, they are still in there, don't worry about it, you'll get back to them, but you're going to have to earn them over and over again through adolescence. I think it's very important to embrace that stage. Melissa Breau: So is there anything that people can do when they're still dealing with a puppy to kind of help make that phase of their dog's life a little simpler? Julie Daniels: I think expecting and learning to predict your dog's likely behaviors is a very important part of getting through puberty. So as you get to know your adolescent dog better and better you become better, hopefully, at predicting how the dog will feel about a certain situation. So for example, I truly did learn from that ten month old example of full blown tantrum at the door over a behavior, mind you, which had been well taught. Well taught, well learned, well received, not particularly difficult or demanding. I think it's really important to learn from each development that surprises you and to adjust future expectations accordingly the way I did with Kool-Aid. So the next time at the door I didn't even wait to see whether there would be a tantrum or not, I just hooked a finger downward through her collar, I think it was just one little finger. She didn't look like she was going to throw a tantrum and she didn't, but just that little bit of reminder. It's not a reminder, don't worry, you're not going to be able to get away with this, it's a reminder, don't worry, I'm here to help you. That's really what the finger is saying. There's no pressure on the collar, it's just a little reminder that we're a team, we're in this together, if we stay connected at the door we'll all get outside much more quickly. Melissa Breau: Right. Right. I want to help you. There are rules but I'm going to help you get through them. Julie Daniels: Exactly. Melissa Breau: I kind of want to know if there are any other common threads that you kind of see running through that adolescent dogs class, any particular problems you see that come up over and over again? Maybe that you could kind of talk us through how you would handle them just so people kind of get a sense of what's in the class and also kind of your problem-solving style. Julie Daniels: I solve problems, first and foremost, through games. Games are powerful because they relax everybody, both the trainer and the puppy, and they remove the necessary behaviors from the context of the sport where they will be used. That's actually very, very important, that the behaviors are taught out of context first and then brought, you know, in a pretty well learned way, are brought to the environment where they will be used. So that's one reason that adolescent sport dog class is not sport specific. So we'll be using props of all sorts. I love props and they are very, very…well, the clicker is a prop. Well, every little tool that we use and then have to wean from is helpful to getting the behavior in the first place in a way that minimizes mistakes and maximizes the fun of learning. If your dog doesn't love school, I don't care what your sport is, you're going to have a little bit of trouble learning behaviors which require things like self-control, impulse control, focus, and heavy thought. It's very important that first and foremost your dog loves school. So obviously we start that in Baby Genius class. The most important thing that we can give the baby is not any particular skill, even a basic skill like sit, I'm probably one of the most lax people I know, for example, in requiring a baby dog to sit, to greet people. That is not my first priority at all. My first priority is I love people. So the decorum, the elements of decorum, come a little bit later for me than for some people, and obviously that's dog specific too. So if you have an adolescent Malamut jumping up on a human has to be long gone by the time they're ten months old. It does make a big difference how big or small the dog is. But it also is important even as we train these specific behaviors such as greeting behaviors, just the example that we're using, it's really important that we don't lose the joy of greeting. So this whole concept of my dog can do this, my dog can do that, and he's only x months old, I'm already competing and my dog is just 18 months old, I'm not likely to be doing that. I'm much more likely to be developing the teamwork, the love of the game, and the ability to work together than I am in being sport specific. So adolescent sport dog is not sport specific. It is advanced foundation work to be carried over into any active sport. It is designed for active sports therefore things like impulse control are hugely important and we will play with impulse control forwards, backwards, sideways, and inside out. So the dog really understands how to offer certain behaviors in the context of high activity and excitement. Melissa Breau: So I think that's really interesting because I think that's a problem a lot of people have found they have even with their older dogs. If they didn't curb it in adolescence they end up with a three or four year old or even five year old dog who may still be struggling with nice greetings or some of those behaviors that sounds like you're addressing really in this class. Julie Daniels: Yeah. I think the ability to think amid distraction is something that we all have to work on steadily, don't you, for the people as well as the dogs, right? Because it's very common for people to become disconnected from the dogs at the drop of a hat and that's part of this class too. It's not just the dog who needs to stay focused amid distraction, that focus and that team play are a very important two way street and we give, we will learn to give as well as we want to get. So the ability to tell the person who just came in the door to wait a minute without even looking at that person in order not to break the connection which you were in the middle of with your dog, I think that's a very, very important skill for a human to develop as a trainer. We have to give as good as we want to get. That's not simple and that requires multitasking skills which is also a focus of this class, the ability to take in peripheral information while we're operating on the information currently on the table, that's tricky, and it's tricky for both humans and dogs, and both members of the team need that skill. Melissa Breau: That's very interesting. I don't think I've ever heard that quite looked at from that angle before. Julie Daniels: I'm always siding with the dog, right? So it's always clear to me the unfairness of people requiring things from their dogs that they're not willing to give themselves. I call people on that all the time as gently as I can, although I admit that my in-person students are apt to say, “You're much gentler with your online students than you are with us.” I think that's true. That's true. Guilty as charged. Boy. I call people on things immediately when I'm looking at it in person, right? Melissa Breau: Of course it's real time and you can call them live whereas online it's after the moment, it's already passed. Julie Daniels: That's right. Melissa Breau: All right. To round things out I just have three more short questions. They're the questions I've asked everybody so far who have come on the podcast. The first one is what's the dog-related accomplishment that you are proudest of? Julie Daniels: Proudest of. I don't think I'm a very proud person in general, but no, there is something. Over the years I think maybe it's because I was involved in my sport of agility from the very beginning, before we had competitions, but I do think that over the years I've become both comfortable and philosophical about winning and losing even in big competition, even in very prestigious competition. I think one strength of mine is that I do not stand on a podium and think wow, I kicked everybody's butt. I don't think like that, I don't act like that. Instead, if I had to put it to words, I think it's more like, I have let this great dog down more times than I can count but not today. Melissa Breau: I like that. I like that way of looking at it. Julie Daniels: It's not world peace when I go to the start line with my dog, it's a game I get to play with this wonderful teammate that I enjoy every day. Melissa Breau: So my second and perhaps my favorite question that I ask the guests who come on is what's the best piece of training advice that you've ever heard? Julie Daniels: Yeah. I remember hearing that on the other podcasts and I remember thinking at the time, oh my God, how did they choose? It's such a difficult question. So I actually gave this some thought and obviously it is hard to choose, but I decided to go with some words that struck me at the time like a ton of bricks and still come back to me strongly almost every day when I work with other people's dogs particularly. And it's from an abnormal psych class that I took in college, but you said training, you didn't say dog training. So it pertains to everybody, it pertains to everybody including dogs. But this professor said in abnormal psych class, I don't remember the question he was asked that he was responding to, but it was about irrational fears, it was about irrational fears, phobias and the like, and this professor just, I remember the stroking the goatee type thing, and he says, “You can't help anyone unless you begin by accepting their premise as valid.” So I think I try to bring that acceptance to all my dog training. So therefore I'm less apt to judge the dog, I'm less apt to waste time trying to talk him into things that he's obviously loathe to do or certainly afraid to do. I go deeper, I get inside his head, I fell in love, and I help. And I help by starting where the dog is right now and I accept his premise as valid. Melissa Breau: And that premise can really be almost anything, it can be fear, it can be excitement, it can be joy, I mean it really can be almost anything. That's a really interesting angle to look at training, kind of a lens to look at training through. So my last question is who else is someone in the dog world that you look up to? Julie Daniels: Another tough one. I think one of the people who helped me the most with a couple of difficult training issues with my own dogs is Temple Grandin. I first saw her book, Thinking in Pictures, it's not her first book but it's the first book of hers that I saw. Since then, long since then a movie has been made of her life and the work that she's done with animals. She's primarily a livestock person but she actually likes dogs very much. Her three books that I would recommend everybody pick up, Thinking in Pictures, Animals in Translation which came after that, and then later than that, Animals Make Us Human. Temple Grandin, you would think because of her background with livestock would consider dogs and certainly my sport, dog agility, as absolutely frivolous. I mean, you could make a case for that, it's not the kind of thing that she works with. But I've been to three of her conferences, and actually she thinks dog agility is pretty cool. She loves the whole, as I do, loves the whole interspecies thing. I grew up with all kinds of different animals, and the whole interspecies relationship, interspecies communication thing is just fascinating and wonderful to me. I can't get enough of it. And Temple Grandin is like that. She's the kind of person who wants good for all creatures and really is one of the world's experts in accepting the animal…she doesn't say it this way, but she accepts the animal's premise as valid better than anybody else I know. Melissa Breau: I actually haven't read her books. Now I'll have to go pick them up. Julie Daniels: Yeah. She helped me a great deal with one very special dog I had named Superman, Clark Kent, my students used to say he's Clark Kent in the house but he's Superman in the arena. He was certainly an autistic dog, you know what I mean, more than ADHD, he really was challenging to train, and he became, ultimately made challengers round the only time he went to AKC National. So no slouch, the dog was, let's just say had a lot going for him but was extremely challenging to work with. She said to me about him, “You're treating it like he needs the big picture but he can't…there will never be a big picture. It's all detail. All detail. So when you give him cues you'll have to give them sequentially.” Of course me as a world class agility trainer I'm like, oh, you have to do at least three things at once. Who are you kidding? But she was absolutely right and when I started breaking down what she had said and trying to apply it to the way I was training Clark at seven yards per second she was absolutely right and that is what helped me more than anything else with being able to communicate at full speed with this phenomenal dog. So anyway, that's just one little example, but she's helped very, very many people by giving them a different way of looking at things, but it always, always embraces that premise that you have to accept the dog where he is, and that's your start point. Melissa Breau: Very interesting. Well, thank you so much, Julie, for coming on the podcast. Julie Daniels: Thanks, Melissa. Melissa Breau: And thanks to our audience for tuning in. We'll be back in two weeks with Julie Symons to talk about versatility in dog sports, obedience, and scent work. If you haven't already, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes or the podcast app of your choice to have our next episode automatically downloaded to your phone as soon as it becomes available. CREDITS: Today's show is brought to you by the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy. Special thanks to Denise Fenzi for supporting this podcast. Music provided royalty-free by BenSound.com; the track featured here is called “Buddy.” Audio editing provided by Chris Lang and transcription written by CLK Transcription Services. Thanks again for tuning in -- and happy training!  

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