Good Dog Workshop

Carlos & Brian discuss the simple act of decision making. Every one of us makes 100s of decisions each and every day. Some decisions affect us right away, some affect us in the future, and many affect our relationships with our dogs. Join us to hear just a few of the ways our decision-making process can play a huge role in our lives with our dogs.

This podcast is all about BUDDY, a young male Australian Cattle Dog who I'm fostering for the Fauquier SPCA. One of the best dogs I've ever fostered, BUDDY is quiet, easy, fun, playful, affectionate, and gets along great with dogs and people! Is BUDDY the right dog for you? Listen and find out more!

Originally developed in the 1870s as a guard dog for tax collector Louis Dobermann, the Doberman Pinscher (German for "terrier") has had its ups and downs over the decades. Not as popular as they used to be, but still much-loved and instantly recognizable—the Doberman Pinscher.

This is our 3rd installment about Pit Bulls in our series on Dog Breeds. It's a controversial topic because it seems like people either love this breed or are afraid of it. There are a lot of statistics on this breed and a lot of stories, both good and bad. We've worked with some great Pit Bulls and some hard-core ones as well. We feel this is definitely not a breed most people should co...

In this installment of Dog Breeds, special guest Alex & I discuss Pit Bulls. We talk about the good, the bad and the ugly about this breed. (I had technical issues so this was cut short and finishes up in part 2.)

In this installment of Dog Breeds, special guest Alex & I discuss Pit Bulls. We talk about the good, the bad and the ugly about this breed. (I had technical issues so this one so this is part 2 of a 28 min episode.)

Carlos & I talk about the Pug! This friendly, playful, cuddly yet sturdy breed is one of our favorites and an easy breed to own. Find out more about why this smooshed-faced breed is so high on our list...

In our 4th installment in our Dog Breeds podcast series, Carlos & I discuss the Australian Cattle Dog and the Australian Shepherd. The similarities and differences between the breeds, what we like about them, and how well-suited each is for the life in a typical family household. 

According to the American Kennel Club, the English Bulldog is the fifth most popular breed in America for 2018. Strong, stubborn and playful, this breed isn't for everyone but can be a great companion for many. 

The second installment in our new series, Carlos & Brian discuss the Labrador Retriever and the Golden Retriever — happy and easy-going. The American Kennel Club describes the Lab as "friendly, active and outgoing" and the Golden as "friendly, intelligent and devoted". Both the Lab and the Golden are two of the easiest breeds to own; that's why they are always at the t...

The first in our new series, Carlos & Brian discuss the German Shepherd—handsome, noble and not for everyone.

Josh & I introduce our Battle Buddies project. Our vision is to help veterans re-focus their sense of purpose and to find peace through the mutual support and companionship that comes from helping homeless dogs. Veterans helping dogs helping veterans!

The 4th in a series about Self-Awareness. In this one, Carlos & Brian discuss a recent client who completely surprised us by being very self aware. She knew of her own insecurities and her own emotional state and that they were a problem with her relationships with her dogs; she just didn't know how to prevent her issues from getting in the way of her success with her three terrific dogs....

Carlos & Brian discuss the incredible difference you can make with your dog when you know yourself, your capabilities and how you affect the dogs around you.

Carlos & Brian discuss self-awareness regarding another recent client who essentially got a dog that was not a good match for her. This is our second in a series of podcasts on Self-Awareness.

Carlos & Brian discuss Self-Awareness and the role it plays in our relationships with our dogs. This is the first in a series of podcasts on Self-Awareness — a topic which is immensely important in establishing and maintaining our connection to our dogs, yet is a topic that most people—oddly enough—are not aware of.

Carlos & Brian discuss important steps to get dogs and cats to co-exist in the same household...or if it's a good idea in the first place.

Carlos & Brian critique the standard methods of evaluating a dog.

Josh & Brian discuss their relationships with dogs: What they each look for when considering a new dog for their homes, what they like best about their own dogs, and what they look for when evaluating a client's dog or a dog at the SPCA.

Josh & Brian discuss their experience evaluating a German Shepherd at the Fauquier SPCA. Hear how to properly assess a dog's temperament, what to look for, and the importance of using your own pack to help in the evaluation.

Carlos and Brian discuss a quick clip about Richard, a Chihuahua who doesn't like to be handled by strangers. This clip is from Cesar Millan's "Dog Whisperer" TV show and the dog is owned by celebrity trainer Jillian Michaels. Listen in as we break down how to work a dog through this serious issue and quickly resolve it. 

Brian tells you what to look for when trying to find a trainer to help you with your dog's behavior issues. Learn what a trainer ISN'T telling you by watching their YouTube videos, reading their Facebook posts, and listening to them on the phone.

Carlos & Brian discuss a poster of dog body language illustrations which has been widely circulated on social media: "Doggie Language" by Lili Chin. No doubt intended to help people better understand the body language of dogs, we feel the captions/labels on this very nicely illustrated poster actually create more confusion than understanding. Check out the image online and follow alo...

Carlos & Brian discuss why "positive reinforcement only" training is unrealistic & unnatural in working with dogs. We'll help you wade throw all the scientific terms so many trainers use so that you can understand what really works with dogs and why. This is a big and much-debated topic so this is the first of multiple podcasts on this subject.

Carlos & Brian delve further into "positive reinforcement only" training with specific examples of why it's an unrealistic and unnatural way to train a dog.