Cog-Dog Radio

The dog training and behavior industry is all abuzz with the conversation of ethics. A field that largely adhered to the LIMA (least intrusive, minimally aversive) principle is now divided once more on this stance. But what does it truly mean to be least intrusive? Doesn’t “least intrusive” imply minimally aversive? Do we need a new model entirely, as those in favor of the newer LIFE (least inhibi...

Join Sarah as she discusses common pitfalls in pre-run rituals for agility (and other sport) dogs. Should you feed a lot of treats before you run? Should you try to minimize your dog’s exposure to the environment? What about tug? All this and more, and check out the Crate to Gate webinar either as part of the Ringside Skills bundle OR as part of your community membership. https://sarahstremming.co...

The second half of Sarah’s conversation with Monique Feyrecilde, a licensed veterinary technician with a specialty in behavior whose book Cooperative Veterinary Care is finally available for purchase. In this episode Sarah and Monique get deeper into things that can be practically done to help dogs that struggle at the vet, as well as a few philosophical meanderings. BUY THE BOOK: https://www.wile...

Join return guest Monique Feyrecilde, a licensed veterinary technician with a specialty in behavior to discuss all things support for dogs in the vet clinic. The long-awaited second edition of her book Cooperative Veterinary Care is here, and Sarah could not wait to discuss it on the podcast with Monique. From simple things that can be done right away to help your dog at the vet to complex trainin...

Is it ok to withhold toys to produce more drive for them? Are we sometimes producing welfare deficits to our advantage with our sport dogs? The answers might surprise you. Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cogdogradio Music by AlexGrohl from Pixabay

If you have worked with Sarah in person you might have heard her tell a handler “only one of you is allowed to be a shitshow.” This is her tongue in cheek way of communicating the when the environment is challenging, at least one end of the leash must have the skills to face those challenges. Of course, in an ideal world, both the dog and handler have the skills required for the challenged they ar...

Barking never means one thing; we always have to consider the conditions under which barking is occurring to know how to best respond. Some dogs are perfectly happy while barking, and some are distressed. And what about the social pressure to keep our dogs quiet? Sarah’s renewed thoughts on barking, thanks to her Icelandic Sheepdog, Rayya, are here for you. Sign up for courses and join the members...

In response to the “trainer wars” between the balanced and force-free communities Sarah and past podcast guest (and friend) Lisa Mullinax sit down to talk about the place where ethics meet efficacy. Lisa and Sarah do not claim a label as trainers (neither balanced nor force-free), and have both undergone an evolution in the behavior field that has helped them to arrive at a place free of dogma and...

Not a junior? Don’t know any kids? This podcast is still for you. The refreshing take on our sport from Sasha Zitter and Benah Stiewing will be music to your ears. Boundless Juniors Agility Company is a nonprofit organization focused on elevating the experience of junior handlers in agility, and it is so much more. Enjoy! https://www.bjacamp.com/ Sign up for courses and join the membership here: h...

Stop! Before listening, go watch this SNL skit about Surprise Party Sue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4R1yybhmHg Ok, now, is Sue a dog you know? Maybe Sue is your dog. Maybe she is a client’s dog. This skit is something Sarah uses to explain to her clients how their dogs are behaving, and from there discussions like “is this ok/normal?” and also “what can we do about it?” can happen. When thes...

Is fetch a problem? Does fetch cause problems? Is chasing a ball different from marking and finding a bumper? Can we utilize retrieving in beneficial ways? All this and more as Sarah explores the popular dog owner game of “fetch” with friend of the podcast Liza Rader KPA-CTP of Focus Dogs in British Columbia. focusdogs.ca @focusdogs Click here for the bundles: https://focusdogs.thinkific.com/colle...

One of Sarah’s most popular episodes of all time, this episode explores the ethical and effective role punishment might play in a least-intrusive, minimally-aversive (LIMA) framework. Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cogdogradio Music by AlexGrohl from Pixabay

Sarah is joined this week by assistant professor of psychology at Boston College, Dr Angie Johnston. Angie is the director of the Canine Cognition Center and Social Learning Laboratory, where she compares human and dog learning, studies the ways dogs learn from humans, and so much more. Find more here: sites.bc.edu/doglab Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.my...

Working with stranger-directed aggression cases can be dangerous because, as the professional on the case, you are also the dog’s trigger (and potential target). Join Sarah in conversation with Lisa Mullinax CDBC of Serenity Canine–an expert in stranger-directed aggression in dogs–to learn about the steps professionals can take to help everyone stay safe in these sessions. From tools and tips to r...

The old ways of “free” shaping behaviors are out and the much-improved process of shaping via component parts is in. Join Sarah in conversation with Tromplo founder Agnieszka Janarek for a discussion that goes into frustration, resilience, and core skills as a way of life. Find Agnieszka at Tromplo: www.tromplo.com And on instagram @tromplo Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https:/...

Do dogs need to be trained to relax, or will they relax when their needs are met? Should they be asked to relax if their needs haven’t been met? Where can we draw the line between taught relaxation and exercise? All this and then some. Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cogdogradio Music by AlexGrohl f...

We all want to help our dogs experience less stress at the vet, and there is actually some scientific data to support two ideas that some might already be doing naturally: avoiding lobbies and staying with dogs through procedures. Break down the research, and also get into some of the culture of vet med with geneticist and veterinarian Dr Jessica Hekman. Find Jessica at http://www.dogzombie.com/ a...

Amy Cook, PhD is a dog behavior consultant extraordinaire and she sat down to chat with Sarah about the importance of planned, trained, and rehearsed management strategies for navigating the world with reactive dogs. http://playwaydogs.com/ https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/courses/7467 Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on...

Sarah welcomes Erin Marion aka Down to Earth Dog Lady to the podcast to talk about working with dogs who are deaf, blind or both. The conversation takes several rich and unexpected turns, so you won’t want to miss it. As Sarah recently learned, you might not think you need any special skills pertaining to deaf or blind dogs, until you do! Find Erin: www.downtoearthdoglady.com Instagram : @ downtoe...

You will do best to train your dog for the real life scenarios they will face, rather than complain about how hard those scenarios are. In the world, at the vet, or in sports, we must train our dogs how to cope with or respond to the very real things that will happen to them. Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on Patreon: https://www.pat...

After 20 years in the field of dog training and behavior, Sarah has learned a few things about the inner workings of a dog business. One thing that she sees her colleagues struggle with is managing criticism and complaints, so she has her tips on this for you today. Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c...

Happy New Year! Let’s talk about all the trophies you won’t receive, but that you do actually deserve. Plus, a special patreon question! Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cogdogradio Music by AlexGrohl from Pixabay

The way agility classes are run directly affects the success dog and handler teams experience in the trial environment, and the safety of those environments. Join Sarah and FX Agility’s Megan Foster as they discuss how agility class instructors can best support their students to improve trials for everyone involved. Find Megan at https://fxagility.com/ GET THE EBOOK: https://fxagility.mykajabi.com...

Blanket statements like “puppies have to play with other puppies to grow into well rounded adults” or “dogs do not need dog friends, they need to learn to listen to you,” are thrown around in dog training circles every day. As you might have guessed, Sarah has a more nuanced take. Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on Patreon: https://ww...

What can we do to help our senior dogs thrive? Turns out, a lot of the same stuff we do for our younger dogs, with some adjustments! Join Sarah with experts on senior dogs Dr Heather Misner and business partner Ann Waterbury to talk all about supporting our oldies. It’s ok if you cry…. Find Ann: https://sounddogconnection.com/ Find Heather: https://www.ruffday.vet/ Find both: https://www.wagsniffa...