Cog-Dog Radio

In the first of a three part series exploring nuances of reinforcement, Sarah talks about what she calls the 1:1 ratio of behavior : reinforcement. When we are training or maintaining behavior we need to always maintain a 1: 1 ratio and what that looks like varies based on the learner, the task, and the payout. A seemingly simple unit of behavior might require a big payout and that payout is not a...

Is there a time and a place to intentionally utilize one type of learning over another in dog training? Can you ever be operating in only one learning form? https://sarahstremming.com/products/ 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

We talk a lot about “management” in dog training but what is it, actually? When is management just training? When is training NOT management? Is this all just semantics? All this and more with Julianna DeWillems. www.instagram.com/jwdogtraining www.dogwise.com www.jwdogtraining.com https://sarahstremming.com/products/ Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykaja...

Do dogs need to tolerate frustration to live successfully in the human world? Do they need to tolerate frustration in order to be successful in sports? What even IS frustration tolerance? https://sarahstremming.com/products/ 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

Should dog trainers be training dogs, or is it ok for us to focus our efforts elsewhere? Are sports the best inroad to hands-on work? What standards should we hold our mentors to, and should we have mentors? All this and more with industry leader Kelly Gorman Dunbar. Find Kelly https://www.kellydunbardogtraining.com/ FB private training group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kddtcommunity IG @kell...

As a field (and as dog owners), we are often talking about different things when we refer to “separation anxiety.” But is isolation phobia the same as hyperattachment? Are some dogs just upset about confinement, and not about isolation? And what about FOMO? Buckle up for a nuanced and in-depth conversation about the entire suite of behaviors we call “separation anxiety” with Karishma Warr, the co-...

McCarthyism in US history names a time when unfounded persecution availed. Being afraid to show our training or speak about what we are doing is the current era of dog training because of similar unfounded persecution. When dog trainers accuse each other of not being positive enough, as is rampant in dog social media circles, we only serve to harm each other and the industry. Find Laurie: https://...

In this crossover episode with The K9 Conservationists Podcast, Sarah sits down with Kayla Fratt CDBC to discuss a recent problem Kayla faced in the field with her detection dog Barley. What started as a conversation via text between friends became an educational and geeky conversation about what to do when things go wrong, how we can adjust behavioral outcomes with reinforcement, how much it matt...

As behavior professionals we need to be proficient in the areas of environmental management, enrichment, and also dog training. But we are not a master of all three we might lean too heavily on one or two of them while forgoing the third, sometimes to the detriment of the case. Join Sarah in an exploration of each of these areas through the lens of practical examples. https://sarahstremming.com/pr...

In this episode Sarah outlines what she did to change her personal dog’s behavior regarding horseback riders. Once a shrieking, lunging, inconsolable mess, now a model trail citizen, Rayya the Icelandic Sheepdog is the star of this episode. https://sarahstremming.com/products/ Sign up for courses and join the membership here: https://cogdogclassroom.mykajabi.com/ Join us on Patreon: https://www.pa...

In the third and final (maybe?) installment of the least intrusive principle series Sarah explores what choice and agency have to do with intrusiveness. Degrees of freedom: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/379412099_The_Benefits_of_Considering_Degrees_of_Freedom_in_the_Zoo_Animal_Community https://equineclickertraining.wordpress.com/2020/02/26/asat-conference-2020-dr-joe-layng-coercion-wit...

In this second installment exploring the principle of least intrusiveness Sarah explores her own checklist for being sure her behavior change plans are low on the intrusion scale and still high in effectiveness. This is the practical application episode that relies on the listener having already worked through the part one episode. https://sarahstremming.com/products/ Sign up for courses and join...

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...