Fenzi Food For Thought

In this live, I talked about using props within training. Why we use them, advantages and disadvantages, and how to get rid of them! Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

We train behaviors and condition emotions. In this live, I explained that in more detail.   Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

In this live, I talked about reinforcement. It's a lot more complicated than just toys or food! If you understand your dog's hierarchy of reinforcement, you can make strategic decisions that significantly increase your training success.   Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

Whether or not you think there is a place for suppression in dog training, we need to be logical in our explanations and thinking. Not moving does not mean an animal is in a "calm state of mind" if you have punished the movement out of the dog. It simply means the dog is not moving.   Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

Structure is good. Choice is good. It's a matter of the right one at the right time. Plus a bunch of behavior conversation.   Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

Adolescent a$$hole?! The truth is, some dogs aren't so great during adolescence. Your compliant puppy is not so compliant anymore! This will give you some ideas for navigating this period of time. In short, you will be reducing your dog's choices and increasing structure. Identify issues before hand, and cut them off before they have a chance to develop.   Follow my training! The High Drive Dog Mo...

This time I focus on the perspective of reactive dog handlers. If you are a professional trainer you might find this one interesting. Note: the Live mentioned from the day before didn't end up saved on IG, apologies for the confusion!   Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

Here, CC stands for classical conditioning. I gave a variety of examples, both behavior and training-oriented, where classical conditioning gets behaviors much faster than operant conditioning, and with a more reflexive/fast response as your end result. I'm loving classical conditioning to train and maintain behaviors! I also answered random questions on various topics. Follow my training! The Hig...

As a seasoned trainer and competitor, Laurie Williams has seen and experienced a lot, and tonight she shared her story as she transitioned from traditional to positive reinforcement based training. I enjoyed this interview and I hope you do as well! Follow Laurie's training! Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

I had the opportunity to do an in person training lesson; something thing I have not done in years. In this IG live, I talked about the dogs, and how I made the choices I made to address their behavior and training needs. I focus on a discussion of evaluating a dog's need for movement or stillness, structure or choice.   Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports...

What is the cause of the misfortune? Genetics? Environment? Something else altogether? Frankly, it doesn't matter. The blame game leads to suppression of behavior via punishment and that leads to a loss of honesty. This IG live was all about the cyclical relationship between the blame game and the problems that result. We can be be better!

Structure is not a bad word. Choice is not a bad word. You need both! Which one depends on the circumstances.   Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy        

This is the number one thing I want dog trainers to understand. You cannot control a dog's "state of mind" by managing it through training their behavior. Emotions don't work that way. Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

We know quite a lot about keeping our dogs safe, but we don't often consider how that creates trade-offs….Quality and quantity of life have a tendency to be at odds, when push comes to shove. We each make decisions based on our risk assessment. The world could be a much kinder place if we allowed others the same freedom without judgment.   Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online trainin...

If you find consistent struggle to get along with your challenging dog in society, listen to this Instagram live I did. You might find it helpful in your efforts to get your needs met. Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

This was such a fun time! Dr. Amy Cook joined me to talk about fear, anger, food, conditioning, what happens if you get your timing wrong, and a whole lot more! And if you worry about your timing or choices? You definitely want to listen to this one.

I had the pleasure of chatting with Michael about all things aggression! We covered quite a bit of territory, from whether or not to use a muzzle to matters of medication to dogs in shelter. Follow Michael's training!   Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

Our society is based on punishment, and we have internalized that. We accept fear and sadness as acceptable emotions, and we want to comfort those who feel them. But we do not accept anger and frustration, and their emergence makes us want to punish those emotions when we see them. I talk about why you might struggle to apply the principles of classical conditioning to behaviors that society does...

In this live I was joined by Michael and Jamie Badial to talk about how to become a dog trainer, starting your business, and getting your first clients! This was a fun chat with lots of practical advice that you can apply right away to get your business up and running. Take a listen!   Follow the Badials!   Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

Errors are nothing to be ashamed of! Let's talk about it. Be public about your errors! It will reassure your colleagues that they are not inferior beings because they have errors, and it will attract the general pet population who struggles to identify with trainers who show only perfection.   Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

What an excellent conversation! If you are struggling with separation anxiety with your dog, or if you know someone else who is, you will definitely want to listen to this interview. Follow Malena's training!   Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

This is the secret to getting your puppy or dog to opt into training with full attention, and to stay connected for long stretches of time. It works. Really. Take a listen. Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

As with most things, it's not black-and-white. Some dogs benefit from more splitting, patterns, higher rate of reinforcement, and easier training sessions with less puzzling than other dogs. Those dogs might benefit from more lumping, more behavior chains, and more unpredictable/challenging training sessions with plenty of puzzling. In all cases, you need to watch your learner to determine how you...

We had a great talk! We talked about relationship, playing with dogs, what Dante has learned working with other species, preparing for dog sports competition, and more! I hope you enjoy this.   Follow Dante on Tik Tok @dantedogworks   Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

Do you have a relationship with your dog or a dependency? Does your dog want to spend time with you, or are they trying to avoid the alternatives? We explored questions like that in this Instagram live. Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy