Not Another Dog and Pony Show

Where we sit down once again with Sarah Stremming for a timely talk about recent events in the Olympic horse world, the harms of subjective judging in sport, and using values to guide our competitive natures. Also the lifelong effects of putting sparkly pink whips into children's hands, selective breeding of animals to 'wear' pressure, and a discussion about if vilification of offender...

Where we sit down for a discussion about what happens if/when we can't give animals choice and control, minimizing behavioural injury, and the role of cognitive appraisal during what might be stressful events. Also a harrowing tale about Lauren's first combat roll whitewater kayaking, what not to say to a child who falls off a horse, and the motivating factors that get Matthias on scary ro...

Where we sit down for a discussion about the efficacy of lecture-based versus hands-on learning, the importance of real-world, practical experience, and the debate over whether trainers should compete to validate their skills. Also, we discuss using The Bucket Game with children, who would win an escalator competition, and how Lauren isn't great at keeping what happens in Vegas, in Vegas. Lear...

Where we sit down with the rational Ruth Crisler for a discussion about the ethical considerations and practical applications of aversives in animal training, particularly within the positive reinforcement training community. Also, the importance of open, non-judgmental dialogue around the use of aversives, the need for clear and accurate definitions, and the potential for aversives to provide val...

Where Matthias and Lauren discuss the concept - and helpfulness - of leadership and deference in animal training. Also, they explore the complexities of balancing giving direction and allowing choice, debate whether our social relationships with animals allow for the human construct of leadership, and Matthias shares a story that explains why he wasn't awarded Father of the Year. Again. Needle...

Where Matthias sits down (sadly, without Lauren) with the philosophical Chad Mackin to talk about leash communication. Also, the importance of escape hatches when pushing close to thresholds, gentle communication pressure vs revenge pressure in training, and the power of letting learners think that their behaviour change is their idea and not something you imposed on them - whether dog, horse, or...

Where Lauren sits down (sadly, without Matthias) to talk with the cooperative care maven Monique Feyrecilde, about knowing your audience - whether dog, horse, or human client. Also, our moral obligation to not cause animals to be dangerous for others to handle in the future, the kind of truths that help people do better, and the importance of being a positive memory curator when working with anima...

Where we sit down for a few metaphorical and metaphysical beers with the icon Suzanne Clothier, and talk about how we view - and qualify - our relationships and (training) interactions with animals. Also, transactional relationships vs social relationships, how animal training certifying bodies might assess trainers without a quadrant emphasis, and Suzanne and Lauren tell us how they really feel a...

Where we lay Matthias down on the therapy couch and take a bit of a wild ride to talk about what he sees as the inherent selfishness of animal ownership. Also, we discuss rehoming animals, the mythical desert island of retired professional dog trainers, billionaire tourism, and who has a better life: the rodeo bucking horse or the show horse? Billionaire tourism podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com...

Where we talk about the animal training and behaviour video content we put out on social media: is showing our 'mistakes' or less-than-perfect training or behaviour sessions harmful or helpful? What can be lost or gained by sharing such posts? Also, we discuss 'before and after' training/behaviour videos, and Matthias' Jedi-like ways of staying open-minded while engaging with a...

Where we talk with our first-ever guest, the lovely Sarah Stremming about using punishment - effectively and humanely - during dog or horse training. Also, a discussion about what Sarah does differently now since the airing of her podcast episode on this same topic, choke chains on dolphins (?!), and how 'make them know they're wrong' might not be the best approach when using punishmen...

Where we talk about under-discussed pitfalls that can occur when (poorly? inappropriately?) using positive reinforcement (R+) to train dogs and horses. Also, a discussion where Lauren womansplains to Matthias about male erections, and why it might not be cool for your animal to get an erection during training. A summary on erections in horses during R+ training: http://tinyurl.com/erectionduringho...

Where we talk about what Lauren awkwardly calls a 'trolley problem problem' in our industry: a situation where whether you pull one lever or the other, there are going to be consequences and people may judge you either way. But should they? Who stands to gain if you pull the lever? And who stands to lose? Also, Matthias doesn't really want you to learn about punishment from the person...

Where we talk about the use of pressure to teach horses and dogs, issues within our industry related to pressure-based training, and how Lauren feels about Matthias' lozenge use. Lauren demonstrates teaching a person how their use of pressure feels to the animal: https://youtu.be/VqM97C3q9PA Matthias' favourite lozenges with which to annoy Lauren https://youtu.be/f42YGUKinJ4?si=4o_2yEONfut...

Where you meet your hosts, animal behaviour and training professionals Lauren and Matthias, and hear them talk about why they wanted to start a podcast, how they met (not at all awkward), and why Lauren isn't called Rat Lauren. Matthias' Pedro the Fish https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064202130880 Fan mail? Hate mail? Topic suggestions? Email us at notanotherdogandponyshow@gmail....