Beastly Talks

Here we are again. Another call for dog training tools to be banned. Another call, which seems to have completely forgotten to ask balanced trainers on the value of prong collars, and has colluded under the table with a corrupt RSPCA to try and sneak it through. This is despicable behaviour and completely without due process, which we should demand in a democracy. This is not a podcast I had plann...

In this week's episode of Beastly Talks, we delve into the purpose of aggression.  Why is aggression necessary in social species? What is ritualistic displays of aggression? How does dominance and submission play into the use of aggression? When does aggression stop being communication and start becoming problematic? An incredibly interesting topic, which I have done so much research on (both...

In this episode of Beastly Talks, your host – Stian Helling – delves into what he calls "The Curse of Freedom." When bringing a new dog into your household – be that a new puppy from a breeder, or a rescue from a shelter – one of the biggest mistakes people make, is to immediately give that new dog free run of their house. Why is this a problem? Because dogs need a ton of structure and g...

PSA: Our good friend and frequent guest on the show – Mr Harry Hunt from Everyday K9 Academy – is now officially a regular co-host on Beastly Talks and we cannot wait to get stuck into a ton of recording next year! Thank you to everyone who has supported the show, we love the messages and comments we have received! It's that time of year again, where people celebrate a two thousand year old st...

My good friend Harry Hunt and myself recently saw a completely moronic video on social media – created by the Devon Dog Lady – where she gives you a number of reasons why you “shouldn’t play with your dog.”  After laughing at her ridiculous haircut and her stupid video, we both became quite angry about all this nonsense being spread on social media. So we decided it was time to talk about play and...

In this episode, we have the pleasure of chatting with Ben Barnes from Huon Valley K9 in Tasmania! From working with military dogs, to now focusing on helping pet dogs, Ben has an extensive and varied career behind him.  Ben has been instrumental in fighting the proposed ban on electronic collars in Tasmania and he reveals some “shocking” things he learned about both the government and the anti-to...

In this episode, we are excited to have Harry Hunt from Everyday K9 Academy join us! Harry studied to be a Chippie (read: carpenter), but didn’t find it to be the right profession for him. Once he met another professional dog trainer however, the path was laid out!  Harry has drastically changed things around at Ballarat Animal Shelter and continues to help the dogs there, while still running his...

In this episode your host, Stian Helling, deep dives into some learning theory. While this may sound a bit dry, it is important to properly understand how our dogs learn, so we can teach them as effectively as possible! Follow us on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vikingdogtrainer/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vikingdogtrainer/ www.beautifulbeasts.com.au

Your host Stian Helling has a new puppy! Exciting, right? Well, honestly, puppies are exhausting and they can really wear us down to the bone, if we don't get on top of a lot of problem behaviours early on. In this episode, Stian Helling talks you through the difficulties of getting a new puppy, the "blues" and how to settle your puppy into your routine as quickly as possible. Follow...

In this episode, Stian Helling – more commonly known as the Viking Dog Trainer – begins diving into how your dog sees and approaches the world around it. You might be surprised – the canine perspective is quite different from the human one, which leads to a lot of miscommunication between us and our dogs. Follow us on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vikingdogtrainer/ Facebook: h...

This is the last of three short intro episodes, to give you an idea of what this podcast is all about. In this episode your host – Stian Helling – talks a little about his entry into dog training, and the trials and tribulations he was faced with, when becoming a professional dog trainer. Follow us on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vikingdogtrainer/ Facebook: https://www.facebo...

This is the second of three short intro episodes, to give you an idea of what this podcast is all about. In this episode your host – Stian Helling – talks a little about how he approaches dog training, play and methodology. Follow us on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vikingdogtrainer/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vikingdogtrainer/ YouTube (coming soon): https://www.youtub...

This is the first of three short intro episodes, to give you an idea of what this podcast is all about. In this episode your host – Stian Helling – talks a little about his life and the canine Beasts he has shared his life with so far. Follow us on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vikingdogtrainer/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vikingdogtrainer/ YouTube (coming soon): https:...