Rethinking Reactivity

Join the leash reactivity mentorship starting March 22ndThis episode is all about dogs that bark/lunge/growl at strangers, both on walks and inside the home. Lisa and I discuss:The difference between reactivity and aggressionHow to help dogs with stranger directed aggression acclimate to new peopleWhy "first impressions" are so important for these casesHow to tell if the dog is actually comfortable around a guestWhat to teach dogs who are reactive on leash towards peopleAnd so much moreAbout Lisa:Lisa Mullinax is approaching 25 years of experience in canine behavior. A Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, Lisa has lead behavior programs at multiple animal shelters and provides behavior support to private clients. Specializing in aggression, Lisa now brings her insight and expertise to coaching behavior professionals on navigating their complex cases. Her Stranger-Directed Aggression series teaches dog pros how to get success and stay safe in high stakes cases.https://www.lisamullinax.comhttps://www.lisamullinax.com/aggressionbytesAnd for additional resources mentioned on the show, click here. Subscribe to my mailing list to get free training and behavior resources.

Get on the waitlist for the next leash reactivity mentorship!Washington area folks – sign up for the seminar with Micaela and Mercedes here!Find the resource links mentioned in this episode here.Behavior issues in dogs are almost always symptoms of other underlying issues. So when we focus only on the behavior issue itself, we’re missing the bigger picture, often excluding interventions that would likely make a bigger impact on the dog’s behavior than training ever could. One of the most influential factors in a dog’s behavior is how they feel physically. There is a very high number of dogs experiencing physical discomfort and expressing that discomfort via what we would label as a behavior or training issue. To help unpack this topic, I brought in Micaela Young, DVM, CPDT-KA, FFCP, FDM and Mercedes Sonnier ABCDT, CPDT, CBCC, FMD. We cover:How discomfort and pain present themselves in dogsWhat to do when you suspect something is wrong, but the vet thinks the dog is “fine”How changing assessment procedures in the veterinary office setting can have a big impact on more accurate diagnosesResources that pet parents and pet professionals can use to help diagnose discomfort in dogsWhy you can’t “rule out pain” in dogsAnd so much moreAbout Micaela:Micaela was a trainer before going to vet school and has always approached veterinary medicine through a behavior lens.Her business, Happy Lead Pet Behavior & Vet Care, which focused on in-home behavior & veterinary care for behaviorally-challenged pets, operated until she recently joined Urban Animal, a worker-owner veterinary cooperative in Seattle, WA. She now leads Happy Animal, a program that integrates virtual, ambulatory, and in-practice behavior consulting to maximize success with changing behaviors that happen in or out of the practice. Micaela uses her experience as a human with chronic pain that’s been difficult to navigate even with an ability to verbalize the situation to help animals who are unable to advocate for themselves.About Mercedes:Mercedes Sonnier ABCDT, CPDT, CBCC, FMD has extensive education in posture and gait analysis. She operates her own business, The Motivated K9 near Tacoma Washington. Offering private lessons, adventure days, board and train and specializing in boarding for dogs that are not suitable for traditional boarding. Passionate about approaching behavior problems holistically.  She believes that there are often many factors influencing a dog’s behavior and we should try to address as many as we can. She competes in a variety of dog sports and currently shares her home with an APBT and a GSD.Mercedes and Micaela have bonded over their shared passion for approaching behavior cases holistically, with a particular focus on addressing underlying internal physical factors that often go overlooked or underaddressed.Subscribe to my mailing list to get free training and behavior resources.

Join me & Dan LIVE for a 2 day reactive dog workshop in Livermore, CA from February 14th-15th. Learn more and sign up here. Join the waitlist for the March 15th cohort for the Leash Reactivity Mentorship for Professionals AND get $50 off. If you have a reactive dog and you're out in the real world with them, it might feel like you are walking through a minefield. You have to keep track of and account for so many things - yourself, your dog, and whatever is going on in the environment. In today's episode, I wanted to talk about the skills that handlers of reactive dogs need to be building, to be able to guide their dogs through the real world more successfully. And to have this conversation I wanted to bring in Dan Clark, a colleague and fellow behavior consultant. Dan takes a lot of leash reactivity cases and spends a lot of time with his clients out in the real world, helping them build their confidence and learn how to navigate a wide range of scenarios. We discuss: Situational awareness and how to set your dog up for successThe importance of body positioning so your dog can respond more easily to youHow to work with your dog if they are over thresholdHow to build your dog's attention and training in a new environmentAnd more!About Dan:Dan Clark is the Founder and Co-Owner of Out of the Bark, a dog training and behavior consulting company based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC) through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA-CTP), with over eight years of professional experience and more than a decade of hands-on work with dogs.Dan’s work is deeply shaped by his journey with his own reactive dog, Jax. After experiencing firsthand the limitations and fallout of punitive training methods, Dan shifted his approach toward science-based, trust-centered behavior modification. That experience led him to pursue formal education in animal behavior, volunteer with shelters, and dedicate his career to helping dogs struggling with fear, anxiety, and aggression.Dan specializes in complex behavior cases, including reactivity, aggression, and dogs with bite histories. His approach emphasizes situational awareness, environmental management, handler advocacy, and building skills that translate to real-world environments. He is known for his calm, practical guidance and his ability to help owners understand not just what to do, but why it works.Through his work, Dan focuses on empowering dog owners to advocate for their dogs, prioritize emotional safety, and build lasting trust that supports meaningful, long-term behavior change.Links:www.outofthebark.com - For in person consults and training. Zoom consulting and training is also offered for individuals outside of our service area.Instagram: @outofthebarkLeash reactive workshop for pet parents: https://bigfeelingsclub.eventbrite.comSubscribe to my mailing list to get free training and behavior resources.

If you do a Google search on how to counter condition reactive behaviors on leash, it spits out a simplified version of the process. Use super high value treats, make sure your dog is under threshold, feed your dog when they notice another dog,  and with time you'll change your dog's emotional state from a negative one to a positive one. Sounds great, right! So then why is it that some people will do this for years, and not get that result?  Is it possible that people just don't have a full understanding of processes like counter conditioning, classical conditioning, and systematic desensitization? To help us understand these concepts, I wanted to bring in Dr. Simon Gadbois. In this episode we cover:- What counter conditioning was originally designed to do- Why the identification of the the aversive stimulus (or trigger) can be so complicated- How we are almost always using a combination of processes, whether we are aware of it or not- How dogs pick up on our cues, including our pheromones- Simon's work in his olfactory lab- And so much moreAbout Simon:Simon Gadbois did a PhD in animal behaviour and non-invasive behavioural endocrinology in the 90’s with Drs John Fentress and Peter McLeod at the Canadian Centre for Wolf Research (1974–2007). His PhD dissertation focussed on lupine socioendocrinology (Canis lupus) but he also worked on other projects in motor behaviour sequences in red foxes, coyotes, wolves (with Drs John Fentress and Fred Harrington), spatial cognition in pigeons (with Dr. Werner Honig), and olfactory learning in rats (with Drs Vincent LoLordo and Richard E. Brown).In the past 15 years he has focussed on research with sniffer dogs as the common denominator: Reptile conservation (using dogs as research assistants to find the species-at-risk), non-invasive surveys of coyotes with canines (via scent-marking information), and working with sniffer dogs in biomedical applications (early detection of diseases, alert dogs). He also worked with a few fish species in olfactory learning (zebra fish), social communication (elephant nose fish), and behavioural ecotoxicology (mummichogs).Simon Gadbois integrates ethology, experimental psychology and neuroscience in his research on domestic and wild canids. He favours a synthetic approach that includes a strong focus on the importance of motivational factors in working dogs (and canid behaviour in general) as well as a post-cognitivist approach (including a zoosemiotic approach) to behaviour and information processing in dogs.In 2006 he founded the “Canid Behaviour Research Lab” now the “Wildlife Ethology & Canine Olfaction Lab” at Dalhousie University where dozens of Border Collies (and other working breeds - mostly from working lines) set paw as volunteer research assistants and experimental participants.https://simon.gadbois.orgSubscribe to my mailing list to get free training and behavior resources.

Dog trainers - ever wonder if you could be serving your clients better? In this episode I wanted to zoom out and look at dog training from the lens of the services we are providing for our clients, and how we can get better outcomes. I bring in Jeff Silverman from Training Tracks in Cincinnati, Ohio to unpack:How to build rapport with clients from the beginningWhy having a variety of services is necessary to meet your client's needs more effectivelyCreating clarity around the role of the client, and the role of the trainer in changing the dog's behaviorHow holding clients accountable is not about compliance, but cooperationAnd more!If you're a trainer and you're feeling stuck on this very issue, I invite you to join my private mastermind, The Case Collaborative, starting January 4th. About Jeff:Jeff Silverman and his wife Mel own Training Tracks in the Cincinnati, Ohio area. They have two facilities where they offer pet dog training, behavior consulting, boarding, and daycare with an emphasis on providing practical client-focused training for family pets.Jeff started training in 1996 as a shelter volunteer looking to help keep dogs in their homes and remains focused on helping average pet owners get the most out of life with their dogs.While Training Tracks primarily teaches family pet manners, Jeff focuses on aggression and fear in his personal caseload. Jeff has volunteered for all the R+ focused professional organizations including stints as Chair of the APDT board, on the IAABC certification review committee, and much more.  Subscribe to my mailing list to get free training and behavior resources.

BLACK FRIDAY SALE for dog professionals! From now until 12/5. Get $75 off the self study or $250 off the private: Reactivity Refined Course and Mentorship. Herding breeds are special dogs. Highly intelligent, sensitive, and with a die hard work ethic, they aren't designed for pet dog homes. What one might think of as reactivity in a herding breed, someone else might see natural behaviors we have bred them for. Why is it that herding breeds tend to display reactive behaviors more than other breed groups? And what can you do to support them more?In this episode I bring in Liz Randall CPDT-KA to discuss:Why herding breeds are more prone to reactive behaviors in pet dog homesThe predatory sequence in dogs and how that applies to herdingWhether we should we use barking as a metric for thresholds in leash reactivity casesHow you might be inadvertently reinforcing a herding breed's reactive behaviorsAnd so much moreAbout Liz:Elizabeth, or Liz, Randall has lived and worked with animals since early childhood. Growing up in a dog- and horse-centric family, she was an avid, competitive equestrienne by age nine. Throughout high school and college years, she continued to dabble in a variety of equine endeavors, including multiple summer stints at a ranch in the Big Horn mountain range in Wyoming. She worked in the sports industry for ten years, following her love for the outdoors. In her mid-thirties, upon finding her hands full with a new rescue dog that operated “outside the box” in the behavior department, she simultaneously discovered clicker-training and the sport of dog agility. These two revelations quickly changed her career trajectory from sports marketing to living wholeheartedly in the animal training world.Using the most current, positive reinforcement-based training methods, Liz has held her Certified Pet Dog Trainer credential (CPDT-KA) since 2011, and works regularly with both high level behavior modification and canine sport clientele, both locally in Southern California, and across the country.Liz has competed in a variety of dog sports with all of her dogs, but focuses primarily on dog agility. She and her dogs have won and podiumed at a multitude of major national and regional events over the last decade. Liz works with clients in the San Diego, California area, at private facilities across the US, and online. She loves to teach her students the importance of learning theory, how to better observe their dogs, and technical training mechanics.She also stays informed and educated on the ever-evolving practices of dog training, behavior modification, and behavior analysis. She has attended dozens of lectures and seminars of many of the pre-eminent leaders of the animal training industry. She is a graduate of Dr. Susan Friedman’s Living and Learning with Animals course, attended Ken Ramirez's week-long Dive Deep; An Advanced Training Course, and traveled to Mexico to study street dogs with Sue Sternberg. Ongoing, continuing education is a critical component of Liz’s work, and she is a lifelong student and learner.Her true love is being well off the beaten path out in nature with her dogs.For in person clients: www.resilientdogs.comOnline agility teaching platform with Rachel Downs: www.topodogs.com Subscribe to my mailing list to get free training and behavior resources.

Why is it that some dogs enter a new home and begin to develop reactivity, seemingly out of nowhere? This often comes as a surprise to their new families, who weren't expecting to dive into a life with a reactive dog. In this episode, I bring in Tom Candy to help unpack what is going on in these scenarios. We discuss:What the general public doesn't know about the animal sheltering world What contributes to a dog's behavior changing in a new homeHow to actively prevent reactivity from developing in a newly adopted dogHow to help a newly adopted dog transition to their home and lifestyle more successfullyWhat to do if your newly adopted dog begins to show reactive behaviorsAnd so much moreAbout Tom: A passion for animal welfare, canine behaviour, and the development of others has been cornerstones of Tom’s (He/Him) career, which spans over 15 years in Shelter and Rescue with 10 focusing on training and behaviour. This experience and a drive to support even more shelter and rescue animals and staff, led to Tom starting Simplifying Shelter Behaviour, an educational organisation and podcast dedicated to bringing up to date, positive based training and behaviour tips and tricks to shelter and rescue staff and volunteers. Having started volunteering in rescue at the age of 15, Tom has been involved in a variety of aspects of rescue, including fundraising, home checking, transporting and general day-today operations, which pushed Tom to undertake a Bachelor of Science (Hons) degree in bioveterinary science and a Master of Science degree in Clinical Animal Behavior from the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom.Since graduating, Tom has been working at the UKs largest dog welfare organisation as a Training and Behaviour Advisor, eventually working across seven rehoming centres before being promoted to Senior Training and Behaviour Advisor, where he supported the Training and Behaviour teams across the southwest of the United Kingdom. Tom is currently a seniorClinical Animal Behaviourist Development Officer, working to upskill staff to reach their potential. Tom is a Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist with the Animal Behaviour and Training Council in the United Kingdom, and a Certified Canine Behavior Consultant and Certified Shelter Behavior Specialist with the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultant and a member of faculty and CBATI-KA with the Grisha Stewart Academy.For Pet ParentsNeed Help With Your Reactive Dog? 1:1 Coaching with JessicaFor Dog ProfessionalsElevate Your Work with Reactive DogsSubscribe to my mailing list to get free training and behavior resources.

Muzzles are stigmatized, because they are often associated with dogs who are aggressive. But the truth is, dogs wear muzzles for many reasons. Muzzles can give dogs more freedom, humans more peace of mind, and a safer community for all to live in. In this episode, I talk with Amy Creaven, owner of Trust Your Dog, a company that makes custom biothane products to expand your dog's world. We dive into all aspects of muzzles and training including:How to ensure your muzzle is bite proofMuzzle training hacks anyone can doHow to ensure a proper fitOptions for brachycephalic dogsWhat to do with dogs who resource guard their muzzlesAnd so much more!About Amy:Amy is a recovered registered nurse, a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner who worked with reactive dogs prior to the pandemic, and now a custom muzzle maker. She lives at home with her family, 3 chaos floofs, and a harem of chickens.WebsiteEmail: [email protected] Pet ParentsNeed Help With Your Reactive Dog? 1:1 Coaching with JessicaFor Dog ProfessionalsElevate Your Work with Reactive DogsSubscribe to my mailing list to get free training and behavior resources.

I help both pet parents and dog professionals successfully address leash reactivity by asking the right questions, uncover what’s missing, and build solutions tailored to their unique needs. Imagine being a dog walker for reactive dogs in one of the densest cities in the United States - San Francisco. And then, imagine walking those dogs on 10-20 foot leashes. How do you balance giving a reactive dog the choice to move away from things that worry them, while also keeping the community safe?In today's episode I am joined by that person, Alisha Ardiana. Alisha shares so many gems with us including:Her formula for getting dogs with stranger directed aggression to feel safe enough to go on outings with her How she helps reactive dogs find safety, joy, and relief among stressors on walksHer Gamify Your Walks approach that transforms reactivity in her clientsWhy narrating (explaining to your dog what is happening around them) is so powerful Her personal story and how that influences her work with reactive dogsAnd so much more About Alisha:I have a Biology degree from the University of Notre Dame, and I planned to become a veterinarian.Once I began working with animals, I preferred the role of a caretaker. I moved to San Francisco & became a California Registered Veterinary Technician. I worked in this field for 20 years.In 2015 I decided to pursue my passion to support guardians and their dogs and became a positive reinforcement dog trainer.I typically work with dogs that are labeled as shy, fearful, reactive, dominant or aggressive.My work is based on everything I’ve learned from Amy Cook, Deb Jones, Susan Friedman, Kim Brophey and Sindhoor Pangal.My professional letters include CPDT-KA, FDM, CPCN (Certified Professional Canine Nutritionist).My wife & I are guardians of a 17 year old cat and a 6 year old Papillon. When I’m not doing dog things, I love to cook and attend live theater and concerts.WebsiteIGGamify Your WalksHow to Talk to Your Dog by Cathy CallahanManagement for Reactive Dogs by Amy CookSubscribe to my mailing list to get free training and behavior resources.

Join the leash reactivity mentorship starting this September 7th. Spots are going quickly!Reactive dogs face a lot of stressors in their daily lives, and for many, their ability to "bounce back" gets worse with time. What is resilience? What is going on when a dog's resilience is low? How can you help condition your dog to increase their resilience?In this episode I talk with Bobbie Bhambree CDBC, CPDT-KA on her and Dr. Kathy Murphy's Reframing Resilience framework. We cover:The neurobiology of resilienceWhat factors contribute to low resilience in dogsConsiderations for building resilience for reactive dogsThe importance of physical and mental health as the pillar of resilienceAnd so much moreAbout Bobbie:CATCH Canine Trainers Academy Instructor Agility University Instructor Co-founder of Brain Camp Co-creator of the Resilience FrameworkBobbie Bhambree (CDBC, CPDT-KA) is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant and Certified Professional Dog Trainer. She is a faculty member of CATCH Canine Trainers Academy and Agility University. Additionally, she is one of the founders and regular contributors to a passion project called Brain Camp, where neuroscience, behavior, and dog sports intersect. Bobbie founded her business, Dogology Behavior Consulting in 2024.To learn more about the Resilience Framework: https://journal.iaabcfoundation.org/the-resilience-rainbow/Subscribe to my mailing list to get free training and behavior resources.

What is going on when a dog can stay responsive on their walk, UNTIL another dog comes around?I'm back with another solo episode, where I break down this scenario and help you better understand why your dog cannot respond to you, and what you can do about it. I cover:Proofing behaviors and why you probably haven't prepared your dog as much as you think you haveHow to be more effective at teaching your dog to respond to you around distractionsHow to understand the criteria you are setting, and how to be fluid in any given scenarioThe dance between criteria and thresholdsAnd so much moreFor dog professionals: Join the leash reactivity mentorship starting this September 7th. Spots are going quickly!Pet parents: Struggling with your reactive dog? Work with me 1:1 and get the help you need to move forward with more success.Subscribe to my mailing list to get free training and behavior resources.

Sign up for the leash reactivity mentorship for professionals that begins September 7th. Imagine a world where the average dog is healthy - both physically and behaviorally, for the majority of their lives. Imagine a world where shelters aren't overflowing with dogs because there are plenty of suitable homes for them. Imagine a world where it is the norm to live with a dog who goes through life without experiencing chronic behavior challenges. Where would these dogs come from? We'd have to breed them. In this episode, I bring in Dr. Jessica Perry Hekman, a behavioral geneticist and one of the founders of the Functional Dog Collaborative, to discuss why this is one of the solutions to bettering the lives of dogs, and therefore, ours. We discuss:What the Functional Dog Collaborative is Behavioral traits and how they get passed downPhysical traits and how we can breed away from ones that aren't serving dogsAre there really more dogs suffering from behavior challenges these days? We both chime in on this one. Environment vs geneticsWhat influences a puppy's developmentAnd so much more!About Jessica Perry Hekman:Jessica Perry Hekman, DVM, PhD, is a behavioral geneticist. She is one of the founders of the Functional Dog Collaborative, a non-profit which seeks to change the conversation around dog breeding in the dog loving community. She also teaches behavioral biology at the Virginia Tech online Masters program for Applied Animal Behavior and Welfare, works with Hecht Lab at Harvard, and offers webinars online and consults with breeders about genetic testing and breeding choices. Perry lives in Raymond, NH with her husband and two dogs.Check out the Functional Dog Collaborative's podcast and Facebook group. Subscribe to my mailing list to get free training and behavior resources.

Follow the Rethinking Reactivity Podcast on FB and IG.Join the waitlist for the leash reactivity mentorship and be the first to know when registration opens AND get $50 off. Thresholds are a concept, not something concrete, so it can be difficult to have a consensus as to what they actually are. To make this even more confusing, there are many types of thresholds that a dog can cross. In this episode, Sarah and I do our best to break this topic down. We discuss:Sarah's framework for helping her clients understand the threshold of perception and the threshold for behaviorHow changes in the environment cause changes to thresholdsHow vocalizations are not always a helpful metric for a dog "going over" thresholdThe correlation between increased stress and lowered thresholds, and what to do with reactive dogs when they in various stages of stressHow the intensity of a trigger influences a dog's thresholdAnd so much more!About Sarah:Dr. Sarah Shapiro-Ward CPDT-KA, KPA-CTP has lived and worked as a professional dog trainer in two of Canada’s most densely populated downtown communities: Toronto and Vancouver. Sarah is best known for her viral trick training videos with her Cockapoo Percy, including tricks such as playing Jenga, Connect Four and Painting on Canvas. She also has a standard poodle, Eleanor, and a horse, Niamh.Before becoming a dog trainer, Sarah completed her Ph.D. in Biochemistry in 2015. Though she has long since left the laboratory behind she still enjoys keeping up with the literature and applying her skills of critical analysis to dog training scenarios.Sarah is a frequent guest on the live call-in radio show CBC BC Today, answering Vancouver’s dog behaviour questions. She has also been featured on Jimmy Fallon, The Daily Mail UK, NHK Japan, Good Morning America, The New York Post & others.Besides training tricks, Sarah teaches group classes and private lessons for city dog owners across Vancouver. She can be found on Instagram and TikTok @prancingpoodles.Read her blog post on thresholds here. Subscribe to my mailing list to get free training and behavior resources.

Follow the Rethinking Reactivity Podcast on FB and IGJoin the waitlist for the leash reactivity mentorship and be the first to know when registration opens AND get $50 off. What happens when you get two behavior consultants and long time friends talking dogs, behavior, and life? In this episode, I talk with Michael Shikashio CDBC on a wide range of topics, while getting a bit philosophical along the way. Hear us discuss:How he differentiates reactivity and aggressionThresholds in behaviorWhy empathy is so important with clients (and everyone)My recent move to GermanyLiving through Hurricane Helene Why Mike can't participate in discussions on sports at the barber shopAnd so much moreAbout Michael:Michael Shikashio, CDBC, is the founder of AggressiveDog.com and focuses onteaching other professionals from around the world on how to successfully workaggression cases. He is a five-term president of the International Association of AnimalBehavior Consultants (IAABC) and was the Association of Professional Dog Trainers(APDT) Member of the Year in 2020.Michael is sought after for his expert opinion by numerous media outlets, including theNew York Times, New York Post, Fox News, USA Today, The List TV, Baltimore Sun,WebMD, Women’s Health Magazine, Real Simple Magazine, SiriusXM Radio, TheChronicle of the Dog, and Steve Dale’s Pet World. He also hosts the popular podcastshow “The Bitey End of the Dog” where he chats with the foremost experts on dogaggression.He has been a featured keynote speaker at conferences, universities, and seminars inmore than 200 cities and 20 different countries around the world, and offers a variety ofeducational opportunities on the topic of canine aggression, including the Aggression inDogs Master Course and the annual Aggression in Dogs Conference.WebsiteSchoolFacebook BusinessInstagramYouTubePodcastSubscribe to my mailing list to get free training and behavior resources.

There are very few people who purposefully seek out a reactive dog to bring into their home - for most people, they find themselves in that scenario unexpectedly. And so their journey begins, seeking help for them and their dog, while trying to navigate a wide range of emotions about their situation. In today's episode, I bring in a client I worked closely with, to get her perspective on life with her reactive dog and what that journey was like, including the time we spent together. For Pet Professionals:The Reactivity, Refined course and mentorship is designed to transform the way you work with reactive dogs, and help you connect the dots with your reactivity cases to help your clients reach their fullest potential. Registration for the September cohort opens July 15th, sign up to join the waitlist and get $50 off, AND be the first in line to register. With only 15 spots available, they go quickly!For Pet Parents:Struggling with your reactive dog? I guide pet parents toward real, lasting solutions by asking the right questions and addressing what’s often overlooked. Ge the help you need today. Submit a question for the show here!Subscribe to my mailing list to get free training and behavior resources.

Utilizing set ups with an assistant and a helper dog, rather than relying on dogs from the general public, can be a critical component for many reactive dogs and their progress. In this episode I discuss:What set ups are What you need to execute a set up successfully5 common mistakes to avoid when executing set upsHow to know when a dog is ready to move beyond set ups and into real life applications  Q&A from listenersResources:The 3 Ds in dog training articles:Blog by Susan GarrettBlog by Nicole WiebuschFor Pet Professionals:The Reactivity, Refined course and mentorship is designed to transform the way you work with reactive dogs, and help you connect the dots with your reactivity cases to help your clients reach their fullest potential. Registration for the September cohort opens July 15th, sign up to join the waitlist and be the first in line to register. With only 15 spots available, they go quickly!For Pet Parents:Struggling with your reactive dog? I guide pet parents toward real, lasting solutions by asking the right questions and addressing what’s often overlooked. Ge the help you need today. Submit a question for the show here!Subscribe to my mailing list to get free training and behavior resources.

The notion of pet dogs being captive dogs is sure to stir up some emotions. But the truth is, the lifestyle of your average pet dog in the U.S. has changed dramatically over the past few decades, and this hasn't been a long enough time for our dogs to adjust. Could this help explain why there are so many dogs with behavior challenges these days? In this episode, I bring in Kim Brophey FDM, CDBC, CPDT-KA to discuss how our modern lifestyles aren't matching up to the needs of our dogs. We talk about:How the restrictions we've placed on dogs over the past few decades have taken away much of their autonomy How the environments we ask dogs to live greatly influence their behaviorHow restrictions such as leashes, fences, crates, etc contribute to reactive behaviorWhat we can do to support dogs in our modern worldAnd more!About Kim:Kim Brophey is an applied ethologist and accomplished behavior consultant and trainer who has been working with dogs and their families for over 25 years. Her L.E.G.S.® model of integrated canine science has been embraced internationally as her book- Meet Your Dog, and market-disrupting Applied Ethology Family Dog Mediation® Course and The Dog's Truth documentary continue to catalyze a worldwide initiative to welcome in a "welfare-first" approach to our canine relationships and professional work.For Pet ParentsNeed Help With Your Reactive Dog? 1:1 Coaching with JessicaFor Dog Professionals:Elevate Your Work with Reactive DogsSubscribe to my mailing list to get free training and behavior resources.

The term reactivity is a label, that is used to describe a variety of behaviors. And because it's a label, your definition of reactivity is likely different from someone else's. In this episode, I bring in Laurie Lawless CDBC, CPDT-KA to discuss what reactivity means to each of us, with both pet dogs and shelter dogs. We also unpack the term by discussing:What behaviors are commonly described as reactiveWhy it's so important to look beyond labels for dogs and understand them as individualsHow we determine a reactive dog's motivations to better understand the function of their behavior(s)The role of barriers, and how they influence a dog's behaviorAssessment procedures for shelter dogs that are reactiveAnd more!About Laurie: Laurie Lawless, CDBC, CPDT-KA, (she/her), is a dedicated dog behavior expert with a passion for helping dogs overcome challenges. Canine reactivity is one of the most challenging issues that present to both her private clients and in her shelter work, and has focused much of her career on figuring out ways to reduce and resolve reactivity in a variety of contexts and environments. With a background in animal advocacy, positive reinforcement training, and sheltering, Laurie focuses on resolving complex behavior issues to keep families together and collaborates with shelters to create or enhance behavior programs. Learn More:Find a certified dog behavior consultant hereCanine Ladder of AggressionSubscribe to my mailing list to get free training and behavior resources.

If you have a dog who is reactive on leash, you may have wondered if they were feeling frustrated. And you're probably right - frustration is often a big component for dogs who are displaying leash reactivity. But what exactly is frustration, and what is going on inside of a dog's body while they're experiencing it? What can we do to help dogs cope better with frustration?In this episode I bring in Daniel Shaw, MSc CDBC to unpack the neurobiology of frustration. We discuss:What neuroscience is, and how it applies to modifying dog behaviorThe areas of a dog's brain and body that are influencing their emotions and behaviorWhy adolescent dogs have a difficult time coping with frustration, and how to support them during this sensitive period in their lives (hint - this is also a time where leash reactivity tends to develop)Is there a such thing as a secondary fear period during adolescence?The different types frustrationWhat to do/what not to do to for dogs experiencing frustration on leashAbout Daniel:Daniel Shaw MSc CDBC is an animal behaviourist with expertise in psychology, animal behaviour, and neuroscience. As the owner of Animal Behaviour Kent (ABK), he supports dogs and cats with behavioural challenges, provides expert witness assessments for legal cases under the Dangerous Dogs Act, and has contributed to Parliamentary discussions on dog bite reform. With a master’s degree in neuroscience, Daniel combines research with practical applications and has been featured on BBC Southeast Today, TalkTV, and LBC News. He teaches internationally on a range of topics, including aggression, frustration, and trauma in dogs, helping professionals enhance their understanding and approach to complex cases. Daniel also organizes the annual ABK Dog Behaviour Conference and runs ABK Learn, a platform offering science-based education in animal behaviour, training, and neuroscience. Learn More:Blog Leash Reactive Dogs: Frustrated Types The Canine Frustration Questionnaire—Development of a New Psychometric Tool for Measuring Frustration in Domestic DogsNeed Help With Your Reactive Dog? 1:1 Coaching with JessicaAre You a Trainer Wanting to Improve How You Work With Reactive Dogs? Reactivity, Refined Online Course - Leash Reactivity Cases From Beginning to EndSubscribe to my mailing list to get free training and behavior resources.