In this howl-oween special, we're talking about something that's been haunting the dog world since the 1940s: dominance theory, or alpha dog theory.

If you’re a dog parent and you’ve believed in this theory for a while, I promise to bring you zero judgment. If you’re a trainer, you’ve probably heard this topic beaten to death - but I hope you stick around anyway, because I’m bringing you a new angle about the “why” behind this pervasive theory.

Listen and discover:

• The history of dominance/alpha dog theory; it's inception, rise to popularity, debunking, and resurgence
• 3 major reasons why we know this theory isn't sound
• My thoughts about why this theory quickly became pervasive and why people find it hard to let go of
• Why I advocate for leadership over dominance when it comes to our relationships with dogs

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This week, I sat down with Melissa Bishop to discuss bonding with your dog through sports. Melissa has been our agility instructor for a few months now, and she has been an amazing influence on us. She teaches with such natural ability and ease, and has been competing in this sport for decades - but beyond that, she focuses on making the experience on both ends of the leash fun and enjoyable during each and every class.

Listen and discover:

• The right and wrong reasons to participate in sports with your dog
• Why dog agility is considered a TEAM sport
• What to prioritize in your relationship with your sport dog
• How to make sure both ends of the leash are having the best possible time during agility

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Y'all aren't ready for this week's guest. It's the one and only Denise Fenzi!

There are so many topics that I want to pick Denise's brain about, it was hard to pick just one. I was inspired by a recent live video she did about genetics vs. environment and how each influences dog behavior, so we sat down to talk more about her perspective and experience on this subject.

Listen and discover:

• Why Denise puts her money on genetics over environment
• How a dog's genetic package influences their ability to cope with environmental challenges
• How to recognize and honor a dog's self
• Knowing the limits of changes that can be accomplished through training

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Hannah and this week's guest, Amy Creaven, dive into a topic that often comes with a heavy stigma: muzzles.

If you’ve ever looked at a dog wearing a muzzle and felt sorry for them, or automatically assumed that the dog was muzzled because they are a bite risk, you’re certainly not alone. I’ve thought those things before. I think most people have. But like most things in life, there is more to a muzzled dog than meets the eye, and it is worth shifting your perspective on muzzles before jumping to conclusions.

Listen and discover:

• Reasons behind the muzzle stigma
• The variety of reasons (right and wrong) someone may choose to muzzle their dog
• Different types of muzzles
• Key strategies for using muzzles to expand your dog's world rather than restrict it

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If you’re new to dog grooming, this episode is for you! Hannah has been lucky enough to find not just a good dog groomer, but a national certified MASTER groomer who Otto sees every couple months for his haircut - Kelsey Conley.

In this episode, Kelsey provides her expert insights on:

• What it takes to become a high-quality dog groomer
• How she makes dogs feel at ease throughout the grooming experience
• When and how to introduce your dog to grooming
• Best practices for maintaining grooming at home

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If you’re not a dog trainer, you might not be aware of the current divide in the force-free community. But it’s a really important thing for people other than trainers to understand, and I can’t imagine anyone better to discuss this subject with than Sailor Jerri the Dog Trainer.

Listen in as we discuss:

• Current points of contention in the force-free community
• The scientific definitions of reinforcement and punishment
• How groups are affected by conditional inclusivity and conformity
• Jerri’s approach to intervening in human-animal interactions

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This week, Hannah switches things up and interviews Nick Sanville, Office Manager at Summit Dog Training. Nick is not a dog trainer, but he holds one of the most important jobs on his team. He's the first touchpoint for all of Summit's clients and is adept at answering their questions, listening to their needs, and using what he learns to start them off on the right foot with training their dogs. Day in and day out, he acts as the bridge between the trainers and the clients.

Discover:

• How to start off on the right foot in training your dog
• Compatibility in dog-human relationships
• Advocating for your dog and getting comfortable with awkward interactions
• What to evaluate before moving forward with a dog trainer

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Shay Cline and Meredith Decker are back for Puppies: Part Two!

Discover:

• Why it’s normal for puppies’ preferences to change as they grow
• What your training priorities should be to set your puppy up for adult dog success
• Shay and Mer’s favorite pieces of advice for anyone raising a puppy

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