The Dog Trainer's Quick and Dirty Tips for Teaching and Caring for Your Pet

This episode challenges the conventional wisdom that humans should always be in charge of dog training, exploring why putting dogs in control might be beneficial.

This episode explains the critical importance of early puppy socialization during the sensitive period to prevent fearful and aggressive behavior in dogs.

This episode teaches dog owners how to train their dogs to willingly give or drop items from their mouths using positive methods, while warning against intimidating approaches.

A dog trainer addresses a listener's question about their disabled pit bull's sudden aggression toward other dogs after surgery, explaining how pain can contribute to aggressive behavior.

This episode explains why dog trainers generally avoid using extending leashes due to issues like constant tension rewarding pulling behavior and safety risks, while offering alternative training approaches.

This episode explains how to choose a qualified pet groomer by evaluating their training, experience, and professional affiliations to ensure your dog's safety and well-being.

This episode addresses a listener's question about her previously house-trained chihuahua who has started having indoor accidents after moving to a new home and introducing a new cat, with the host analyzing potential causes and dismissing the cat's litter box as the reason.

This episode explains the importance of puppy classes for socialization during early behavioral development and how they differ from typical manners classes for older dogs.

This episode addresses a listener's problem with her 11-week-old yellow lab puppy who aggressively grabs treats and struggles to learn the 'lie down' command calmly.

This episode addresses a listener's question about introducing a new dog to their family, particularly focusing on how a service dog can benefit a child on the autism spectrum and offering advice for managing the dog's anxiety around kids.

This episode provides essential tips on preparing for a new puppy or dog, covering necessary equipment like collars, leashes, bowls, bedding, and toys.

This episode explains why modern dog trainers avoid harsh punishments like collar yanks and scruff shakes, focusing instead on more efficient strategies like providing appropriate chews and using timeouts sparingly.

This episode addresses a listener's question about her six-month-old puppy Wilbur who struggles with separation anxiety during sit-stay out-of-sight exercises in obedience class, offering alternative training approaches.

This episode provides practical advice on helping puppies and dogs overcome their fear of descending stairs, drawing from the host's personal and professional experiences.

This episode explores whether dogs can detect human generosity by observing social interactions between strangers, examining their ability to read human social behavior and the broader scientific concept of animal eavesdropping.

This episode explains why behavioral medication can be beneficial for dogs with anxiety and aggression issues, addressing common concerns about medicating pets.

This episode examines arguments for tail docking in dogs, focusing on claims about preventing injuries in gundogs and terriers, while presenting veterinary research that questions its necessity.

A dog trainer addresses a listener's distressing situation where her fearful Brussels griffin bit her 11-month-old son, emphasizing that households with children need dogs who genuinely love kids.

This episode provides practical tips for helping dogs become more relaxed through exercise, mental stimulation, and creating positive associations with their bed.

This episode explains how to interpret and respond to dogs' facial expressions, particularly eye contact, to prevent conflicts and build trust with both aggressive and shy dogs.

This episode addresses a listener's concern about nonstop play between two family dogs, explaining dominance theory and appropriate dog behavior.

This episode explores whether reward-based dog training is too permissive, highlighting its effectiveness across various contexts like guide dogs, agility, and police work.

This episode addresses common misconceptions about living with deaf dogs, explaining how they can learn through rewards and visual/touch cues, and debunking myths about aggression.

This episode provides practical advice on keeping dogs safe and comfortable during cold weather, covering topics like appropriate clothing, paw protection, and special considerations for different breeds and health conditions.

This episode explains the humane hierarchy in dog training, focusing on ethical approaches that prioritize health assessment and environmental factors before behavioral interventions.

This episode discusses whether dogs should sleep in their owners' beds, addressing common concerns about behavior and providing practical advice for different situations like house training and size considerations.

This episode explores how attention can unintentionally reinforce unwanted behaviors in dogs or cause anxiety, especially in shy dogs, and offers insights from a professional dog trainer.

This episode explains how to teach your dog to fetch using the backchaining method, breaking down the process into reverse steps starting with dropping the ball.

This episode debunks common myths about dominance in dogs, specifically addressing the misconception that a dog walking ahead indicates rank assertion, and explains more likely behavioral reasons.

This episode provides six practical tips for caring for aging dogs, focusing on maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise adjustments.

This episode explores whether dogs feel empathy by examining their comforting behaviors toward distressed humans and discussing a scientific study that distinguishes between empathy and personal distress in animals.

This episode exposes the severe health problems in bulldogs caused by selective breeding, highlighting issues like breathing difficulties, dental problems, skin infections, and birthing complications.

This episode provides practical advice for people who are afraid of dogs, explaining how to interpret canine body language to distinguish between friendly and potentially concerning behaviors.

This episode provides detailed tactics for managing reactive dogs that bark and lunge at triggers like other dogs, skateboarders, or bicyclists, focusing on avoidance and using tricks/play to prevent blow-ups.

This episode examines the first argument against tail docking in dogs, focusing on evidence that the procedure causes significant pain to puppies despite claims to the contrary.

This episode addresses a listener's question about her newly adopted terrier mix that chases and nips her young children in the yard, explaining why typical reprimands fail and the dog's natural instincts.

This episode humorously provides satirical advice on how to intentionally create behavioral problems in dogs to benefit dog behavior professionals.

This episode provides practical training tips to prevent dogs from chasing and harming wandering cats, addressing a real-life ethical dilemma.

This episode discusses how dogs adapt to leg amputations, covering common causes like osteosarcoma and accidents, and reassuring owners that most dogs adjust well physically and emotionally.

Host Yolanta Bennell discusses the advantages of using food treats in dog training, contrasting it with punishment-based methods.

Yolanta Bennell hosts an episode on choosing a rescue dog, starting with a critique of a rescue group that placed a high-maintenance dog with an inexperienced family.

Yolanta Bennell addresses the common issue of dogs not listening by teaching how to get a dog's attention.

Host Yolanta Bennell addresses a listener's question about teaching dogs to be competent in dangerous situations, such as walking leashless near busy streets.

Host Yolanta Bennell continues a series on risks in dog ownership, focusing on dangers dogs pose to other dogs in off-leash areas.