Paws and Reward Blog

On episode 32 of the podcast, I am thrilled to speak with one of my heroes, Dr. Patricia McConnell. She is not one that needs a formal introduction since she’s a household name when it comes to behavior and training, has written so many books I have lost count, and has made such an innovative impact on our profession! Today … Read More

In Episode 31 of the podcast, I am thrilled to be joined by my fellow colleagues and co-founders of LIMA Beings, Dr. Chris Pachel, Lynn Ungar, Barrie Finger, and Kathy Sdao. We discuss the drive behind our triggers and what hooks us. As we try to discover the things that make us reactive, we can learn to let things go. … Read More

Join me as I speak to Sarah Stremming about real behavior change. What are the steps toward achieving true change and how do we know we’ve been successful? When working with our dogs on a challenging behavior, real change can feel impossible. With the right tools and support, the end goal becomes much more possible. We are socialized into thinking … Read More

In episode 29, Christie Catan and I discuss how dogs help us embrace our humanity. They explore what it means to say “All of it Belongs” when life throws us curveballs, especially in training. When working with our dogs, feelings of frustration, impatience, or anger are normal. We tend to either push these feelings away or allow them to take … Read More

In this Connection Summit Bonus Episode, Sarah Stremming joins me to discuss imposter syndrome and how it impacts all of us either as pet parents or dog training professionals. What can we do to combat this feeling of inadequacy and how can we help others overcome their doubts? What is imposter syndrome? Imposter syndrome is when we doubt our own … Read More

In the first episode of season two, Juliana DeWillems and I explore our relationship to control as pet parents. A lot of pet parents call trainers and behavior consultants looking for help and in need of control. And that makes total sense, however, we want to offer a new perspective on the podcast today.  We have a biological need to … Read More

In the last episode of Season One, I interview Amber Quann of Summit Dog Training in Fort Collins, CO and Charissa Carvell of Alpine Behavior and Training in Glenwood Springs, CO about preparing your dog for the great outdoors! This is one of my favorite topics since I fell in love with hiking and being outside through my dog Sully. … Read More

Join me for episode 25 where Michael Baugh of Michael’s Dogs Behavior Group and I talk about holistic approaches to behavior concerns. Sometimes it can feel like we’re climbing an uphill battle and our first instinct could be to punish in order to make a behavior stop. However, without addressing the root concern, punishment can often make the underlying issue … Read More

Join me while I interview Matt Beisner of THE ZEN DOG in Los Angeles, CA and the Nat Geo WILD and Disney Plus show Dog: Impossible as we talk about how to reflect on our training choices in a healthy and productive way. Both Matt and I agree that reflecting on what we did (or didn’t do) is critical for … Read More

Join me interview Licensed Veterinary Technician, Debbie Martin on her journey of getting a new puppy. We discuss when the time is right, how to integrate the puppy into a household with other dogs, and how to plan ahead before the puppy arrives. Having a puppy is a lot of work and there is a lot to prioritize. Debbie shares … Read More