Fenzi Food For Thought

Words are so complicated. If we remember that the purpose of words is to communicate rather than to create division, we’ll get along a lot better. Does dominance exist? Can we talk about dogs in packs? How about hierarchy? Let’s look at it. Follow my training! Instagram The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

Try to be kind. The dog world seems to discourage that, but you don’t need to follow a negative trend. Be nice to people whenever possible. Follow my training! Instagram The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

Why do I use leashes in public, if not to direct my dog? To allow society to feel comfortable in my presence. It has nothing to do with my dog’s behavior at all. Follow my training! Instagram The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

If you want to be involved in conversations on social media about ethics, tools, how training works, etc., you really need to know the basics. Dogs do more of things they like and that work for them. Dogs do less of things they don’t like or that don’t work for them. Leverage is a thing. Some tools work by leverage, and others work by aversive properties...and various other stuff as well. Follow my training! Instagram The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

Here I talked about shades of gray in dog training, the problem of the lowest common denominator, and the difference between emotional and overly emotional behavior in relation to punishment. Follow my training! Instagram The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

What is your focus on the dog world? Take my word for it; it’s got problems. Focus there! We worry too much about other people’s problems and not our own area of interest. Did you watch Crufts? Yeah, there’s a problem. and unfortunately, problems in one sphere of the dog world begin to impact all spheres. That’s when we see regulation. if you don’t like it, start by cleaning up your own puddle. Follow my training! Instagram The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

Do biting sports cause aggression? Can a dog show aggression that has never done biting sports? Is that normal or atypical behavior? And what do you do with all of that information? That was the topic of this live. Follow my training! Instagram The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

From the Facebook vaults! Off-leash dog enounters are a fact of life. I share how I handle it when Xen was a young dog. Follow my training! Instagram The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

Which ones are the best? Should you compete if your dog doesn’t enjoy it? Should you find the sport that your dog loves, even if it’s not your favorite. You decide. Take a listen. Follow my training! Instagram The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

Is eye contact Good? Bad? Should you create continuous eye contact throughout a working session? I don’t think so. Eye contact starts a conversation… I look at my dog when I want them to do something for me, and they look at me when they want me to do something for them. Anyway, there’s more to it than that. Go ahead and listen to this live if you’d like to learn more about the topic! Follow my training! Instagram The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

Reactivity training in the wild is hard. If you're working on reactivity with your dog, I hope this old live from my Facebook vaults is helpful! Follow my training! Instagram The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

Communication or control? When trainers talk about communication on social media, they generally mean control. They do the talking. They tell the dog what to do. The dog responds to that…or else. That’s not communication. Communication is a two-way street. Control? That’s another matter all together! The next time you read about a trainer helping to improve your communication, ask yourself… Do they really mean control? Go ahead and do what you want with that. But be honest about it. If your dog is not part of the conversation, then calling “getting your way” communication is a marketing tool, and it’s dishonest. Which brings up the next question. Have you fooled yourself? Can you differentiate communication from control? How did that happen?! Follow my training! Instagram The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

Here’s a quick and dirty set of tips for how to get a reliable recall on your dog without corrections. Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

From the Facebook live vaults! We chat about reinforcement strategies for high arousal dogs. Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

When addressing undesirable behavior, it’s helpful to consider if the behavior is rooted at the instinctual, emotional or operant level. In this live, I consider instinctual and emotional roots, and the challenge of genuinely impacting desires that are rooted in instinct. Alternatives to removing the interest might include redirection or work, but truly changing instinctual behaviors? I question if it’s even possible in some dogs under specific scenarios. Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

From the Facebook live vaults! I got a chance to sit down after a training session with a young Xen to answer some questions. Here's a little window into my thinking and analysis following a session to inform my training choices going forwards! Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

This one's from the Facebook Live vaults where I discuss classical and operant conditioning as it pertains to teaching behaviors. Enjoy! Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

This one's from the vaults! I talk about crating with Xen when he was young and prone to getting into mischief! Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

It's true; dogs are not children! And if you choose not to use models of thinking that compare children to dogs, you will have walked away from the most valuable tool available, in terms of understanding and training or living with dogs. The truth is… Children and dogs have a whole lot in common in terms of how they behave in a wide variety of circumstances, especially around learning. Don’t give up that free resource lightly. Embrace it, and your training skills will skyrocket overnight. You will have the tools to motivate and understand, and you will find the solutions when challenges occur. Really. Simply by putting yourself into the position of your learner, (even as an adult!) and considering what would be happening inside of you, if you were the learner. Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

Nope. You cannot. So be nice to your angry, fearful, sad, or frustrated dog. You won’t make them more angry, fearful, etc. And I’ll do the same for you! If you are sitting next to me and you’re feeling afraid? I’ll hold your hand and talk nicely to you, and I’ll try to make you feel better. And no, you won’t get more fearful. Follow my training! The High Drive Dog More online training! Fenzi Dog Sports Academy