The Family Pupz Podcast – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Today's Topic:  When you adequately prepare your dog for a visit to the vet, it can reduce stress for all parties (dog, dog parent(s) & vet staff) and contribute to an overall smoother experience at the vet.

But what is the best way to prepare, and how do you know you're doing all that you can to make the vet experience as positive as possible for your dog?

That's why we invited the founder of Animal Behavior Training Concepts in Chicago, Illinois, Laura Monaco Torelli, to the podcast to discuss the differences between husbandry training and cooperative care, how dog parents can better advocate for their dogs at the vet clinic, specific proactive training tips to help your dog remain calm during vet visits, her advice on preparing dogs for common procedures like blood draws, vaccines, and nail trims, and so much more!

Guest Bio: Laura Monaco Torelli is the founder of Animal Behavior Training Concepts in Chicago, Illinois. Her career began in 1991 with Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, where she was part of the animal care team for beluga whales, dolphins, sea otters, seals, river otters, and penguins. After nearly a decade at the Shedd, she moved on to the San Diego Zoo and then Brookfield Zoo as a lead supervisory trainer. During her time in the zoo community, Laura worked with a wide variety of species, including primates, large cats, birds of prey, horses, parrots, tree kangaroos, giraffes, red pandas, and dogs.

Laura is a faculty instructor of Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training & Behavior, and serves as a Teaching Assistant for Dr. Susan G. Friedman’s Living & Learning with Animals online course. She has been an invited speaker for numerous conferences that include the American Veterinary Medical Association Convention, Midwest Veterinary Conference, Penn Vet Working Dog Conference, ClickerExpo, and the Aggression in Dogs Conference. 

Connect With Laura Monaco Torelli:

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• YouTube

Other Resources Mentioned In The Episode:

• Julie Benson (Made artwork on behalf of Laura's dog, Santino)
• Living & Learning with Animals: A Super Short Course in the Science and Practice of Behavior Change by Dr. Susan G. Friedman
• Laura's Appearance on The Bitey End Of The Dog Podcast
• The Spectrum of Fear, Anxiety and Stress - Fear Free Website
• Low Stress Handling® University CE Online Courses 

Today's Topic:  As positive reinforcement dog training continues to grow in popularity, so has the awareness around the different types of dog treats available to help you train your dog.

But what are dog treats, exactly?  What are the regulatory requirements, if any, around dog treats to ensure that you're giving your dog something nutritious, delicious and safe?  And how has the increasingly fickle and discerning demands of today's dog parents affected the types of dog treats available today?

That's why we invited the founders of Fig & Tyler, an NYC-based premium treat company that makes treats using 100% meat and fish sourced and processed in the USA, Karen Schwichtenberg and Ilya Seglin, to the podcast, to discuss what their initial vision was when creating their treat company, what they saw and valued in each other as partners, how they executed to take their idea and turn it into a company, what dog treats actually are, and so much more!

Guest Bio: Karen Schwichtenberg and Ilya Seglin are co-founders of Fig & Tyler, a premium dog treat company based in New York City. Long-time friends, they often talked about how hard it was to find high-quality, healthy dog treats made from recognizable ingredients. So, five years ago they took the leap and started the brand and named it after their beloved dogs.

Connect With Fig & Tyler:

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram

Other Resources Mentioned In The Episode:

• Canine Nutrigenomics: The New Science of Feeding Your Dog For Optimum Health
• Omega Paw Tricky Treat Ball, Large
• Blog Post: Dogs Would Rather Work For Food

Today's Topic:   For many of us, we're keenly aware of how the parenting style of our own parents (whether it was an authoritarian, authoritative, permissive or uninvolved style) influenced -- and continues to influence -- how we behave and view the world as an adult.

As such, we've ALWAYS wondered how our individual pet parenting style (whether we're aware of it or not) toward our dogs influences their behavior and how they view the world.

In Part I of our discussion on pet parenting styles, we dove into this subject headfirst with pediatric psychologist, parent coach, and the owner of A New Day Pediatric Psychology, PLLC., Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart, to see if there are any insights we could glean from her understanding of the different types of child parenting styles, and their effects, but also where they came from.

What we came away with from that episode was a sense that many of us view our children very similarly to how we view our dogs, and how the modern parenting literature is eerily mirrors that of modern positive dog training literature.

In this episode, we got the opportunity to continue this conversation on pet parenting styles with one of the authors of the research paper, Does Pet Parenting Style Predict the Social and Problem-Solving Behavior of Pet Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris)?, Dr. Monique Udell, to see what the data says when she investigated the effects of different pet parenting styles on a dog's social and problem-solving behavior using three behavioral tests: The Secure Base Test, a Sociability Test and the Solvable Task.

Guest Bio: Dr. Monique Udell is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and an Associate Professor of Animal Sciences at Oregon State University, where she directs the Human-Animal Interaction Lab. Much of her work focuses on the development of human-animal bonds and the impact that these bonds can have on the behavior and success of both species. She also studies the social behavior and cognition of a variety of species including cats, dogs, wolves and sheep, with a special interest in the influence of domestication and lifetime experience on behavioral development, welfare and learning. In addition, Dr. Udell is the Co-director of an animal assisted intervention program dedicated to improving the quality of life of children with and without developmental disabilities and their family dogs and cats.

Connect With Dr. Monique Udell: 

• Website
• Email
• Does Pet Parenting Style predict the social and problem-solving behavior of pet dogs (Canis lupus familiaris)?

Today's Topic:  Ask any positive dog trainer that has any experience working with leash-reactive dogs, and the one thing that many of them will have in common is their LACK of videos of dogs that they've trained exhibiting leash-reactive behaviors.

And the reason for this is simple: when a positive trainer sees a dog exhibiting leash-reactive behaviors, they see a dog in distress, and the LAST thing they want to do is pull out a camera to capture video footage of this moment, just like a therapist would never pull out a camera to record their patient who is going through an emotionally difficult, or psychologically stressful, moment.

Rather, their instinct is to drop everything, immediately jump into action, and help in whatever way they can.

But that poses a problem, of sorts.  While a prospective client of a therapist would never ask for a "Before & After" video of a client that underwent a transformational change in their mental health, as a way to find the best therapist for themselves, prospective clients of dog trainers increasingly demand it.

It's not hard to see why.  As a society, we love to see transformation stories, whether it's stories about weight loss, entrepreneurial success, etc., largely because we want to see that transformation is possible.

That's why we invited the founder of Dogs Made Simple, a content platform dedicated to sharing creative enrichment recipes and DIY dog stimulation games, and the dog mom of Diesel, a leash-reactive Golden Retriever, Jessica Sims, to the podcast, to discuss the transformation journey she will embark on to train her leash-reactive dog using our, "Help, My Dog Is Reactive On Leash!" course. 

In part II of our discussion, we recap who Jessica and Diesel are, what this project is about, and why, what Jessica has learned about Diesel during this process, how much Diesel has improved in his leash reactivity, and what she plans on doing between now and our final episode on their training journey!

Guest Bio: About two years ago, Jessica knew she was ready to get a puppy. She didn’t have much planned in terms of training besides perhaps a puppy group training class, mostly since every Golden Retriever she had growing up never needed any training.

However, from the moment Jessica brought him home, she noticed signs of food aggression and resource guarding.  He was also skittish and very nervous around groups of people. His behavior started to get worse. Jessica paid thousands of dollars in dog training, met with numerous trainers, and nothing seemed to be helping.

She felt hopeless - until she decided to take matters into my own hands. Jessica immersed herself into the world of dog training.

In May 2021, she decided to start sharing her journey with the public by creating her page: Dogs Made Simple.

Jessica's goal with this page was to share relatable content. She wanted to give hope to dog owners like herself who were struggling. She tries to be as transparent as possible by sharing honest content - the good and the bad.

As her page grew in popularity very fast, she realized that there was one piece of content specifically that people loved, and that was mental stimulation games for their dogs. Since then, she shares a ton of creative enrichment recipes and DIY dog stimulation games.

Stay tuned! By April 2023, Dogs Made Simple is launching its first ever product line with never-seen-before enrichment toys, bound to disrupt the dog industry.

Connect With Jessica Sims:

• Instagram
• TikTok

Today's Topic:  There is no breed of dog (or, more precisely, a grouping of mixed-breed dogs) that has captured the hearts and minds of many, more fully, in recent years (for good and for bad), than doodle dogs.  And it's not hard to understand why.  The combination of their (purported) hypoallergenic and shed-free coat, their uber-cuteness, and their sociable and high-energy nature (which can be a plus or a minus, depending on who you ask) make them an attractive option for many.  But what else should you know before you make the (expensive) plunge to get a doodle of your very own, or to help you manage the doodle that you've already brought into your life?

That's why we invited the owner and head trainer of The Doodle Pro™, a dog training company dedicated to helping doodles live happier and safer lives, and the host of the top-ranking and award-nominated, The Doodle Pro™ Podcast, Corinne Gearhart, to the podcast, to discuss how she became an owner of a dog walking and a dog training company as someone who's allergic to dogs herself,  whether all doodles are truly hypoallergenic and shed-free, how raising a doodle can be difficult for even the most seasoned and knowledgable of dog parents, how her training approach to doodles differs to that of other trainers, her advise on what to look out for when looking for a reputable breeder, what not to do when trying to deal with a hyperactive doodle, and so much more!

Guest Bio: Corinne Gearhart is the host of the highly-rated and popular, The Doodle Pro™ Podcast, that has most recently ranked #1 on Australia and New Zealand's charts and #3 on the genre's US, Canada, and UK's Apple charts.

As the owner and head trainer of "The Doodle Pro™", she has more direct professional experience with Doodle mixed dogs and a variety of Doodle mixes than any other trainer. She has grown to be the international expert on Doodles, and uses her expertise to support Doodle Parents via her online training courses and membership.

Her Fear-Free and positive-reinforcement education on dog training shines through in her approach to doodle parents as well -- treating all pet parents with the same respect and compassion she shows their dogs. She is driven to "Bridge the Doodle Divide™" that exists in the Pet Care Industry.

Connect With Corinne Gearhart:

• Website
• TikTok
• YouTube
• Instagram
• Facebook

Miscellaneous Links:

• Goldendoodle Association Of North America
• The Australian Labradoodle Association of America (ALAA)
• Denver Doodles
• The Genius Dog Challenge

Today's Topic:  Ask any positive dog trainer that has any experience working with leash-reactive dogs, and the one thing that many of them will have in common is their LACK of videos of dogs that they've trained exhibiting leash-reactive behaviors.

And the reason for this is simple: when a positive trainer sees a dog exhibiting leash-reactive behaviors, they see a dog in distress, and the LAST thing they want to do is pull out a camera to capture video footage of this moment, just like a therapist would never pull out a camera to record their patient who is going through an emotionally difficult, or psychologically stressful, moment.

Rather, their instinct is to drop everything, immediately jump into action, and help in whatever way they can.

But that poses a problem, of sorts.  While a prospective client of a therapist would never ask for a "Before & After" video of a client that underwent a transformational change in their mental health, as a way to find the best therapist for themselves, prospective clients of dog trainers increasingly demand it.

It's not hard to see why.  As a society, we love to see transformation stories, whether it's stories about weight loss, entrepreneurial success, etc., largely because we want to see that transformation is possible.

That's why we invited the founder of Dogs Made Simple, a content platform dedicated to sharing creative enrichment recipes and DIY dog stimulation games, and the dog mom of Diesel, a leash-reactive Golden Retriever, Jessica Sims, to the podcast, to discuss the transformation journey she will embark on to train her leash-reactive dog using our, "Help, My Dog Is Reactive On Leash!" course.  We discuss her history growing up with Goldens, how and when she adopted Diesel, her training journey thus far, and why, despite all of the knowledge she's gained via self study about dog training, leash reactivity is still something she struggles with.

Guest Bio: About two years ago, Jessica knew she was ready to get a puppy. She didn’t have much planned in terms of training besides perhaps a puppy group training class, mostly since every Golden Retriever she had growing up never needed any training.

However, from the moment Jessica brought him home, she noticed signs of food aggression and resource guarding.  He was also skittish and very nervous around groups of people. His behavior started to get worse. Jessica paid thousands of dollars in dog training, met with numerous trainers, and nothing seemed to be helping.

She felt hopeless - until she decided to take matters into my own hands. Jessica immersed herself into the world of dog training.

In May 2021, she decided to start sharing her journey with the public by creating her page: Dogs Made Simple.

Jessica's goal with this page was to share relatable content. She wanted to give hope to dog owners like herself who were struggling. She tries to be as transparent as possible by sharing honest content - the good and the bad.

As her page grew in popularity very fast, she realized that there was one piece of content specifically that people loved, and that was mental stimulation games for their dogs. Since then, she shares a ton of creative enrichment recipes and DIY dog stimulation games.

Stay tuned! By April 2023, Dogs Made Simple is launching its first ever product line with never-seen-before enrichment toys, bound to disrupt the dog industry.

Connect With Jessica Sims:

• Instagram
• TikTok

Today's Topic:  Buying a home today, especially if it's your first home, can be a dizzying emotional roller coaster ride characterized by stress, frustration, elation, anxiety, and, let's be real...REJECTION.   And in the midst of this (at times) chaotic experience, you have to make sure to do all the research necessary to ensure that the home and the surrounding neighborhood meet the needs of every member of your family.

In prior generations, this research might have been isolated to looking into school districts, the walkability of the neighborhood, the placement of the bedrooms, and an open floor plan, to name a few, but now with more than 7 in 10 millennials now owing a pet (with more than half owning a dog), often at the expense of (or putting off) starting a family, and an increasing number of them regarding their pets as members of the family, is it any surprise that millennials are putting their pets first when buying a home, and looking for advice on what to consider when buying a home as a dog parent?

That's why we invited licensed realtor with HomeSmart International, L.L.C., and the founder of "Kelsea With A Frenchie", a content platform designed to help the modern millennial buy their first home, Kelsea Imanuel,  to the pod, to discuss her professional journey thus far, what the "Modern Millennial" is in her opinion, why she thinks she been so successful reaching and speaking to the "Modern Millennial", what the major questions, concerns or non-negotiables dog parents have today during their home search, what the "flat dog test" is, the major regrets dog parents had in regards to their dog after the purchase of their home, her favorite dog amenities she's seen in people's homes, the major laws, regulations and restrictions to look out for that can affect you and your dog's life, and so much more!

Guest Bio: Kelsea Imanuel, also known as "Kelsea with a Frenchie", is a Colorado native, born and raised in the small mountain town of Nederland. Staying close to her mountain roots, Kelsea is passionate about helping others enjoy the same lifestyle. She joined the real estate business shortly after getting her Bachelor of Science, Summa Cum Laude, from Johnson & Wales University in Denver. Having worked in numerous real estate brokerages, she obtained her real estate license and is helping others find their perfect place! As part of her commitment to her clients and the real estate business, she stays current in real estate matters through continuing education and career training. In addition, Kelsea wants to share her love for Colorado by helping her clients find their dream properties. In her free time, you can find Kelsea spending time with her family and her French bulldogs, Nellie & Dottie, outside running, hiking, skiing, doing yoga, and adventuring in the mountains she loves so much!”

Connect With Kelsea Imanuel:

• Website
• Instagram

Today's Topic:  In the first part of our 2-part series on Leash Reactivity, we discussed a whole host of topics with certified professional dog trainer, the founder of Perfect Pals Dog Training, and the co-creator of the most comprehensive digital dog training course on the subject, "Help! My Dog Is Reactive On Leash!", Erin Gianella, including how common leash reactivity is, how it's different than general reactivity,  what a dog wants when they are reacting, distance-increasing behaviors vs. distance-decreasing behaviors, being proactive vs. reactive, and perhaps most importantly, some management strategies people can use to prevent their dog's practicing of unwanted reactive behaviors, such as whining, growling, barking, lunging, etc.  

In today's episode, we go a bit deeper and discuss alternative behaviors you can teach your dog, how training can differ if you've discovered that your dog is wanting to increase distance from vs. decrease distance to the trigger, what counterconditioning and desensitization are, whether a dog can be "cured" of leash reactivity, and much much more!

Guest Bio: Erin Gianella's journey to become a dog trainer began in 2014 when she noticed her own dog, Gus, having separation anxiety issues. She became more and more curious and passionate that she decided to leave the corporate world and learn as much as she could about being a dog trainer. Erin studied at the Karen Pryor Academy and became a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner. Erin started Perfect Pals Dog Training in 2021 based in Denver, CO. She offers private training using positive reinforcement, science based methods. Along with training, Erin also incorporates enrichment and management into the training plan to ensure all needs are being met. She is passionate about helping people build a bond with their dog and having them become a part of the family.

Connect With Erin Gianella:

• Website
• Instagram
• "Help! My Dog Is Reactive On Leash!" Course (Use promo code "PODCAST10" for 10% off!

Today's Topic:  Living with and taking care of a reactive dog can be difficult enough when they're inside the home, or out and about in the world, with you, but what if your dog is reactive INSIDE THE CAR?  This type of reactivity can create unique, unpredictable and potentially dangerous situations for even the most empathetic and diligent of dog parents.  That's why we invited certified professional dog trainer, the owner and head trainer at Sit Pretty Behavior & Training, and the creator of Chaos In The Car, a webinar designed for pet parents whose dog is growling, barking, lunging, or otherwise behaving chaotically when in the vehicle, Vanessa Charbonneau, to the pod, to discuss what car reactivity is, and how it is different from generalized fear/anxiety around the car experience, why she thinks "reactivity" is a misnomer, the unique challenges of dealing with car reactivity compared to other forms of reactivity, management strategies to help deal with car reactivity, her typical force-free training plan for car reactivity, and so much more!

Guest Bio: Vanessa Charbonneau is a registered veterinary technologist and multi-certified dog trainer, who specializes in working with dogs with fear, reactivity and aggression. She works tirelessly to educate dog owners on the power of positive reinforcement training, while using humane, science-based training methods. She is one of the first trainers in Northern British Columbia to become accredited by the BC SPCA’s AnimalKind program with her business Sit Pretty Behavior & Training. Vanessa lives in Prince George, BC, with her husband, two daughters, and cattle dog mix. 

Connect With Vanessa Charbonneau:

• Website
• Instagram
• Chaos In The Car  Webinar

Today's Topic: When your dog REALLY wants something from you, whether that thing is your attention, your food, your affection, or an adventure outside, your dog may use the one thing that comes naturally to him/her to get it: BARKING.  But for some dogs, they may learn (over time, and due to some of our inadvertent reinforcing behaviors), that this is a pretty reliable method to get what they want, when they want, resulting in a pathological behavior known as demand barking.  And while some may be able to live with it, others absolutely cannot, especially if their dog has a loud and high-pitched bark that can be SUPER ANNOYING to those in the household, and potentially those that live nearby.

So, how do you train your dog to stop (or reduce) this behavior, without resorting to methods used to startle, intimidate, hurt or instill fear in our dogs? 

That's why we invited certified professional dog trainer and the founder of Positive Partners Dog Training, LLC, Brianne Harris (CPDT-KA®), to the pod, to discuss how to use positive reinforcement techniques to reduce this behavior, why ignoring the demand barking just doesn't work, why teaching the "quiet" or "speak" cues is not a practical solution for even the most committed of dog parents, what "extinction bursts" are, why we should be slot machines instead of a vending machine to our dogs, and so much more! 

Guest Bio: Brianne Harris (CPDT-KA®) is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed through the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers. She is also an evaluator for the AKC's Canine Good Citizen programs and for the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. Brianne specializes in helping busy people fit dog training into their daily lives without it feeling like a burden! Her passion is working with dogs with BIG feelings - her favorites are reactive dogs, fearful dogs, and teenage dogs! Brianne and Positive Partners Dog Training, LLC are based in Banner Elk, NC. Her team serves the High Country of North Carolina with private and group lessons for dogs of all ages and types!

Connect With Brianne Harris:

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Tik Tok