Explore every episode of the podcast Good Dogs! ™

#6032-REV: Marcy Burke discusses what real aggression is — and what the solution might be for the owners of an aggressive French Bulldog in New Jersey who has bitten several people. 

#6029-REV: Breeders and trainers often look at an individual dog’s personality as inborn and categorize dogs into different canine personality traits like bold, soft and exuberant. If you didn’t get your dog as a puppy, then it’s hard to know how much her natural tendencies have been shaped by her environment — was it nature, nurture or a combination of the two? (Like all of us!)

#6025-REV: There are three categories of scent work for dogs: tracking (you can join a club to learn how to teach your dog to track humans), nose work (which mimics the identification of drug, bomb and other contraband) and fun games at home (like Easter egg hunt types of hide and seek.)

#6021-REV: How to decide which will be better for you and your dog — to learn in a class or by yourselves? There are pros and cons to both, but maybe a combination of the two might work best, if you can afford it.

#6019-REV: Lise explains her term about training and the “light bulb moment” people have when understanding their dog — which she calls a BFO — Blinding Flash of the Obvious. She also explains how puppies learn bite control and what to do if yours never learned it — the way Tracie's pooch Maisie had never done when she first adopted her at 9 months.

#6073-REV: Trainer Marcy Burke says people don’t really understand what an “alpha dog” really means since an ”alpha dog” is never aggressive — because they don’t need to be! Marcie discusses what makes an “alpha dog” tick.

#6070-REV: Gayle Watkins talks about car manners. How to teach a dog to be calm in a vehicle and how you want him to behave begins with someone else driving while you have a collar, leash and treats. She emphasizes the importance of a crash-tested harness.

#6068-REV: Trainer and Golden breeder Lise Pratt speaks about letting your dog’s individual personality quirks flourish. What less-than-perfect behavior can you allow? How to manage behavior that could make other people uncomfortable? Dogs only understand black and white --- not gray --- so you have to be consistent in what, when and where you allow behaviors.

#6060-REV: Trainer and Golden Retriever breeder Marcy Burke says to make training the “wee ones” a game! It needs to be fun for both of you --- and should include a mountain of very small delicious treats to reinforce commands --- especially the basic “Come!” command.

#6072-REV: Dogs will not forget a bad first meeting with another dog — so we have to make sure it never happens! Gayle Watkins talks about the importance of introductions between dogs — and how we can cause dog aggression between dogs because we are nervous and communicating tension down the leash with how we set up the meeting. Best advice for a successful first meeting is to have both dogs on leash and go for a walk. Keep moving, keep the dogs on the outside and the people next to each other. The dogs should not touch, but walk side by side at a distance from each other and very quickly they will have their noses down and will ignore each other.

#6026-REV: What’s the truth about dog parks? Are they fun or dangerous? Maybe a little of both! Gayle Watkins warns about the serious dangers in a dog park, offers potentially life-saving advice and cautions to never take a puppy before 9 months of age because puppies are not socially wise until then.

#6077-REV: Dog friendships are misunderstood by people. Gayle Watkins discusses whether dogs have individuals they really like — or can't stand? Can a dog have a favorite friend, a “bestie?” What makes dogs good friends? How to judge compatibility. Play styles. Does breed matter in choosing a playmate?

#6044-REV: Does your dog have separation anxiety issues?! What if you had three dogs going berserk when you left the house — even if only to take out the garbage?! Jessica has three rescued dogs with this issue: Felix (German Short-Haired Pointer), Bailey (American Eskimo dog) and little Charlie (Yorkshire Terrier). Marcy suggests that to turn down the emotional volume Jessica first should visit a board certified veterinary behaviorist to discuss what medications she might use short-term, so that she can begin to change the scenario about her departures.

#6065 REV:  Golden Retriever breeder and trainer Dr. Gayle Watkins explains a dog’s “prey drive” — especially when re-directed at other dogs. The dog’s brain focuses only on the prey. They cannot see or hear you trying to stop them when their brain is filled with "feel good" neuro-chemicals. Preventing aggression towards other dogs means “interrupting the hunt” right before it starts, right at the trigger point, to get the dog’s attention back on you.