DogSpeak: Redefining Dog Training

Our dogs look to us for more than food, shelter, and guidance. They also rely on us for a sense of safety, comfort, and connection. But what happens when our own stress, frustration, or anxiety begins to influence how...

In this Canine Couch Convo, we’re talking about the dogs we know and love best—our own. We share some of our favorite things about each of our dogs, the traits that make them uniquely who they are, and what those...

Teaching your dog to drop something doesn’t have to turn into a chase or a battle over who gets to keep the item. In this episode, we’re talking about how to teach a reliable “drop it” cue through cooperation, trust...

Too often, we depend on the leash to communicate with our dogs—pulling them closer, steering them away, stopping forward movement, or physically managing every decision they make. But a leash should be a safety tool...

Dog sports can be an incredible way to provide enrichment, build confidence, strengthen your relationship, and give your dog an outlet for natural behaviors—but they don’t have to be about ribbons, titles, or being the...

What if the behavior you’re struggling with isn’t actually the problem? In this special episode, Nikki introduces her new book, The Dog Beneath the Behavior , and explores the idea at the heart of it: behavior is...

Nikki talks with icon, Patricia McConnell about her new novel, Away to Me, her first venture into fiction writing, ADHD in dogs, and the importance of the human part of the human-dog relationship. Patricia McConnell...

In this episode, Nikki touches on the neuroscience of making choices and how your dog's decision-making process isn't what you think. Genetics, learning history, nervous system, memory and so much more goes into every...

In this episode, Sandra and Nikki talk ghosts. Pet guardians talk often about their dog exhibiting strange behavior; strange behavior that can't be linked to a certain trigger or antecedent. Sometimes, you have to look...

When we hear the word stress , most of us think of fear, anxiety, or overwhelm. But stress isn't always negative. In fact, stress is a normal and necessary part of life—for both humans and dogs. In this episode of...

What do chickens have to do with dog training? More than you might think. In this episode, I share the story of how a 40-hour week spent training chickens fundamentally changed the way I understood behavior, learning...

What makes a dog choose to come back? Many people think recall starts with teaching the cue "come," but reliable recall is about much more than a single behavior. It begins with understanding the dog in front of...

For decades, dog owners were routinely told to spay or neuter their dogs at six months of age. It was a simple recommendation that became the standard of care for generations. But as research into canine growth...

Don’t Train Me, Raise Me explores the difference between creating a dog that simply follows commands and raising a dog that understands how to navigate the world with confidence, stability, and trust. In this episode...

We’ve all heard the advice: “A tired dog is a good dog.” But physical exhaustion alone does not create emotional stability, confidence, or good decision-making. In this episode, we discuss why constantly trying to wear...