In this howl-oween special, we're talking about something that's been haunting the dog world since the 1940s: dominance theory, or alpha dog theory.

If you’re a dog parent and you’ve believed in this theory for a while, I promise to bring you zero judgment. If you’re a trainer, you’ve probably heard this topic beaten to death - but I hope you stick around anyway, because I’m bringing you a new angle about the “why” behind this pervasive theory.

Listen and discover:

• The history of dominance/alpha dog theory; it's inception, rise to popularity, debunking, and resurgence
• 3 major reasons why we know this theory isn't sound
• My thoughts about why this theory quickly became pervasive and why people find it hard to let go of
• Why I advocate for leadership over dominance when it comes to our relationships with dogs

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This week, I sat down with Melissa Bishop to discuss bonding with your dog through sports. Melissa has been our agility instructor for a few months now, and she has been an amazing influence on us. She teaches with such natural ability and ease, and has been competing in this sport for decades - but beyond that, she focuses on making the experience on both ends of the leash fun and enjoyable during each and every class.

Listen and discover:

• The right and wrong reasons to participate in sports with your dog
• Why dog agility is considered a TEAM sport
• What to prioritize in your relationship with your sport dog
• How to make sure both ends of the leash are having the best possible time during agility

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Y'all aren't ready for this week's guest. It's the one and only Denise Fenzi!

There are so many topics that I want to pick Denise's brain about, it was hard to pick just one. I was inspired by a recent live video she did about genetics vs. environment and how each influences dog behavior, so we sat down to talk more about her perspective and experience on this subject.

Listen and discover:

• Why Denise puts her money on genetics over environment
• How a dog's genetic package influences their ability to cope with environmental challenges
• How to recognize and honor a dog's self
• Knowing the limits of changes that can be accomplished through training

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