Synopsis
For the last 2 years, FDSA has been working to provide high-quality instruction for competitive dog sports online, using only the most current and progressive training methods. And now were bringing that same focus to you in a new way. Each episode of the Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast will feature an interview with a leading name in the competitive dog sports training world, talking in depth about issues that often get overlooked by traditional training methods. We'll release a new episode every other Friday, so stay tuned--and happy training!
Episodes
-
E420: Sharon Carroll - "A Real Look at Reducing Reinforcement"
01/08/2025 Duration: 31minIf you plan to compete, you need a plan for reducing reinforcement - but so often this is where trainers go wrong! Join us for a conversation about how Sharon recommends you reduce reinforcement to maintain attitude and correctness.
-
E419: Nancy Little - "Weave Pole Performance"
25/07/2025 Duration: 37minThinking about weave pole training? Whether you're troubleshooting a problem or beginning to teach weaves to a new dog, in this episode we dive into Nancy's thoughts on how to approach things... and where so many teams seem to go wrong.
-
E418: Irith Bloom - "Getting Geeky On Behavior Change"
18/07/2025 Duration: 40minWhat is Applied Behavior Science? Learning Theory? Why bother, if folks have been training dogs for more than 10,000 years? Irith and I get into all that and more in this episode on the science of behavior change!
-
E417: Focus and Engage with Denise Fenzi, Petra Ford, and Karen Deeds
10/07/2025 Duration: 01h13minWith the upcoming Focus & Engage one-day online conference only a few days away, join us for a preview of what you can expect, and an in depth conversation on acclimation, arousal, focus, and engagement.
-
E416: Tracey McLennan - "A Framework for More Efficient Training"
04/07/2025 Duration: 49minTracey McLennan joins me for a conversation on how her software background has informed her approach to dog training and led to her framework for smarter, faster, training progress.
-
E415: Denise Fenzi - Contact Heeling v. Precision Heeling: What's the Difference?
27/06/2025 Duration: 37minPrecision heeling and contact heeling may seem similar in some ways - but they're also very different. Join me for a conversation with Denise Fenzi on when she uses which one and how (and why) she approaches training both!
-
E414: Crystal Wing - The Role of Relationship in Dog Training
20/06/2025 Duration: 39minLooking to improve your relationship with your dog and improve your teamwork? In this episode, Crystal breaks down the factors that go into fostering that relationship in a healthy way.
-
E413: Sara Brueske - What's UpDog: A Conversation on Frisbee Games
13/06/2025 Duration: 16minHave a dog who likes frisbees? Join us for a conversation about UpDog — including What's UpDog and how you can compete!
-
E412: Petra Ford - "Balancing Motivation & Precision"
07/06/2025 Duration: 31minDo you find your dog tends to fall flat as you continue to raise criteria in training? Or maybe you have a dog that is SO enthusiastic that precision feels like an impossible dream? Join us for a conversation on balancing motivation and precision in your sports training.
-
E411: Kim Palermo & Erin Lynes - "Building a Sports Foundation"
30/05/2025 Duration: 58minIf you've found yourself thinking, "I'm gonna do that differently with the next puppy," or "Next time I'll do this perfectly," you're not alone. Join me, Kim, and Erin for a discussion on what they prioritize with future sports dogs, why there's always something they'd do differently "next time," and how they're tackling things right now.
-
E410: Ashley Escobar - The Art & Science of Jump Training
23/05/2025 Duration: 19minJumps make up a significant percent of every agility course - yet so often they receive only a small percentage of our training time. If you've ever wondered what jump grids are, how to teach your dog collection, or whether cavalettis might improve your dogs performance... give this episode a listen!
-
E409: Sarah Rodriguez - Making Training More Accessible
16/05/2025 Duration: 21minWe always say train the dog in front of you -- but in this podcast, Sarah shares the importance of considering the handler as well. Adjusting training so it's effective and easy for both members of the team may require some additional creativity... but it's more than worth it. Join us for a conversation on making training more accessible in this episode.
-
E408: Karen Deeds - Another Look at Box Feeding
10/05/2025 Duration: 38minThe more tools in your toolbox the more dogs you can help — in this episode Karen shares her experience using box feeding (aka the "dopamine box") to build confidence, desensitize to sounds, develop duration as a concept, for scent work, tracking, and to develop working under pressure.
-
E407: Denise Fenzi, Crystal Wing, & Jane Ardern on Motivation
06/05/2025 Duration: 50minWith the upcoming one day conference on matters of motivation, Denise, Crystal, and Jane joined me to share their takes on what motivation really is and why it matters.
-
E406: Deb Jones, PhD - "An Honest Conversation about Hard Decisions"
25/04/2025 Duration: 31minThere are certain topics in the dog training world that feel almost taboo - among them is the topic of behavioral euthanasia. In this episode Deb and I have a frank but thoughtful conversation on evaluating the severity of a behavior issue and what factors go into that sort of decision.
-
E405: Jessica Wheatcraft - "A Closer Look at Circle Work"
18/04/2025 Duration: 40minGive this episode a listen to learn a bit more about Jessica, her background, what Circle Work is and what led her to develop it!
-
E404: Amy Cook, PhD - The Evolution of The Play Way
04/04/2025 Duration: 56minJoin me and Dr. Amy Cook for a conversation on where her ideas for The Play Way came from, the science that inspired it, and how it's evolved (and continues to evolve). We also discuss the one letter that Amy thinks every trainer should add to their conversations about reactivity and thresholds.
-
E403: Denise Fenzi & Crystal Wing - Let's Talk Play
28/03/2025 Duration: 48minJoin us for a serious conversation on all things play! Denise and Crystal share how play impacts our relationships and our training with our dogs.
-
E402: Julie Symons - "Building Environmental Resilience"
21/03/2025 Duration: 40minNosework competitions require the ability to focus and work independently in new and novel locations — so Julie joined me for a conversation on how to build the necessary levels of environmental resilience.
-
E401: Kim Palermo - "Patterns for Performance'
14/03/2025 Duration: 30minJoin us for a conversation on how pattern games can benefit dogs with big feelings — whether those feelings are positive or negative! Kim is a certified Control Unleashed instructor and shares insights into why the program was developed and how it can help.