#72 Jenifer A. Zeligs - Mindful Partners: The Zen Art and Science of Working With Animals

Greetings Bookshelvers!We sincerely hope you're all keeping warm and toasty whilst listening this week as the weather in the UK has taken a frosty U-turn! No matter though as we have a very warm and wonderful podcast featuring the amazing Jennifer Holland talking about her book Dog Smart. We had an absolute blast exploring the intelligence and emotional lives of dogs, sharing personal anecdotes about our own dogs, and delving into Jennifer's impressive career as a journalist. Jennifer discusses her writing process and the emotional connections formed with dogs, the impact of dog interactions on human emotions, and the importance of understanding dog welfare. The conversation also delves into the potential for improved communication between dogs and humans, the overwhelming sensory experiences of dogs, the celebration of 'dogness', and the growing interest in canine cognition. The conversation also delves into Jennifer's adventurous experiences, including diving with sharks and her time on the 'vomit comet'.Steve flies solo this week so strap in for tangential meanderings around his headspace ;) Links:Buy Dog Smart hereSign up to receive our "PACT LUNCHES"

What's occurring Bookshelvers!?Well let me tell you what's been occurring here at Barks HQ for the last few weeks... Steve and Corrin have been buzzing about their interview with the amazing Jenifer A. Zeligs Ph.D. and are so happy to get it out in the world. As many of you know Steve has been on a philisophical mission to get to the bottom of what the "art" is in Dog Training. Ever since learning about Jenifer and reading her book "Mindful Partners" we've been dying to talk to her and this week those dreams came true. This book had a profound affect on Steve and has actually refocused his thoughts on how to approach Dog training over the last year so, it was an absolute pleasure to talk to Jenifer and explore her journey in animal training. The discussion highlights the "Art" of training, the influence of Buddhism, and practical applications for all trainers. We explore how she successfully married the integration of mindfulness and psychological principles within the book. We chat about the complexities of behaviour, the importance of building trust and relationships with animals, and the role of reinforcement in training. Jenifer also shares insights on managing fear in animals, the significance of empathy, and the concept of the relationship bank account in fostering positive interactions. Putting HUGE weight on the importance of understanding animal perspectives, the power of mindfulness, and the role of choice as a motivator. Zeligs highlights the significance of prevention in training, the art of balancing science and intuition, and the necessity of effective communication through body language. We also talk about Jenifer's take on the ethical divides in animal training and the importance of finding common ground to foster better relationships with animals. This one goes DEEP!On top of all that goodness we also have a look into Corrin and Steve's recent "date night" where they (almost) met a famous person. We talked Nanobots, wild household invaders AND premier a newly commissioned song written by the fabulous Grant Sharkey.What on earth are you waiting for???? Get it in your head!Links: Jenifer's Online Animal Training 101 Course

How the devil are you lovely Bookshelvers?!The dust has now settled after another fabulous DOGX and with Nat away on her holidays and corrin run off her feet it falls to Steve to host this episode SOLO (what could go wrong?). Luckily Nat and Corrin were around when we interviewed the wonderful, awesome, trail blazing human that is Gwen Bailey about her book The Perfect Puppy. We discuss her journey in dog training, the evolution of her book 'The Perfect Puppy', and the changes in training techniques over the years. She reflects on her experiences in kennels, the importance of communication with dog owners, and the impact of her work on the dog training landscape. The team and Gwen also delve into the complexities of dog training, discussing the challenges of reaching puppy owners, the impact of educational resources like books as well as the flexibility of training curriculums, and the significance of consent-based handling. We sing from the rafters about the importance of collaboration among training organisations and explore the fundamental qualities that make a good dog trainer. On top of all that we have a segment of interviews Steve did running around at lunch time at DOGX (where he mentions potatoes at least 500 times). Enjoy!Gwen Facts:Gwen worked for a leading UK national animal welfare charity from 1988-2002 and pioneered the use of dog behaviour knowledge in the rehoming of unwanted animals. She was the first person to be appointed by a national animal welfare charity as a full time Animal Behaviourist, eventually heading a team of behaviourists.Gwen has successfully solved behaviour problems in thousands of rehomed dogs, helping to prevent dogs with behavioural problems being passed from home to home and improving the rehoming success rate.Gwen has lectured at national and international conferences, run training courses for staff at animal charities around the world and has written many books & education leaflets. She is a past Chair of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors and a past Trustee for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.In 2003, Gwen founded and now runs Puppy School, a large network of professionally-trained puppy tutors which is a Practitioner Member of the Animal Behaviour and Training Council. Puppy School tutors have collectively helped to have a positive training impact on more than 100,000 puppies and their owners, and continue to run excellent classes around the country. Links:The Perfect Puppy on AmazonPuppy School

Howdy Bookshelvers! We hope this podcast finds you warm and snuggly by a fire with a dog on your lap. This week Corrin and Steve are joined by the wonderful award winning author, PhD, certified dog trainer, animal behaviourist and returning guest Zazie Todd to discuss everything about her brand spanking new book Bark!We love chatting with Zazie. She is always so compassionate, practical, and deep rooted in science as well as being open to difficult conversations and generous with the absolute universe of knowledge inside her head. We get to discuss her journey as an author, the importance of a deep understanding of dog behaviour, and the emotional challenges faced by dog guardians dealing with dogs with fear and anxiety. We slap a heavy emphasis on the significance of positive reinforcement and counter conditioning in dog training when it comes to fear, while also addressing misconceptions surrounding anthropomorphism that just might be holding us back. Zazie shares insights on the role of professionals in the field and the need for a lovely, supportive community for dog trainers and much, much more.Steve and Corrin talk through windy beach walks and fat seal pups as well as going through our normal book review sections. Put simply you’re gonna LOVE it! Zazie Facts: Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy and Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy. She is the founder of the popular blog Companion Animal Psychology, where she writes about everything from training methods to the human-canine relationship. Todd also writes a blog for Psychology Today, Fellow Creatures. She lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, one dog, and two cats. Links:Buy Bark! here (but better off going to a local bookshop right?!)Sign up to Zazie's newsletter here 

Autumnal Greetings Bookshelvers! We are back to normal scheduling now after another amazing DOGX 2024 and the UK has plummeted into Autumn! To celebrate the seasonal change we have the Pumpkin Spiced Latte of Dog Sports Herself Carrie-Anne Selwyn! Steve and Nat welcome back Carrie to discuss her journey with dogs, the impact of COVID-19, and the exciting sport of Hoopers. The conversation delves into Carrie's experiences with various dog breeds, particularly her Malinois V, and the challenges of managing dog behaviour in public spaces. They explore the importance of risk assessment in dog training and the emotional rollercoaster of living with reactive dogs. Carrie, Steve, and Nat delve into the complexities of dog training, focusing on socialization, emotional wellbeing, and the role of sports like Hoopers in enhancing the bond between dogs and their handlers. They discuss the importance of ethical training practices, the emotional connections formed through dog sports, and the need for a supportive community among dog trainers. The conversation also touches on the challenges of navigating dog behaviour and the significance of understanding each dog's unique needs and genetics. As ever... Get it your earholes!!!!Carrie facts:Carrie-Anne Selwyn is a Dog trainer, podcaster, speaker, international hoopers judge and competitor and the founder of Canine Hoopers World. Originally a riding instructor Carrie also worked at a groomers and a cattery. After passing her level 3 animal care Carrie pursued a career in dog training in 2012 Becoming a qualified trainer with the IMDT.She is now an ambassador for the Pet Profesional network, a guest speaker for  the Distictive dog trainer and IMDT and PPG Australia.A course tutor and assessor for the IMDT. Carrie also has two successful podcasts Canine Hoopers World and the Dog Training Dictionary. Carrie has taught internationally both in person and virtually. She set up Canine Hoopers World in 2019 and has taught over 500 instructors how to teach hoopers in over 20 different countries.

Something a little short and a little special for you Bookshelvers. As many of you know Steve writes little songs and jingles for the podcast and we've been asked to pop this particular one out as a stand alone. Enjoy #stopbillybigdogs

What is happening out there Bookshelvers!?As the dog world goes doolally on the socials we thought we'd bring you some doolally of our very own! This week we give (a long overdue) welcome to the awesome Debby Lucken, who shares her experiences in writing her book 'It Started With A Sit'. The discussion covers her journey in the dog training world, the challenges of balancing family life with work, and the importance of pets in family dynamics. Debby reflects on her personal stories, the creative process behind her book, and the significance of honest storytelling. The conversation also touches on the complexities of adoption assessments and the cultural differences in dog ownership. We get deep into the weeds discussing the emotional landscape of parenting, the importance of community support, and the role of professionals in navigating family dynamics. Debby is full of empathy and understanding in both parenting and dog training and a real advocate of safely involving children in dog training responsibilities. On top of all that quality dog chat Steve, Nat & Corrin navigate the complexities of the dog training industry, discussing the current turbulence and the importance of community support, explore various themes surrounding dog ownership, parenting, Fall down a Greg Wallace giggle hole, and, of course, discuss insights from the book and answer your questions. We hope you enjoy!Links:Buy "It Started With a Sit" DOGx TicketsSubscribe to receive a weekly PACT LUNCH

Hey Hey Hey Bookshelvers!  I think we can all think of people in our lives that have had a huge effect on who we are and where we ended up. Well this week Corrin, Nat and Steve talk to the wonderful Sally Bradbury who has been a mentor and inspiration for all of us. Sally has had a really interesting career as a dog professional and has co-authored TWO books about dog training (one with Steve). We talk about her start in the world of dogs, the start of the amazing Facebook group Dog Training Advice and Support, Jack & Billy - Puppy Tales and  Dog Training and Behaviour Solutions: The stress-free way to live in harmony with your dog. We also take various trips down memory lane to when we all worked together. Enjoy!Sally Facts:Sally Bradbury has worked with dogs all her adult life from RSPCA kennel maid in her teens to founding and running her own very successful dog training business for 20 years. She was a founder member of the APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers) Over the years she has given a loving home to many dogs that didn't get the best start in life. Her passion is helping and supporting new puppy owners on raising their puppy to avoid the many pitfalls that results in so many youngsters being handed into rescues in their first year.She is now retired and living in Wales with her husband and numerous Border Collies.Links:Dog Training advice & Support Facebook pageDog Training  & Behaviour SolutionsJack and Billy

Greetings to you Bookshelvers!What a corker of an episode we have for you today! Yet another returning guest here at Barks HQ today as we talk to the award winning scientist and all round brilliant human being, the one and only, Marc Bekoff about his wonderful book The Emotional Lives of Animals. Marc has recently revised this ground breaking book (first released in 2007) and we thought it would be a great opportunity to catch up and talk about it. Marc's predictions that, after the books initial release, our understanding of animal cognition and emotion would grow “richer, more accurate, and possibly different,” has certainly come true with an explosion of research that has warranted this revision and super charged what was already a "must own" book in the stratosphere of bookshelf must haves.Full of engrossing animal stories of empathy, joy, grief, anger, embarrassment and love we defy anyone reading it to leave this book without a new found and concrete understanding of the depths of non human animals lived experiences. As we know, with knowledge also comes responsibility and this book shines a big bright light on how we should use this knowledge to inform how humans can go forward and change how we care for and treat the animals we share our lives with. Jump aboard Bookshelvers... You're gonna love it! Marc Facts:Marc Bekoff, author of The Emotional Lives of Animals, is professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a former Guggenheim fellow. He has published more than a thousand scientific and popular essays and thirty books. He lives in Boulder.Links:DOGx TicketsSubscribe to receive a weekly PACT LUNCH

Hey there Bookshelvers! A midweek podcast extra!? What’s going on? Well…we’re going off piste a little today but with good reason. Many of you may know that there is a lot of division within the dog training industry (what’s new we hear you cry). Lately there has been a call for unity and a call for people with different training styles, ethics and core beliefs to come together and talk it out for the good of the dogs and humans. Here at PACT headquarters we thought we would record an episode talking through some of key points that are being debated and, more importantly, what we think about the question of unity and whether or not, we feel having these conversations/debates is useful. We decided to predominantly record this for our PACT members and, of course, for anyone else that is listening that is a professional in the dog training industry, has an interest in becoming a dog trainer in the future or just loves dogs and wants what is best for them and their guardians moving forward. Having become directors of one of the training organisations that seem to be looked down upon in these discussions we thought we should go on the record and fight the good fight for animal welfare, wellbeing and ethics. I would imagine that most of our listeners are pretty clear on where our ethical standards are. Those who listen will also have a good idea of what the science, especially welfare sciences, are informing us about the use of aversive methods on ALL individuals. So although we thought we’d discuss these topics this certainly isn’t a bridge to try to combine our ethical approach with one that we do not support. On top of that we are also individuals with different takes on different things so we really hope you enjoy this episode. Topics we cover include: ·       What does regulation mean to us?·       What are ethics vs morals and how should that inform the decisions we make when interacting with animals?·       Is there an issue with a lack of practical training being offered by organisations. Is the landscape too theoretical?·       Should we have discussions between camps?·       Gish gallop & unfair debating tactics we see·       Time it takes to train purely positively ·       Boundaries. Where are the lines in the sand?·       What makes an excellent trainer? We have titled this talk “Le Chat Part un” I hope this is taken in the good hearted and tongue in cheek way it is intended and we have more to talk about so let us know if you’d be up for us recording a “Le Chat Part Deux” and we’ll get on it.