The whole idea behind training your dog is to get rid of the behaviors you don't want, while encouraging the ones you do. Sounds simple enough, right? Until, despite your best efforts, you end up accidentally doing the opposite. Today, Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring talk about how we can unintentionally reinforce the wrong behaviors in our dogs, and offer solutions for what to do when that happens. For more information please go to: Your Family Dog ..read more

Spring is here, which for many of us means more walks outside and runs at the dog park. But the great outdoors brings other things as well, namely distractions galore. How are you supposed to get Fido to behave when everywhere he looks there are bicycles, school kids, strange looking bushes, and squirrels? Today Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring tackle the topic of distractions and discuss ways to help keep your furry friend focused and well-behaved even in the busiest of environments. For show notes, please go to: Your Family Dog ..read more

We've all heard the old adage that practice makes perfect. It would seem to follow, then, that we should be careful what we practice, lest we become perfect at the wrong thing. The same goes for our dogs as well- it's much easier to practice good habits right off the bat than to have to unlearn and retrain behaviors later. Join Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring as they discuss how to make sure that you and your dog are practicing the right habits the right way. For show notes please go to: Your Family Dog ..read more

Your Family...Cicada? For the first time since Thomas Jefferson was president, two cycles of cicadas will emerge at the same time this summer. What- if anything- does this mean for you and your dogs? Join Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring on an exploration of cicadas, snakes, dogs, and the nature of consciousness. For show notes please go to: Your Family Dog ..read more

Door dashing- it's great when it's someone bringing you tacos, not so great when it's your dog making a run for it. Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring address one of the most common, most bothersome- but thankfully very fixable- problems people experience with their dogs. For show notes and more: Your Family Dog ..read more

We've covered a lot of topics on "Your Family Dog" over the years, but sometimes it's good to get back to basics and remember why we got started in the first place- not just with podcasting, but with dog training itself. Today Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring start at the beginning to discuss their early love affairs with dogs, their philosophy of training, and why they do what they do today. For Show Notes and more: Your Family Dog ..read more

Police dogs, military dogs, rescue dogs, security dogs...in addition to being man's best friend, dogs are often his best co-workers as well. But all too often, when their days of service are over, these faithful dogs get left behind. That's where Mission K9 Rescue comes in, a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing retired working dogs and finding them loving homes where they can enjoy their retirement in peace. Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring sit down with Bob Bryant, the CTO of Mission K9 to talk about the meaningful work his organization does. For show notes, please go to: Your Fami ..read more

It's no secret that dogs in shelters often come from bad situations, but some are particularly terrible, such as hoarding situations or puppy mills. It's tempting to think that with enough love and care, we can fix everything these dogs have been through, but unfortunately, that isn't always true. Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring take a look at what's involved when dealing with dogs with especially traumatic pasts. For show notes and more: Your Family Dog ..read more

A new year means new guests! Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring sit down with Austin-based dog trainer Brady Foulk to talk about training service dogs, learning through play, allowing yourself to fail, and the importance of keeping it weird. For show notes please go to: Your Family Dog ..read more

Winter isn't just cold and flu season for humans- respiratory illnesses increases among dogs this time of year as well. These are normally minor illnesses that respond well to treatment, but this year vets are reporting seeing a new illness among dogs, one that seems to last longer and possibly be more serious than your run-of-the-mill colds. Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring look at what we know about this new illness and talk about what you can do to help protect your dog. For more information and show notes: Your Family Dog ..read more