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Dogs Unknown

Dogs Unknown

Brian Burton and Sarah Fraser

You love your dog as family...but how well do you really know them? Dogs Unknown is an award-winning show that unlocks the mystery & magic of dog behavior. From the team at Instinct Dog Behavior & Training. Join co-hosts Brian Burton and Sarah Fraser as they interview dog behavior experts on topics about our canine family members. Named Dog Writer’s Association best behavior podcast of 2020. (fka DogLab)

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Top 10 Dogs Unknown Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Dogs Unknown episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Dogs Unknown for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Dogs Unknown episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Today's episode is all about separation anxiety in dogs. This is absolutely one of the most common reasons that folks might reach out to a dog behavior professional for help. It's also one of the issues that can be truly one of the most stressful (and sometimes feel debilitating) and can have a big negative impact on welfare on both ends of the leash.
Despite it being a really common issue, separation anxiety is often a little bit misunderstood when it comes both to the factors that can contribute to why it's happening in the first place and also the ways to treat it or help improve it.
So today we are very privileged to be joined by a powerhouse guest lineup to help us clear up some of these misconceptions about separation anxiety and share with listeners more about what it really is, why it happens, and paths to move forward.

We discuss:
- What is Separation Anxiety (and what it isn't)
- Causes of Separation Anxiety (perceived and actual)
- Prevalence in Separation Anxiety in companion dogs
- Treatment/Intervention options
- Common derailers of progress
- Success rates and timelines
- How to get started
Guests:
- Malena DeMartini-Price is renowned in the dog training world for her expertise in dog separation anxiety issues. She is the author of the books Treating Separation Anxiety in Dogs, as well as Separation Anxiety in Dogs – Next-Generation Treatment Protocols and Practices. She is also the founder of the Separation Anxiety Training Certificate Program (CSAT).

Dr. Chris Pachel DACVB (Veterinary Behaviorist), Co-Founder and Co-Owner of INSTINCT Portland and Animal Behavior Clinic in Portland.
- Dr. Emily Levine DACVB (Veterinary Behaviorist), Co-Founder and Co-Owner of INSTINCT NJ/PA and Animal Behavior Clinic of NJ
Hosts Brian Burton and Sarah Fraser are Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of INSTINCT Dog Behavior & Training. Both are Certified Dog Behavior Consultants and have Master's degrees in Animal Behavior from Hunter College/CUNY.
INSTINCT has 11 locations across the US and services the global community via virtual consults. Over 19,000 students have also taken courses at INSTINCT's online school (with many free courses available): Learn more at https://www.instinctdogtraining.com/
INSTINCT Resources:
Online School https://onlineschool.instinctdogtraining.com
Free Monthly Seminars (Puppy Parenting Roadmap, Rescue Dog Roadmap, Behavior Roadmap): https://www.instinctdogtraining.com/seminars/
Youtube Version of the Episode (video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3xJy2GB3Ec

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We have two incredibly intelligent and talented guests today to talk about a complicated and sometimes controversial subject; genetics and behavior. I promise this is worth listening to, and our guests bring a unique mix of scientific and practical knowledge that makes this episode one you don't want to miss.
Guests:

Dr. Jessica Hekman is a postdoctoral associate at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and teaches online classes about the biology and genetics of canine behavior. Jessica received her Ph.D. in Animal Sciences (Genetics, Genomics, and Bioinformatics) in 2017 from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, where she studied canid behavioral genetics. Previously, Jessica graduated from the Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in 2012 with a dual DVM/MS degree. Her Master's work was on the behavior and cortisol responses of healthy dogs to being hospitalized overnight. She also completed a shelter medicine veterinary internship at the University of Florida Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program. Jessica's current work focuses on the genetics of behavior in both pet and working dogs through a citizen science approach.
She’s also on the Darwins Ark team; a group that is working with pet owners to answer important scientific questions about genetics and behavior in dogs. I highly recommend you check that out at DarwinsArk.org. You can also view Dr. Hekman's website at dogzombie.com and her research at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jessica_Hekman

Trish McMillan is a certified professional dog trainer and certified dog behavior consultant who holds a Master’s degree in Animal Behavior from the University of Exeter in England. She is an internationally recognized speaker, sharing her expertise in behavior modification, defensive handling, and animal welfare to trainers, shelter workers, veterinarians & vet techs, and dog daycares across the country and around the world. She specializes in training and behavior modification work with dogs, cats, and horses.

Trish spent 7 years with the ASPCA, where she gained a wide variety of experience in the field of animal behavior. For three years she was the director of the animal behavior department at the ASPCA’s New York City shelter, helping staff, volunteers, and adopters work with animals and make great matches. Trish has also helped assess and rehabilitate animals from cruelty, hoarding, and dogfighting cases, as well as pets rescued from natural disasters. In addition to writing for the ASPCA’s Virtual Pet Behaviorist and other publications, she helped create and present several very popular webinars on dog and cat behavior and handling for the ASPCA Pro website.

When she is not traveling around educating animal professionals, she lives at her farm, Pibble Hill in Asheville, NC, with a host of very cool animals including her (famous) pitbull Theodore, and sees clients through her consulting business, McMillan Animal Behavior. She is also Vice President of Behavior and Training with Instinct Dog Behavior & Training. Also, check out Pibble Hill and Pibbling with Theodore on Facebook (I misspelled this in the episode). I promise you’re missing out if you aren’t following her.

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Today we are focusing on practical advice that you can use for common behavior and training issues in this COVID-19 lockdown world. While the shutdown provides some unique challenges, it also provides some opportunities to make progress on behavior and training goals. We discuss enrichment (both mental and physical at 00:04:55), leash reactivity (00:26:00), separation anxiety (00:56:50), puppy socialization (01:14:42), and foster dog basics (01:23:00). If you are only interested in one or a few of these topics, you can see the time stamp for each above so you can fast forward to the ones you are interested in and skip the rest.

Guests:
Ruth CrislerRuth Crisler has been working with dogs and horses since 1991 and training dogs professionally since 1998. She is a Certified Behavior Consultant (CBCC-KA), IAABC Behavior Consulting Principles & Practice course mentor, and served as IAABC Ethics Committee Chair from 2015 to 2020. Ruth has contributed articles to The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, as well as writing for her own blog Spot Check.

Since 2000, Ruth and her team at See Spot Run have been offering customized, developmentally appropriate training programs for dogs of all ages and breed types, and designing humane and practical solutions to serious and longstanding behavior problems. She believes that different dogs require different approaches and that the best tools a trainer can possess are experience and an open mind.

Sarah FraserSarah Fraser is Co-CEO of Instinct Dog Training, Inc. and Co-Founder of Instinct Dog Behavior & Training. She oversees behavior & training programming for all Instinct locations and for the Instinct Online School. She develops Instinct Inc.’s internal policies and guidelines related to training and operations, and is in charge of marketing, communications, and brand management.

Sarah is an MA Candidate, Animal Behavior & Conservation at Hunter College/CUNY. She is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, Certified Professional Dog Trainer, and Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner, who has worked with thousands of NYC owners and dogs with severe aggression, fear, and anxiety issues. She has been featured in media outlets including The New York Times, The New York Daily News, New York Magazine, Martha Stewart, NBC Nightly News with Lester Hold, Pix11 News, and many more.
Resources:
- Enrichment Course by Instinct
- Enrichment Items (available on Amazon): Flirt Pole, Long Line, Rally Signs (free on AKC site), Scents (Pheasant, Quail, Rabbit)- Leash Reactive Course by Instinct
- House Training Guide for Puppies
- Defensive Handling Video
- Unprompted Attention Video
- Tether Time Training Article

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Dogs Unknown - MISMATCH: Conflict Resolution Styles
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04/03/23 • 71 min

Today we’re covering a topic that applies to EVERYONE who shares their home with a dog - whether it’s a brand new puppy, a totally happy-go-lucky, loves-everyone-and-everything dog, or a dog with fear, anxiety, or aggression issues.

  • We’re talking about CONFLICT that arises in your relationship with your dog - and more specifically, we’re talking about how your dog (and you) approaches conflict and tries to resolve it.
  • Conflict is a normal and unavoidable part of any relationship - including the relationship between you and your dog (and, if you have a multi-dog household, the relationship between your two dogs).
  • It becomes a problem when the strategies used by an individual (or individuals) to try to resolve the problem are physically or emotionally harmful to the other party.
  • Within our Nature Driven Nurture framework, we identify FOUR main conflict resolution styles that dogs use to try to deal with conflict when it arises - both with humans, and with other dogs.
    • Those include Peacemakers, Ostriches, Warriors, and Tasmanian Devils
  • Understanding your dog’s conflict resolution style (and reflecting on your own!) is a huge piece of the puzzle when it comes to maintaining a peaceful household, and to protecting the relationship between you and your dog, or between the dogs in your household

Hosts Brian Burton and Sarah Fraser are Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of INSTINCT Dog Behavior & Training. Both are Certified Dog Behavior Consultants and have Master's degrees in Animal Behavior from Hunter College/CUNY.
INSTINCT has 11 locations across the US and services the global community via virtual consults. Learn more at https://www.instinctdogtraining.com
INSTINCT Resources:

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Dogs Unknown - How to Not Pet a Dog (Summer Mini-Episode)
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08/01/23 • 23 min

While waiting for Season 4 to start in October, we will drop summer mini-episodes in August and September! Episodes will drop each Monday. Also, a reminder that we do have video versions of the podcast in our recording studio, which can be viewed on our YouTube Channel
In this episode, Brian and Sarah give an update on their international move and discuss one of their viral Instagram reels that received over 2 million views and generated a lot of engagement and comments. The video was "How Not to Pet a Dog." You can see that video here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cr0-YWBPd-q/
Some video comments were great, some were interesting, and some were very sad. Brian and Sarah discuss why this video is important and how one of the tricky things about living with dogs, because they are so familiar to us and we feel that we know them so well, is that we can have blind spots in our knowledge and understanding of their feelings and behavior.
Hosts Brian Burton (he/him/his) and Sarah Fraser (she/her/hers) are Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of INSTINCT Dog Behavior & Training. Both are Certified Dog Behavior Consultants and have Master's degrees in Animal Behavior from Hunter College/CUNY.
INSTINCT has 11 locations across the US and services the global community via virtual consults. Over 20,000 students have also taken courses at INSTINCT's online school (with many free courses available): Learn more at https://www.instinctdogtraining.com/
INSTINCT Resources:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/instinctdogtraining/

Online School https://onlineschool.instinctdogtraining.com
Free Monthly Seminars (Puppy Parenting Roadmap, Rescue Dog Roadmap, Behavior Roadmap): https://www.instinctdogtraining.com/seminars/
Youtube Version of the Episode (video): https://youtu.be/qeLs2OEpaCs

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Dogs Unknown - Making Sense of Smell with Jessica Schulte
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02/18/20 • 102 min

Today’s episode is “Making Sense of Smell” with our guest, Jessica Schulte. It’s a fascinating conversation about how this superhuman ability informs the ways in which our dogs perceive, navigate, and understand the world around them. It also provides insight into the value of adding structured or competitive nosework into your dog’s routine.
Our Guest:

Jessica is a certified dog behavior consultant and a certified professional dog trainer and is one of the first Nose Work instructors certified on the East Coast and has been teaching Nose Work classes for over a decade. She has been the Odor Recognition Test National Coordinator for the NACSW, as well as the editor for the NACSW newsletter.

She is also a Certifying Official, and also a licensed AKC Scent Work judge, approved to judge all levels and classes for AKC Scent Work trials.

Jessica competes with her own dog, Trix, in K9 Nose Work where they compete at the elite level. They also compete in Rally, Rally Free, and Freestyle. Jessica works with Instinct Dog Training and Behavior in NYC teaching manners, obedience, and solving behavioral issues for dogs and their people.

Episode References:

J.E. Hayes, P.D. McGreevy, S.L. Forbes, G. Laing, R.M. Stuetz, Critical review of dog detection and the influences of physiology, training, and analytical methodologies, Talanta, Volume 185, 2018, Pages 499-512, ISSN 0039-9140,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2018.04.010.

A. Kerepesi, G.K. Jonsson, A. Miklosi, J. Topal, V. Csanyi, M.S. Magnusson, Detection of temporal patterns in dog-human interaction, Behav. Process. 70 (1) (2005) 69–79.

C. Mariti, E. Ricci, B. Carlone, J.L. Moore, C. Sighieri, A. Gazzano, Dog attachment
to man: a comparison between pet and working dogs, J. Vet. Behav. 8 (3) (2013) 135–145.(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0039914018303552)

Horowitz, A., Hecht, J., & Dedrick, A. (2013). Smelling more or less: Investigating the olfactory experience of the domestic dog. Learning And Motivation, 44(4), 207-217. doi:10.1016/j.lmot.2013.02.002

I. Gazit, A. Goldblatt, J. Terkel, The role of context specificity in learning: the
effects of training context on explosives detection in dogs, Anim. Cogn. 8 (3)
(2005) 143–150. [108] G. Lupfer-Johnson,

L. Lit, J.B. Schweitzer, A.M. Oberbauer, Handler beliefs affect scent detection dog outcomes, Anim. Cogn. 14 (3) (2011) 387–394.

D. Lefebvre, C. Diederich, M. Delcourt, J.-M. Giffroy, The quality of the relation between handler and military dogs influences efficiency and welfare of dogs, Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 104 (1–2) (2007) 49–60.

Dr. Alexandra Horowitz Ted Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/alexandra_horowitz_how_do_dogs_see_with_their_noses?language=en

PBS Nova: https://www.ted.com/talks/alexandra_horowitz_how_do_dogs_see_with_their_noses?language=en

Dog Field Study (The Art of the Walk): http://www.dogfieldstudy.com/en/pulse-study/at-the-heart-of-the-walk

Instinct Dog Behavior & Training (To Sniff or Not to Sniff): https://www.instinctdogtraining.com/sniff-not-sniff-dog-follow-nose/

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If you are the guardian of a dog with a more complex behavior profile, finding the right care team to work with them (and you) - the right trainer, the right veterinarian, the right pet sitter or boarding kennel - can be a real challenge. When speaking about the training/behavior field, this is made more challenging by the fact that dog training is an unregulated industry, and it can be very difficult to discern what someone’s credentials actually mean, the experience they hold, and the teaching techniques they use with dogs and people.

And even when you find a person or a team you like, learning when and how to advocate for your dog - vs when to trust and follow the lead of the professionals with whom you’re working, even if you feel a little skeptical about it - takes time, and can feel intimidating or uncomfortable.

Today we’re joined by Instinct East Harlem client Kate Tighe, to share her experience with finding the right support team for her dog Teagan - and learning how to become a better advocate for her and for Teagan in the process.

Hosts Brian Burton (he/him/his) and Sarah Fraser (she/her/hers) are Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of INSTINCT Dog Behavior & Training. Both are Certified Dog Behavior Consultants and have Master's degrees in Animal Behavior from Hunter College/CUNY.
INSTINCT has 11 locations across the US and services the global community via virtual consults. Over 20,000 students have also taken courses at INSTINCT's online school (with many free courses available): Learn more at https://www.instinctdogtraining.com/
INSTINCT Resources:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/instinctdogtraining/

Online School https://onlineschool.instinctdogtraining.com
Free Monthly Seminars (Puppy Parenting Roadmap, Rescue Dog Roadmap, Behavior Roadmap): https://www.instinctdogtraining.com/seminars/
Youtube Version of the Episode (video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bfkGXWDuvM

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Today we are going to delve into the question of whether telling your dog 'no' can have a place within a positive training approach. We think it's a pretty fair question and it's one we actually get asked a lot by new clients who come to see us.
It's understandable because there's a lot of emphasis in positive training (as there should be) on trying to set your dog up to succeed, trying to help them make desirable choices, training in a way that they generally enjoy or want to listen to cues, and allowing a lot of choice and control so that they have the option to opt-in or opt-out.
But what about those times when you need your dog to stop doing something or maybe start doing something else in the now, and they're not opting in or following cues (or maybe they don't have those skills under their belt yet)? How do we handle those situations in a way that protects our dog's behavioral health and also protects the relationship that we have with them that supports a healthy relationship dynamic?
This is what we are tackling today.
Hosts Brian Burton (he/him/his) and Sarah Fraser (she/her/hers) are Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of INSTINCT Dog Behavior & Training. Both are Certified Dog Behavior Consultants and have Master's degrees in Animal Behavior from Hunter College/CUNY.
INSTINCT has 11 locations across the US and services the global community via virtual consults. Over 20,000 students have also taken courses at INSTINCT's online school (with many free courses available): Learn more at https://www.instinctdogtraining.com/
INSTINCT Resources:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/instinctdogtraining/

Online School https://onlineschool.instinctdogtraining.com
Free Monthly Seminars (Puppy Parenting Roadmap, Rescue Dog Roadmap, Behavior Roadmap): https://www.instinctdogtraining.com/seminars/
Youtube Version of the Episode (video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EbBny9T4WI

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Brian and Sarah react to the recent study on dog breed and behavior which has caused some controversy in the dog world. Brian and Sarah both have graduate degrees in Animal Behavior and bring a neutral, nuanced take on the results. Both were also listed in the acknowledgments section of the paper as they were on the original brainstorming team for the owner survey questions.
If you have mixed feelings about this research, you are not alone, and we hope this helps you process the results.
The study: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639?fbclid=IwAR2oVInOjq0bjZ4SJU9TsCZOb1XqI3P_hiEmtqdCVBjYyO7kjM4_TNtmVOc
Twitter thread by one of the authors (Dr. Elinor Karlsson): https://twitter.com/eenork/status/1520450288095797251
The Atlantic article: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2022/04/dog-breed-personality-characteristics/629707/
New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/28/science/dogs-breed-behavior-genes.html
Popular Science: https://www.popsci.com/science/biggest-myth-about-dog-breeds/
NPR: https://www.npr.org/2022/04/28/1095390872/dog-breeds-behavior-study

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For most of us, bringing home a new puppy conjures many warm, fuzzy images and feelings. We think about puppy snuggles and kisses, introducing the puppy to family and friends, taking them for walks, and including them in our favorite activities.

And while puppies are amazing and can bring a lot of joy, they’re also a TON of work, and the reality of puppy ownership doesn’t usually match up to the vision we’ve created in our mind (or the one we’ve been sold on social media).

Enter the Puppy Blues. The puppy blues is an informal term that refers to the feelings of sadness, anxiety, overwhelm, regret, and other negative emotions many folks experience in the days, weeks, or months after welcoming a new puppy into their home.

If you’ve experienced the Puppy Blues - you’re not alone. A LOT of other dog owners have experienced them, too. We’re joined today by one of those individuals - Hannah Craig, a client at Instinct Hudson Valley, who has generously agreed to share their experience with us today.

Hosts Brian Burton (he/him/his) and Sarah Fraser (she/her/hers) are Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of INSTINCT Dog Behavior & Training. Both are Certified Dog Behavior Consultants and have Master's degrees in Animal Behavior from Hunter College/CUNY.
INSTINCT has 11 locations across the US and services the global community via virtual consults. Over 20,000 students have also taken courses at INSTINCT's online school (with many free courses available): Learn more at https://www.instinctdogtraining.com/
INSTINCT Resources:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/instinctdogtraining/

Online School https://onlineschool.instinctdogtraining.com
Free Monthly Seminars (Puppy Parenting Roadmap, Rescue Dog Roadmap, Behavior Roadmap): https://www.instinctdogtraining.com/seminars/
Youtube Version of the Episode (video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUao_pZNroc

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FAQ

How many episodes does Dogs Unknown have?

Dogs Unknown currently has 32 episodes available.

What topics does Dogs Unknown cover?

The podcast is about Podcasts, Self-Improvement, Education and Science.

What is the most popular episode on Dogs Unknown?

The episode title 'Canine Life Stages: Common Nurture Mistakes' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Dogs Unknown?

The average episode length on Dogs Unknown is 65 minutes.

How often are episodes of Dogs Unknown released?

Episodes of Dogs Unknown are typically released every 9 days, 5 hours.

When was the first episode of Dogs Unknown?

The first episode of Dogs Unknown was released on Feb 18, 2020.

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