Positively Dog Training - The Official Victoria Stilwell Podcast

Victoria describes her incredible experience filming with the amazing people behind Save a Sato for her Unsung Heroes series in Puerto Rico. Also, Victoria’s emotional trip into the current earthquake zone near Guanica to help and talk to the resilient people who are trying to help each other and the displaced animals following the destructive aftershocks. Holly talks about her fascinating trip to experiential art Meow Wolf in Sante Fe.

Puppies! Victoria tells Holly about a client’s fearful Malinois mother and new litter of puppies she’s working with. The ladies discuss one of the most-asked questions from listeners: What’s the best way to acclimate a new puppy to a household? Whether or not to comfort a crying puppy, top tips for puppy housetraining, how long it takes for puppies to adjust to a new home, and more. Also, Victoria shares details about her latest book, The Ultimate Guide to Raising a Puppy.

Victoria and Holly are joined by Dr. Paula Bloom for a special podcast focusing on mental health, depression and bullying on social media. This is an important conversation that needs to be had right now whether it relates directly to dogs or not. The death of Caroline Flack, beloved presenter of Love Island UK, has started a larger conversation about mental health, depression and bullying in the media and on social media. Victoria herself has been the target of social media bullies, but you don’t have to be in the public eye to be targeted. Paula answers some of the difficult questions we all have as she goes deep into the issue and offers advice to all those who are suffering or know someone who is.  

Victoria and Holly share a new vision for the future of the Positively Podcast and the way fans' questions will help drive what the podcast is all about. Victoria discusses her emotional trip to help Humane Society International close a South Korean dog meat farm and rehome the farm's animals while helping the farmers relaunch a plant-based business instead.

Victoria shares details about the 2020 UK Dog Behaviour Conference, including new and returning fascinating speakers and a teaser for a brand new important training protocol she will be revealing at the conference. Also, a discussion about the new research being done to confirm how dogs understand spoken human languages. Victoria shares her thoughts about the public discussion regarding whether shock collars should be used in dog training, including the conversation she had in a radio interview with the Radio Pet Lady recently on the topic. Misconceptions about what positive training is (and isn't) in the great debate about dog training methods. Victoria shares details about the Victoria Stilwell Academy Dog Trainer Course and its new structure of online curriculum plus optional in-person track, and Holly talks about the power of the Kindness Is Powerful message.

Aly and Victoria discuss how you can make your dog feel more comfortable during the holidays. Whether your dog is shy of people or a social butterfly, discover great ways to prevent overwhelm and set your dog up for success. How can you teach visiting children to understand what your dog needs and to respect your dog’s space? Can you feed your dog table scraps? Ask Victoria questions include: * Training a German Shepherd without a prong or shock collar. * Stop leash puling with Victoria’s Positively No Pull Harness Happy Howlidays!

In this podcast, Victoria and Aly share great ideas on how to provide enrichment for your dog when it’s cold outside. Aly shares some great canine fitness ideas, how to play hide and seek with your dog and making meal times more enriching. Ask Victoria questions include: * Golden Retriever with extreme energy levels * 16 week old puppy has developed bad habits including growling/biting when being handled. How can you rebuild trust and change growly behavior positively? We finish with Aly’s five favorite holiday gifts for dog lovers and some great VS Academy course offers. Enjoy!

Victoria is joined by Victoria Stilwell Academy's Curriculum Manager, Aly Lecznar, to talk about VSA's newly-launched Online Dog Trainer Course and the introductory Fundamentals of Dog Training & Behavior Course, including what makes VSA such a groundbreaking new learning opportunity both for dog owners and aspiring professional dog trainers. Episode Links: * Victoria Stilwell Academy for Dog Training & Behavior (use promo code PODCAST to get $100 off VSA's Fundamentals course) * Positively TV (use promo code PODCAST for one free month)

This episode brought to you by Zukes. Victoria and Holly ring in the new year by discussing several of the new projects and developments coming in 2018 in the Positively ecosystem. Also, a rundown of this year’s resolutions… including their pet resolutions (on behalf both of pets and their owners). The ladies are joined by Victoria’s husband, Van, to discuss the behind-the-scenes workings and passion behind the Positively brand and businesses like VSPDT and the Victoria Stilwell Academy. Ask Victoria questions include: * Why a Miniature Schnauzer doesn’t eat very much. * How to get a puppy to live more harmoniously with three cats. * Four Basset Hounds bark every time the owner leaves the house. * Border Collie responds well to training, but is becoming obsessed with lights and reflections on the ceiling. Show Links: * Victoria Stilwell Foundation * Pet Resolutions

This episode brought to you by Zukes. A special episode of the Positively Podcast finds Victoria educating Holly about the various possibilities for why December 26th is called Boxing Day in the UK. Plus, pantomimes! Victoria talks about her experience with avalanche dogs on Aspen mountain. Victoria quizzes Holly on dog-related questions in the Animal Academy. Ask Victoria questions include: * How to manage a dog whining when he’s in the car. * Is it a bad idea to re-home two puppies that are littermates? * Where do you begin trying to train a rambunctious pit-lab mix when you’re new to training? * How do you stop a 10-month old puppy constantly barks when left alone?

This episode brought to you by Zukes. It’s Christmastime, and everyone’s busy with the holiday season. Victoria shares things she’s celebrating during the holidays, including the huge response to #LucysLaw – helping to combat the practice of puppy farming and puppy mills, especially in the UK. The ban on third-party sales in the UK is drawing near, which is a great move forward for this issue. Also, California’s recent announcement that the sale of various pets in pet stores, and Victoria becomes the first state in Australia to ban puppy mills. Holly tries to stump Victoria with a holiday-themed edition of the Animal Academy. Ask Victoria questions include: * Pit bull doesn’t like going into her kennel when placed there while her family goes away on vacation. * 7-month old ‘Morky’ won’t leave his female owner’s side at work, in bed or anywhere else. * 11 year old lab constantly pulls on lead, meaning he can’t be taken out as much. What harness will help with his leash-pulling? * First-time dog owner asks how to establish safe barriers in the yard without adding a fence.

This episode brought to you by Zukes. Victoria talks about the newly-announced Victoria Stilwell Academy course dates for 2018 and walks through how the Academy works. Also, how to find a Victoria Stilwell-licensed VSPDT trainer in your area. Victoria discusses the challenge she set for herself to see if positive training can work when training high-drive working dogs like police dogs. Officer Shawn Humphreys with his late partner, Eiko. On the Positively Hotline, K9 handler and Guardians of the Night star Shawn Humphreys from the Lawrenceville (GA) police department calls in to talk about the police dog world, including how he’s training his new police dog, Ali, using more positive methods. Topics discussed * How officers go about getting matched with a police dog. * Shawn’s journey towards using more positive methods that are even more effective than the traditional, punitive methods he originally was trained to use as a K9 officer. * The importance of consistency when using humane training methods with working dogs. * The biggest differences in the characteristics of dogs trained aversively versus positive training. * The difficulty of K9 units training to go to work in the public and the pressures that K9 units face both from within and outside of their departments to ‘get it right.’ Ask Victoria questions include: * Lab is great with kids but doesn’t get along with other dogs, especially when going on walks with strangers. * Two-year old Rottweiler is leash reactive and needs to be muzzled. * Hound with history of separation anxiety beginning to shiver when being around new people and experiences.

This episode brought to you by Zukes. Victoria and Holly discuss the recent news story about people being sickened with campylobacter infections from puppies sold by Petland pet stores in over ten states throughout the U.S.  Most pet store puppies come from puppy mills where the best interest of the animals (not to mention their future owners), creating health hazards in pet store puppies like those in this outbreak as well as behaviorally-compromised dogs. On the Positively Hotline, Finding Shelter Animal Rescue’s Grace Kelly Herbert joins Victoria and Holly to talk about her work combating the puppy mill industry in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Topics discussed: * Why the Amish community has embraced the puppy mill trade. * The current state of Pennsylvania’s laws concerning puppy mill legislation. * Why legislators don’t fight harder to shut down puppy mills.  Ask Victoria questions include: * How to tell the body language differences between aggression and correction in adult dogs when dealing with puppies. * A dog that eats only from a fork, but not from the bowl. Show Links: * Finding Shelter Animal Rescue (findingshelter.org)

This episode brought to you by Zukes. Victoria and Holly talk about overweight pets, including Victoria’s ‘Fat Dogs’ specials on It’s Me or the Dog, as well as the struggle to keep weight off of pets. On the Positively Hotline, Victoria and Holly welcome the star of the recent Animal Planet show, ‘My Big Fat Pet Makeover,’ Travis Brorsen, to discuss Travis’s new show and the issue of obesity in pets. Ask Victoria questions include: * How to get your dog to focus on you, especially in distracting environments. * A 15-year old dog who suddenly developed a fear of sleeping at night. * A rescued Jack Russell who gets so excited while harnessing up for walks in the morning. Show Links: * Travis Brorsen’s webpage * My Big Fat Pet Makeover show page

This episode brought to you by Zukes. Victoria talks about her new projects, including the soon-to-be-launched Positively TV, then recaps her experience dressing as the Addams Family’s Morticia for Halloween. Also, why do people take their anxious dogs trick-or-treating? Also discussed: * pet recognition days and holidays in the month of November (Adopt-a-Pet month, Pet Cancer Awareness month, National Shelter Awareness week, etc), * The case of Susie’s Senior Dogs. * Signs to look out for to help determine if your dog is in pain. Holly hijacks Animal Academy and quizzes Victoria about Holly’s area of expertise – travel and world customs. Ask Victoria questions include: * 11-week old pup is good at training basics, but having issues with consistency when puppy pad training at night. * Mouthing puppies. * Rescued collie barks constantly in moving cars, but not when standing still. * Adopted street dog is afraid of everything, including her new owner. * Whether keeping a dog in the back yard is enough exercise and stimulation. Show Links: * Susie’s Senior Dogs (susiesseniordogs.com) * Grey Muzzle Organization (greymuzzle.org)