Canine Connection

08/30/2026

I had an opportunity to talk with Melissa Breau about my upcoming 3 week class on Competing Cues! As always, she is a great interviewer and I hope you give it a listen and join me in class! Starts September 1st!

Online dog training classes for obedience, rally, agility, tracking, nosework, dog behavior, freestyle, and foundation skills.

08/07/2026

This semester, I updated my curriculum for my Reactive Integration class to allow for a broader spectrum of dogs that react for different reasons. Are they fearful? Frustrated? Simply over-excited and forward facing? There are different approaches depending on the motivator!

We have a wide variety of stimuli or ‘triggers’ being presented that will be worked on in this course! Cats, Bikes, Motorcycles, Joggers, neighbors, dogs behind the fence, dogs or people at a distance, guests in the home, dog to dog in the home, putting on the leash or harness, smells, all sorts of sounds…. It is quite a complex class. We start slowly with bringing down the baseline with enrichment and management then adding in appropriate reinforcement strategies, alternative & incompatible behaviors, various desensitization and counter conditioning protocols, relaxation and predictability and structure. Many of these are integrated together!

07/29/2026

Reactivity doesn’t mean your dog is “bad”—it means they’re struggling. Reactivity isn’t a personality trait—it’s a stress response. In Reactive Integration, we teach dogs how to regulate, recover, and re-engage with you instead of the chaos around them. Perfect for barkers, lungers, freeze‑and‑stare types, and dogs who just need a little more support.
This class is a science‑based roadmap to help fearful, forward, and frustrated dogs navigate triggers with more ease.
Better skills. Better communication. Better walks.
Your dog’s turning point starts here. Class starts August 1st and registration is open now through Fenzi Dog Sports Academy.

07/26/2026

And for my friends and colleagues in Tennessee I'll be coming to near Nashville at the end of the month!

07/26/2026

Still audit spots available. You will get to participate and ask questions just like a working spot.

07/12/2026

About two years ago, I did a big in person workshop for reactive dogs. After the first day, the host asked me if the dogs I saw were all reactive due to fear.... I think I surprised her when I told her that most of them were NOT and she concurred!

I am excited to be able to teach another installment of my Reactive Integration class.

Reactive Integration Skills for the Fearful, Frustrated, or Forward Dog 🐾

Even if your dog barks, lunges, or pulls when they see other dogs or people, reactivity isn’t one‑size‑fits‑all — and understanding why your dog reacts is the key to helping them feel and behave better.
In this 6‑week class, we’ll help you identify whether your dog’s reactivity is fearful, frustrated, or forward (over‑amped and overly enthusiastic). Reactivity isn’t always fear‑based — and it can even start as fear and shift into frustration or pushy, forward behavior over time.
You’ll learn:
✨ How to tell the difference between fearful, frustrated, and forward reactions
✨ How to modify your dog’s emotional response when needed
✨ How to teach alternative or incompatible behaviors
✨ Reinforcement strategies that actually work for your dog’s motivation
✨ Arousal modulation skills to prevent meltdowns
✨ Practical behavior‑modification protocols to reduce unwanted reactions

Whether your dog is scared, overwhelmed, over‑eager, or just losing their cool when they can’t get what they want, this class gives you the tools to understand their driver — and help them succeed with clarity and confidence.

07/04/2026

"Mother May I?" Using Grandma's rule to ask nicely for me to deliver the toy box filled with new (old) toys.

Day to day training doesn't always have to involved food!

06/27/2026

If your dog had a remote control for the world, what button would they press first?

As you can imagine with a little terrier, anything that wiggles, hops, or even thinks about moving becomes a full‑blown event — including the teeny, tiny toads that seem to run my yard. So how do you turn that kind of distraction into a good thing?

Well, there is a process.
** Identify HBP (High probability Behavior)
** Prevent self-reinforcing
** Create Anchor Behaviors
** Put HBP on cue
** Make the connection through repetition.

This video is the beginning of that process! Lord Help me!
Can you identify the 'anchor' behavior?

Want to know more? Check out the Premack Principle class starting July 1sth through www.fenzidogsports.com.

04/12/2026

Do you have a dog that doesn't listen? It can start with simple 'eating' cues. Here I am just starting with Tink!
https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.../courses/51329