02/27/2026
New video now available!
If you’re a dog trainer that has been puzzled with how to help fearful dogs, this message could change your life forever…
I know it changed mine.
You see, after 40+ years of training dogs I have seen A LOT.
Sometimes, you might even convince yourself you’ve seen it all…
But, every once in a while, you come across a dog that fundamentally changes everything you’ve ever thought about dogs.
These are the dogs that force you to become a great dog trainer and they always seem to come along when you least expect it.
That’s what happened with Ronnie.
As you likely know, I do workshops all over the world several times throughout the year.
When I walked into this specific workshop, the only information I had was the dog’s age, breed, and a brief overview of what their owner wanted to work on.
I try to approach every dog with a clean slate and I gather information just like I teach all of my TWC graduates to do.
I try to create a breakdown of what led Ronnie and her owner to this moment.
Her owner shared some information and was very clear that
Ronnie was shy and fearful.
As many of you may know, these qualities can vary across a broad spectrum, so I always wait to see the dog before I make a true decision on how to approach them.
Ronnie was different.
Ronnie was special.
The moment this dog walked into the training room the entire room fell silent and I almost felt like I had to remind everyone to breathe.
The crowd was frozen.
Ronnie was so shy that a group of 75+ trainers could FEEL it.
I quietly asked her owner to make some attempt to play with Ronnie.
These types of moments really test my emotions, not just as a dog trainer, but as a person.
To see a dog that clearly is struggling try SO HARD to make it happen is so pure.
It’s a brief moment where the only thing that matters in the world is the interaction between a dog and their person.
Although Ronnie struggled, she showed glimmers of who she could be and that was enough for me to do everything I could to give Ronnie and her owner everything they needed to have the life they always dreamed of.
We created a plan and over the next 3 days, we used PLAY to build confidence and create a foundation of cooperation.
Now before I tell you how it turned out, let me just interject and let you know that when you’re in a workshop setting you NEVER KNOW what will happen.
Sometimes you succeed, sometimes it just doesn’t work out.
I prepare myself for both outcomes.
But, Ronnie…
Man, let me tell you…
During Ronnie’s last session it was like watching a star being born.
Not like a Hollywood celebrity, although Ronnie may become one… (we’ll talk about that shortly)
But an actual star in the galaxy, a true miracle of existence!
To top it off, seeing the happiness in her owner’s face was absolutely priceless.
Now, I imagine you’re probably wondering, “ok, that’s a great story, but how does that help me…?”
Well, I have some good news and some great news.
The good news is that we filmed the entire process.
The great news is that its available now in the TWC Academy.
Oh, and I have even more incredible news…
Ronnie wasn’t the only dog there.
I am happy to share 45 videos of training sessions with 9 dogs ranging from a Poodle to a Staffordshire Terrier, to an Aussie, and even a street dog from Azerbaijan…
Oh, and of course a couple Malinois (Obviously, right? Lol)
Over the course of 10+ hours, you will be able to watch how I approach using play to maximize the possibilities of a dog’s potential.
It’s all available now in the TWC Academy for $297 for a limited time.
From now until Monday, March 2nd at 11:59pm, you can grab it before we raise it to the regular price of $497.
If you’re ready to take your training to the next level, grab it now in the TWC Academy.
I am super excited to hear your feedback and even more importantly how you all use the information to improve your training with your dogs.
I can’t wait for you to check it out.
The best part of all of this is that we might all turn Ronnie into a Hollywood star after all ;)
Ivan
P.S. There is a case in this workshop where I do something that I can guarantee you no other trainer would even fathom doing with a fearful dog.
Spoiler alert… It turned her into a play monster too…
If you want to see what I’m talking about, grab your copy in the TWC Academy.
(link in the comments)
