Welcome to Beers and Biscuits, a Dogcast for the rest of us!

Karen and Nicole talk with Ken MacLeod of My Positive Pup about the importance of making dogs feel safe, better engagement with dogs, and using a force free, positive reinforcement approach. Ken shares analogies and stories to help clients understand these concepts. Additionally, Ken highlights the importance of education and not judging people who may not have the same knowledge or experience. He also mentions the importance of teamwork and giving freedom to others in order to create a positive and supportive work environment. He emphasizes that dogs have limitations and that it's essential to manage expectations. Ken also expresses his frustration with trainers who use aversive methods and believes in speaking up against such practices. He acknowledges the dominance of women in the dog training industry and appreciates their contribution to positive reinforcement training.

Ken shares his personal experience of getting certified as a dog trainer and the emotional journey he went through with his own reactive dog, Scooter. He emphasizes the importance of love, praise, and reinforcement in dog training and believes that knowledge is power.

Episode Takeaways

• Ken believes in the importance of love, praise and reinforcement in dog training
• Making dogs feel safe and using food appropriately are key aspects of dog training
• Engaging with dogs and reinforcing positive behavior is crucial
• Analogies and stories can be effective in helping clients understand training concepts
• Being honest and realistic about your dog's abilities and limitations is important
• Training dogs requires patience and time, but the results are worth it

Ken MacLeod (⁠@MyPositivePup⁠) is an Emmy-Honored set designer, a positive reinforcement dog trainer, and a die-hard Bruce Springsteen fan. And he’s on a personal mission to help dogs and guardians and advocate for positive reinforcement.

Ken, owner and lead trainer at My Positive Pup and is a graduate of the distinguished Karen Pryor Academy, KPA, he also holds a certification in L.E.G.S. Applied Ethology Family Dog Mediation and more..

Ken's belief is simple… Positive reinforcement is vital...it can make the difference between a dog that is just living and a dog that is living engaged!

Love, Praise, Reinforce. Repeat.

We hope you enjoyed the conversation and please don’t forget to give your dog a biscuit from us. Until next time.

Where you can find us:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @beers.biscuits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@thetimelessdog⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠| ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@peterpiper_pickel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Ideas, Questions, Comments – Email us: ⁠⁠beersandbiscuits@gmail.com