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Enlightened By Dogs: Living with Cooperation, Not Obedience — Kids & Family
Enlightened By Dogs: Living with Cooperation, Not Obedience

Welcome to our podcast where we dog moms discuss modern, enlightened dog parenting! Each week, we’ll take a dive deep into the human-dog connection and explore strategies that will inspire you to create connection and cooperation with your dog…no obedience training needed!

We meet up at the intersection where training and behavior meet Heart and Soul…and where we leave behind the ‘power over’ obedience training paradigm we inherited and lead the way to an enlightened ‘power with’ approach. Join us for an inspirational and educational journey as we explore what living in cooperative partnership with our beautiful dogs looks like in real life.

Brilliant Partners are kind, loving, calm, clear, confident, and cooperative … and when WE learn how to be a Brilliant Partner, our dogs do too.

Kathy Kawalec is an author, writer, the founder of Dancing Hearts Dog Academy and creator of the Brilliant Partners Academy, The Foundation Formula, Herding Partners Academy, and Creative Alchemy Passion Plan.

Latest Episodes:

EBD048 Safe, Calm and Happy - A Stress Reset Apr 15, 2019

Show notes

Have you noticed that you and your dog(s) need a bit of a stress reset? What does relaxed and happy look like in our everyday life? In this episode, Kathy shares how to identify where you and your dog are happy, what increases your stress, and the importance of living in the safe, calm, happy zone.

Making sure our needs are met, as well as our dog's needs, allows more fruitful communication.
How long does it take for cortisol (stress hormone) to be flushed from (yours and your dog's) the system?
- The answer will shock you!
What happens when we take a breath and reset?
- For us as humans
- For our dogs
A heart-warming, inspiring story about Bettina's rescue dog Murphy
Living the Brilliant Partnership way of life with Mary's new puppy Milo

"Our brains want to keep us in the comfort zone, even if the comfort zone is the most unbelievably uncomfortable place ever."

"It takes us stepping back and saying, 'wait a minute, this isn't working'."

"The reason it works and they had such a phenomenal turn around is because the humans committed themselves to being brilliant partners! They committed themselves to understanding, communicating, to not trying to fix their dog, the stuff we normally do and learn how to live."

Want More of Kathy?

Brilliant Partners Academy

Enlightened by Dogs Website

Facebook Community

Would you like to know Kathy's three secret formulas for having a happy relationship with your dog? Attentiveness? Responsiveness? You can! Kathy is offering them a big "thank you" for rating and reviewing the show on iTunes!

EBD047 The Truth About Treats in Dog Training Apr 08, 2019

Show notes

Welcome to the Enlightened by Dogs podcast hosted by the passionate and informative Kathy Kawalec. Each week Kathy will bring great stories, tips, and strategies to help you build a better relationship with your dog. Dogs are socially intelligent parts of our family group and so we must treat them as such. In this episode, Kathy tackles the importance of building partnership relationships with our dogs and plays a clip from the Q & A portion of her workshop.

Question: "You talked about transactional relationships which is where I think we've gone wrong. However, I have a question. One of the things we do where I think we are both safe, calm, and happy is scent work, but he is rewarded for every find. Is this building our relationship?

Listen for more on:

What's the difference between transaction and partnership

Transactional relationship
Partnership relationship
- What does it mean?
- Why is it effective?
- Why is it the correct method?
Using treats
- Interact
- Engage
- Reward/reinforcement
Training/working
Rant
- Nothing wrong with using treats
- Treats are amazing
- Concept that everything is about training
- Stuck in treat/no treat transaction
- Training mindset
- Limitation in transactional relationship
Suggestions
- 95% rule
- Start where you are

"Don't confuse working and getting a reward for a job well done with what happens at other times."

"The mistake is making everything transactional without a relationship."

"There's a lot more to life than work."

"My dog is not responding to me without treats and I don't know what to do."

"I want to encourage you to separate training and lifestyle like work and home or school and home."

More Kathy!

Brilliant Partners Academy

Enlightened by Dogs Website

Facebook Community

EBD046 Partnership and the Social Intelligence of Dogs Apr 01, 2019

Show notes

Welcome to the Enlightened by Dogs podcast hosted by Kathy Kawalec. This host is very passionate and has a heart of gold. During this weekly podcast about dogs and dog enthusiasts, you will hear great tips and strategies on how to carry out a brilliant partnership with your dog.

In this episode, Kathy plays a clip from the Partnership Workshop she taught. Kathy discusses social intelligence (something we share with our dogs), the partnership lifestyle -- what it means and why it's so important to our relationship with our dogs.

Listen to hear more on:

Social intelligence
- How this helps us
- Comparison to childrearing
- Learning by Example
Being a conscious role model
- Being a loving leader
- Learning together
- No blaming
Setting boundaries
- Needs
- Being responsible

"We know our dogs are mirroring our actions or responding and reacting to it."

"We have the ability to learn how to be calm and respectful and conscious and present and attentive and responsive to our dogs and the circumstances we put ourselves in."

"It's the humans need baby steps."

"In the dog world, we tend to focus most on the training piece and not enough on the lifestyle piece."

"We have to have a foundation on how to live well together."

Enlightened by Dogs Website

Facebook Community

EBD045 Reactive Dog Case Study - A Journey of Courage and Heart Mar 25, 2019

Show notes

Welcome to the Enlightened by Dogs podcast hosted by Kathy Kawalec. During this episode, Kathy presents a segment of an interview with one of the member's of Brilliant Partners Academy, Kelly. Kelly's dog, Merle was an extremely reactive dog and in this interview, Kelly and Kathy describe how the partnership approach was administered and worked in soothing his behavior. In this episode, you will hear life-changing advice for both you and your dog!

Listen for more:

Kelly and Merle's backstory
Reactive nature and behavior to other moving things and dogs
- Where the behavior occurs
Adverse training
Numerous trainers
Using a muzzle
Exposure method was not working
How a privacy fence was helpful
Using the clarity chart
Kelly and Kathy's key points and actions
Kelly's shifts in
- Skillset
- Mindset
- Emotional
- Intention

"I wasn't going to give up on this dog. I was just going to love him."

"Looking for moments and opportunities to be with him and give enrichment."

"I finally came to the realization that he just wanted to be with me."

"When we teach ourselves to measure progress and look back and see how far we've come is when the magic starts to happen."

"He's one of the best-trained dogs. It was me who needed help."

"You think it's for their own good. You know you're going to keep them safe, but they only understand that you're trying to take them to deal with scary stuff."

Register for Kathy's Free Partnership Workshop.

Transform Your Rocky Relationship with Your Dog into A Brilliant Partnership

Dancing Hearts Workshop

Brilliant Partners Academy

Enlightened by Dogs Website

Facebook Community

EBD044 Leadership Is Love Mar 18, 2019

Show notes

Leadership, in the positive dog training world, is the most misunderstood concept of all ... to the detriment of our dogs

Welcome to the Enlightened by Dogs podcast hosted by Kathy Kawalec. This weekly podcast about dogs focuses on our partnerships and relationships with our dogs as emotional, intelligent beings who are part of our family group.

Along the way, Kathy will give you strategies that will inspire within the realm of positive dog training.

In this episode, Kathy delivers a passionate look at the common misunderstanding about leadership and she talks about why it is so important to get this right for our dogs.

Yes, she says ... it's a bit of a rant!

Listen to discover:
- What causes our dogs to thrive within a family group (and subsequently allows us to thrive as well.)
- The science behind the difference between leadership and dominance
- Why it does our dogs a disservice to have an aversion toward being a loving leader
- The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnell
- Simon Sinek - Start with Why
- Trust: A story Deb and her dog that demonstrates the importance of trust and leadership

"We and our dogs are social and socially intelligent mammals."

"Leadership does not mean dominance."

"Being a good leader means that our only goal is to keep those we're leading safe and secure and thriving."

"One of the things we can consider are choice points."

"Will I choose the high road when my dog doesn't listen? Will I take that as feedback?"

"Trust is awarded by our dogs to someone that they trust to keep them safe, that will give them good advice, and to someone who is calm and clear."

Register for Kathy's Free Partnership Workshop:

From a Misbehaving Dog ... to A Brilliant Partner that Loves to Listen!

Click Here to Register for the Free Dancing Hearts Workshop

Brilliant Partners Academy

Enlightened by Dogs Website

Facebook Community

Encore! Trust Changed Everything for My Anxious Reactive Dog Remastered Mar 14, 2019

Show notes

Welcome to the Enlightened by Dogs podcast hosted by the illuminating Kathy Kawalec. Enlightened by Dogs focuses on the human-dog connection and our becoming partners with our dogs. You will be given strategies that will inspire you. In this episode Kathy speaks with a good friend Deb Bauer regarding trust and trustworthiness. Deb is an amazing woman who runs the program Both Ends of the Leash giving dogs a second chance in a very special and unique way. Deb is an expert in dog behavior, holistic healing, amazing work with education, and much more. Deb is focuses on living a good life with her own dogs who have disabilities and are ambassadors for communication beyond what we typical expect. Listen for more about the following topics:

Deb's many different contributions in the world of dogs
Expertise and advise regarding different types of behavior our dogs display
- What these behaviors can mean
- How to rectify certain behaviors
A case study that involves the topic of trust and trustworthiness between a human and her dog
Shocking reactions to puppy class
A story about giving up control / taking of the trainer hat
Giving your dog a reason to trust you / how to be trustworthy

"I did all the things you're 'supposed to do' as a trainer"

"He felt like he had to take matters into his own hands"

"I stopped trying to fix my dog"

"It takes a lot of courage to try something"

"I'd never seen anything like that from him before."

Register for Kathy's Free Partnership Workshop.

Transform Your Rocky Relationship with Your Dog into A Brilliant Partnership

Dancing Hearts Workshop

Brilliant Partners Academy

Enlightened by Dogs Website

Facebook Community

EBD043 Misunderstood Dogs Begging for Love Mar 11, 2019

Show notes

Welcome to the Enlightened by Dogs Podcast hosted by Kathy Kawalec. This is a podcasts about dogs that focuses on the human-dog connection and working together through partnership. In this episode Kathy discusses listening--receiving information from our dogs. Listen for strategies that will inspire. If you've had the thought that your dog is stubborn, won't listen, doesn't care about what you're asking them to do . . . today's episode will help solve those problematic thoughts. Today Kathy speaks about:

How we're misunderstanding our dog's communicative behavior
How we often jump to the wrong conclusion when our dogs are not behaving in the way we request
How we're failing to dialogue and what that means
Kathy discusses some stories regarding today's topic
Why a deep resounding connection with dogs can immediately change behavior
How this issue is not a failure in training.

"Our dogs are driven by the same sort drivers that humans have, in the context of social intelligence."

"Clarity is kindness."

"We look back at our training and we can't always put our finger on what the quote unquote training issue is."

"When we can't train away the problem we often conclude that our dog has her own agenda or his own agenda."

"We are both (dogs and humans) driven by similar needs relative to our status as socially intelligent, thinking, feeling, sentient being."

"Dogs thrive when they are a contributing and valued and loved member of a well functioning family group."

Register for Kathy's Free Partnership Workshop.

Transform Your Rocky Relationship with Your Dog into A Brilliant Partnership

Dancing Hearts Workshop

Brilliant Partners Academy

Enlightened by Dogs Website

Facebook Community

Encore! Rescue Dog Rehab: Desperate to Brilliant Remastered Mar 07, 2019

Show notes

Welcome to the Enlightened by Dogs podcast hosted by Kathy Kawalec. This dog podcast is all about the human-dog connection and partnership we share with our dogs. In this episode, Kathy has a very special guest, Sue who is a dog behaviorist. When Sue adopted Charlie, a rescue dog, and saw his behavior issues, she realized she needed to have more information about dogs. Training and behavior meet heart and soul.

Listen to find out more on Sue and Charlie's inspirational and educational journey. Find out:

Behaviors that Charlie demonstrated which caused Sue alarm
- Sue describes Jekyll and Hyde
- Learning triggers
What helped Charlie overcome his fears and negative behaviors
Function differences between being in class and then outside class/home
Trials with tips, strategies, and products
The event Sue calls the turning point with Charlie
- What now?
- Sue describes feeling frustrated and struggling with the disharmony between Charlie's behavior and her family
What immediately halted Sue's desire to give up and return Charlie to the rescue center
The mind-shift and actions that helped both Sue and Charlie achieve progress
- And gave them a deep resounding connection

"I was asking him to do my bidding instead of listening to what he needed."

"I became a better listener"

"The family including our dogs went on a mega-adventure and the dogs were amazing."

"I didn't train him not to chase sheep."

"We learned together. He learned to trust me."

"Clarity chart was key. What became important was for me to focus on him and not the distraction."

Register for Kathy's Free Partnership Workshop.

Transform Your Rocky Relationship with Your Dog into A Brilliant Partnership

http://dancinghearts.link/bpaworkshop

Brilliant Partners Academy

Enlightened by Dogs Website

Facebook Community

EBD042 The REAL Lessons from Distracted Dogs Mar 04, 2019

Show notes

Welcome to the Enlightened by Dogs podcast with Kathy Kawalec. In this episode, Kathy shares some difficult lessons she dealt with in the area of distractions with her own dogs. (Building upon last weeks lesson, which you can listen to here.) She gives a small back story regarding difficult trialing and fielding with young dogs who are not typically consistent. Kathy shares a personal experience that ultimately strengthened the bond of partnership between Kathy and her dogs.

Listen to find out more about the lessons and solutions Kathy discusses:

Listening is hard, even for very good listeners - be effective and active listeners
Know when to get off the field and when to do it
Integrity, good sportsmanship, and good examples

"I had not done a good job at teaching my dogs to listen to me when they're in the midst of very challenging work."

"I could look back and see those same issues showed up at home, retrospectively."

"What a blessing that our dogs keep allowing us another chance and another chance."

"I know I'm a work in progress. I know that I'm a learner."

Register for Kathy's Free Partnership Workshop.

Transform Your Rocky Relationship with Your Dog into A Brilliant Partnership

http://dancinghearts.link/bpaworkshop

Brilliant Partners Academy

Enlightened by Dogs Website

Facebook Community

EBD041 My Dog Gets Distracted! Feb 25, 2019

Show notes

Welcome to the Enlightened by Dogs podcast. In this episode, Kathy discusses the issue of our dogs being distracted, unfocused, and failing to listen. It is frustrating and difficult when we encounter this behavioral concern, but it is a common problem and you are not alone.

Kathy compares the difficulty level of humans to keep focused. Typically we expect our dogs to pick up the slack for us. When this does not occur we can become frantic. But, there is a simple piece that we often forget. The answer doesn't have to be overly complicated and it has to do with the human-dog connection.

Listen to find out:

How can you keep your dog focused in all circumstances?
What causes our dogs to be distracted or unfocused?
What happens when our dogs don't have an understanding of what we're trying to teach them?
What specific part of our relationship with our dog can change this unwanted behavior?
Kathy's solution to distraction!

"We are inside our head and our dog is out there on their own."

"The reality is they're [our dogs] lost and lonely because are no longer present with them."

"It's not really your dog's fault."

Register for Kathy's Free Partnership Workshop!

Transform Your Rocky Relationship with Your Dog into A Brilliant Partnership

http://dancinghearts.link/bpaworkshop

Enlightened by Dogs Website

Facebook Community

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