Ever wondered why your dog seems more interested in a leaf blowing down the street than your recall cue? Or why their ears perk up at the sound of the fridge but not your voice?

It all comes down to one powerful brain chemical: dopamine.

In this episode of The Walk & Talk, I’m diving deep into the science of dopamine and how you can use it to massively boost your training results, strengthen your bond, and finally become more reinforcing than literally everything else in your dog’s world.

Whether you’re working on recall, loose lead walking, or just want to be your dog’s favourite thing again—this episode is packed with insight and practical tweaks you can start using today.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

💡What dopamine actually is—and how it affects your dog’s behaviour 💡Why anticipation is just as powerful as the reward itself 💡How to make your training more engaging and brain-boosting 💡Simple ways to create dopamine spikes using rewards, patterns and movement 💡How to use surprise, variety and play to make YOU the most exciting part of your dog’s day 💡Real-life examples of tweaks that create faster, more reliable results

💻 Want to dive deeper into transforming your dog’s behaviour with science-backed strategies that actually work? Check out my digital training products, freebies and online courses at www.listendogtraining.com

You can use code PODCAST10 for 10% off all my digital dog training packages, guides & courses!

📱 Let’s connect! I’d love to hear how you’re using the dopamine trick in your own training:

Follow me on Instagram and TikTok → @listendogtraining

🎧 If this episode gave you an “aha!” moment, I’d be so grateful if you left a review 🌟 or shared the episode with a fellow dog lover—it helps the podcast grow and helps more people train with confidence, clarity, and joy!

What if everything you were told about being your dog’s ‘alpha’ was built on a misinterpretation of stressed-out wolves in captivity? In this eye-opening episode of The Walk & Talk, I take you on a deep-dive through the shaky science behind dominance theory, the myth of the ‘alpha dog,’ and the long-lasting impact this outdated ideology still has on modern dog training.

You'll learn:

🐾 The real story behind those infamous wolf studies 🐾 Why dominance-based training harms trust, learning, and safety 🐾 What leadership should look like in a healthy dog-human relationship 🐾 How to recognise stress-based behaviours and unmet needs in your dog 🐾 The empowering truth: your dog isn’t trying to rule you—they’re trying to connect with you

If you’ve ever felt torn between harsh training advice and doing what feels kind and intuitive, this episode will give you the clarity and confidence to lead your dog with compassion and structure. Let’s rewrite the rules—and reclaim the joy.

💡 Want to dive deeper? Explore my digital dog training courses designed to give you the exact tools to build connection, teach essential skills, and support a truly happy life with your dog—without the confusion or conflict.

Browse all courses at www.listendogtraining.com

✨ Free training tips, tutorials & support ⬇️

→ Instagram: @listendogtraining → TikTok: @listendogtraining

In this episode of The Walk and Talk, we’re digging into why hyper-fixating on your dog’s surface-level behaviour problems — like pulling on lead or ignoring a recall — keeps you stuck in frustration. Real, lasting change doesn’t come from slapping a quick fix on the struggle you can see. It comes from identifying and addressing the bigger-picture concepts underneath — like focus, disengagement, impulse control, and proximity value.

I’ll show you how thinking bigger and targeting these core skills transforms your dog's behaviour faster, more effectively, and for the long term — and why trying to "fix" the problem in isolation is usually a dead end.

✨ Want to start tackling the real causes behind your dog’s struggles?

Check out my downloadable training plans and programmes at listendogtraining.com — whether you want a simple intro to concept training or a full design-your-own plan with all the exercises laid out for you, there’s something to get you moving forward!

💡 Follow for free tips and tutorials:

→ Instagram: @listendogtraining → TikTok: @listendogtraining