Episode Details

Is your well-behaved dog actually shut down? A calm, compliant dog might look like the goal — but fear-based obedience isn't the same as trust. In this conversation, journalist-turned-dog-trainer Annie Grossman explains why understanding how your dog feels matters more than getting them to behave, and how a little science goes a long way in building the relationship you both deserve.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

• Why a dog who looks calm and well-behaved might actually be scared and shut down — and how to tell the difference
• What classical conditioning really means, and why it matters more than you think when it comes to how your dog experiences the world
• How punishment (yes, even "just a correction") can create hidden fallout you won't see in a 30-second Instagram video
• Why dog body language is so misunderstood — and what that little tongue flick actually means
• How focusing on what you want your dog to do instead of what you want them to stop changes everything
• Why there's no such thing as "just dog training" — it's all rooted in the science of behaviour, whether people know it or not
• What questions to ask before choosing a trainer, a method, or even a viral training hack

A FAVOURITE MOMENT

"A shut down dog can look like a well-behaved dog." — Annie

ABOUT ANNIE GROSSMAN

Annie Grossman is a dog trainer, journalist, and the author of How to Train Your Dog With Love + Science. A lifelong New Yorker, she spent over a decade running School For The Dogs, a storefront training centre in the East Village where she worked with thousands of dogs and their people. Before diving into dog training, Annie worked as a journalist and producer, writing for outlets like The New York Times and The Boston Globe. She's a graduate of the Karen Pryor Academy and a passionate advocate for positive reinforcement rooted in behavioural science. These days, she writes Don't Be a Dick to Your Dog on Substack and speaks at conferences about making dog training less jargon-heavy and more human.

CONNECT WITH ANNIE GROSSMAN

Website: anniegrossman.com
Instagram: @anniegrossman
Facebook: @annie4thedogs
Substack: dogtraining.substack.com
Get the free guide on How Not To Be A Dick To Your Dog: https://dogtraining.substack.com/p/guide

CONNECT WITH SOUL TOUCHED BY DOGS

To find out more about Soul Touched by Dogs, visit soultouchedbydogs.com
And if you're a dog lover who wants a calmer, happier dog, come find us at planetcalm.co. The Ultimate Hub for dogs, the people who love them, and the businesses they build.