Full Transcript for Dog Training Connection Games: How to Build Engagement, Confidence & a Better Relationship With Your Dog

mantra with dogs into 34 00:02:11.740 --> 00:02:15.650 a true partnership with their dog. And the value added, 35 00:02:16.750 --> 00:02:19.830 because these were all dogs and people in a new environment, 36 00:02:19.909 --> 00:02:23.969 the value added was to build resilient dogs and help 37 00:02:24.030 --> 00:02:29.810 dog trainers, specifically active members of the Tribe Academy, step 38 00:02:30.009 --> 00:02:33.949 out of their comfort zone to build new relationships and 39 00:02:34.030 --> 00:02:39.789 more impactful, successful dog training businesses. So if you weren't 40 00:02:39.810 --> 00:02:42.699 here and that's not you, how is this relevant to you? Well, 41 00:02:43.020 --> 00:02:46.360 let's unpack what made this event so powerful and how 42 00:02:46.580 --> 00:02:49.219 even if you weren't at the event, you can still 43 00:02:49.280 --> 00:02:54.710 apply these principles starting today. If you're a dog owner, 44 00:02:54.990 --> 00:02:57.650 you've probably had moments where you feel like you're doing 45 00:02:57.750 --> 00:03:00.340 everything by the book. But you just don't feel that. 46 00:03:00.759 --> 00:03:03.000 That's not happening. You don't feel the pro trainer feeling. 47 00:03:04.729 --> 00:03:07.030 You've got the right treats. You've got the right leash. 48 00:03:07.530 --> 00:03:10.909 You know the commands. You think your dog knows the commands. 49 00:03:12.030 --> 00:03:16.090 And yet somehow when real world distractions show up, the 50 00:03:16.150 --> 00:03:23.199 connection between you and your dog just evaporates. And if 51 00:03:23.219 --> 00:03:26.439 you're a professional dog trainer, whether you're full-time or side hustle, 52 00:03:26.500 --> 00:03:30.240 you know this exact frustration with your clients. You can 53 00:03:30.319 --> 00:03:33.310 teach them the mechanical handling skills in a one-hour session, 54 00:03:33.729 --> 00:03:39.129 but when they go home, they often don't quite follow instructions. 55 00:03:40.050 --> 00:03:41.949 You might tell them to work in the yard, but 56 00:03:41.969 --> 00:03:44.710 they immediately jump into taking the dog around the block 57 00:03:44.930 --> 00:03:47.349 or going into a busy area because they've, after all, 58 00:03:47.370 --> 00:03:49.129 they did so great in the lesson. They go into 59 00:03:49.159 --> 00:03:53.539 this busy area on a walk and surprise, surprise, They 60 00:03:53.699 --> 00:04:00.219 struggle to get their dog to genuinely choose them over 61 00:04:00.620 --> 00:04:05.990 what's happening in the environment. You know, squirrels, cats, blowing 62 00:04:06.030 --> 00:04:11.569 leaves on the sidewalk, even kids playing, riding bikes. And 63 00:04:11.629 --> 00:04:15.449 why does that happen? Because so much of traditional dog 64 00:04:15.490 --> 00:04:20.860 training focuses purely on mechanics. And yes, mechanics are important. 65 00:04:21.240 --> 00:04:25.329 The what and the how. But so was the other piece, 66 00:04:26.089 --> 00:04:30.959 the who. And often traditional dog training, it completely ignores 67 00:04:31.319 --> 00:04:36.620 the who, the relationship engine underneath all of the mechanical skills. 68 00:04:37.579 --> 00:04:42.540 And with the connection games, we flipped the script. We 69 00:04:42.639 --> 00:04:46.329 focused on how the right games applied with the right 70 00:04:46.389 --> 00:04:51.470 mindset transform that raw obedience into a true partnership. And 71 00:04:51.529 --> 00:04:57.209 we built the resiliency into the dogs. And again, our 72 00:04:57.250 --> 00:05:01.439 trainers built more impactful and successful business relationships with the 73 00:05:01.480 --> 00:05:04.240 people they were there that they took home to expand 74 00:05:04.360 --> 00:05:09.339 into their area to broaden their horizons and build a 75 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:12.230 more impactful business. We've already had feedback from our students 76 00:05:12.370 --> 00:05:14.829 on how what they learned from the connection games and 77 00:05:14.850 --> 00:05:17.269 the people that they worked with has helped them attract 78 00:05:17.370 --> 00:05:19.970 more clients in just a week after the games are over. 79 00:05:20.930 --> 00:05:23.449 So let's unpack and see what made this event so powerful. 80 00:05:25.930 --> 00:05:27.930 Want to train your dog like a pro, but don't 81 00:05:27.970 --> 00:05:29.649 really want to be a pro dog trainer? You just 82 00:05:29.689 --> 00:05:33.069 like to have those skills, that knowledge, that mindset, the 83 00:05:33.120 --> 00:05:35.500 where to get started and how to move forward, all 84 00:05:35.509 --> 00:05:39.240 the nuances that go with that. Join the Tribe Academy 85 00:05:39.300 --> 00:05:42.399 Corps today and go from not knowing where to start 86 00:05:43.100 --> 00:05:47.680 to flowing smoothly through a sequence and flow to have 87 00:05:47.699 --> 00:05:51.310 the perfect relationship and a lasting partnership with your dog 88 00:05:51.709 --> 00:05:54.730 who is obedient, not because he's forced to, but because 89 00:05:54.790 --> 00:05:58.889 he chooses you. Click on the link and learn more. 90 00:06:00.180 --> 00:06:03.540 Now let's get back to the show. So let's get 91 00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:06.980 right into the heart of the summit. What actually are 92 00:06:07.639 --> 00:06:10.779 connection games? A lot of people hear the word games 93 00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:13.379 in dog training and they assume we're just talking about 94 00:06:13.800 --> 00:06:17.000 party tricks or throwing a ball endlessly till your arm 95 00:06:17.050 --> 00:06:20.000 falls off in the backyard or down the hallway. just 96 00:06:20.120 --> 00:06:25.230 anything to keep the dog occupied, busy, expending energy. That's 97 00:06:25.310 --> 00:06:31.069 not what this is. Connection games are structured, interactive, fun 98 00:06:31.149 --> 00:06:35.550 exercises designed to teach your dog that engaging with their human, 99 00:06:35.569 -->

00:06:40.269 that's you, is the highest value, the most rewarding game 100 00:06:40.389 --> 00:06:43.639 in existence. In other words, we teach them it's the 101 00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:47.399 game that's the reward. The engagement with you is the reward. 102 00:06:48.240 --> 00:06:52.860 That focus is the reward. Think about the difference between 103 00:06:52.980 --> 00:06:58.199 forced obedience and active connection. So forced or transactional obedience 104 00:06:58.639 --> 00:07:01.829 is when a dog sits because they're trying to avoid 105 00:07:01.870 --> 00:07:06.490 a correction or is mindlessly earn food. The two-legged thing 106 00:07:06.529 --> 00:07:09.490 in front of them, the two-legged person that's obviously person 107 00:07:09.529 --> 00:07:12.149 in front of them is just the Pez dispenser. If 108 00:07:12.230 --> 00:07:14.870 I sit, I get food. And you can see it 109 00:07:14.949 --> 00:07:17.689 in their attitude because there's no need to focus. It's 110 00:07:17.769 --> 00:07:21.350 too predictable. Their body's in position, but their brain has 111 00:07:21.430 --> 00:07:25.589 either checked out or it's scanning the horizon for something 112 00:07:25.629 --> 00:07:30.110 more exciting than what's in front of them. Dogs, squirrels, leaves, scents, 113 00:07:30.290 --> 00:07:35.779 or just anything but you. True connection is when your 114 00:07:35.819 --> 00:07:40.220 dog looks at you with those eyes, that intentional focus, 115 00:07:40.459 --> 00:07:44.689 that genuine enthusiasm, asking questions. not only are we going 116 00:07:44.709 --> 00:07:49.129 to do next, but also I know with the right information, 117 00:07:49.149 --> 00:07:52.529 I can figure this out and I can't wait. So 118 00:07:52.569 --> 00:07:54.500 during the day of connection games at the fall summit, 119 00:07:54.540 --> 00:07:57.879 we watched handlers move away from that rigid transactional training. 120 00:07:58.860 --> 00:08:01.160 People who had sort of trained that way, you know, 121 00:08:01.180 --> 00:08:04.019 where you exchange one treat for one sit and step 122 00:08:04.060 --> 00:08:07.310 into this dynamic engagement. And even though all of them 123 00:08:07.350 --> 00:08:09.050 had trained with all of our trainers, some of them 124 00:08:09.350 --> 00:08:13.199 had either forgotten or hadn't seen these games. So we 125 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:17.439 played games that build human value. In other words, teaching 126 00:08:17.699 --> 00:08:21.160 the dog that you are the source of fun, movement, 127 00:08:21.379 --> 00:08:25.019 and play, not just the pouch on your hip. We 128 00:08:25.060 --> 00:08:30.550 also played games that build focus under pressure, gamifying environmental 129 00:08:30.579 --> 00:08:33.669 distractions so that a passing dog or a loud noise 130 00:08:33.730 --> 00:08:37.070 becomes the trigger for your dog or puppy to turn 131 00:08:37.129 --> 00:08:42.070 toward you rather than checking out. Doesn't that sound like 132 00:08:42.110 --> 00:08:45.610 something you'd rather have than just dragging on a leash 133 00:08:45.690 --> 00:08:48.649 or yanking and pulling and forcing that compliance that the 134 00:08:48.690 --> 00:08:52.500 dog doesn't want to do anyway? And the other thing 135 00:08:53.080 --> 00:08:59.379 we built was clarity and joy. We removed all the 136 00:08:59.419 --> 00:09:04.120 confusion and frustration. That's what connection games do. They remove confusion. 137 00:09:04.440 --> 00:09:08.490 They remove frustration from the handling equation so that both 138 00:09:08.529 --> 00:09:13.409 you and your dog feel safe confident, and most importantly, 139 00:09:13.950 --> 00:09:19.409 eager to participate. When you gamify the learning process, the 140 00:09:19.429 --> 00:09:24.070 stress melts away for both ends of the leash. So 141 00:09:24.090 --> 00:09:26.769 let's talk about what that means for the everyday pet 142 00:09:26.789 --> 00:09:30.230 dog owner. One of the most emotional moments in the 143 00:09:30.269 --> 00:09:33.659 fall summit, I tell you, was watching owners experience that 144 00:09:33.720 --> 00:09:36.600 sudden light bulb moment with their dogs, how dogs were 145 00:09:36.639 --> 00:09:38.379 moving all around them. And a lot of these people 146 00:09:38.419 --> 00:09:41.779 come from private lesson situations Dogs moving all around them, 147 00:09:42.639 --> 00:09:47.379 and yet the dogs focused on them. You know, so 148 00:09:47.419 --> 00:09:49.659 many owners arrive at these kind of training events, even 149 00:09:49.710 --> 00:09:52.730 if they've graduated from a full program, and they've just 150 00:09:52.769 --> 00:09:55.289 gone home and ran right out into heavy traffic areas 151 00:09:55.350 --> 00:09:58.409 or high distraction areas. They come in to these events 152 00:09:58.509 --> 00:10:03.129 feeling defeated. or inadequate and they feel guilty that their 153 00:10:03.149 --> 00:10:05.039 dog doesn't listen to them and they may have been 154 00:10:05.100 --> 00:10:09.519 too embarrassed to reach out and contact their trainer. They 155 00:10:09.539 --> 00:10:12.919 might be exhausted from constant leash pulling and they don't 156 00:10:12.960 --> 00:10:14.840 even know it. They just hang on to that leash 157 00:10:14.860 --> 00:10:19.379 so tight. Or they may be overwhelmed by these spontaneous 158 00:10:19.440 --> 00:10:23.350 combustions the reactive outbursts that they didn't see coming. So 159 00:10:23.509 --> 00:10:28.629 they start, once again, recognizing that they can't get control. 160 00:10:28.669 --> 00:10:31.350 So they're viewing their dog through these lenses of problems 161 00:10:31.389 --> 00:10:34.710 to be fixed, waiting until the reaction happens and overpowering. 162 00:10:34.769 --> 00:10:37.590 And it happens. In class and in their training with 163 00:10:37.629 --> 00:10:42.350 their trainer, everything was smooth. But, you know, absence or 164 00:10:42.389 --> 00:10:45.909 time away makes

the heart grow, makes the brain grow 165 00:10:45.990 --> 00:10:48.340 less focused, put it that way. So they start to 166 00:10:48.379 --> 00:10:51.039 see that dog through the lens of problems to be fixed. 167 00:10:51.340 --> 00:10:53.679 But when we introduced the connection games at the summit, 168 00:10:54.759 --> 00:10:59.399 starting with the doggy handshake, people were astounded and the 169 00:10:59.440 --> 00:11:03.139 dynamic shifted instantly because they were nervous. They didn't know 170 00:11:03.159 --> 00:11:07.250 how to, what's a doggy handshake? Video. So instead of 171 00:11:07.330 --> 00:11:11.690 constantly correcting bad behavior, we started to get into how 172 00:11:11.730 --> 00:11:16.179 their dogs are thinking and owners learned how the dogs think, 173 00:11:16.299 --> 00:11:18.940 and more importantly, how to catch and reward those tiny 174 00:11:19.019 --> 00:11:23.259 micro choices their dogs were making to connect with them. 175 00:11:26.210 --> 00:11:28.350 So here's what happens to a relationship when you master 176 00:11:28.370 --> 00:11:33.230 connection games. Frustration disappears. You stop battling your dog. In 177 00:11:33.250 --> 00:11:36.009 other words, you stop reacting to your dog's behavior after 178 00:11:36.049 --> 00:11:39.690 it happens, and you start reading their subtle communication signals. 179 00:11:40.210 --> 00:11:42.789 Maybe they glanced at you. so that you can act 180 00:11:42.850 --> 00:11:45.750 before the bad stuff happens. Or maybe they tense up 181 00:11:45.809 --> 00:11:48.669 and you go into the dance that we've taught through 182 00:11:48.710 --> 00:11:50.830 the connection game to get your dog to acknowledge you. 183 00:11:51.580 --> 00:11:54.129 So you act before the bad stuff happens and you 184 00:11:54.169 --> 00:11:58.700 get to acknowledge the dog's good choices. The other thing 185 00:11:58.720 --> 00:12:02.639 that happens is trust accelerates. Your dog realizes that following 186 00:12:02.659 --> 00:12:09.200 your guidance leads to clarity and fun, not restriction and conflict. 187 00:12:10.700 --> 00:12:16.480 And here's a tip. Dogs seek clarity and freedom always. 188 00:12:17.500 --> 00:12:20.590 And humans subconsciously, not even often being aware of it, 189 00:12:21.139 --> 00:12:26.549 seek control. And that often causes the conflict. So when 190 00:12:26.590 --> 00:12:30.529 you build a program based on connection games, not only 191 00:12:30.549 --> 00:12:35.629 does your frustration disappear, your trust accelerates and naturally reliability 192 00:12:35.669 --> 00:12:37.899 follows because now your dog knows what they can count on. 193 00:12:38.539 --> 00:12:41.289 It's not about controlling your dog. It's about building that 194 00:12:41.370 --> 00:12:44.570 partnership where your dog actively wants to cooperate with you 195 00:12:44.590 --> 00:12:49.549 because that's the reward. Let's take a break and we'll 196 00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:54.399 be right back.

When I'm training, I like to train 197 00:12:54.480 --> 00:12:57.039 with food. When we first of all lure and to 198 00:12:57.100 --> 00:12:59.460 show the dog what we want, then we start to 199 00:12:59.960 --> 00:13:05.169 expand more behavior and then we eventually change. Introduce the game. 200 00:13:05.190 --> 00:13:07.590 We start the movements with food to lure. And the 201 00:13:07.629 --> 00:13:09.730 food that I like to use, I don't use treats. 202 00:13:10.230 --> 00:13:13.350 I use smack. But smack is a treat. It's a 203 00:13:13.470 --> 00:13:17.169 high-value food. It is a complete meal so your dog 204 00:13:17.289 --> 00:13:20.549 isn't overbalanced. It isn't like eating a handful of chocolates 205 00:13:20.570 --> 00:13:24.700 and feeling sick afterwards. Smack is a specialized pet nutrition 206 00:13:25.269 --> 00:13:30.279 with raw food quality packed into kibble convenience. And if 207 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:34.820 you're listening from the U.S., click on this link. below 208 00:13:35.000 --> 00:13:37.440 and if you're listening in Canada, click on the link 209 00:13:37.480 --> 00:13:42.080 for Canada. You get 15% off your first purchase with 210 00:13:42.120 --> 00:13:46.679 that link and you'll be able to train without worrying 211 00:13:46.840 --> 00:13:48.899 about your dog ending up with diarrhea at the end 212 00:13:49.259 --> 00:13:52.299 or an upset stomach. You can also use SMAC as 213 00:13:52.340 --> 00:13:55.039 a full meal, as a kibble topper or as training treats, 214 00:13:55.080 --> 00:13:56.679 which is how I use it most of the time. 215 00:13:58.179 --> 00:14:01.450 Welcome back. Now I want to speak directly to the 216 00:14:01.490 --> 00:14:05.240 professional dog trainers coaches and industry peers who joined us 217 00:14:05.340 --> 00:14:09.519 at the summit or who are listening right now. Walkers, groomers, 218 00:14:09.879 --> 00:14:15.110 vet techs, vets in training. The fall summit 2006 wasn't 219 00:14:15.149 --> 00:14:17.509 just about training the dogs in the room. It was 220 00:14:17.549 --> 00:14:24.590 about elevating the trainers who coach the owners. As professional trainers, 221 00:14:24.649 --> 00:14:27.169 we often get stuck in that cycle of teaching mechanical 222 00:14:27.210 --> 00:14:29.149 skills just to get through the session, just to get 223 00:14:29.200 --> 00:14:31.759 things moving. But if your clients don't know how to 224 00:14:31.799 --> 00:14:35.440 build a real relationship with their dogs at home, your 225 00:14:35.480 --> 00:14:41.190 training protocols won't last past the end of your lesson package, 226 00:14:41.710 --> 00:14:45.570 if they even make it that far. But by integrating 227 00:14:45.649 --> 00:14:50.370 connection games into your curriculum, three things happen for your business. 228 00:14:52.480 --> 00:14:57.779 Client compliance and retention soars. When training feels like a fun, 229 00:14:57.840 --> 00:15:03.509 high-energy game, rather than a strict daily

chore, clients actually 230 00:15:03.570 --> 00:15:06.850 do their homework and they see results. And when they 231 00:15:06.889 --> 00:15:11.190 see results, they finish the program and they want more. 232 00:15:12.370 --> 00:15:16.690 They want to work more with you. And number two, 233 00:15:16.710 --> 00:15:19.980 you get faster and sustainable results. Yes, you get that 234 00:15:20.009 --> 00:15:22.539 steep learning curve, but not only does it level off, 235 00:15:22.820 --> 00:15:28.110 it stays there and sometimes goes up. Dogs learn faster 236 00:15:28.129 --> 00:15:32.509 when their emotional state is relaxed and their state of 237 00:15:32.570 --> 00:15:38.480 mind is engaged with you, with their owners, with the 238 00:15:38.519 --> 00:15:43.559 people handling the leash, meaning that your client cases achieve 239 00:15:43.639 --> 00:15:49.149 breakthroughs in fewer sessions and you can capitalize and celebrate 240 00:15:49.190 --> 00:15:54.149 those mini victories and you become the standout professional authority. 241 00:15:54.889 --> 00:15:57.340 Trainers who know how to coach the human part of 242 00:15:57.399 --> 00:16:01.960 the team and handle mechanics and build relationships stand out 243 00:16:02.179 --> 00:16:05.940 head and shoulders above those who simply teach obedience commands. 244 00:16:06.279 --> 00:16:10.320 Show up, go through the rope material, here's your homework, 245 00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:12.379 go home, see you later. You often see that in 246 00:16:12.419 --> 00:16:14.519 some of the big box training stores and some of 247 00:16:14.539 --> 00:16:19.470 the large group classes. The fall summit 2026 proved once 248 00:16:19.529 --> 00:16:24.230 again that when we empower dog trainers... With better tools 249 00:16:24.610 --> 00:16:29.389 and better coaching systems and a supportive community, the entire 250 00:16:29.450 --> 00:16:33.100 industry levels up. And that's what the Dog Trainer Tribe 251 00:16:33.549 --> 00:16:38.259 Training Academy offers for you. So as we wrap up 252 00:16:38.299 --> 00:16:40.519 today's episode, I want to leave you with one key 253 00:16:40.580 --> 00:16:44.940 thought from the Fall Summit. Training is not something you 254 00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:49.759 do to your dog. It's something you build with your dog. 255 00:16:50.980 --> 00:16:53.519 Whether you're working through behavior struggles with your own puppy 256 00:16:53.960 --> 00:16:57.419 or guiding dozens of clients through their training journeys every week, 257 00:16:58.070 --> 00:17:05.869 never lose sight of the connection underneath the leash. Play 258 00:17:05.910 --> 00:17:12.029 the games, build the relationships, and celebrate those small wins together. 259 00:17:13.269 --> 00:17:16.099 I want to thank everybody who made the 2026 Fall 260 00:17:16.130 --> 00:17:21.250 Summit such an unforgettable high-energy event, especially the day of 261 00:17:21.309 --> 00:17:26.500 Connection Games. It was so much fun for everybody. If 262 00:17:26.539 --> 00:17:29.380 you want to dive deeper into Connection Games or attend 263 00:17:29.400 --> 00:17:32.799 a full five-day Dog Trainer Tribe training summit, because our 264 00:17:33.000 --> 00:17:36.819 biannual summits happen spring and fall, and they're five days. 265 00:17:37.579 --> 00:17:39.480 Or if you just want to join our trainer community, 266 00:17:39.869 --> 00:17:45.549 make sure to visit our website, www.ontariodogtrainer.com and click on Academy. 267 00:17:46.109 --> 00:17:49.789 And subscribe to this podcast so you never miss an episode. 268 00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:53.599 And we'll come back with more about the Connection Games, 269 00:17:53.980 --> 00:17:56.779 more about the Tribe Academy, and more great training tips 270 00:17:56.819 --> 00:17:59.380 for you. Please subscribe. It makes a huge difference to 271 00:17:59.400 --> 00:18:01.829 the work that we do. We really appreciate it. So 272 00:18:01.960 --> 00:18:06.789 until next time, remember, training time is all the time. 273 00:18:07.609 --> 00:18:11.910 Stay consistent, stay calm, and most of all, have fun. 274 00:18:12.450 --> 00:18:15.309 Because if you aren't having fun, neither is your dog. 275 00:18:16.329 --> 00:18:18.329 We'll see you next time. Thanks for listening.