Sexier Than A Squirrel: Dog Training That Gets Real Life Results

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Welcome to this episode of the Sexier than a Squirrel podcast, the podcast that brings you real-life dog training results, and sometimes human training ones too!
This week, Lauren is joined by the brilliant Sam to answer a listener question that so many owners of worried dogs will recognise: what do you do when the very confidence-building games designed to help your dog seem to scare them in the first place?
Whether it's a cardboard box, a crinkly bottle, a piece of paper on the floor, or simply something unfamiliar appearing in the environment, some dogs find the world a much bigger and scarier place than others. In this episode, Lauren and Sam explore why confidence building isn't about following a game exactly as it's demonstrated, but about finding the right starting point for the dog in front of you.
Together, they discuss how to break optimism games down into tiny, achievable steps. For some dogs, that might mean playing Cardboard Chaos. For others, it might simply mean being comfortable in the same room as a cardboard box. You'll hear why progress often comes from looking for the smallest possible win and building from there, rather than pushing for the finished picture too quickly.
Lauren and Sam also chat about the role of movement, choice, and pressure release when working with nervous dogs. They explore why giving a dog the option to leave can actually help them become braver, how owner pressure can unintentionally make confidence struggles harder, and why keeping training light, playful, and enjoyable often creates the biggest breakthroughs.
The conversation also highlights the importance of reinforcement. From food motivation and toy play to everyday opportunities for earning rewards, you'll hear why "trainability is susceptibility to reinforcement" and how building a stronger reinforcement history can transform what is possible for a worried dog. Lauren shares examples from her own dogs, while Sam talks about helping a noise-sensitive dog learn that sounds and novelty can predict fun rather than worry.
Most importantly, this episode is a reminder that there is no single blueprint for confidence building. The best training plan is always the one that works for the dog standing in front of you.
If you're living with a nervous, cautious, or pessimistic dog, this episode is packed with practical ideas, encouragement, and simple next steps to help you build confidence one small win at a time.
Looking for your dog's starting point? Grab the £1 Games Club trial and explore confidence-building games, guided tracks, and a community that understands exactly what it's like to live with a worried dog.
https://absolutedogs.me/7daytrial
Support the show
If you’re loving the podcast, you’ll love our NEW Sexier than a Squirrel Dog Training Challenge even more! Get transformational dog training today for only £27!

Want even more epic dog training fun and games and solutions to all your dog training struggles? Join us in the AbsoluteDogs Games Club!
https://absolutedogs.me/gamesclub

Want to take your learning to the next level? Jump into the games-based training membership for passionate dog owners and aspiring trainers that know they want more for themselves and their dog -  Pro Dog Trainer Club!
https://absolutedogs.me/prodogtrainerclub 

And while you’re here, please leave a review for us and don’t forget to hit share and post your biggest lightbulb moment! Remember, no matter what struggles you might be facing with your dog, there is always a game for that!

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Welcome to this episode of the Sexier than a Squirrel podcast, the podcast that brings you real-life dog training results, and sometimes human training ones too!
This week, Lauren is joined by Dan to tackle something that sits behind every training session, every result, and every relationship with your dog: mindset. Because no amount of better treats, tools, or techniques will compensate for a cluttered, inconsistent, or reactive headspace. When your thinking is off, your timing slips, your patience shortens, and your dog feels it.
In this episode, we dig into how a strong handler mindset is actually built, through small, repeatable actions. Dan shares why having one clear outcome for each session matters, how to break training down into simple chunks (think step-by-step, not all at once), and why trusting the process is what eventually gets you to that point where everything starts to click.
Lauren and Dan also explore the impact of the people around you. From training partners to wider communities, who you spend time with shapes how you think, how you train, and what you expect of yourself. You’ll hear honest insights into competition, comparison, and how to push for high performance without letting it become personal.
We also go into the patterns that often hold people back - getting stuck on setbacks, replaying problems, or measuring yourself against highlight reels instead of real progress. You’ll learn practical ways to shift your focus, track wins, and course-correct day by day so progress stays steady, even when things feel messy.
If you want better dog training results, it starts with better thinking - and this episode will give you simple, practical tools you can use straight away.
Support the show
If you’re loving the podcast, you’ll love our NEW Sexier than a Squirrel Dog Training Challenge even more! Get transformational dog training today for only £27!

Want even more epic dog training fun and games and solutions to all your dog training struggles? Join us in the AbsoluteDogs Games Club!
https://absolutedogs.me/gamesclub

Want to take your learning to the next level? Jump into the games-based training membership for passionate dog owners and aspiring trainers that know they want more for themselves and their dog -  Pro Dog Trainer Club!
https://absolutedogs.me/prodogtrainerclub 

And while you’re here, please leave a review for us and don’t forget to hit share and post your biggest lightbulb moment! Remember, no matter what struggles you might be facing with your dog, there is always a game for that!

Send us Fan Mail
Welcome to this episode of the Sexier than a Squirrel podcast, the podcast that brings you real-life dog training results, and sometimes human training ones too!
This week, Lauren is joined by Karen for a conversation all about cooperative care: what it is, why it matters, and why so many dogs are simply enduring handling rather than truly feeling safe with it. Because a dog standing still at the groomers, freezing for the vet, or wriggling away from a harness isn’t necessarily “fine” at all. Often, it’s a dog with no real understanding, no predictability, and no way to say “give me a moment, I’m not comfortable with that.”
In this episode, we explore what happens when handling becomes a conversation instead of a battle. From muzzle training and harness struggles to grooming, nail clipping, tick removal, blood draws, and end-of-life care, cooperative care gives dogs a way to understand what’s happening and participate willingly, one small step at a time.
Lauren and Karen talk through some of the practical foundation skills that make the biggest difference, including permission chin targets, bar holds, head-in-a-box games, and how proofing and gradual layering help dogs build genuine confidence around handling. You’ll hear why reinforcement alone is not the same as consent, especially for food-motivated dogs who may still be deeply uncomfortable, and why giving dogs the ability to pause or opt out can completely change the emotional picture.
We also dive into the real-life impact this training can have. From smoother blood draws at the vets and calmer grooming appointments to reducing stress around harnesses and medical procedures, cooperative care isn’t just “nice training” - it’s a practical skillset that supports your relationship with your dog through every stage of life.
Along the way, Karen shares honest reflections about living with a dog who finds handling difficult, the signs she wishes she’d recognised earlier, and how changing the conversation has transformed everyday interactions that once felt stressful or confrontational.
If you want handling to feel calmer, clearer, and more collaborative for both you and your dog, this episode is packed with practical ideas you can start using right away.
Check out our Cooperative Care course (including the 10 Days to Happy Handling foundational learning) here.
And register for our FREE Live Cooperative Care Masterclass on Friday 5th June (12 noon - 3pm BST) at absolutedogs.me/masterclass
Support the show
If you’re loving the podcast, you’ll love our NEW Sexier than a Squirrel Dog Training Challenge even more! Get transformational dog training today for only £27!

Want even more epic dog training fun and games and solutions to all your dog training struggles? Join us in the AbsoluteDogs Games Club!
https://absolutedogs.me/gamesclub

Want to take your learning to the next level? Jump into the games-based training membership for passionate dog owners and aspiring trainers that know they want more for themselves and their dog -  Pro Dog Trainer Club!
https://absolutedogs.me/prodogtrainerclub 

And while you’re here, please leave a review for us and don’t forget to hit share and post your biggest lightbulb moment! Remember, no matter what struggles you might be facing with your dog, there is always a game for that!

Send us Fan Mail
Welcome to this episode of the Sexier than a Squirrel podcast, the podcast that brings you real-life dog training results, and sometimes human training ones too!
This week, we’re continuing our new series of episodes exploring what concept training actually is and how it shows up in real life with your dog. We’ll be taking concepts you may have heard us talk about before, breaking them down, and making them practical, relatable, and easy to spot in your own training sessions and day-to-day interactions with your dog. This time, Lauren is joined by the brilliant Linda to unpack one of the most important concepts in all of dog training: engagement.
Engagement isn’t just about your dog looking at you. It’s about your dog choosing you. Choosing to check in. Choosing to stay connected. Choosing to come back mentally, even when the world is busy, exciting, distracting, or full of things that normally pull their attention away.
Lauren and Linda explain why engagement underpins so many other skills - recall, agility, obedience, heelwork, calm walks, even day-to-day life in the house - and highlight the importance of the moments we often miss: the ones where your dog asks, “What next?”
You’ll hear why rewarding re-engagement changes everything and how building a strong reinforcement history helps your dog learn to seek connection rather than waiting to cued repeatedly. They also talk about fading food rewards sensibly, why you don’t need to carry treats forever, and how value, timing, and consistency shape habits over time.
Play gets a huge spotlight too, because engagement should feel good for both ends of the lead. Lauren and Linda discuss using toys, movement, celebration, and genuine interaction to build motivation and excitement in training - while also recognising that different dogs enjoy different styles of reinforcement.
Lauren and Linda also consider the balance between engagement and appropriate disengagement. Because the goal isn’t a dog who pesters you endlessly for work - it’s a dog who understands when the game is on, when the game is finished, and how to switch between focus and relaxation successfully.
Ready to grow a dog who chooses you more often?
Check out 10 Days to a Toy Motivated Dog here: ​​https://absolutedogs.me/toymotivateddog
Or check out 10 Days to a Food Motivated Dog here: https://absolutedogs.me/foodmotivateddog
Or why not grab the £1 Games Club trial and get both courses, plus all our other 10 Days courses, included!
https://absolutedogs.me/7daytrial
Support the show
If you’re loving the podcast, you’ll love our NEW Sexier than a Squirrel Dog Training Challenge even more! Get transformational dog training today for only £27!

Want even more epic dog training fun and games and solutions to all your dog training struggles? Join us in the AbsoluteDogs Games Club!
https://absolutedogs.me/gamesclub

Want to take your learning to the next level? Jump into the games-based training membership for passionate dog owners and aspiring trainers that know they want more for themselves and their dog -  Pro Dog Trainer Club!
https://absolutedogs.me/prodogtrainerclub 

And while you’re here, please leave a review for us and don’t forget to hit share and post your biggest lightbulb moment! Remember, no matter what struggles you might be facing with your dog, there is always a game for that!

Send us Fan Mail
Welcome to this episode of the Sexier than a Squirrel podcast, the podcast that brings you real-life dog training results, and sometimes human training ones too!
This week, Lauren is joined by Michelle for a deep dive into parasite prevention, fleas, ticks, worms, gut health, and the growing questions around routine chemical treatments. Because while spot-ons, tablets, and collars are often seen as the “normal” route, more and more dog owners are starting to ask: what are these products actually doing to our dogs, our homes, and the environment around us?
In this episode, we talk through the pros, cons, and wider impact of common flea and tick treatments, including why many products only work once a tick or flea bites, and what that means when we’re talking about tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease and babesiosis. We also explore some of the side effects owners report seeing, from nausea and digestive upset to neurological wobbliness, and why dosage can become especially tricky for very small dogs.
Lauren and Michelle also talk through a different approach: prevention through consistency, daily habits, and supporting the dog as a whole. You’ll hear why they choose natural ingredients, how gut health plays a surprisingly important role in resilience, and why they prefer testing before treating wherever possible. From worm counts to stool testing, this episode challenges the idea of broad-brush “just in case” treatments and looks at the growing issue of resistance over time.
We also get practical. You’ll learn how to check your dog properly for fleas and ticks, where ticks commonly hide, how to spot flea dirt with a comb, and easy ways to feed preventative powders consistently, including a simple kefir ice cube hack your dog will probably love.
Along the way, there’s a wider conversation too, about waterways, bees, environmental impact, and why one spot-on treatment on a large dog can reportedly kill up to 25 million bees. It’s a huge topic, and whether you’re already using a natural approach or just starting to question the status quo, this episode will give you plenty to think about.
If you’ve ever wondered whether there’s another way to approach flea, tick, and worm prevention, this episode is for you.
Want to explore A-OK9’s Bug-K9 range? Check it out here: https://a-ok9.com/products/bug-k9 
Support the show
If you’re loving the podcast, you’ll love our NEW Sexier than a Squirrel Dog Training Challenge even more! Get transformational dog training today for only £27!

Want even more epic dog training fun and games and solutions to all your dog training struggles? Join us in the AbsoluteDogs Games Club!
https://absolutedogs.me/gamesclub

Want to take your learning to the next level? Jump into the games-based training membership for passionate dog owners and aspiring trainers that know they want more for themselves and their dog -  Pro Dog Trainer Club!
https://absolutedogs.me/prodogtrainerclub 

And while you’re here, please leave a review for us and don’t forget to hit share and post your biggest lightbulb moment! Remember, no matter what struggles you might be facing with your dog, there is always a game for that!