Welcome to the Kay Lea podcast, where amazing things happen.
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Cover art photo provided by Andrew Ridley on Unsplash: https://unsplash.com/@aridley88
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Kay Laurence and Frances McCormack of "Learning About Dogs" launch the 5th Series following the questions raised from the first year with a new pup. Explore the first four series with Kay and Sue McGuire, talking about the life we live with dogs. Both Kay and Sue have extensive experience of rearing, training and rehabilitation with dogs. Unique and insightful perspectives provide dog trainers and dog people a new way to learn about dogs.
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When we plan the future of this wonderful new life we can begin to think in terms of how we want them to be as adults. This can make our training plans quite narrow and centric to our expectations. Instead if we view them as learners that can be flexible then there is no limit to what they can learn for all of their future.…
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As much as we would love to be able to let our youngsters enjoy plenty of freedom to explore, learn, run free; the realities of the desires of your adolescent dog means that: "Explore" morphs quickly into reverse engineering your sofa, laptop, waste bins; or run the neighbourhood until darkness and hunger drives them home "Learn" is discovering of …
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Important conversations when we graduate from one dog to two: Does one dog teach the other bad habits and can we ask them to teach good habits? Delivering rewards, you only have two hands, training one dog without excluding the other: learning the important skills of spectating and not feeling left out. Walking together: your body language is the d…
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Our hands are very often used for communication and for the pup most importantly CONTACT. The way we use our hands, where they touch the puppy, how they touch the puppy will be building associations for life. Hands that can be trusted and hands that will deliver sensational rewards. Hands that will later becomes tools: hands can begin the feelings …
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A period of exceptional growth where the pup's world seems to shrink as they grow larger. Feet seem gigantic and unmanageable, teeth are falling out, appetites and growing and sleep is the deepest kind. Not a time we should be expecting cognitive gymnastics but still need to feed the learning appetite. Having survived many of these transition perio…
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Most of us want to take our pup out-and-about with us; from the countryside walks to brunch at the local café or pub. We will plan to go on holiday, stay in hotels or visit friends, perhaps go to classes, a dog show or the local garden fête. To ensure these outings are as pleasant an experience for your dog as they are for you we need to begin to f…
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Kay Laurence and Frances McCormack of Learning About Dogs introduce a new member of Frances’ family: Nika, a collie pup from rescue. You can follow Nika and Frances through their first year exploring the many questions that arise. In this episode: Nika is 16 weeks and a voracious learner. We talk about Nika's learning in particular what lifeskills …
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Kay Laurence and Frances McCormack of Learning About Dogs introduce a new member of Frances’ family: Nika, a collie pup from rescue. You can follow Nika and Frances through their first year exploring the many questions that arise. In this episode: we talk about learning to say "no". and at the same time avoid shutting down your enquisitive pup who …
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Kay Laurence and Frances McCormack of Learning About Dogs introduce a new member of Frances’ family: Nika, a collie pup from rescue. You can follow Nika and Frances through their first year exploring the many questions that arise. In this episode: we talk about those tricky situations where you need to protect your pup from uninvited approaches fro…
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Kay Laurence and Frances McCormack of Learning About Dogs introduce a new member of Frances’ family: Nika, a collie pup from rescue. You can follow Nika and Frances through their first year exploring the many questions that arise. In this episode: Nika’s learning is already well underway, but toileting outdoors is a work in progress. In this episod…
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Kay Laurence and Frances McCormack of Learning About Dogs introduce a new member of Frances’ family: Nika, a collie pup from rescue. You can follow Nika and Frances through their first year exploring the many questions that arise. In this episode: "Introducing Nika we talk about choosing a puppy from a litter, introducing a new dog to an existing c…
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Kay Laurence and Frances McCormack of Learning About Dogs introduce a new member of Frances’ family: Nika, a collie pup from rescue. You can follow Nika and Frances through their first year exploring the many questions that arise. In this episode: "First Days At Home" we talk about making the transition for the new pup, and setting up success for h…
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Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaches Dogs, join forces for the fourth season of the hugely successful, Learning About Dogs podcast. This is the final episode of Season Four, which featured short, one subject podcasts. This episode deserved a deep dive because we ask some very important questions. In this episod…
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Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaches Dogs, join forces for the fourth season of the hugely successful, Learning About Dogs podcast. Season four features short, one subject podcast no longer than 10 minutes. Although try as we might, we are shooting for not much over five minutes. But one salient thought. In thi…
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continue reading
Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaches Dogs, join forces for the fourth season of the hugely successful, Learning About Dogs podcast. Season four features short, one subject podcast no longer than 10 minutes. Although try as we might, we are shooting for not much over five minutes. But one salient thought. In thi…
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continue reading
Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaches Dogs, join forces for the fourth season of the hugely successful, Learning About Dogs podcast. Season four features short, one subject podcast no longer than 10 minutes. Although try as we might, we are shooting for not much over five minutes. But one salient thought. In thi…
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continue reading
Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaches Dogs, join forces for the fourth season of the hugely successful, Learning About Dogs podcast. Season four features short, one subject podcast no longer than 10 minutes. Although try as we might, we are shooting for not much over five minutes. But one salient thought. In thi…
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continue reading
Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaches Dogs, join forces for the fourth season of the hugely successful, Learning About Dogs podcast. Season four features short, one subject podcast no longer than 10 minutes. Although try as we might, we are shooting for not much over five minutes. But one salient thought. This e…
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continue reading
Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaches Dogs, join forces for the fourth season of the hugely successful, Learning About Dogs podcast. Season four features short, one subject podcast no longer than 10 minutes. Although try as we might, we are shooting for not much over five minutes. But one salient thought. In thi…
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continue reading
Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaches Dogs, join forces for the fourth season of the hugely successful, Learning About Dogs podcast. Season four features short, one subject podcast no longer than 10 minutes. Although try as we might, we are shooting for not much over five minutes. But one salient thought. In thi…
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continue reading
Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaches Dogs, join forces for the fourth season of the hugely successful, Learning About Dogs podcast. Season four features short, one subject podcast no longer than 10 minutes. Although try as we might, we are shooting for not much over five minutes. But one salient thought. In thi…
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continue reading
Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaches Dogs, join forces for the fourth season of the hugely successful, Learning About Dogs podcast. Season four features short, one subject podcast no longer than 10 minutes. Although try as we might, we are shooting for not much over five minutes. But one salient thought. In thi…
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continue reading
Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaches Dogs, join forces for the fourth season of the hugely successful, Learning About Dogs podcast. Season four features short, one subject podcast no longer than 10 minutes. Although try as we might, we are shooting for not much over five minutes. But one salient thought. In thi…
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continue reading
Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaches Dogs, join forces for the fourth season of the hugely successful, Learning About Dogs podcast. Season four features short, one subject podcast no longer than 10 minutes. Although try as we might, we are shooting for not much over five minutes. But one salient thought. In thi…
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continue reading
Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaches Dogs, join forces for the fourth season of the hugely successful, Learning About Dogs podcast. Season four features short, one subject podcast no longer than 10 minutes. Although try as we might, we are shooting for not much over five minutes. But one salient thought. In thi…
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continue reading
Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaches Dogs, join forces for the fourth season of the hugely successful, Learning About Dogs podcast. Season four features short, one subject podcast no longer than 10 minutes. Although try as we might, we are shooting for not much over five minutes. But one salient thought. In thi…
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continue reading
Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaches Dogs, join forces for the fourth season of the hugely successful, Learning About Dogs podcast. Season four features short, one subject podcast no longer than 10 minutes. Although try as we might, we are shooting for not much over five minutes. But one salient thought. In thi…
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continue reading
Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaches Dogs, join forces for the fourth season of the hugely successful, Learning About Dogs podcast. Season four features short, one subject podcast no longer than 10 minutes. Although try as we might, we are shooting for not much over five minutes. But one salient thought. In thi…
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continue reading
Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaches Dogs, join forces for the fourth season of the hugely successful, Learning About Dogs podcast. Season four features short, one subject podcast no longer than 10 minutes. Although try as we might, we are shooting for not much over five minutes. But one salient thought. In thi…
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continue reading
Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaches Dogs, join forces for the fourth season of the hugely successful, Learning About Dogs podcast. Season four features short, one subject podcast no longer than 10 minutes. Although try as we might, we are shooting for not much over five minutes. But one salient thought. In thi…
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continue reading
Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaches Dogs join forces for the fourth season of the hugely successful, Learning About Dogs podcast. Season four features short, one subject podcast no longer than 10 minutes. Although try as we might, we are shooting for not much over five minutes. But one salient thought. In this…
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Learning. Is it a construct? An idea? We cannot do the learning for the dogs, we can only set up situations where learning happens. Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaching Dogs, join forces for the fourth season of the hugely successful, Learning About Dogs podcast. Season four features short, one subject podcast…
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It's time to flip another concept on its head--the whole idea that the dog MUST pay attention when you say their name before you start training. Nagging? Or would you rather consider reward approach a better plan? Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaching Dogs, join forces for the fourth season of the hugely succes…
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Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Plays with Dogs, join forces for the fourth season of the hugely successful, Learning About Dogs podcast. Season four features short, one subject podcast no longer than 10 minutes. Although try as we might, we are shooting for not much over five minutes. But one salient thought. In this episode…
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The Learning About Dogs podcast is your main source for all these dogs, teaching dogs, understanding dogs, and living with dogs. Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire of Sue McGuire Teaching Dogs, join together to continue the promotion of teaching that which benefits dogs. But how and when, methods, concepts and plans to teach dogs a…
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Markers are an integral part of the communication process when we are interacting with our learners. Whether you choose to use a clicker or not, the whole process behind "marker training" needs a close examination. Hanging your training psyche on the use of a clicker may not be the best use of your time. Especially if you are just starting out. On …
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Do we want habits or active learning? Probably both but there is a clear distinction between them which is dependent on the value of the reward, to the dog of course. On this episode of podcast, Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and TAKL graduate and host Sue McGuire talk about the advantages and drawbacks of teaching behaviors to the habit level…
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On this episode of the podcast, we do a little introduction of a new term that is so much BIGGER than a cue. What are cues anyway? Sue McGuire and Kay Laurence of "Learning About Dogs," introduce you to our new friend--REWARD PREDICTING STIMULUS. Season 3 of the "Learning about Dogs" podcast is about rewards and reward skill. Article: Shaping by Re…
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What is the point of learning? "When that brand new brain gets into motion it is going to have to find out how to secure the rewards needed for life, and once that is achieved set about finding the very best rewards, and lots of them. On a daily, minute by minute basis." In this episode of the "Learning About Dogs," Sue McGuire and Kay Laurence of …
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In the early days of using positive reinforcement and clicker training, the delivery of that reinforcer, (reward), was not part of the consideration. The format of the research experiments favoured a mechanical magazine to deliberately remove any variables that human delivery would include. When people become the mechanism of delivery we have to co…
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ALWAYS REMEMBER: REWARDS ARE DEFINED BY THE BEHAVIOURAL REACTIONS THEY INDUCE. It is the individual that decides if it is rewarding or not. What are rewards? We are in Season 3 of the "Learning about Dogs" podcast. Kay Laurence of "Learning About Dogs," and Sue McGuire, host/producer, are calling this our "A Season of Rewards," because that is exac…
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“REWARDS ARE NOT DEFINED BY THEIR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES BUT BY THE BEHAVIOURAL REACTION THEY INDUCE.” Welcome to our "Season of Rewards" on the Learning about Dogs podcast with Kay Laurence and Sue McGuire. This third season of the podcast is all about living a "reward centered life" with our dogs. What do we mean by that? Take a read of Kay's blog S…
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"Having discovered this world of rewards and reinforcement I protectively wrap my dogs’ learning with an envelope of reward probabilities. This is where I begin," says Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs. And this is where we begin this season's journey. We are dog trainers, who must make the conscious and scientifically appropriate decision, to le…
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Living with multiple dogs can be fun and challenging. It comes with a demand to develop a great deal of observation skills to make sure your group is working for the dogs as individuals, and their life with you. How many is too many dogs? What breeds and what sex combinations? It depends. Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and Sue McGuire a TAKL g…
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Menomics can be handy when it comes to finding a quick and simple way to remember a spelling or phrase. But using these devices does require us to decide if they actually help learning or hinder it. In dog training, we have a few of these devices that require much more consideration before accepting them as valid. The three Ds. Duration-distance-di…
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When a dog "generalizes" a behavior, it means they can do the behavior under a wide variety of conditions. But a dog being able to do that has very much to do with how we originally taught the behavior. On this episode of Learning About Dogs, Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs, and Sue McGuire, a canine behavior program manager at a humane society…
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One must be careful about using terminology we hear at seminars or read in books and apply to our training. Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs and co-host Sue McGuire love tackling these habits of trainers applying a label to something they think they are seeing, when what might be happening, is not really happening. What? We chat about the concep…
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Not all online learning is created equal. The sudden move to online learning for many disciplines, not just dog training, has been astounding. On this special bonus episode of the "Learning About Dogs" podcast, Kay Laurence and Sue McGuire attempt to provide a bit of a tutorial for students who want to know how to separate the good, from the not so…
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Errors are feedback. Set the dog up for success. Develop the skill to know what to change in a teaching set up, and when. Teach the prerequisite skills--even the rats and pigeons in the boxes were provided that information. Emotions underly all learning. There is much to chat about on the concept of "errorless learning" in dog training. On this epi…
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Dogs are aware of our every move and have decided which ones are relevant to them and which are of little consequences. This is so apparent when we use our hands, be it, living our daily lives with them, or participating in a training sessions. When puppies come to us, this is when we should be teaching what hands mean. Hands are always a sign of w…
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