Continued education in my field is a big deal to me. Making sure I stay up to date on the newest training techniques helps me learn new ways to work with my clients. So I wanted to tell you about my most recent continued education choice. A course through The Fenzi Dog Sports Academy: Management for Reactive Dogs with Amy Cook, PhD.

Working with clients who have reactive dogs has been a huge part of my workload since 2019. I have had much success in that time but have also run into roadblocks in some cases. Continuing to learn about these case types is a big deal. I want to ensure I am helping all my clients to the best of my ability.

I have known of Dr. Amy Cook and her work for many years now. I have already taken 2 of her courses. Dealing with the Bogeyman: Helping Reactive and Fearful Dogs & The Play Way. Both through the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy. When the opportunity came around to sign up for this course, I decided it was time for me to dive in!

Dr. Cook is a very generous soul. I had already learned some of the skills she teaches in this course from her via TikTok. But this course is so much more detailed than those TikTok videos & lives. It has been worth the time & money investment. In this course Dr. Cook explains why management is such a big part of helping our reactive dogs succeed. If we aren’t managing & preventing their over-reactions we will have issues. So management skills are paramount to success in these cases.

In the course she walks you through teaching your dog 10+ skills. This includes leash skills, mat work, touch, magnet hand, paws up, and more! While teaching you these various skills she also touches on the topic of reactivity as a whole. How to make a better assumption of how your dog is feeling during their over-reactions. That way you can better understand the WHY behind your dog’s behavior. She discusses advocating for your dog and offers invaluable insight about training. It has been a great course for me to take. I have no doubts the skills I have learned how to teach through this course will further help me with my clients.

Whether you're a dog owner or training professional, I recommend taking this course. Especially if you are working with a dog experiencing over-reactive responses.