From Police K9s to Support Dogs with Dr. Coby Webb

Many owners spend hours teaching sit, stay, and come in a quiet room, then watch the whole thing fall apart the moment the sidewalk, the bike, or the farmers market appears. On Dog Works Radio, Robert and Michele Forto explain why the real test of training is not the backyard; it is the environment where you actually live with the dog. The AKC Urban Canine Good Citizen (CGCU) title is one practical framework for that gap. It asks the dog to ignore food on the sidewalk, cross a street calmly, stay under control around traffic and bicycles, and remain polite in public buildings. Those are not flashy tricks. They are the skills that make a dog safer and easier to include in everyday life, whether you live in downtown Anchorage or just want to walk the trailhead without a meltdown. Key points Foundational commands matter. They count only if they hold up when distractions are real.

Your dog doesn't need to greet everyone who knocks. On The Daily Dog, Nicole Forto walks through threshold manners—the door, the doorbell, and the routine that keeps the dog out of the chaos before Halloween visitors arrive. Yelling "no" while the dog loses its mind at the front door is not a training plan. Nicole shows how to give the dog a clear job (a settle spot away from the doorway), practice it when the house is quiet, then raise the difficulty so the routine still holds when the doorbell actually rings. Key points A threshold is any transition point: front door, gate, doorway. The dog needs clear expectations there, not hope.

Iseult is a Seppala Siberian husky who does not live in one box. On The Daily Dog, Nicole Forto tells the story of a calm sled-dog leader who also visits elementary schools, races campers, bikejores, and keeps the mouse patrol on high alert. Iseult was raised by dog trainers who work with therapy and service dogs and also keep sled dogs. She became the clear example of a dual-purpose dog: focused and composed on the line, affectionate and playful with kids, and serious about her unofficial security detail. Key points - Leadership on a sled team is not always the loudest dog. Sometimes the calm one sets the tone. - A dual-purpose dog can excel at serious work and still be the one who demands coconut-scented hugs. - School visits and therapy work use the same reliability that makes her steady on the trail. - Adventure Dog Club work (bikejoring, obstacle courses, camp) gives her jobs that use her natural drive. - Mouse Patrol is the playful side of a dog who was built to notice movement and investigate. - Working dogs were not designed only to exist in the house. Giving them real jobs produces better dogs and better stories. This episode's question: What job or adventure could your dog actually do that would use the abilities they already have? Credits The Daily Dog with Nicole Forto. Dog Works Radio is a First Paw Media production, sponsored by Alaska Dog Works.

Your dogs mostly get along, until one of them ends up with stitches. On Dog Works Radio, Michele Forto explains why the dog who "starts it" is usually responding to a quiet signal the other dogs have been sending for days. If you have more than one dog and you keep thinking, "If we just fixed that one, the house would settle," this episode is for you. Michele breaks down the triangle: the manager dog who doesn't always growl, the independent dog who pushes back, and why both humans have to see the same picture before teaching any new command. Key points In a house with three dogs, the hierarchy is a triangle, not a straight line. It shifts when a dog joins or leaves.

Leash pulling is one of the top issues families already try to fix with new harnesses, YouTube videos, and classes. On Dog Works Radio, Robert and Michele Forto explain why a dog that walks perfectly for twenty minutes indoors falls apart on the Coastal Trail or in a Wasilla parking lot, and why the gap gets dangerous once the sidewalks turn to ice. The walk only continues when the leash is slack. If the leash is tight, you stop. No speech, no negotiation. Timing matters more than the collar. Practice the same short route every day while the ground is still dry so the habit is already in place when the dark, icy walks of November and January arrive. Key points - Pulling works for the dog because it gets them to the next smell faster. When the leash is tight, following keeps the cycle going. - Proper equipment can help you manage the walk. It does not teach the dog how to walk. - Three practical rules: the walk continues only on a slack leash; timing (hands, feet, when you start moving again) is the owner's job; practice in the places you actually walk. - A dog that walks perfectly after a long hike is usually just tired. That doesn't carry over to a short, dark Tuesday night walk. - Start now. Two short practices beat one long struggle in the driveway. Choose one daily route. - Real examples from Anchorage/Valley clients and from work with volunteers at Rebel Rescue in South Korea show the same principle: build the routine before the hard environment. This episode's question If your dog is dragging you to the mailbox today, what happens when that same pull happens on ice in the dark? Weekly action Choose one route you walk every day. Every time the leash gets tight, stop. When it loosens, go. Keep the sessions short. Start while the ground is dry. Other Episodes You Will Love · How to Get the Best Results out of Dog Training Support the Show This episode was recorded on the Shure SM7B and a Rodecaster Pro II Like this episode? Share it with your dog training friends! Love this episode? Say thanks in true dog training podcasting style by leaving a review. FREE! Grab our 7-Day Real-World Dog Training Plan Take our Understanding Drive Behaviors quiz to see exactly what drive your dog is in and how to begin to train for it. Join the On-Air Dog Training Coaching waitlist for a chance to be coached on the air by Dr. Robert or Michele Forto and get your dog training questions answered in real time. Sign up now for 20% off our Group Coaching Program and learn how to build the best possible relationship with your dog. Take your dog training to the next level with our Peak Performance membership. Follow Dog Works Radio for more dog training tips: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn