Enlightened By Dogs With Kathy Kawalec

Have you noticed that you and your dog(s) need a bit of a stress reset? What does relaxed and happy look like in our everyday life? In this episode, Kathy shares how to identify where you and your dog are happy, what increases your stress, and the importance of living in the safe, calm, happy zone. Making sure our needs are met, as well as our dog’s needs, allows more fruitful communication. How long does it take for cortisol (stress hormone) to be flushed from (yours and your dog’s) the system? The answer will shock you! What happens when we take a breath and reset? For us as humans For our dogs A heart-warming, inspiring story about Bettina's rescue dog Murphy Living the Brilliant Partnership way of life with Mary’s new puppy Milo “Our brains want to keep us in the comfort zone, even if the comfort zone is the most unbelievably uncomfortable place ever.” “It takes us stepping back and saying, ‘wait a minute, this isn’t working’.” “The reason it works and they had such a phenomenal turn around is b

Welcome to the Enlightened by Dogs podcast hosted by the passionate and informative Kathy Kawalec. Each week Kathy will bring great stories, tips, and strategies to help you build a better relationship with your dog. Dogs are socially intelligent parts of our family group and so we must treat them as such. In this episode, Kathy tackles the importance of building partnership relationships with our dogs and plays a clip from the Q & A portion of her workshop. Question: “You talked about transactional relationships which is where I think we’ve gone wrong. However, I have a question. One of the things we do where I think we are both safe, calm, and happy is scent work, but he is rewarded for every find. Is this building our relationship?   Listen for more on: What's the difference between transaction and partnership Transactional relationship Partnership relationship What does it mean? Why is it effective? Why is it the correct method? Using treats Interact Engage Reward/reinforcement Training/wor

Welcome to the Enlightened by Dogs podcast hosted by Kathy Kawalec. This host is very passionate and has a heart of gold. During this weekly podcast about dogs and dog enthusiasts, you will hear great tips and strategies on how to carry out a brilliant partnership with your dog. In this episode, Kathy plays a clip from the Partnership Workshop she taught. Kathy discusses social intelligence (something we share with our dogs), the partnership lifestyle  -- what it means and why it’s so important to our relationship with our dogs. Listen to hear more on: Social intelligence How this helps us Comparison to childrearing Learning by Example Being a conscious role model Being a loving leader Learning together No blaming Setting boundaries Needs Being responsible “We know our dogs are mirroring our actions or responding and reacting to it.” “We have the ability to learn how to be calm and respectful and conscious and present and attentive and responsive to our dogs and the circumstances we put ourselv

Welcome to the Enlightened by Dogs podcast hosted by Kathy Kawalec. During this episode, Kathy presents a segment of an interview with one of the member’s of Brilliant Partners Academy, Kelly. Kelly’s dog, Merle was an extremely reactive dog and in this interview, Kelly and Kathy describe how the partnership approach was administered and worked in soothing his behavior.  In this episode, you will hear life-changing advice for both you and your dog! Listen for more: Kelly and Merle’s backstory Reactive nature and behavior to other moving things and dogs Where the behavior occurs Adverse training Numerous trainers Using a muzzle Exposure method was not working How a privacy fence was helpful Using the clarity chart Kelly and Kathy’s key points and actions Kelly’s shifts in Skillset Mindset Emotional   Intention   “I wasn’t going to give up on this dog. I was just going to love him.” “Looking for moments and opportunities to be with him and give enrichment.” “I finally came to the realization that he j

Leadership, in the positive dog training world, is the most misunderstood concept of all ... to the detriment of our dogs Welcome to the Enlightened by Dogs podcast hosted by Kathy Kawalec. This weekly podcast about dogs focuses on our partnerships and relationships with our dogs as emotional, intelligent beings who are part of our family group. Along the way, Kathy will give you strategies that will inspire within the realm of positive dog training. In this episode, Kathy delivers a passionate look at the common misunderstanding about leadership and she talks about why it is so important to get this right for our dogs. Yes, she says ... it's a bit of a rant!    Listen to discover: What causes our dogs to thrive within a family group (and subsequently allows us to thrive as well.) The science behind the difference between leadership and dominance Why it does our dogs a disservice to have an aversion toward being a loving leader The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnell Simon Sinek - Start with Why

Welcome to the Enlightened by Dogs podcast hosted by the illuminating Kathy Kawalec. Enlightened by Dogs focuses on the human-dog connection and our becoming partners with our dogs. You will be given strategies that will inspire you. In this episode Kathy speaks with a good friend Deb Bauer regarding trust and trustworthiness. Deb is an amazing woman who runs the program Both Ends of the Leash giving dogs a second chance in a very special and unique way. Deb is an expert in dog behavior, holistic healing, amazing work with education, and much more. Deb is focuses on living a good life with her own dogs who have disabilities and are ambassadors for communication beyond what we typical expect. Listen for more about the following topics: Deb’s many different contributions in the world of dogs Expertise and advise regarding different types of behavior our dogs display What these behaviors can mean How to rectify certain behaviors A case study that involves the topic of trust and trustworthiness between a hum

Welcome to the Enlightened by Dogs Podcast hosted by Kathy Kawalec. This is a podcasts about dogs that focuses on the human-dog connection and working together through partnership. In this episode Kathy discusses listening--receiving information from our dogs. Listen for strategies that will inspire. If you’ve had the thought that your dog is stubborn, won’t listen, doesn’t care about what you’re asking them to do . . . today’s episode will help solve those problematic thoughts. Today Kathy speaks about:   How we’re misunderstanding our dog’s communicative behavior How we often jump to the wrong conclusion when our dogs are not behaving in the way we request How we’re failing to dialogue and what that means Kathy discusses some stories regarding today’s topic Why a deep resounding connection with dogs can immediately change behavior How this issue is not a failure in training. “Our dogs are driven by the same sort drivers that humans have, in the context of social intelligence.” “Clarity is kindness.” “W

Welcome to the Enlightened by Dogs podcast hosted by Kathy Kawalec. This dog podcast is all about the human-dog connection and partnership we share with our dogs. In this episode, Kathy has a very special guest, Sue who is a dog behaviorist. When Sue adopted Charlie, a rescue dog, and saw his behavior issues, she realized she needed to have more information about dogs. Training and behavior meet heart and soul.   Listen to find out more on Sue and Charlie’s inspirational and educational journey. Find out: Behaviors that Charlie demonstrated which caused Sue alarm Sue describes Jekyll and Hyde Learning triggers What helped Charlie overcome his fears and negative behaviors Function differences between being in class and then outside class/home Trials with tips, strategies, and products The event Sue calls the turning point with Charlie What now? Sue describes feeling frustrated and struggling with the disharmony between Charlie’s behavior and her family What immediately halted Sue’s desire to give up a

Welcome to the Enlightened by Dogs podcast with Kathy Kawalec. In this episode, Kathy shares some difficult lessons she dealt with in the area of distractions with her own dogs. (Building upon last weeks lesson, which you can listen to here.) She gives a small back story regarding difficult trialing and fielding with young dogs who are not typically consistent. Kathy shares a personal experience that ultimately strengthened the bond of partnership between Kathy and her dogs. Listen to find out more about the lessons and solutions Kathy discusses: Listening is hard, even for very good listeners - be effective and active listeners Know when to get off the field and when to do it Integrity, good sportsmanship, and good examples “I had not done a good job at teaching my dogs to listen to me when they’re in the midst of very challenging work.” “I could look back and see those same issues showed up at home, retrospectively.” “What a blessing that our dogs keep allowing us another chance and another chance.” “I

Welcome to the Enlightened by Dogs podcast. In this episode, Kathy discusses the issue of our dogs being distracted, unfocused, and failing to listen. It is frustrating and difficult when we encounter this behavioral concern, but it is a common problem and you are not alone. Kathy compares the difficulty level of humans to keep focused. Typically we expect our dogs to pick up the slack for us. When this does not occur we can become frantic. But, there is a simple piece that we often forget. The answer doesn’t have to be overly complicated and it has to do with the human-dog connection. Listen to find out: How can you keep your dog focused in all circumstances? What causes our dogs to be distracted or unfocused? What happens when our dogs don’t have an understanding of what we’re trying to teach them? What specific part of our relationship with our dog can change this unwanted behavior? Kathy’s solution to distraction!   “We are inside our head and our dog is out there on their own.” “The reality is they’re

In this episode, Kathy discusses the issue of our dogs running the fence line, barking frantically. Kathy shares a clip of one of her coaching sessions, from her Brilliant Partners Academy program, with Claire who struggled with her dog lunging, running and barking along the fence line at the neighbor’s dog. She talks about the disconnection between us and our dogs at that point and what we can do to get the connection back. Claire has successfully been able to stop her dog from doing these things through her coaching! Claire’s question: "How do I stop my dog, Marley, from jumping and barking at the neighbor’s fence when the neighbor’s dog is out? He stops when I shout, “no,” to him and comes back in. He also sits by the fence looking for her if she’s not out. I’m pleased that he’s now listening and stopping when I tell him, “no,” as he used to have deaf ears to this. But how can I stop the initial rushing, jumping, barking?" Listen in to this episode to hear Kathy's coaching advice for Clair. Kathy wants t

In this episode, Kathy explains how being trapped in the house because of extreme winter or summer can strengthen the bond between you and your dog. It is also the perfect teaching opportunity to work with your dogs’ impulse control. What does this mean? It means taking a mindful and calm attentive responsiveness to our relationships with our dogs. Being locked up with your dog is actually a great opportunity!  Your dog can learn how to let you, their partner: Calm them Mindful action eases the crazy way theyŕe feeling We can develop reading our dogs better Emotionally Mentally Physically Kathy gives a quick rundown about believing that dogs naturally want to contribute to their family unit.  (Because of social intelligence) If you or your dog are overwhelmed, we can’t learn or focus on anything least of all our intention. High arousal activities that your dog displays with or without you should be limited to fifteen percent of each day. Kathy also believes that just spending time with our dogs is a re

There is no one on this planet who knows how important a dog is in your life like dog enthusiast Kathy Kawalec of the Enlightened by Dogs Podcast. Just like you, Kathy sees a kindred spirit, a sentient being, a heart and a soul when she looks into the eyes of a dog. Our host makes no bones about her opinion that partnership with our dogs is much better than simply training them. Partnership is based on a deep trusting connection and it’s this connection that breeds the behavior that we want to see from our furry friend. What could be better?   In This Episode, Kathy starts with an engaging quote from Helen Keller, “Any teacher can take a child to the classroom, but not every teacher can make him learn. He will not work joyously unless he feels that liberty is his.” She starts this way to illustrate the connection in Helen’s quote and our relationship with our dogs. Our dogs want to be heard and truly understood by us in our roles as partners and leaders with them.   Dance of Partnership - a special way of com

Kathy starts out this episode with a personal thanks to listener CarolC64 who left a rating and heartfelt comment on the last episode. Our host reminds us that any person who rates or comments can be featured on future episodes as a shout out! In this episode of Enlightened by Dogs podcast Kathy gets passionate and serious about the biggest myths in dog training: Training makes our lives better Excessive training confuses our dogs The dogs will try hard to make the correct choices or magic combination of steps, but this can result in Frantic behavior Completely emotionally check out I only wish I was a better trainer or had more time to train behavior would be better   Serious dog enthusiasts understand that our dogs are not condition/response machines. (and don’t want them to be.) They understand that there are so many more sciences at work than the simple behavioral sciences which is why the partnership approach works best. It gives the highest level of effectiveness, connectedness, and is holisti

Sweet and soulful Kathy Kawalec, Dog Lover Extraordinaire, wants you to have the best relationship possible with your dog and she is here to help! Kathy appreciates her followers by answering their questions, providing goodies, and giving personal on-air thanks! She wants all trainers, dog owners, anyone who spends an abundant amount of time in a relationship with a dog to build a deep, meaningful relationship, because she believes that dogs connect us to what matters most in the world. In This Episode, Kathy answers the questions: What is the best way to rehab a reactive dog? What is the differences between conventional dog training and partnership approach to interaction with our own dogs? Kathy explains that the look and dismiss method is not a bad method and does work; however she prefers the Role Model or Partnership Method because it hinges on the trust between the owner and the dog. If we put ourselves between the trigger and the dog, the dog understands that it can trust us and we are going to show ho

Does your distracted or reactive dog make you absolutely crazy sometimes? Distracted and Reactive dogs often behave in a way that makes us nervous or afraid ... and unable to go places where there are other dogs ... or unable to trust our dogs off leash. Do you find yourself getting frustrated with the way they behave? Well, you’re not alone, and that doesn’t have to be your reality! Distracted behavior and reactivity can be resolved by establishing a deep connection with your dog based on trust, confidence, love and respect. It’s easier said than done, but with a few tools from a coaching session, Kathy delivers to her Brilliant Partners Academy members. Soon, you’ll be noticing positive changes in your life, and the behavior of your distracted or reactive dogs.   In This Episode Using the clarity chart and how it helps in creating trust and confidence between you and your dog What happens when your dog disconnects from you and stops listening The 80/20 rule, what it is and how it applies to your relationsh

There’s a common mistake that we make with our dogs and it involves attention seeking behaviours and separation anxiety! Tag along on this episode and listen in to a question and answer session Kathy hosted with her Brilliant Partners Academy members! Kathy covers obsessive and compulsive attention seeking behaviours, and what to do when you have a hard time leaving your dog when you go away!   In This Episode Fully integrating your dog into the family Connecting deeply to create a better relationship Redirection creates more problems than it solves Pacifiers are not substitutes for true belonging Leaving to go on vacation, and avoiding separation anxiety Learning to become the future you The golden cord   “You’re treating him like he needs special treatment” “He’s a loved and valued member of the family” “We’re going to reinforce the things that we want” “They just want you” “We want to give our dogs that true connection” “Separation anxiety is not a one way flow”   More Kathy www.enlightenedbydogs.com

Dreaming big, being consistent and taking action toward your goals are just some of the things that successful people do, but it’s not the complete picture! Kathy is sharing her EXACT formula that she and her dog used to be standing at the post as a National Sheep Dog finalist, 1 of the top dog teams in North America. There are 5 steps to take on the path to greatness and joy and although it’s not easy, with consistent baby steps, you’ll be able to achieve the things and feelings you wish to in your life!   In This Episode What Kathy’s heart desires Life is not all peaches and cream, rainbows and unicorns Why people fail at reaching their dreams, even when they’re accomplishing goals The 5 parts of the blue ribbon success formula! What the top 5% use to get to the top of their game   “What I really wanted was to feel a certain way, and that’s what I focused on” “That’s a successful life, when we can bounce back to center” “Dreams without goals are just wishes and hopes without promise” “It’s just too easy t

It’s the time of year when Kathy reflects on the days that have passed, and looks to the future to make it even brighter and more enjoyable. She’s got something big in the works for a small group of people in 2019, and is giving us a sneak peek at what it’s going to be! Kathy also gives us the framework to having a great life in this episode. No big deal! She just lays it all out in front of us and explains how each piece works toward giving you a happier day, week, month, year and eventually a happier life in general!   In This Episode Using grateful to be great in life What frequency are you broadcasting to the world? Dogs spend a lot of time being grateful or anticipating great things Being an intentional creator and transforming your life Planning and getting ready for what’s coming next People lose their way when they lose their why   “All we really need to do to be happy is to be grateful for what we already have in our life” “When you love what you already have, you’re going to get more of the same”

Mental Clutter, limiting beliefs and the power of the conscious mind are today’s big topics on Enlightened By Dogs! Kathy knows exactly what happens when you allow mental clutter to build up, and she wants to help you clear it out! In this episode, Kathy shares her wisdom and insight surrounding thoughts that can hold you back, make you unhappy or even damage great relationships, and how you can change that programming in order to live a happier, healthier, more fulfilling life! Take back your confidence, create a life you love living!   In This Episode The conscious mind and the unconscious mind Becoming an intentional creator of your life experience Dee’s Story Limiting thoughts and beliefs   “Your subconscious mind will always believe everything you tell it” “You are the being that has awareness and can observe your thoughts” “We all get stuck in our thinking at some time or another” “The idea is to become conscious, become aware of what you want to create” “Our thoughts are powerfully creating”   Creati