Training Without Conflict Podcast

Join Dr. Jenifer Zeligs, a world-renowned behavioral biologist with over 40 years in animal training, as she shares her journey from zoo experiences to founding an animal care center. She discusses the art of genuine animal interaction and the significant parallels between sea lions and dogs. The complexities of training methodologies unfold, particularly the balance between positive reinforcement and aversive techniques. Tune in for insights on managing noise sensitivity, enhancing animal well-being, and innovative training approaches!

Training Without Conflict® Podcast Episode Twenty-Two: Dr. Stewart HilliardIn this episode, Ivan speaks to a true dogsport legend filled with a wealth of expertise and experience in the dog training world. This episodes very special guest is Dr. Stewart Hilliard. They discuss an array of fascinating topics about all aspects of dogs and dog training ranging from breeding and raising sport and working dogs, the history of dog sports in the United States and worldwide, working dog selection, the differences in selecting for different dog sports, and of course they even dive into canine science.Whether you know it or not, Dr. Stewart Hilliard has likely impacted your dog training education having been the lead script writer for many trainers that created content for Canine Training Systems on top of being a long time dog man that directly and indirectly inspired some of your favorite dog trainers today, including Ivan. Some of the younger generation of trainers might wonder why his name does not ring a bell, and this is because of the career decision that Dr. Hilliard made years ago to spearhead dog training programs and research with the United States Armed Services. However, we can assure you that his contributions to the world of dog sports in the United States are nothing short of remarkable. Dr. Hilliard has played an instrumental role in shaping and advancing the dog training field and industry.Here are some of Dr. Hilliards exceptional credentials:Stewart Hilliard has over 40 years experience in training companion and working dogs. He began training working dogs in 1980 in Denver, Colorado, when he became involved in German-style sport training and joined the Rocky Mountain Schutzhund Club, where he soon became the Training Director. Shortly thereafter he became a professional dog trainer, and established a reputation as an authority on canine aggression and man-work for both sport dogs and police service dogs. In the mid-1980's he was one of the first Americans to import working-bred Belgian Malinois to the United States, and he traveled widely in Western Europe studying Malinois breeding and the training disciplines of French Ring, Belgian Ring, and KNPV. He was the founder and first president of the American Ring Federation, the first F.C.I.-sanctioned organization for French Ring Sport in the U.S., and he was the first American to receive his Selection (certification) in France as a French Ring Trial Decoy.He has taught working dog training seminars for sport clubs and law enforcement agencies all over the United States, and also been invited to teach in Melbourne and Brisbane, Australia, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Montreal, Canada, and Beijing, China. He is the co-author, with Susan Barwig, of the very successful training manual Schutzhund: Theory and Training Methods, and has also written and directed many well-received videotapes about sport and service dog training produced by Canine Training Systems®. In 1983, Stewart Hilliard received his B.A. in psychology, and in 1990 he moved to Austin, Texas to enter Graduate School at the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied animal behavior and learning.He is the author of a number of scientific papers in reputable psychological journals, and in 1997 he received his Ph.D in Behavioral Neuroscience. Dr. Hilliard has worked in various research & development and operational capacities for the Department of Defense Military Working Dog program since 1997, including Chief of the Military Working Dog Course at the 341st Training Squadron, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. In this role, he managed the basic training of most of the patrol and substance detector dogs supplied to all branches of the U. S. armed forces. Dr. Hilliard also served as Chief of Military Working Dog Logistics and Procurement at the 341st. He directed the testing and procurement of...

Training Without Conflict® Podcast Episode Twenty-One: Mathias DögelIn this episode, Ivan had a chance to speak to long-time friend, highly respected dog sport competitor, founder and innovator of Working-Dog.Com, Mathias Dögel. This was a very fun conversation where they had an opportunity to catch up about current, past, and future dogs, as well as share stories about their experiences in dog sports. They also had some great discussions about the problems facing IGP dog sports worldwide, how to approach them, and ultimately their beliefs in how those problems can be resolved. Matthias Dögel is the founder and managing director of the technology company Dögel GmbH. As an entrepreneur, Mathias has created many successful businesses with one of the most successful being Working-Dog.com.In addition to being the founder of Working Dog, Mathias is also an extremely accomplished dog sport competitor. Along with numerous National Championships, he is also highly successful in international competition, with his highest achievement being Vice Champion of the 2013 FCI World Championship with his dog Holle vom Holzhäuser Flur.Most recently, Mathias placed second at the CACIT Germany competition, which was highly regarded worldwide as a fantastic competition event. Mathias is also a staunch proponent of dog training and dog sport competition, spearheading many initiatives and movements to increase the visibility and importance of dog sports across Germany and Europe.For more information about Mathias, check out: https://working-dog.comIvan Balabanov is a 2-time World Champion dog trainer, Ot Vitosha Malinois breeder, trainer of Premier Protection Dogs and founder of the revolutionary Training Without Conflict® dog training system.For more information about Ivan Balabanov and information on how to train your dog using the Training Without Conflict® system, check out: https://trainingwithoutconflict.comhttps://malinois.comhttps://premierprotectiondogs.comPlease like, comment, and share with your dog friends💪🏼

In this episode, Ivan has a conversation with Jo-rosie Haffenden. When it comes to training, they stand on the opposite sides of the line in the sand. However, they were able to have a long conversation that took them all over the place. They both realized that they actually have more common training ideas than they expected!This is what a conversation between two dog trainers on the opposite side of the spectrum looks like when they share ideas instead of digging their heels in the ground about their beliefs and ideologies.
This one is not a dull three-hour one sided monologue!This discussion could have easily continued for at least another hour. Jo-Rosie Haffenden is a MondioRing competitor that has a degree in applied psychology (human psychology), post grad in animal behavior, National Certificate in the Training of Journalism (NCTJ). She a director of international school of canine science, worked for a large national animal welfare charity, worked for a large private canine behavior consultancy. Jo-rosie has also published 3 books, presented and contributed to multiple prime time TV shows in UK. Presented at international conferences at conferences and events on topics such as Resource Guarding, Predation, Separation Anxiety and Dog Bites. She has even been requested three times as an expert in The Houses of Parliament (UK)!For more information about Jo-Rosie Haffenden, check out:https://www.caninescience.online/Ivan Balabanov is a 2-time World Champion dog trainer, Ot Vitosha Malinois breeder, trainer of Premier Protection Dogs and founder of the revolutionary Training Without Conflict® dog training system.For more information about Ivan Balabanov and information on how to train your dog using the Training Without Conflict® system, check out: https://trainingwithoutconflict.comhttps://malinois.comhttps://premierprotectiondogs.comPlease like, comment, and share with your dog friends💪🏼  

Training Without Conflict® Podcast Episode Nineteen: Nick BengerSince my presentation on The Real Facts About Science Based Dog Training, I made a commitment to talk to dog trainers on all sides of the argument with the intent to make progress and find the way forward through the current divide in the dog training industry. Thankfully, a few force free trainers have stepped forward to have conversations with me after many avoided it for years. I am happy to present this podcast with Nick Benger where we discuss many of the problems facing the dog training industry.We even come up with a few solutions on how to bridge the gap to create more conversations between trainers in opposing camps. I hope you enjoy this conversation!Nick Benger is widely respected for his skills in dog training and is the expert dog trainer on Amazon Prime's TV Series 'The Pack'.Nick also hosted his own podcast, Dog Talk with Nick Benger. He’s the author of The Engagement Guide, an introduction to engagement training for pet dog owners. He’s received a degree in Canine Behavior and Training at the University of Hull. Benger’s expertise has led to guest appearances on BBC Radio Bristol, Animal Training Academy, and others.You can find more information about NIck Benger here:http://nickbenger.comIvan Balabanov is a 2-time World Champion dog trainer, Ot Vitosha Malinois breeder, trainer of Premier Protection Dogs and founder of the revolutionary Training Without Conflict® dog training system.For more information about Ivan Balabanov and information on how to train your dog using the Training Without Conflict® system, check out: https://trainingwithoutconflict.comhttps://malinois.comhttps://premierprotectiondogs.comPlease like, comment, and share with your dog friends💪🏼

Training Without Conflict® Podcast Episode Eighteen: Jany BöhmLast month we had the privilege of working with Jany Böhm over a series of workshops at my place in Florida.During that time, we had truly amazing training, but more importantly got to know each other as friends. In this great conversation, we were able to discuss many things about IGP dogsport, helper work, past and future dogs, and stories about competitions in the past. For those who don’t know him, Jany Böhm is one of the most decorated figures in IGP dogsport. He is most well known for being a world class helper that has been selected to be the helper for many World Championships including the upcoming FMBB World Championship in Romania. However, Jany has had great success as a competitor as well. He was Vice World Champion at the FCI Championship in 2016 with his dog Forny, and has placed in the top 10 several times at World Championships. He has also won multiple National Championships in his home country of the Czech Republic. I hope you all enjoy this fantastic conversation!For more information about Jany Böhm, check out: https://www.instagram.com/janybohm/Ivan Balabanov is a 2-time World Champion dog trainer, Ot Vitosha Malinois breeder, trainer of Premier Protection Dogs and founder of the revolutionary Training Without Conflict® dog training system.For more information about Ivan Balabanov and information on how to train your dog using the Training Without Conflict® system, check out: https://trainingwithoutconflict.comhttps://malinois.comhttps://premierprotectiondogs.comPlease like, comment, and share with your dog friends💪🏼

Susan Garrett, a world champion dog agility trainer and expert in reinforcement-based training, joins for an engaging talk about dog training philosophies. They explore the evolution from traditional to positive reinforcement methods, emphasizing the importance of understanding dog motivation. The conversation dives into the complexities of training high-drive dogs and the emotional impact of various training techniques. They also discuss the ethical implications of using different training tools, advocating for compassionate approaches that prioritize the well-being of dogs.

Training Without Conflict® Podcast Episode Sixteen: Mia SkogsterRecently, Mia visited us in Florida for 4 weeks to teach a seminar and have some great training with me and my team.We had an absolutely amazing conversation about our history in IGP, thoughts on Malinois breeding and selection, how our training approaches differ, the current state of IGP, how the dog training community needs to unite for the betterment of all dogs, and many other incredible topics. Mia is one of the most decorated trainers in IGP dog sport, having won 2 World Championships, 2 Vice World Championships, and has been on the podium at the World Championships 6 total times. Mia frequently get V scores (over 97 points) in obedience in World Championship competition, and is one of the extremely rare trainers that has received a perfect 100 points for obedience at the World Championship level. To say Mia is a great trainer is an understatement.She also teaches seminars around the world, has an online learning platform (Inspire Ur Dog), and recently released a book that is going to be released in English in the very near future. The reasons for having Mia on the podcast are obvious.I hope you enjoy this podcast as much as we enjoyed the conversation!For more information about Mia Skogster, check out:https://inspireurdog.fi/https://www.working-dog.com/user/Mia-Skogster-2939https://www.instagram.com/inspireurdogtrainingIvan Balabanov is a 2-time World Champion dog trainer, Ot Vitosha Malinois breeder, trainer of Premier Protection Dogs and founder of the revolutionary Training Without Conflict® dog training system.For more information about Ivan Balabanov and information on how to train your dog using the Training Without Conflict® system, check out: https://trainingwithoutconflict.comhttps://malinois.comhttps://premierprotectiondogs.comPlease like, comment, and share with your dog friends!

Training Without Conflict Podcast Episode Fifteen: Dr. Michael PeroneIn this episode, Ivan Balabanov takes a deep dive into the role of Operant Learning in animal behavior with Professor of Behavioral Analysis, Dr. Michael Perone. Dr. Perone has been actively involved in the experimental analysis of operant behavior for over 30 years. An area of ongoing concern is how to translate the concepts and procedures of the animal laboratory to the analysis of human behavior.In this podcast, Ivan gets the answers to many tough questions that have been facing the dog training industry for decades. Ivan is able to get much greater clarity about the roles the 4 quadrants of Operant Conditioning play in animal learning from a practicing animal behaviorist that is still running and completing studies on animals presently.With Dr. Perone's help, Ivan debunks some of the myths surrounding positive punishment, negative reinforcement, positive reinforcement, and negative punishment. The discussion also delves into some of the "non-aversive" practices utilized by the force free movement such as "time outs" and negative punishment, while unraveling the propaganda surrounding "learned helplessness".Ivan also gets great insight into one of Dr. Michael Perone's most popular published studies, titled "Negative Effects of Positive Reinforcement" (2003)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2731445/Dr. Perone received his Ph.D. degree in psychology in 1981 from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, after which he held a faculty position at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (1982-1984). Ivan Balabanov is a 2-time World Champion dog trainer, Ot Vitosha Malinois breeder, trainer of Premier Protection Dogs and founder of the revolutionary Training Without Conflict® dog training system.For more information about Ivan Balabanov and information on how to train your dog using the Training Without Conflict® system, check out: https://trainingwithoutconflict.comhttps://malinois.comhttps://premierprotectiondogs.comPlease like, comment, and share with your dog friends!

The Real Facts About Science Based Dog Training: A Training Without Conflict® PodcastArguments about dog training are reaching a boiling point and I decided it’s time for someone to take a significant stand against the constant propaganda and misinformation that gets spread through social media.Scientific research that starts with a conclusion and works backwards to prove it is a dangerous and unethical practice. When scientific research is cherry-picked to fit a narrative, it leads to a distorted understanding, because only the evidence that supports a pre-existing believes is considered. Such research undermines the trust in science and experts, dog trainers easily recognize bias and question the validity of findings. It's time to move away from bans, as they're ineffective and have never achieved the desired outcomes. Instead, let's come together and work towards advancing the field of dog training, free from the constraints and extreme views of any particular group!For the video version of this podcast, please check out:https://youtu.be/XjHTivWiqT8Ivan Balabanov is a 2-time World Champion dog trainer, Ot Vitosha Malinois breeder, trainer of Premier Protection Dogs and founder of the revolutionary Training Without Conflict® dog training system.For more information about Ivan Balabanov and information on how to train your dog using the Training Without Conflict® system, check out: https://trainingwithoutconflict.comhttps://malinois.comhttps://premierprotectiondogs.comPlease like, comment, and share with your dog friends!