The Everyday Trainer Podcast

Start the year with a training reset that actually fits real life. We lay out a practical vision for 2026: less bashing between camps, more education, and a class model built for consistency. Instead of forcing rigid rules that fall apart on hard weeks, we show how to meet owners where they are, build trust, and add tools later when it makes sense. The throughline is sustainability—habits you’ll keep because they’re simple, fair, and aligned with how you live.We break down why variety matters and how a gym-style schedule keeps both dogs and humans engaged. Reactivity classes focus on early interruption and neutrality, obedience sessions sharpen markers and play, detection taps into real nosework, and guided pack hikes bring nature back into the routine. You’ll hear how small, repeatable skills—shuffle back, pay, reset—turn panic into a plan, and why those reps create calm confidence faster than any quick fix.We also take on the myth that a flat, silent dog is a well-trained dog. Training shouldn’t crush personality. By channeling drive, rewarding curiosity, and teaching clean off-switch behavior, you can keep your dog’s spark while gaining real control. That balance is where owners rediscover joy: an off-leash hike in the morning, a cafe settle at lunch, crisp heel work at class, and a happy dog who still lights up for play.Under it all is community. Weekly sessions turn effort into a habit, reduce isolation for reactive dog owners, and lift everyone’s standards. We’re building a space in Upland, east of LA, where people feel seen and dogs get the outlets they deserve. If you want training that lasts beyond a boot camp and a dog who stays fully alive, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review with your top training goal for 2026.Visit us on the website here to see what we've got going on and how you can join our pack of good dogs and owners.

Fear doesn’t mean stop; it usually means go. Meg sits down with trainer and coach Oscar Mora to trace the real path from a steady aerospace paycheck to a ranch built for teaching, trialing, and building a club where honest feedback and consistent reps change both dogs and handlers. We talk about the moment his wife said “it’s time,” the practical signs he watched before quitting, and how discomfort became a compass for growth rather than a reason to freeze.From there we dive into the craft. Oscar breaks down why pet skills and sport skills speak the same language—clean markers, fair criteria, and rewards that match the dog in front of you. He lays out how to get into sport without weekly decoy access by focusing on obedience, neutrality, and structured play. We explore off-breeds in sport, what a Corso can teach a handler about patience and pressure, and how finishing something with the dog you have often builds more skill than endlessly chasing a “perfect” prospect.Puppy selection gets specific: confidence over defensiveness, love of chase, possession, and full grips. For dogs with too much gas, he explains how to install breaks early so the dog can think under conflict—like clearing a jump with a toy screaming from behind. We get candid about social media pressure, why trainers should serve clients instead of peers, and how a culture of private, constructive critique grows people faster than public takedowns. Most importantly, we show how play isn’t just fun; it’s a system for building engagement, solving reactivity, and turning stress into skills that hold up in real life.Stick around for details on Oscar’s upcoming course, a free newsletter that translates training videos into step-by-step takeaways, and a two-day play workshop on February 21–22 in Upland designed for pet owners and aspiring sport handlers alike. If this conversation helps you, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a quick review—then tell us the one skill you’re training this week.To sign up for Oscar's upcoming workshops, check out his website here.Visit us on the website here to see what we've got going on and how you can join our pack of good dogs and owners.

Leash meltdowns aren’t random—they’re rehearsed. We pull back the curtain on what “reactivity” really means, why barriers like leashes and fences supercharge emotion, and how to swap chaos for structure without crushing your dog’s spirit. We map the two major lanes of reactivity—overarousal versus fear—then connect them to what’s happening inside the body, from dopamine-fueled excitement to cortisol-driven stress. That biology lesson turns into timing and tactics you can use today.We start at home, not on the sidewalk. You’ll learn a simple marker-based game that opens and closes a training window, plus why tethering is a crucial skill for teaching calm under restraint. We share step-by-step ways to build reliable loose-leash walking in low-distraction spaces, then show how to move from management to real behavior change. When and how should you layer tools for clarity? Why are forced sits and tight leashes making things worse? How can a flexi line help you test choices safely in open areas? We answer it all, with examples from Bella’s progress and Muffin’s spicy genetics.Along the way, we talk emotion in training, why precision can wait, and how structure builds confidence in anxious dogs. If dog parks and on‑leash greetings have been fueling your problem, you’ll leave with a practical plan: short engagement loops, crate and tether reps, movement over standoffs, and controlled exposures that don’t reward barking. Plus, we share facility news, new classes in Upland and San Diego, a community holiday party and giving tree, and details on an upcoming seminar with our mentor Oscar focused on markers, communication, and play.If this helped reframe your dog’s outbursts, tap follow, share with a friend who’s struggling, and leave a quick review telling us what you’ll try first. Your questions for Oscar are next—send them our way.Visit us on the website here to see what we've got going on and how you can join our pack of good dogs and owners.

The fastest way to a reliable recall isn’t a bigger treat pouch—it’s a cleaner language. We break down a simple system that teaches dogs to look back, come in, and shut off pressure, starting with two markers: “get it” to send away and “yes” to call back. Once that loop is automatic, we layer the e-collar over the turning moment so the sensation becomes meaningful and predictable. The result is a dog that chooses you, even when the world gets loud.We also draw clear lines between heel and with me. Different sides, different bubbles, different payoff zones. That clarity matters because accountability only works when the rule is knowable. We show how to use a flexi leash to mimic off-leash freedom, when to tap vs hold, and how to stop living at low levels the dog ignores. Instead of nagging, we teach first with leash and food, then correct for breaking known commands. That shift tightens heel, sharpens recall, and keeps sessions upbeat and fair.Reactivity? We tackle it from the ground up. Build engagement at home, rehearse calm returns near triggers, and correct the choice to leave position—never “shock the reactivity” first. We share practical steps for door barking too: a brief hold to interrupt, release on quiet, then a calm scatter to reset state. Add in smart victory laps at the end of play to vent drive without losing focus, and you’ll feel the whole system click. Want more help dialing levels, timing markers, and shaping criteria that stick? Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a better recall, and leave a review with your top training question so we can coach it next.Visit us on the website here to see what we've got going on and how you can join our pack of good dogs and owners.

A wet dog smell with no dog. A food bowl scraping the ground after it’s been packed away. A bed dipping to make space for four familiar paws. Our Halloween special dives into the most compelling Reddit stories about ghost dogs—some tender, some chilling, all unforgettable—and asks what these moments might mean for people who loved a pet and had to let go.We start with a skeptic’s tale that ties rain, timing, and a suitcase full of mysteriously soaked clothes to a beloved spaniel who “found” her human and led him home. From there, we share a series of intimate accounts: a dream that delivered a goodbye before the phone rang, a late-night closet disturbance that left someone frozen in a trance, and the eerie comfort of a guardian dog who reappears to lick tears and calm a shaken child. We also step onto the trail of the Black Dog of Hanging Hills in Connecticut, exploring how folklore, shared perception, and the outdoors amplify the uncanny.As trainers and dog people, we balance belief with behavioral insight. Why do dogs stare at corners, growl down stairwells, or bark past your shoulder as if someone’s standing behind you? We talk sensory triggers, patterns, and grief’s imprints—while acknowledging that some events resist neat explanations. You’ll hear practical Halloween safety reminders for living pups too: crate or tether at the door, manage greetings, keep chocolate and wrappers out of reach, and update IDs.If you’ve ever felt a familiar weight settle at your feet or heard tags jingle in an empty hall, you’ll feel seen here. Press play for a thoughtful blend of folklore, training perspective, and heart. Then tell us your story—subscribe, share with a friend who loves dogs, and leave a review with your take: comforting visitation or just a very good ghost?Visit us on the website here to see what we've got going on and how you can join our pack of good dogs and owners.