Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

The life stages our young sports dogs go through can come with dramatic changes and significant transitions - so what's normal? How do we decide what to prioritize? What are the current best practices when it comes to socialization? tinyurl.com/5n7anh3z

🐾 Puppyhood sets the stage for a lifetime.

Join Irith Bloom from @thesophisticateddog at the FDSA Life Stages: Puppies & Adolescents Online Conference as she shares how to make the most of your puppy’s socialization window.

📅 November 15th, 2025
🔗 Learn more & register here: tinyurl.com/yckbhn83

High-drive dogs can be a lot — but with the right play strategies, structure, and perspective, that wild energy becomes pure magic.

Learn how to manage the chaos, build connection through play, and fall in love with your “piranha” all over again. 💥

🎓 Details + registration 
👉 tinyurl.com/yckbhn83

Crystal Wing joins me for a conversation on how to build your training around a great relationship with your dog by balancing mindset and mechanics.

🎙️ Hosted by Melissa Breau

Listen to the full episode here: tinyurl.com/3ztjwjrw

🐶 Puppy • 🐕 Adolescent • 🐩 Adult • 🦮 Senior
✨ Tell us in the comments!
Countdown to our next One Day Conference: Life Stages — Puppies & Adolescents | November 15th 👉 tinyurl.com/yckbhn83

Puppies don’t stay puppies for long! 🐶

Join us for Life Stages: Puppies & Adolescents, a one-day online conference all about building confident, well-adjusted dogs through thoughtful socialization, smart reinforcement, and connection that lasts a lifetime.
tinyurl.com/yckbhn83

Ever have a situation where your dog refuses to move forward? In this episode Kathy Sdao and host, Melissa Breau, talk about what balking is, why we think dogs do it, and what we can do about it. Listen to the episode! tinyurl.com/36wdbfup

That stage where anyone is a playmate 😍

🎥 @eromitlabs

#doglover #puppy #labpuppies

Calling all pet parents & dog sport handlers! Dive into the vital stages of your dog’s life with our Life Stages: Puppies & Adolescents conference. Learn the tools to guide them from energetic pups to confident competitors and companions. Secure your spot today! tinyurl.com/yckbhn83

Join handler fitness trainer, Liz Joyce, and host, Melissa Breau, for a podcast all about how you can start — or restart — your fitness journey, gently. tinyurl.com/85dv72nz

For many teams, this level is where rally really gets exciting—but it can also feel a bit intimidating. The good news is that with the right training plan, you and your dog can tackle these signs with confidence and even have a lot of fun along the way.
Continue reading: tinyurl.com/3pp29vry

Tell us a time your dog made a mistake in training or in the ring. What did you take away from that experience?

🚨 Don’t miss out! 🚨
FDSA’s next day-long online conference is coming up fast — and this one is all about Bridging the Gap between training and competition!

📅 September 13th
🕘 Time: 9am–5pm PT
💻 Where: Online (join from your couch!)
💲 Cost: Just $89
👉 Register now at FDSA: tinyurl.com/yckbhn83

In Nosework, the standard advice is to reward at source — and I'm a huge proponent of that! Rewarding at source in the early stages builds strong value for our target odor and helps keep dogs locked in on the hide.
tinyurl.com/448ecs27

📅 September 26–28, 2025📍 Salisbury, MD
🚨 Don’t forget the deadlines:
Register by August 31st to guarantee your Camp swag
Final registration closes September 16th – after that, the doors close!
👉 Learn more about Camp and see the full schedule at fdsatrainingcamp.com

In this episode, we talk to Petra Ford, the 2025 National Obedience Champion, about her recent win and what it takes to compete at the top levels of obedience here in the US, how she approaches training, and more! tinyurl.com/49ez7bvu

Props like platforms, cones, gates, and bowls help define the space and expectations for your dog. Rather than guessing where they should be, your dog has a physical reference point to guide them into the correct position. Continue reading: tinyurl.com/53wb7ee6

If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. And no, your dog isn't being stubborn. They're simply not yet equipped to handle the real world. tinyurl.com/5s9pfrxr

Tracey McLennan joins us for a conversation on how her software background has informed her approach to dog training and led to her framework for smarter, faster, training progress. tinyurl.com/4fcb47bt

✨ Engagement isn’t something you demand.
It’s something you invite.
Want more? Check out FDSA's July 12th Focus & Engage Conference. tinyurl.com/yckbhn83

Looking to improve your relationship with your dog and improve your teamwork? In this episode, Crystal breaks down the factors that go into fostering that relationship in a healthy way. Listen to the latest episode wherever you get your podcasts! tinyurl.com/73v6tba6

The unofficial tutorial for getting that show-stopping ear flop in the rally ring 😍

Featuring FDSA Rally Obedience instructor Nicole Wiebusch and Excel the golden retriever!

If you're dreaming of crisp, precise heeling—this is your sign! Join Denise Fenzi for a step-by-step workshop on building heel position building on the pocket hand method. If you're looking to progress your heeling, this workshop is for you.
🎓 Register now: tinyurl.com/4p8dkh5c

@denise_fenzi is picking up where her now popularized Precision Heeling pocket hand method left off in this week’s workshop! tinyurl.com/4p8dkh5c

#dogsports #heeling #dogtreats #dogtraining

Join us for Focus & Engage, a one‑day online conference designed to deepen your dog’s focus, engagement, and performance through science‑based games and connection ⁠— all from home! tinyurl.com/yckbhn83

Do you find your dog tends to fall flat as you continue to raise criteria in training? Or maybe you have a dog that is SO enthusiastic that precision feels like an impossible dream? Join us for a conversation on balancing motivation and precision in your sports training. tinyurl.com/2dzazjcr

You can learn an awful lot online. However, it can be incredibly valuable to have somebody walk up, pick up your hand, place it in a certain place, and instruct you in real time. That's why FDSA Training Camp is unlike any of our other offerings. fdsatrainingcamp.com

💜 Congrats Lucy who returned to the dock last weekend after a long recovery from CCL surgery. Her best jump was 23 feet. Not bad for a 9 year old! 🎉

If you've found yourself thinking, "I'm gonna do that differently with the next puppy," or "Next time I'll do this perfectly," you're not alone. Listen to the episode: tinyurl.com/ye7dtrkb

Dopamine can be a game-changer in dog training! Learn about box feeding for building confidence: tinyurl.com/38a9nzze