Today's Topic:   Despite having access to all the information we could ever want on how to train your puppy via the internet, just like anything else these days, there is a lot of outdated, old-fashioned, and just plain wrong information out there on how to train your puppy effectively.  This, of course, doesn't mean that those disseminating this information are doing so deliberatively or maliciously, as we are all products of the environments we grew up in, and if we really thought about it, we might discover that we hold a set of beliefs and facts about a variety of different things that are wildly inaccurate and/or outdated.

That's why we invited Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA), Certified Separation Anxiety Pro Trainer (SAPT), and the founder of Paws For Thought Dog Training, Maddie Messina, to the podcast, to discuss her professional journey, the Instagram Reel on Puppy Training Myths that led to us discovering her, the disconnect between the vet world and the animal behavior world, how both Tanya and Maddie emotionally and functionally handle the deluge of puppy training myths out there, and of course, a few popular puppy training myths, including whether to shove a puppy's snout into their poo or pee to potty train them, whether our pupz pee and poo out of spite, whether early socialization is ok, and whether letting your puppy greet other dogs on leash counts as good socialization, and so much more!

Guest Bio: Maddie Messina earned a BS in Animal Behavior from Bucknell University and a Master's in Animal Behavior and Conservation from Hunter College. She is a certified separation anxiety trainer and dog trainer. She credits her animal behavior studies for helping her to broaden her understanding of why our dogs perform behaviors and how to more successfully approach behavior change with that perspective in mind.

Maddie is an animal behavior expert with 7+ years of formal training in canine body language and behavior in the private dog training and shelter world. She specializes in difficult-to-resolve behavioral issues for city-dwelling dogs and preventative training for puppies and adolescents. When working with clients, she places a strong priority on building guardian knowledge and grasp of complex training concepts.

Connect With Maddie Messina:

• Website
• Instagram
• Email
• Text

Mentioned Links:

• Potty Training Log (Free Download)
• Puddle and Pile App (iOS; Android)