E424: Michael Shikashio - Arousal and Aggression (Plus a Peek at CANIS 2026!)
Release Date: 08/29/2025
Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast
For our first ever dually published podcast episode (both as an audio podcast and on youtube as a video podcast!) we brought back our first ever guest — Denise! — and revisited the things we talked about 10 years ago in our first ever podcast episode. Together they talk about how Denise’s training philosophy has evolved, what it means to “Train the Dog in Front of You,” how training has impacted Denise’s approach to dealing with people, how her own fitness journey has led her to thinking about canine fitness differently, and more!
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Jennifer joins me to talk about the idea of impulse override and how it can help teach dogs to wait for their turn — an important skill in the field trials and hunt tests where she competes!
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Ever wondered how you approach teaching a dog to focus around distracting scents - things like bitch in season scent or trash on the side of the road? In this episode Shade and I discuss the way she handles scent distractions as a real life skill.
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Kim joins me this week to talk about the relationship between resilience and arousal. We talk about how control unleashed and freework can both help improve resilience and arousal management for dogs with big feelings.
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Fitness training can benefit dogs of all ages — but it should be adapted to meet the specific needs of the dog in front of us based on their health and their age. In this episode Kelly and I talk about how to adapt fitness training for puppies and seniors.
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Dr. Sue Yanoff specializes in canine sports medicine. In this episode we discuss the importance of getting an accurate diagnosis for canine sports injuries and how to advocate for your dog if the right diagnosis isn't immediately clear.
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Erin Lynes, Kim Palermo, Crystal Wing, and Denise Fenzi, all presenters from the upcoming one day conference on Building the Bond join me to talk about what goes into building a bond with a dog.
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Teaching your dog a recall just makes sense — but what about those situations when running to you might be more dangerous than staying put? In this episode, Julie makes the case for why an emergency stop is just as important... and the added benefits it can offer for sports dogs.
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In this episode Erin and I dive deep into the benefits of thoughtful movement through puzzle games and movement puzzles. Whether you have a dog who moves without thinking (adolescent labrador?) or a dog who needs to build confidence in movement, Erin argues this type of training offers significant benefits for sports and life.
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What's really going on when a dog competes in the breed ring? Ashley breaks down what judges look for, what we can do to help present our dogs in the best light, how training helps, and what the handler's job is, when competing in conformation.
info_outlineMichael Shikashio joins me for a conversation around the impact arousal has on aggression, and how we should think about the two when working on behavior cases... plus, he shares a bit of behind-the-scenes info on the planning for the 2026 CANIS conference!