Episode 120. Training That Feels Like Play: The Power of Pattern Games with Angie Haines Madden

Whether you’re looking for something fun to do with your dog or if you need help with a behavior issue, Control Unleashed might be exactly the training class you’re looking for.

Today, I’m joined by Angie Haines Madden of DogSpeak Training — the trainer my dogs and I have been working with through online Control Unleashed classes over the past several months. 

A former zookeeper, Angie shares what drew her to the Control Unleashed methodology (developed by Leslie McDevitt) and how it shapes her approach to dog training.

I'll be honest — I was skeptical about taking an online training class at first. But it didn’t take long to see why Angie’s style of teaching works so well. Together, we talk about the power of learning from others, why recording your training sessions is so important (hint: it’s all about body language!), and how transformative these skills can be.

While my original goal was simply to find something fun to do with Nessie, I quickly discovered that Control Unleashed offers so much more than just games. Angie and I discuss how adaptable the Pattern Games are for a variety of real-world situations, and I share some of the ways we’ve incorporated them into our daily lives.

You'll also get to hear an impromptu coaching session, as Angie helps me work through a challenge Nessie and I are still facing — and why teaching your dog to relax is more important than you may realize.

Angie & I discuss:

  • Angie’s winding career path to dog trainer and what being a zookeeper taught her about dog training;

  • How she learned about the Control Unleashed style of training;

  • What is Control Unleashed?

  • Why Angie’s style of Control Unleashed works so well in an online format;

  • How much we can learn about our dog’s body language by watching videos of our training exercises;

  • Why relaxation is an important skill for dogs;

  • A brief coaching session with Erin regarding why Nessie has a difficult time relaxing during training;

  • How to know when you dog isn’t ready to do a pattern game and what that tells you as the pet parent;

  • Various ways that Erin has used the pattern games with her dogs;

  • Positive training without a clicker

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