I’ve been listening to DogSpeak for several years and tell all my friends with dogs about them! I just got my first puppy and have been binge listening to all the puppy content, leash walking episodes, etc. I love that they train with positive reinforcement - I had no idea there was a better way to train dogs until DogSpeak. They truly are one of a kind!

I am binge listening to this show!! Finally people I can trust for all things dog!

I have been desperately looking for insightful information since adopting a very challenging rescue 6 weeks ago. This podcast fits the bill! I love the in-depth treatment of topics as well as the HUGE respect for dogs the hosts and guests obviously have. My girl and I are working with trainer; we’re making progress and the information and perspective I am getting from the podcast is helping me better understand and modify the training to what’s best for us. So glad I found it!

We are so happy our mom and dad found this podcast! They did everything wrong before they learned so many helpful tips, techniques, and informative info about training, health and nutrition, and building a better relationship with us! Now, instead of getting yelled at for doing stuff we didn’t know was wrong, we get lots of ‘good boys’ and ‘good girls’, we get to do fun stuff with toys and puzzles, lots more yummy treats, and best of all, we’re not nearly so grumpy and reactive! Everybody is so much happier at our house and we don’t have nearly as many fights with each other as we used to! They’re only human, so they’re still a work in progress, but they’re trying really hard to make us happy, healthy dogs! Keep giving out the good info! - Odie, Marshal, and Dolly 🐾🐾🐾

I love this podcast because it emphasizes how to build a good relationship with your dog instead of mindless obedience, tricks and skills. Communication on a deeper level with your dog is what creates good behavior and boundaries. I don’t do everything they recommend for example, I do use a slip lead. Because the breeder told me it was important in case my dog got spooked. And he actually prefers this instead of a flat collar and a regular leash. I respect my dog. And he listens to me because I listen to him. I appreciate this episode about prong collars etc… it’s my experience, the most dogs in prong collars have some aggression towards other dogs. However, I have seen Large powerful dogs break away from their owners while wearing harnesses. So the conversation continues…. Keep listening!

Even if people don’t use all of the techniques this podcast is great. Nikki will remind you that your expectations of how your dog should act are unreasonable unless you’ve taken the time to teach them how you want them to behave in a given situation. Thanks Nikki for reminding us all that dogs will be dogs and their failings are our failings. It is hard to raise a puppy and it’s nice of you to share your wealth of knowledge.

I am a anything dog podcast junkie and have participated in an impressive amount of in-person and online dog training programs! I am not one to leave a rating or review or even as much as a “like” for any content. The DogSpeak Podcast resonated so much I ended up traveling from Wisconsin to Nashville for one of their weekend reactive dog workshops. It did not disappoint! I can honestly recommend all the DogSpeak podcast episodes. I particularly like when Nikki’s partner, Britteny, participates in the conversations. Of course, I like the balance of the experience trainer vs dog guardian perspective, but the honest, down-to-earth, unfiltered content makes it the best podcast!

I’ll sum it up: my dogs used to run AWAY from me and now they run TO me! In just 4 months, I have seen major improvements on their leash manners, reactivity, recall, and the overall mood in our home. As I write this review, one pup is resting next to me on the sofa and the other is licking my face, both behaviors I have now learned I can allow! We are such a calmer and happier family. 💗 Thank you!

Nikki and Britteny are a great podcast team. Their shows are funny and down to earth, and sometimes a little rambling but always in a good way. (Might be a Southern thing - hang in there Northerners, you'll be glad you did!) I haven't had a puppy in over 20 years and I only knew the old ways of corrections and obedience for dog training. My rescue pup is so much more calm and easygoing now that I've stopped being a dictator and started letting her make a few decisions every day. Instead of going for "my" exercise walk, we now do her sniffy walks - she determines the direction and speed, and stops to sniff the ground or smell the air all she wants. She's getting less actual exercise but is much more relaxed the rest of the day now. I work from home so it's important that she's relaxed and quiet for most of the day, with dog time in the mornings and evenings. Being part (or all) terrier I thought she would have needed much more exercise. I appreciate all that goes into making these podcasts and I'm telling all my fellow dog owners to tune in. All the episodes have valuable intel, the ones with experts and the ones without. And Britteny is a wonderful co-host! My all time favorite episode so far is the one with Steve - he should be in comedy. His humility and willingness to learn new ways is expressed in hilarious form. I'm proud to be a Dogspeak Geek. 😃

I really enjoy this podcast. I feel it is a mix of topics and positive information for the dog owner and experienced dog trainer. I am also so happy to see that they encourage you to deepen your relationship with your dog in a positive way! Thanks for all you do!!! It’s very much appreciated!!!

The only reason I rated it 2 stars instead of 1 is because some of the things said here made me laugh. Positive reinforcement by definition is only effective in teaching behavior. It is the BEST for teaching dogs how to do something new. it cannot eliminate unwanted behavior. Everyone speaking in this podcast must have never successfully dealt with a truly aggressive dog before. Or maybe those are the dogs that they suggest to their clients to put down because they are “too aggressive “. Just listen to the episode about bully behavior. All they do is bash balance training without giving any real solutions. Their arguments also make zero sense. This training will end up getting more dogs put in shelters and more dogs killed then probably any other training method.

I’ve found this podcast to be very helpful in helping me to understand our in-person puppy training classes which use a similar positive reinforcement, gentle approach. The hosts are knowledgeable and very sweet and funny, too!

Love the advice! Love how “REAL” Nikki is. Love the focus on positive rather than aversive training. I have so much more confidence as a dog owner from listening to this podcast.

I am so glad I discovered this podcast by doing a dog/podcast search. I listen to EVERY episode. I like the common sense approach, the acceptance that dogs are dogs and people are people and we’re just trying to figure out how to do this thing together. Nikki and Britney and other guests have helped me fall in love with my JoJo and let go of worries about the ways he may not have all the skills down pat. I appreciate also the way the conversation isn’t ALL dog, but goes to the personal, and to the trainers’ own struggles and humanity. I’ve learned a lot and find this podcast to be so generous and compelling.

Nikki and her practice and principles will challenge and change how one thinks (and even what one thinks they know) about dogs. It’s been wonderfully enlightening working with her and my dogs.

Highly recommend to anyone interested in dog behavior, training, etc. Each episode is packed with insights and wisdom that could only from decades of personal experience. Thank you for providing all this useful information for free!!! ❤️

I am obsessed with listening to this podcast! I love the format of the episodes - every episode feels like I am a part of an informative and constructive conversation about dog behavior and training. I have learned so much, there are so many great topics being discussed and with great detail it’s not just high level concepts but tangible advice that I can use immediately (and I literally have since I listen while I walk my dog every morning) I can’t recommend this podcast enough!! Please check it out!

I’ll be honest, I had 4 dogs and basically had a live and let live attitude with them. As far as training, I had previously felt the strictly positive reinforcement model was naive about dogs with strong personalities. Well after adopting my fifth dog, the youngest I have had, a different breed than my previous 4, and a stray…I was quickly humbled realizing that live and let live was NOT going to work with this dog that is large and territorial, not generally trusting of people, and beginning to display reactive tendencies. I also knew in my gut that this dog would not respond to strong arm tactics from humans. I started educating myself and Nikki’s podcast immediately opened my eyes to how I should approach training and also my dog in general. We immediately started implementing her training tips: never yelling at the dog, making sure he was getting all types of enrichment, play, structure, respecting his space, working with him instead of forcing, etc. It has been a little over a month since we got him and the change has been remarkable and rewarding. He has a lot of work to do, but I feel so proud of his progress considering we are so early on in the relationship. I have no doubt that if we had gone with heavy-handed tactics with this “alpha” dog, we would have perhaps toned down some behavior immediately, but also set ourselves up for a potentially dangerous incident, and definitely would not be experiencing the rapid acceleration of bonding from a breed that is not quick to warm up to people. I am so grateful for this resource as it seems local dog trainers are hard to get a hold of and I wanted to make sure he bonded with the household before we brought in a 3rd party anyway.

I’m so obsessed with this podcast and I’m so excited to hear the next podcast .

So happy Nikki started a podcast! I hired her to help with my dog a few years back and love that I still get her training advice now that I’ve moved states away. Thanks for sharing all of your amazing knowledge and passion for pups Nikki!!

Had the pleasure of having Nikki come out to the house and help us with our puppy. Always been a cat person and last dog I had I adopted when she was older so puppy was a new ball game. I had the puppy blues prior to meeting Nikki. My partner and I have 2 cats and one only has three legs and puppy wanted to be friends so bad. I lacked skills and confidence to even approach this. Nikki came in and taught my partner how to communicate with our pup. Pup is doing amazing and learning to leave Tripod alone and give her space instead of all the kisses. Truly grateful for DogSpeak and love this podcast. I can say that my partner and I are confident pup parents now and so is our pup because of the knowledge Nikki gave us and the work we continue to put in daily.

I love how much I learn from each episode and how DogSpeak 101 helps me be a better human for my pups!