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Denise Fenzi

@denise_fenzi

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Writing, teaching, learning, playing, thinking....Click my link and see ALL THE THINGS including Fenzi Dog Sports Academy, books, etc

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A common pushback on R+ by traditional horse trainers is: “you need to teach your horse to handle pressure by using it in your training.”
I was told this directly by a horse person I admire, and it challenged me. I spent a ton of time considering this, and even did use aversives and pressure for a short time with Cupcake. Thankfully I quickly discovered that it is not necessary. @denise_fenzi and other awesome trainers at @fenzidogsportsacademy gave me words to describe why this isn’t necessary: “our animals (dogs or horses) experience aversives (stress, pressure, things they don’t like), every day. They can learn to deal with it in their life. We don’t have to ADD it.”
My horses do not have a perfect life. Things happen to them that they do not like. I try to make their life great, but I also don’t sacrifice my entire life and enjoyment to move the needle on their welfare from “excellent” to “nothing-bad-ever-happens-ever.” That isn’t even possible, and I try not to worry about it too much (still working on that, lol!)
Caveat!! If you are training for a high pressure environment (such as a competition, especially a big competition), you do need to expose your horse to pressure… but SLOWLY, at a pace that does not result in it being experienced as aversive (or as minimally aversive as possible!) Also through Fenzi, I have seen training that counter-conditions “pressure” and gets dogs to love it!!
(Many great R+ horse trainers also teach these concepts, AND I’ve heard Fenzi trainers refer to horse concepts about pressure that they’ve learned from! I’m just personally thankful to Fenzi for getting me through this mental blocker years ago!)
#clickertraininghorses #positivereinforcementhorsetraining #positivehorsetraining #equineclickertraining

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The @canisconference wasn’t like any other, it brought together professionals from the fields of veterinary sciences, dog sports, shelter and rescue work, dog training and behaviour.

Learning came in the form of fantastic presentations and demonstrations from the speakers as well as from my fellow attendees. It’s a privilege to learn from others that have also dedicated their lives to helping dogs and their guardians.

I still can’t believe I got to meet @patriciamcconnellphd ! She was beyond kind and signed my very well loved copy of her book that has been such an important part of my journey for the last decade ❤️

A HUGE thank you to @michaelshikashio for bringing us together for #canis2026. An incredible event driven by compassion, connection and most importantly kindness.

The science of canine behaviour is constantly evolving, and I believe that being a good trainer means evolving with it. Staying curious, challenging what we think we know, and learning from experts across different fields is how we continue to do better for our dogs.

#canis2026 #CANISConference #DogBehavior #dogtraining

It’s safe to say the honour was all mine!

Some (just some 😅) of my favorite highlights:

@denise_fenzi demonstrated how we can use contact heeling as a tool when dealing with complex behaviours.

@familydogmediation and @getfloof spoke powerfully on what actually is welfare when it comes to dogs.

@kimanddogs showed us how pattern games and the power of predictability can help anxious and reactive dogs.

@lorehaug The fascinating connection between the gut microbiome and behaviour, and the science of exercise. The eternal question - How much is really enough for our dogs?

Dr. Daniel Mills - Understanding the emotional basis of aggression and how pain and discomfort often go undiagnosed.

@rallyfree4all - The art of shaping and errorless learning.

@doggeek Understanding sound sensitivity in dogs and how we can help them.

@cbwing.art The POWER of play!

@sytheauthor A beautiful and moving closing speech about her life and everything animals have taught her.

What I loved most was how these topics all connected back to a deeper understanding of our dogs - their

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An amazing event with incredible speakers, organizers, and exhibitors. I got to fan girl over the @fenzidogsportsacademy team and see some memorable dogs in action (oh, Roy!).
My brain is full and my heart is happy….and I’m ready to get home to my dog. 😁 #canisconference2026 #dogtraining #apdtmember #keeplearning

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"Who do you want to be? How do you want to be remembered? That is my compass, and I use it every single day." Denise Fenzi

During our panel on The Art of Constructive Disagreement in a Divided Industry, host Carmaleta Aufderheide asked Denise Fenzi, founder of Fenzi Dog Sports Academy, what she means when she talks about finding your compass.

For Denise, it is the biggest picture of all. She wants to be kind, honest, open, and to help move our industry forward. So before she posts, comments, or responds to someone, she asks herself one simple question: is this who I want to be?

Her warning? When we let a group decide what we are supposed to think, we risk losing ourselves. Your compass is about how YOU go through this world, not how anyone else does.

Huge thanks to Denise and our fantastic panel, Joshua Beckler, Aaron Louis, and Mattison Skoog-Simpson, hosted by Carmaleta Aufderheide.

#CANISConference #CANIS2026 #FiveStagesOneBuilding

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🐾❤️ THIS is what makes conferences like CANIS so special!

One of the highlights of this week has been finally getting to meet Denise Fenzi and Josh from K9 Optima in person! Such great people, and I've genuinely enjoyed getting to know them and having some meaningful conversations.

One thing I've learned over the years is that you just can't replace face-to-face connections. Social media is great, but let's be real... the online world isn't always the real world! 😉

There's something incredibly valuable about dog professionals coming together, sharing experiences, exchanging ideas, and having REAL conversations.

And it hasn't just been these two! I've connected and reconnected with so many amazing people this week.

CANIS has been an incredible experience for me and Heather's Heroes, and a great reminder of why getting out from behind our screens and connecting in person matters so much! ❤️🐕

#CANISConference #HeathersHeroes #DogTrainingCommunity #DogProfessionals #K9Cowgirl

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Disagreement does not have to divide us. 🤝

Thank you to our incredible panel for an honest and much-needed conversation on The Art of Constructive Disagreement. Denise Fenzi, Joshua Beckler, Aaron Louis, and Mattison Skoog-Simpson brought four distinct voices to the stage, and host Carmaleta Aufderheide guided us through tough questions about polarization, respect, and what it really takes to collaborate across our differences.

The future of our field depends on conversations like this one. One industry. One conversation.

#CANIS2026 #CANISConference #FiveStagesOneBuilding

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And once again, my various worlds overlap. Fantastic panel on constructive disagreement in the profession at @canisconference #canisconference2026 . #DogTraining #DogTrainerLife #DisputeResolution #Mediation

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Figure 8s…we had a few notes. Nothing going back to foundations and reward placement can’t fix. Definitely need to play some focus games 🤣

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What happens when a bunch of dog behavior people get thrown together? They eat and look at each others’ pet photos.
It was nice to meet internet pals and make new friends. Thank you Mike for taking time out of your busy schedule to hang out.

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Feeling so recharged 😅

#dogsports #dogtraining #fenzidogsportsacademy

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HFRT — Human Functional Reinforcement Training.

I created this framework to help reduce conflict between dogs and the people training them by identifying what the dog is actually trying to access, then teaching the behavior that earns it.

In this example, Milo wants access to the hose.

Instead of focusing only on stopping the barking and whining, HFRT asks a different question:

What behavior can we reinforce that still allows the dog to access the thing they want?

For Milo, that means going to his bed and settling earns access to the hose.

The goal isn’t just to suppress behavior. It’s to teach the dog a clearer, more functional path to reinforcement.

Follow along if you want to learn how to apply this framework with your own dog.

I’ll also be releasing additional HFRT (Access Training) resources, free webinars, examples, and educational content in the near future — and we’re currently developing a full online course around the framework. Thank you @denise_fenzi and @deedskaren for introducing me to the circle exercise at the Reactive Dog Workshop at the FDSA Ranch last summer. That work helped plant the seed for where some of this has evolved today.
#outofthebark #dogtraining #livermoredowntown #positivereinforcement #germanshepherd

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Panel Spotlight: The Art of Constructive Disagreement

Let's talk about something the dog training world does not always do well: disagreeing with each other.

Our field has never had more voices, more methods, and more opinions, and it has never felt more divided by them. "The Art of Constructive Disagreement" brings four distinct perspectives together for an honest conversation about industry infighting, polarization, and one big question: is our environment making us meaner?

Moderated by trainer and conflict resolution professional Carmaleta Aufderheide of Northstar Training Solutions, this panel features:

- Denise Fenzi, owner of Fenzi Dog Sports Academy
- Josh Beckler of K9 Optima
- Aaron Michael Louis, CEO of Barks & Bonds, LLC
- Mattison Skoog-Simpson of Freed by Training

This is not a session about picking a side. It is a session about what we owe each other, and the dogs we all serve, when we disagree.

Catch it live Friday, October 9, 3:45 to 5:15 PM, streaming to every stage and available on the livestream and main stage.

#CANISConference #CANIS2026 #FiveStagesOneBuilding

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