Your dog loves toys. So why is toy training still a struggle?

A lot of dogs love chasing, grabbing, and carrying toys. But loving toys and knowing how to play with a human are not the same thing. If your dog runs off with toys, plays keep-away, struggles to return them, or gets so excited they stop thinking, you're not alone.

In this episode, I sit down with Shade Whitesel to talk about toy play, reinforcement, and what she prioritizes when bringing a new puppy or dog into her life. We use my young Malinois, Bree, as an example and explore the skills that matter most during those early months.

One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is that great toy play doesn't happen by accident. Shade views toy skills as something we actively build and develop, c ...