TWC Podcast
Follow Ivan as he takes a deep dive into the mind of dogs with the help of incredible guests that will change your outlook on dog training
episodes
Listen to in-depth discussions with a wide variety of trainers and animal health experts
Special Episode
Variable Reinforcement is a LIE
Slot Machines Don’t Train Dogs! What if everything you’ve been told about variable reinforcement is only half the story? Dog trainers and psychologists love to say, “Switch to variable reinforcement, it’s like a slot machine, that’s how behaviors stick.” But here’s the truth: that analogy is flawed, incomplete, and in training, often misleading. In this episode, Ivan Balabanov breaks down: -Why the slot machine comparison fails in dog training. -When is Continuous Reinforcement actually more powerful? -How to use extinction bursts as a tool to sharpen behaviors. -Why barking, whining, and nipping aren’t “disobedience” but feedback. -The difference between keeping behaviors alive vs. making them bulletproof. Dogs aren’t pigeons in Skinner boxes. They aren’t gamblers at slot machines. Real training is about clarity, joy, precision, and connection — not random paychecks. If you’re serious about dog training, this episode will challenge what you’ve been told and show you how to think beyond the textbook.
Special Episode
Errorless Learning and LIFE Critique
If Errorless Learning was the greatest breakthrough in how animals—or humans—learn, why hasn’t it taken over education? It’s been over 60 years since it was introduced. If it really worked, wouldn’t our schools, colleges, and universities have adopted it by now? In this solo podcast, I break down two recent publications by Eduardo J. Fernandez: “Comparing trial-and-error to errorless learning procedures in training pet dogs a visual discrimination” and “The Least Inhibitive, Functionally Effective (LIFE) model: A new framework for ethical animal training practices” These aren’t scientific breakthroughs—they’re ideological maneuvers. Behind the friendly language and force-free branding lies a troubling pattern: rigging methodology, ignoring real-world complexity, and selling fantasy as welfare. I’ll explain why these ideas not only fail in practice—but are dangerous when taken seriously.
Episode 62
Larry Krohn
The first podcast I did with Larry Krohn was years ago, and it sparked a lot of debate around the e-collar. Since then, Larry has completed my Training Without Conflict® school, and through many conversations we’ve come to realize how much common ground we share. Today, we agree on nearly everything and hold a strong respect for one another. We’ve wanted to do a second podcast for quite some time, and our schedules finally aligned. The result is a 4+ hour conversation covering a wide range of dog training topics. This one isn’t about conflict, it’s about depth, clarity, and experience.
Episode 61
David Garcia Suarez
Back for a second round: FCI judge David Garcia Suarez joins me for another deep and at times provocative conversation, this time focused entirely on IGP. Did we go too far? Is IGP becoming the Pro Wrestling of dog sports? We dive into: • The evolution of rules and judging • How training styles have shifted over the last 10, 20, even 30 years • The influence of genetics on modern dogs • And where the sport is heading Whether you’re a competitor, trainer, or just a passionate observer, this episode pulls no punches. Let us know what you think, agree, disagree, or want to push the conversation further? Drop your thoughts in the comments.
Episode 60
Dr. Josef Witt-Doering
Training Without Conflict® Podcast Episode Sixty: Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring SSRIs, Dogs, and the Chemical Lobotomy No One Wants to Talk About - with Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Josef, a board-certified psychiatrist, former FDA medical officer, and one of the few voices brave enough to speak publicly about what SSRIs are really doing to people… and what that means for dogs. The so-called “safe and effective” narrative is crumbling. What we’re seeing instead are emotional numbness, cognitive damage, and permanent changes to the brain, and not just in humans. While the AVSAB continues to push SSRIs as a behavioral fix for dogs, the evidence of harm is mounting. In this conversation, we dismantle the myth of the “chemical imbalance,” and challenge the blind faith many trainers and veterinarians have placed in psychiatric drugs. If you’re a trainer, vet, or dog owner who cares about animal welfare, this is a conversation you can’t ignore.
