Home Podcasts Training Without Conflict® | Dog Training Podcast
Training Without Conflict® | Dog Training Podcast

Training Without Conflict® | Dog Training Podcast

Training Without Conflict® 86 Episodes Jun 1, 2026

Training Without Conflict® is a dog training podcast hosted by Ivan Balabanov. With over 40 years of experience training and breeding working dogs, Ivan shares practical insights on dog behavior, obedience, aggression, reactivity, fear, motivation, drive, and real-world training results. Episodes include deep conversations with respected guests and clear explanations for dog owners and professional trainers who want serious learning without ideology.

Episodes

Episode 75: Aivo Oblikas Jun 1, 2026 02:46:37 If you're serious about tracking, this podcast is for you.Today I'm joined by Aivo Oblikas, a long-time student of tracking, respected judge, and someone who has spent decades analyzing what makes dogs successful on the track. Aivo has judged at the highest levels of the sport, including the FH World Championship and the FMBB IGP World Championship, giving him a unique perspective on both
Episode 74: FMBB World Champion Natalia Balabanov May 27, 2026 01:38:44 Behind every World Champion title there is a story people never see.The sleepless nights. The pressure. The doubts. The sacrifices. The moments where you wonder if all of it is worth it.Today Natalia joins me after becoming FMBB IGP World Champion to talk about the journey behind the title.We discuss what it really took to get there, the highs and lows of competing at the highest level, the mental
Reinforcement Works... Until It Doesn't... May 4, 2026 00:15:17 This video breaks down what an e-collar actually is and more importantly, how learning works when it matters most.You’ll see a live self-demo so you understand exactly what the stimulation feels like, and why control, timing, and contingency matter more than the tool itself.Some dogs do very well with positive reinforcement alone.But if you’ve been training for months or years and your dog is stil
Conditioned “NO” Beats Reward-Only Every Time Mar 6, 2026 00:14:22 Some dogs lock onto squirrels with full predatory intent, the kind that ignores treats, toys, and every force-free trick in the book.Desensitization, Counterconditioning or Predationsubstitutes? Yes, they work for play chasing... but fail hard when the drive isto kill. Once the dog is locked in, adrenaline wins, yourhigh-value rewards get out-bid.A simple "NO" paired with consequencebeco
Episode 73: Pierre Wahlstrom Feb 18, 2026 02:38:28 In this episode, I sit down with Pierre Wahlstrom, a lifelong officer in the Swedish Armed Forces, elite working-dog specialist, world-level judge, and World Champion. Pierre has spent over three decades developing, testing, breeding, judging, and training working dogs at the highest level. He currently serves as CEO for testing and procurement of dogs for the Swedish Armed Forces and as technical
Episode 72: Jay Jack Feb 10, 2026 02:31:32 This time I sat down with Jay Jack. Jay is the mind behind GRC (Gameness, Relationship, Control) Dog Sport. If you mix bull breeds with martial arts culture, Jay is the guy who shows up. This episode is really a catch up, no script, no agenda. Just me and Jay talking dogs, and you’re the fly on the wall.
Episode 71: Daisy Peel Feb 5, 2026 01:58:27 This episode is with Daisy Peel. Daisy is an agility trainer and competitor and has been part of the U.S. World Team nine times.In this podcast, we go deeper into the sport of agility and compare it with other dog sports. We talk about what it really means to select and train dogs for the world stage versus training a pet dog simply to provide an outlet and maintain a healthy, balanced mind.We als
Should Dog Training Be Regulated? Jan 16, 2026 00:14:38 Should the dog training industry in the USA be regulated?I’ve been asked this over and over again, and the answer is not as simple as people think.In this episode, I break down what regulation could improve, what it could destroy, and the one line that matters most if this industry ever gets “controlled” by outside forces.Curious to hear everyone's thoughts.
Episode 70: Dr. Ana Catarina Viera De Castro Jan 2, 2026 01:48:19 In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Ana Catarina Vieira de Castro, a researcher at the University of Porto (Portugal) specializing in canine behavior, welfare, and human–animal interactions, for a thoughtful discussion about one of the most contentious issues in modern dog training.Catarina is well known for her research comparing reward-based (positive reinforcement) and aversive or mixed traini
Outcome is Welfare Dec 26, 2025 00:25:26 In this solo podcast, I address the broader argument against aversive tools in dog training promoted by the AVSAB and the R+-only movement.Recently, Dr. Michael Bailey, President of the American Veterinary Medical Association, commented on the use of electronic collars in dog training. That comment triggered backlash and a strong response from Dr. Lisa Radosta, President of the American College of
Fear Stops in 15 Seconds. Competition Doesn’t. Learn the Difference! Dec 26, 2025 00:25:07 In this episode, I break down one of the most damaging myths in modern dog training, the idea that all resource guarding is caused by Fear.I explain why this “fear-only” narrative collapses the moment you look at real behavior, and how it leads trainers and owners to misdiagnose dogs every day.I go into the difference between fear-based guarding and competitive, status-driven guarding… and why con
Episode 69: Dr. Melanie Uhde Dec 26, 2025 02:58:10 In this episode I’m back with Melanie Uhde for a direct and unapologetic conversation about canine behavior, animal learning, and the growing gap between popular dog training ideology and biological reality. We examine commonly cited canine studies, how they’re often misread or selectively used, and why the force-free narrative fails to explain how animals actually learn, adapt, and thrive.A major

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