Zazie and Kristi are joined by TikTok star Jennifer Malawey (Dizzy Dancing
Canine) who shares her secrets and techniques about the right way to use social media to assist canines.
By Zazie Todd PhD
Watch episode 14 of The Pawsitive Publish in Dialog on Youtube or under, hear through your favorite podcast app (together with Apple, Spotify) or under, or scroll right down to learn the highlights.
About this episode
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On this episode of The Pawsitive Publish in Dialog, Zazie and Kristi are joined by canine coach and influencer Jennifer Malawey. Jennifer has a CTC from the Academy for Canine Trainers and a Licensed SA Professional coach who works on separation nervousness instances, and she or he places out unbelievable content material on canine coaching on her social media and Youtube. She joined us to share her secrets and techniques about the right way to use social media to assist folks find out about canines and canine coaching.
Jennifer talks about how she comes up with concepts for content material creation, and
how a lot work it’s to place a video collectively. We study what she thinks are the
most vital issues to get throughout about canine coaching. And everyone knows that
social media can have its downsides, however we ask Jennifer about what she finds
most rewarding about it. We additionally get her suggestions for getting extra engagement on
social media.
Then we chat concerning the books we’re studying. This episode, we suggest:
All of the Devils Are Right here: A Novel (Chief Inspector Gamache Guide 16) by Louise
Penny.
Why Fish Do not Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life
by Lulu Miller.
The Invention of the Trendy Canine: Breed and Blood in Victorian Britain by
Michael Worboys, Julie-Marie Unusual, and Neil Pemberton.
Jennifer Malawey is a
dog-trainer-turned-content-creator. She at present works with Intuition Portland
as a conduct advisor and social media supervisor, in addition to partnering with
manufacturers within the pet area and doodling on her personal TikTok channel. When she’s not
working or lovin’ on her canines (Dizzy, Keely, and Pizza), she could be present in
her backyard, on the lindy hop dance ground, or in a e-book.
Observe her on social:
Highlights of the episode
Z: You are
lively throughout very many alternative [social media] channels, and you’ve got some
unbelievable content material that we have been taking a look at previous to this interview. And there
are so many issues you may say. So how do you resolve what you suppose are the
most vital messages to get throughout on social media?
J: That is a
that is a tough one, since you’re proper, as trainers there are one million
issues that we predict are vital and we need to get throughout, and when it comes
to any social media channel there is not any proper reply. I believe the way you resolve is
actually doing a little introspection and deciding, what are the issues that get you
most fired up? I used to be requested by a mentor at one level, what are the issues that
you could possibly similar to rant about for days? What are the issues that make you
indignant? Or what are the issues that you just simply cannot shut up about throughout the
entire scope of canines and conduct? And eager about that was sort of like how
I used to be in a position to slender my focus.
So for me, I
selected to attempt to deal with the truth that canine coaching can and must be enjoyable for
you and the canine, simply bringing out the enjoyable. As a result of I believe all people, trainers
included, will get sort of slowed down the drudgery of it typically or disappointments
and issues. There’s all the time methods to carry enjoyable again into it, and I believe that
retains folks going. In order that was one of many largest issues for me.
After which if
I may select a second, it is that there are such a lot of other ways to coach,
and we all know there are trade-offs. With all the things in life, there are
trade-offs. Pace is one thing which may inspire some folks, however there are
issues that you just lose out whenever you go for the quickest choice to your objectives. And
so there are the issues that preserve me within the recreation and preserve me having enjoyable and
desirous to work with canines, and wanting to coach my very own canines. These little
issues, the little sparks of their eyes… My Chihuahua’s doing zoomy circles
on the mattress proper now!
These little
issues that typically are exhausting to place into phrases, the magic of canine coaching,
you aren’t getting that whenever you go for the speedy possibility. And so I simply sort of
sum it up within the idea of sluggish magic. Typically there are belongings you solely get
whenever you do it the sluggish approach. And in order that’s one other factor that I actually attempt to
convey in my content material.
“Any query that will get repeated loads is ideal for making content material about. And you may reuse these on a regular basis as a result of you understand all of us want repetition.”
Z: I like
that. Gradual magic like sluggish canine coaching, sort of just like the sluggish meals motion
the place you get extra enjoyment out of your meals in the event you take your time over it.
J: Precisely.
Z: I like
the concept of enjoyable too as a result of what’s extra enjoyable than having a Chihuahua doing
zoomies in your mattress mainly! That is the stunning factor about canines is not it?
After they’re joyful I believe it brings us a lot pleasure and a lot enjoyable as effectively.
J: Undoubtedly.
Yeah, I imply watching them be joyful is like the entire level of getting canines in
my opinion.
Ok: For positive.
I believe one thing that Jean [Donaldson] says, that is related to primarily
all coaching, is that nobody will get canines to extend the drudgery of their lives.
And it is true, and I believe it is vital as canine trainers that we acknowledge
that having enjoyable isn’t a minor facet.
J:
Completely yeah.
Ok: One in all
the issues that I beloved watching a few of your movies earlier than we talked, was that
you could have so many several types of movies, and it appears to me that you’ve a
lot of actually enjoyable concepts. And I questioned ,how did you provide you with these concepts? Like
placing collectively a selected sound with a selected sort of canine coaching, or
the music, otherwise you’ll be doing one thing foolish and you understand, I like it. I like
that sort of creativity actually, I discover it actually pleasing to look at. So does
this simply come to you? Do you search it out? How do you provide you with all of
these concepts?
J: That is
sort of a tough query. I’ve an thought of the right way to provide you with concepts reply.
However for me personally it is also been the journey of sort of beginning out as simply
a canine coach, to being a coach and a content material creator was… I’ve sort of my
entire life, my backstory, I’ve suppressed my inventive aspect. And I’ve theories,
after studying about studying idea or conduct science, that rising up with
a whole lot of punishment suppresses conduct and suppresses creativity, and so I
suppose that. And my household may be very inventive, they’re all artists, and me, I am
like, nope have no of it.
And so it
was solely inside the previous few years that I used to be like, creativity is a ability. And
I am not going to get to precise it if I do not begin exploring it. So for me
this has additionally been a journey of self-exploration, of letting go and simply having
enjoyable. We will come again to enjoyable! You realize, it is sort of like letting
your self behave and simply do stuff, strive stuff. In order that’s the non-public story
reply.
However in phrases
of the right way to preserve developing with concepts, as a result of that is the factor about social
media, you must preserve displaying up. When you do not, like I’ve gone by means of
durations the place I simply cease posting for some time, then you understand your viewers
stops displaying up. So it is vital that you just preserve these inventive juices
flowing. So I’ve a sort of an inventory for once I’m not feeling that inventive
inspiration, the place can I am going to provide you with concepts.
“That is a part of this creativity studying course of that I am on, studying the right way to inform higher tales.”
Typically it
is simply the random viral sounds that you will see as you are scrolling by means of,
and you may simply be like oh, there is a approach I can apply this to my content material. However
concepts can come from anyplace, and so a part of it’s simply mindset and remembering
to maintain your eyes open. Inspiration actually could be any anyplace. In the event you look
across the room, one thing will come out. You may get concepts sparked in
dialog whether or not that is with purchasers or with household or buddies or full
strangers on the road, you understand simply one thing that folks say, effectively it is
like one thing occurs in your mind, like oh okay that might be one thing. And
typically you do not know the place it is gonna go, you simply know that perhaps if I am going
down this highway it’s going to change into an thought.
However then you definitely
can go and scour your remark part for issues that your viewers has stated,
or go to different trainers’ remark sections and discover out what are folks asking a
lot of instances, like whenever you see repeat questions. Or from your individual purchasers, any
query that will get repeated loads is ideal for making content material about. And also you
can reuse these on a regular basis as a result of all of us want repetition, proper?
And
typically we comply with creators which might be in utterly completely different fields and
they’re going to have nice concepts. That is an important place to go for inspiration as effectively.
Or simply studying a e-book, watching a film, prefer it’s actually anyplace. Concepts
can come from wherever.
Ok: One in all my
favourite varieties of blogs that I write is what I secretly name a revenge weblog. So
if I see an thought or see any individual saying something–and folks will likely be very
strident after they’re speaking about dogs–and they’ll simply be saying one thing
that is completely false. And so as an alternative of arguing on social media, what I like
to do is I like to put in writing a weblog that is very constructive and chirpy and joyful and
simply utterly slays the argument. It makes me really feel actually good in sort of
like a background evil approach. Do you ever try this? Is there ever like, I am doing
a revenge weblog?
J: 100 per
cent. I believe that is such a good way to go about it, as a result of you understand there’s
all the time the toxicity that may are available in whenever you’re on social media. So discovering
methods to keep away from it however meet that want of sharing what’s the correct
info, simply getting it on the market, as a result of typically it is like a numbers
recreation proper? And in the event you go and also you search any random canine subject, it nonetheless feels
like at this time that there is a lot extra misinformation than correct info.
So simply placing out the data that you really want on the market, simply to stack the
deck, is a good way to go about it.
Ok: For positive.
Z: Yeah. I
suppose that is a good way to place it. And I like that you just stated that you just additionally get
concepts from following content material creators in different fields too, as a result of for myself
in addition to clearly following plenty of canine and cat accounts, you will not be
shocked in any respect to study that I comply with a whole lot of writing accounts and e-book
accounts, and I get inspiration from these which might be related to the pet area
and writing my weblog and so forth as effectively. So other than the canine coaching stuff
what different kinds of accounts do you prefer to comply with to get concepts from?
J: Effectively I
do not comply with accounts particularly for concepts, it is like what I am fascinated by
that pops up from the algorithm. And a whole lot of the issues that are typically actually
related in like a deep wound type of approach are, like I get a whole lot of romantic
relationship sort content material, communication amongst people, a whole lot of like ADHD and
autism sort of content material pops up for me. That that type of factor tends to be
psychology mainly.
Z: Yeah, and
I believe a whole lot of that human relationship stuff can also be so related to our
relationship with canines, as a result of a whole lot of the ways in which we deal with canines appear to
need to do with the ways in which we now have been handled as children maybe or have seen
different folks deal with children, and I believe that influences folks rather a lot. Okay
so you’ve got talked about the place you get your concepts from. When you could have an thought I
can see that you just produce some actually unbelievable content material, so there have to be loads
of labor that goes on behind the scenes in an effort to put these collectively. How a lot
time do you spend enhancing or doing coaching setups to make movies on your for
your content material?
J: A lot
time!! Like it’s its personal full-time job. And it sort of relies upon in the event you’re
making like actually brief kind content material or utilizing a viral sound simply to do like a
foolish video. Typically it could actually go tremendous fast, however actually more often than not… And
in fact there is a studying curve, and for me I am nonetheless on that journey of
studying the right way to do my very own enhancing. However I clocked it at one level and I used to be like,
Wow, it took me a full hour to utterly end up what ended up being one
minute of video content material. And it is an insane period of time, no less than early on.
So if doing
the precise enhancing is not your curiosity or your forte, it is positively one in all
these issues to rent, delegate, as a result of it’s its personal job really. And I imply as
far as like for me, it sort of has change into my very own job. The ratio of how a lot
coaching I do versus how a lot time I spend creating content material has utterly
flipped the scales. I spend far more time doing that content material now than working
one-on-one with purchasers. So you understand, all people can select how a lot of every
they need to do I suppose, in the event that they’re moving into that. However yeah, it is loads
of time.
Ok: It appears
to me prefer it’s actually a strategy of telling tales. I believe once we’re
watching movies on-line, we’re watching little tiny items of tales, and
tales are such a human approach of navigating and studying and type of enjoyable.
So I believe there’s one thing very cool to me about watching little tiny items
of tales, however that you’ve got created so rigorously, you understand. It is not like, you
know there are some nice movies that you would be able to watch about canines which might be simply
like, I videoed this and it was 30
seconds, however that is not essentially what we’re speaking about. We’re speaking
about these actually rigorously edited movies that simply sort of draw you in, like
they’re telling this little tiny story.
J: Yeah. I
imply I’ve some very undigested ideas which have been developing for me
recently that relate again to the concept for people, something that is vital
comes again to a narrative, tales are variety
of the end-all be-all. Like nothing will get to us until it’s ultimately a
story. And that is once more a part of this creativity studying course of that I am on, studying
the right way to inform higher tales. Yeah so it is a very acute commentary from you that
like that is actually the essence of what it’s and what makes a video good.
Ok: And I
suppose the enhancing factor issues far more than folks understand in the event that they have not
achieved any video enhancing.
J: Yeah,
yeah. I imply gosh, I nonetheless really feel like I’m nonetheless such a newbie, there’s so
a lot nonetheless that I’ve to find out about the right way to edit, however for me it has been tremendous
enjoyable.
Ok: How a lot
coaching do you do beforehand? For a few of them I believe it is only a consumer that
you are working with, however a few of them it appears far more such as you’ve perhaps
written storyboards and you’ve got concepts, you understand how it is gonna go.
J: Yeah,
yeah. I’ve had a number of several types of codecs and for positive, a few of them
I am like I’ve to coach a brand new process for my canine beforehand. What I might actually like
to start out doing extra of is getting video clips of the coaching course of to make
tutorials and issues like that. And that is humorous with canine coaching, as a result of a
lot of instances a very vital a part of it’s I would like folks to have the ability to see
the canine’s physique language. Like what do they appear like after they do not know
what you are asking of them, you understand? And typically in the event you pre-train a process and
then you definitely need to return, and like okay we’re gonna do the first step and two now,
however they actually already comprehend it, then it appears to be like completely different on digital camera. And so it is
difficult typically. You find yourself having to only repeat a bunch of stuff, and
typically you are like, okay effectively we’re simply gonna get a couple of second clip as a result of
all I would like is that this step two proper now, and we’ll throw it collectively in a video
later.
But it surely’s
humorous. I imply as a content material creator and particularly if you wish to do like variety
of vlogging sort tales, you do sort of have to finish up repeating a whole lot of
stuff. You are like, oh that was an important second, I did not get it on digital camera so
we’re simply gonna fake and do it once more. It is a bizarre, bizarre life proper?
“I selected to attempt to deal with the truth that canine coaching can and must be enjoyable for you and the canine.”
Ok: Proper. So
what do you’re keen on coaching probably the most together with your canine? In your movies are we seeing
largely your canines, or are we seeing a whole lot of your consumer canines as effectively?
J: It is
largely my canines as of late. After I was going by means of the Academy [for Dog
Trainers] I did not have a canine, and I felt like I used to be the one weirdo who was
turning into a canine coach and I did not have my very own canine. After which I adopted my
first canine Dizzy in 2019. I might had him for six months earlier than the pandemic hit,
after which simply inside a span of three years I went from having zero canines to
having three canines. So there’s tons to coach with the three of them. The factor I
love most is engaged on cooperative care. I like grooming my canines. I imply it is
enjoyable for me, however I additionally suppose it is nice bonding time as a result of typically you understand
life will get actually busy and typically our canines can really feel uncared for or no matter.
And having that as simply an vital time that we get to spend collectively the place
they’re getting my full and undivided consideration. They like it and on high of
that I get the satisfaction of figuring out that I am setting them up for a lifetime
of being much less pressured when stuff must be achieved to them. So hands-down
cooperative care is my favourite.
After which after that, tips. Methods are simply
tremendous enjoyable and I have been engaged on parkour, like canine parkour titles, with them
sort of passively. Dizzy’s obtained his novice title. And oh my God it
was so cute, too—Pizza the Chihuahua would simply be alongside as we’re on a stroll and
I am asking Dizzy to do some parkour
issues that we have been engaged on. And she or he would simply, with out me being conscious
that she was about to do that, she would simply do the factor he did. And I hadn’t
achieved any coaching along with her and I am similar to oh my gosh, you simply jumped on
this actually excessive put up. Like I’ve some movies the place I am similar to what?!! This
canine is hilarious, and she or he’s gonna have a lot enjoyable once I get to actively
engaged on that along with her too.
Concerning the co-hosts
Kristi Benson is an honours
graduate of the celebrated Academy for Canine Trainers, the place she earned
her Certificates in Coaching and Counseling (CTC). She additionally has gained
her PCBC-A credential from the Pet Skilled Accreditation Board. She
has not too long ago moved to lovely northern British Columbia, the place she
will proceed to assist canine guardians by means of on-line educating and
consultations. Kristi is on employees on the Academy for Canine Trainers,
serving to to form the following era of canine professionals. Kristi’s
canines are rescue sled canines, largely retired and completely having fun with a superb
snooze in entrance of the woodstove.
Kristi Benson’s web site Fb Twitter
Zazie Todd, PhD,
is the award-winning creator of Wag: The Science of Making Your Canine Blissful and Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Blissful. She is the creator
of the favored weblog, Companion Animal Psychology, and in addition has a column
at Psychology At this time. Todd lives in Maple Ridge, BC, along with her husband,
one canine, and two cats.
As an Amazon Affiliate I earn from
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