Robin MacFarlane

Robin MacFarlane Dog trainer. Workshop Instructor. In person and virtual consulting for pet owners and professionals

03/09/2025

FREE webinar and Q/A session.

Are you new to Ecollar training OR curious about it? This one is for you!!. Join me on Tuesday March 11th 4:00 PM CST for a free webinar hosted by my friends at Dogtra Company.

Be sure to reach out to Dogtra to get the invite to join!!

My bird dog friends....This is a good seminar to go to. I've gone 3 times and always take away some new little gem. Ronn...
03/05/2025

My bird dog friends....This is a good seminar to go to. I've gone 3 times and always take away some new little gem. Ronnie is an articulate instructor, a skilled technician and has loads of real world experience.

That is a trifecta that can be a little hard to find in the dog training seminar world.

Worth attending,... plus, I'd recommend it for pet trainers that want to learn something about upland bird dogs...which is why I go. I don't train for field work..but I see a lot of pointers/setters as pets (or used sporadically for weekend hunters) so the understanding helps me better understand how to harness and manipulate those genetic expressions and share the info with my clients.

I'm excited to be teaching another Dog Camp this year, thanks to my host, Copeland's Dog Obedience 101!If you are a pet ...
03/01/2025

I'm excited to be teaching another Dog Camp this year, thanks to my host, Copeland's Dog Obedience 101!

If you are a pet owner looking to improve your dog's training but you have limited time to enroll in a multi-week class, Dog Camp just might be the answer your looking for.

Dog Camp is 3 full days of being immersed into training and fun, hands-on exercises that help you to better understand your dog and help your dog pay better attention to you.

It's a win/win where you everyone leaves better than when they arrived!

Here are few of the things you'll discover at Dog Camp:

* How to get (and keep) your dog’s attention around distractions.
* Why your dog does THAT thing that drives you nuts!
* How to stop jumping up, pulling, and other nuisance behaviors.
* How to build confidence in your fearful or anxious dog.
* How e-collar training helps you and your dog more fun!!!
..plus so much more.

Sept. 26 - 28, Madison, IN

(link in comments for more information and registration)

"π΅π‘’β„Žπ‘Žπ‘£π‘–π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘™ π‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘›π‘”π‘’ π‘π‘œπ‘šπ‘’π‘  π‘“π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘š π‘™π‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘›π‘–π‘›π‘”, π‘›π‘œπ‘‘ π‘ π‘’π‘‘π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘›. 𝐼𝑑’𝑠 π‘‘π‘–π‘šπ‘’ π‘‘π‘œ π‘ π‘‘π‘œπ‘ π‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘‘π‘’π‘›π‘‘π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘œπ‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘€π‘–π‘ π‘’."This.
02/15/2025

"π΅π‘’β„Žπ‘Žπ‘£π‘–π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘™ π‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘›π‘”π‘’ π‘π‘œπ‘šπ‘’π‘  π‘“π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘š π‘™π‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘›π‘–π‘›π‘”, π‘›π‘œπ‘‘ π‘ π‘’π‘‘π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘›. 𝐼𝑑’𝑠 π‘‘π‘–π‘šπ‘’ π‘‘π‘œ π‘ π‘‘π‘œπ‘ π‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘‘π‘’π‘›π‘‘π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘œπ‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘€π‘–π‘ π‘’."

This.

For years, fluoxetine (Prozac) has been pushed as the answer to behavioral problems in dogs. Veterinary behaviorists and force-free advocates love to cite β€œscience-backed” studies to justify long-term medication use. But here’s a big problem, most of these studies are flawed, biased, and rely almost entirely on owner-reported data.
Take, for example, the 2009 study on fluoxetine for compulsive disorders in dogs (Irimajiri et al., J Am Vet Med Assoc). It claimed fluoxetine helped, yet the only improvement came from owners’ OPINIONS, not actual behavioral measurements. When researchers looked at objective data the dogs’ actual behavior logs they found NO SIGNIFICANT difference between the medicated and placebo groups. But guess which result gets cited?🀫
How about the 2007 study on fluoxetine for separation anxiety (Simpson et al., Veterinary Therapeutics). The conclusion? Fluoxetine was effective … but only when paired with a structured behavior modification plan. And yet, thousands of dogs are medicated without any meaningful training, as if a pill can replace actual learning.
Sad reality is that Dogs are being drugged, not rehabilitated.
Ask any serious trainer what happens when they get a dog that’s been on fluoxetine for years. They take the dog off the meds, implement a sound training plan, and SHOCKINGLY the dog improves.
Not because fluoxetine β€œworked,” but because the dog finally got what it needed: clarity and proper training.
Yet, the AVSAB keeps pushing these medications while dismissing legitimate training as β€œaversive” or β€œoutdated.” They’d rather chemically suppress behavior than actually address it.
The real question isn’t whether fluoxetine has some effect but why so many dogs improve when you REMOVE the drug and train them properly?!!!
Behavioral change comes from learning, not sedation. It’s time to stop pretending otherwise.
I know I am not the only one noticing that dogs on fluoxetine don’t get better - they just get dull.
The dog isn’t learning or adapting, just becoming more passive.
This can actuallY DELAY proper rehabilitation, because the dog’s emotions and responses are chemically suppressed rather than modified through learning.
Thinking about making a solo podcast to talk about the dog I have in training right now, one of the many that end up euthanized after YEARS of being on SSRI’s and the pandemic of prescribing psychotropics like flea medication

As some of you may know, I recently bought a property near Des Moines, Iowa. I work part-time in the area and plan to re...
02/13/2025

As some of you may know, I recently bought a property near Des Moines, Iowa. I work part-time in the area and plan to relocate later this year.

If you’ve been following my journey for a while, you may remember that when I launched in 1998, it was on my home property in small-town Wisconsin. The business grew, and I moved to Iowa, where I scaled and upsized a LOT! It was great, but it also had a downside. I was dealing with burnout when I sold the company in 2021.οΏ½

Well, 25- and some odd years later, that kind of personal, one-to-one training I started with is what I'm returning to! The ability to help people not only live with their dogs but also achieve full potential and partnership...That is what having a dog should be about!

I'm thrilled to announce I have a few spots open this spring for board and train or private lesson programs!

I’d love to work with your dog and help you become Your Dog’s Hero!
Learn more on the website and Apply today!

Dog board-and-train will teach your dog basic obedience skills and good manners. Private dog training lessons are also available.

02/09/2025

Look at this fabulous work!!

This dynamic duo is currently enrolled in my Ecollar: Beyond the Basics course. It is a 7-week program for people who want to learn more about Ecollar use and enhance the relationship they have with their dog.

This is week 2 and practicing our "silent following" exercise.

If you question whether Ecollar training is right for you and your dog, test the water by taking my FREE ecollar course first. (Link in comments)

Here is a hard truth. Breed matters.  Anyone that tells you otherwise is either: a) not a knowledgable resource or b) ha...
02/07/2025

Here is a hard truth.

Breed matters.

Anyone that tells you otherwise is either: a) not a knowledgable resource or b) has a reason they want to keep the truth from you.

Being πŸ’― honest with yourself about the time you can devote to training, and exercise is a crucial first step in finding a dog that is right for you.

If you are a in poor health, fairly sedentary, or want a dog to be your "emotional support"...there are a LOT of breeds that are not going to work out for you.

Prioritize the dog's quality of life in your decision making process.

Weigh your choice carefully by making characteristics like activity level, sociability and potential for guardian "watchdog" behaviors more important than how "cool" "cute" or "trainable" the dog is.

Do you wonder if Ecollar training would help improve your dog's behavior? Have you been struggling for some time but hav...
02/04/2025

Do you wonder if Ecollar training would help improve your dog's behavior? Have you been struggling for some time but haven't gotten good results?

Check out what this dog lover had to say once she started my video course:

𝐼 𝑀𝑒𝑛𝑑 π‘‘π‘œ π‘‘π‘œπ‘” π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘–π‘›π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘ π‘’π‘šπ‘–π‘›π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘ , π‘€π‘Žπ‘‘π‘β„Žπ‘’π‘‘ π‘π‘œπ‘’π‘›π‘‘π‘™π‘’π‘ π‘  π‘£π‘–π‘‘π‘’π‘œπ‘  π‘“π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘š π‘£π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘–π‘œπ‘’π‘  π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘–π‘›π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘  (π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘π‘’-π‘“π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘’ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘œπ‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘€π‘–π‘ π‘’), π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ 𝐼 π‘›π‘’π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿ π‘”π‘Žπ‘£π‘’ 𝑒𝑝 π‘ π‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘β„Žπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘€β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘π‘’π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿ 𝑖𝑑 π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝐼 π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘šπ‘–π‘ π‘ π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘˜π‘’π‘’π‘π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘šπ‘¦ π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘–π‘›π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘“π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘š 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑓𝑒𝑙, π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘œπ‘›π‘’ π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘›π‘’π‘‘ π‘œπ‘’π‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ 𝑏𝑒 π‘Œπ‘‚π‘ˆ. π‘Œπ‘œπ‘’π‘Ÿ π‘£π‘–π‘‘π‘’π‘œπ‘  β„Žπ‘Žπ‘£π‘’ β„Žπ‘’π‘™π‘π‘’π‘‘ π‘šπ‘’ 𝑆𝑂 π‘šπ‘’π‘β„Ž, π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ 𝑖𝑑 π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘ π‘œ π‘’π‘Žπ‘ π‘¦ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑙𝑒, π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘£π‘’ 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 π‘šπ‘Žπ‘›π‘¦ π‘‘π‘–π‘šπ‘’π‘  π‘›π‘œπ‘€ π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝐼’𝑣𝑒 π‘ π‘Žπ‘–π‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ π‘šπ‘¦π‘ π‘’π‘™π‘“ 𝐼 π‘€π‘–π‘ β„Ž 𝐼 β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘“π‘œπ‘’π‘›π‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘  π‘ π‘œ π‘šπ‘’π‘β„Ž π‘ π‘œπ‘œπ‘›π‘’π‘Ÿ. 𝐼 π‘π‘œπ‘’π‘™π‘‘ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘£π‘’ 𝑓𝑖π‘₯𝑒𝑑 π‘Žπ‘™π‘™ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘ π‘’ 𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑠 π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝐼’𝑣𝑒 π‘‘π‘’π‘Žπ‘™π‘‘ π‘€π‘–π‘‘β„Ž π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘¦π‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘  𝑖𝑛 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘“π‘–π‘Ÿπ‘ π‘‘ 2 π‘€π‘’π‘’π‘˜π‘  π‘œπ‘“ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘£π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘ π‘’ π‘‘π‘œπ‘”π‘  β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝐼 π‘˜π‘›π‘œπ‘€π‘› β„Žπ‘œπ‘€ π‘’π‘Žπ‘ π‘¦ 𝑖𝑑 π‘π‘œπ‘’π‘™π‘‘ 𝑏𝑒!

Read the full testimonial to hear about the reactivity Allie was struggling with and how the course impacted life for her and her pups:
https://robinmacfarlane.com/testimonial/i-wish-i-had-found-this-so-much-sooner/

Link to the training course in comments.

02/02/2025

We're always doing "something" on our little hiking adventures. Today's moment of practice was a short send away. ⬆ 🐾

Send a message to learn more

It is the 100th anniversary of the the Great Serum Run. That is the real life event that immortalized the story of Balto...
01/31/2025

It is the 100th anniversary of the the Great Serum Run. That is the real life event that immortalized the story of Balto, Togo and the team that made the harrowing 650+ mile journey to Nome, Alaska to deliver medicine to treat the diphtheria outbreak of 1925.

https://www.cmnh.org/learn/science-blog/2025/01/23/100-years-after-the-great-serum-run-baltos-legacy-endures?user_id=675ca701d65f25bff60949cf

This is an interesting article because it includes information on how Balto and his surviving teammates came to live out their lives in Cleveland, OH.

A century after The Great Serum Run of 1925, Balto’s story continues to inspire.

01/30/2025

Throw back to 2015, Tommy (the Mal) and Diva (Duck Toller) speeding up the process of going for a walk by helping me get my shoes! 😎

01/27/2025

Loki is terrier mix I adopted in the summer of 2018. He was adopted for one purpose..to fill a void after having lost my heart dog, Tommy, the previous summer.
I had been grieving Tom for a long while and it wasn't getting a lot better. I needed a training project and something new to focus on so I'd been cruising pet finder for a couple of months. I was searching without having a real idea of what I was looking for, I just figured I would know when I saw it.
When his shelter photo popped up and he was holding a tennis ball in his mouth, I clicked on it. At the time, I was teaching in Portland, OR...turns out he was in a shelter 30 miles from my hometown. That seemed serendipitous so I made an appointment to go look at him when I got back home. I had never personally owned a terrier so I was curious what living with one long term might be like...
The shelter was a small operation. Not a lot of funding but a very caring staff. When they let him out of his crate, he came flying into the front room, jumped up to say hello before he spotted the basket of toys in the "meet and greet" room. Off he went to empty the bin, tossing, chasing and shaking each toy until the basket was empty. πŸ˜…
I knew right then and said "I'll take him". He cost me $75.00. The name on his adoption form was Wally (cause you know the story..."found at a Walmart down south" and brought to the shelter up here...πŸ™„)
Anyway, 2 days later I took him to my DVM for a health clearance. I remember the look on the Doc's face as he moved the stethoscope from the little guys chest (he was estimated to be ~ 18 months old at the time) Turns out he had a grade 4 heart murmur. πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈ.. after testing, and consulting with specialists, we scheduled surgery at the Iowa State University Veterinary Hospital. He underwent a balloon valvuloplasty for sever pulmonic stenosis.
I now had $4000.00 invested in my $75.00 shelter dog. 😬
Here we are, 7 years later, and you sure would not know this dog had any history of heart problems. He's feisty, has a huge attitude, and is a highly efficient hunter that thinks he can take any other critter including a huge buck that likes to visit our backyard. He's a quick learner that loves to train and engage, with the exception of when there are critters that need extermination!
He's a little πŸ’© and I don't foresee myself with another terrier in the future..but boy does he make me laugh! If it cost me 4G to fix the problems with his heart, it was a good ROI cause he's helped fill the holes in mine.
This is a short video I took last week one one of our hikes. Typical Loki! 🀣

Send a message to learn more

Just put up a new blog about teaching a recall. There are lots of reasons to prioritize getting it done.Safety is my rea...
01/24/2025

Just put up a new blog about teaching a recall. There are lots of reasons to prioritize getting it done.

Safety is my reason number one, but can you guess what the other four are?

5 reasons that investing time to teach your dog to come when called is the best thing you can do for them.

Last chance to join the upcoming Ecollar training course. The first module opens Thursday. Live calls start next week.Th...
01/21/2025

Last chance to join the upcoming Ecollar training course. The first module opens Thursday. Live calls start next week.

This 7 - week course is open to Pet Owners and Pro Trainers.

If you're a pet owner wanting to improve your understanding of ecollar training and feel confident allowing your dog off-leash, this course will help.

If you're a pro trainer already using ecollars but want to upgrade your coaching skills, and discover best practices for program structures that improve client outcomes, this course will help.

Only a few remaining spots available!

This ecollar training class will help you learn about proper use of a remote training collar. This step-by-step approach is easy to understand and apply.

01/16/2025


from a colleague in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

New course starting soon!! Whether you're a pet owner or a professional trainer there a ton of information you will gain...
01/15/2025

New course starting soon!!

Whether you're a pet owner or a professional trainer there a ton of information you will gain in this course!
Registration link and details in the comments.

Pet owners get a much better trained dog that is capable of enjoying off leash freedom. Pro trainers get loads of insights into instructing, course outlines and helping clients to successfully use a remote collar.

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Dubuque, IA
52002

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