The Cognitive Canine with Sarah Stremming CDBC

05/27/2026

🤓Genetics don't educate. They allow for the window of available or possible behaviors, but they are not responsible for the teaching. That's us.

😇Oby the shih tzu has the most genetic predisposition for doing nothing (and at home he will indeed sleep on a lap 23 hours a day) but he is the one with the least amount of education. That's why you can see that he needs an added antecedent to help him out. He winds up Carson the border collie who would like to be running wild if anyone is suggesting running wild. But Carson has skills to the pay the bills, so she can be told that running wild is not an option right now.

😴The most asked question in my Worked Up webinar the other day was "how do I teach relaxation?" To which I said that is a much bigger question than folks realize and contrived gimmicky protocols are failing you for good reason. The real answer? Come to one of the two day workshops I am teaching this summer. I will show you.

⛰️Working spot applications for Colorado get decided on next week, so if you have been thinking about a Colorado spot, get your application in!

🌲Washington has TOO MANY applications but if you want to throw your hat in the ring, do it now!

🥳Massachusetts and Michigan working spots have been selected, we have a full house for both, and I can't wait to see y'all there!

🔗Link in comments for more information.

05/23/2026

💻 Webinar today! 🔗 in comments ✨

05/21/2026

My baby 🧡

05/19/2026

Want to learn more about caring or big-feeling dogs??

Join me this weekend for WORKED UP: THE WEBINAR

Worked Up is a welfare-forward framework for dogs and people navigating big feelings together

It based in the core concept of the circumplex model of emotion which explores the relationship between arousal and emotional valence.

Learn about the circumplex model and how it can guide behavior modification work, sports troubleshooting, and overall welfare for dogs.

Live webinar on May 23 9am PDT
Access the recording for 30 days

LINK IN COMMENTS TO GET TICKETS

05/18/2026

Want to learn more about caring for spicy or big-feeling dogs??🌶️🐕

Join me this weekend for WORKED UP: THE WEBINAR

Worked Up is a welfare-forward framework for dogs and people navigating big feelings together

It based in the core concept of the circumplex model of emotion which explores the relationship between arousal and emotional valence.

Learn about the circumplex model and how it can guide behavior modification work, sports troubleshooting, and overall welfare for dogs.

Live webinar on May 23 9am PDT
Access the recording for 30 days

LINK IN COMMENTS

05/17/2026

💻✨ Worked Up: The Webinar ✨💻

Worked Up is a welfare-forward framework for dogs and people navigating big feelings together.

It based in the core concept of the circumplex model of emotion which explores the relationship between arousal and emotional valence.

I’m running 2 day workshops on this topic (so go there for nuance) but this webinar will be a valuable intro to key concepts for folks who can’t make the in person events

Join me on the 23rd to learn about:

💜 The circumplex model of emotions
💜 How it can guide behavior modification work
💜 Sports and behavior troubleshooting
💜 Overall welfare for dogs
💜 And all things about spicy, big-feeling dogs

Live webinar on May 23 9am PDT
Access the recording for 30 days

➡️ LINK IN COMMENTS ⬅️

See you there

05/15/2026

🤩 Early bird for Massachusetts ends TODAY (midnight EDT)!
🥳 Working teams have been selected for MA, but you can still apply. If you are an ideal candidate we will move you to the top of the wait list.
🤓 Already on your way? Say so in the comments!
WORKED UP: A welfare-forward framework for humans and dogs to navigate big feelings together.

05/12/2026

All locations now open for registration 💃🙌

05/05/2026

⭐There are emotional states that are just plain incompatible with eating. Sometimes dogs need to calm down in order to access food fluency again, but the opposite can also be true. Here I needed to bring Heera's arousal up to move him out of a negative valence space in order for him to swallow a meatball with a pill in it. Too calm, even when happy, and he will spit out the pill. Too depressed or anxious and he won't eat at all. Too angry and he will choke. Finding that ideal place for him to reliably swallow his medicine has been a fun puzzle.

🤓Like this stuff? Join me live this summer: workedup2026.com

🔗And don't miss Cog Dog Club today, May 5th, at 9am pacific for a chat about all the ways Worked Up has evolved in ten years. Links in comments.

05/01/2026

Worked Up as a program has evolved a lot in ten years.

Since its inception I have moved away from using food to manage dogs' feelings for them and toward facilitating the natural ways that they regulate themselves. I've also elevated my coaching skills to be able to deliver the dog training aspects of the program in a way that works for dogs and people.

This 3.0 version of the workshop is unlikely to be its final form because I learn from every dog I work with. But it is the most advanced it has ever been, and it has material I can't wait to share with people.

A two-day workshop with Sarah Stremming, CDBC on the big feelings of dogs and what it takes to help them find adaptable responses. Workshops in Massachusetts June 6-7 and Michigan June 13-14.