It’s January 17 2026, and there’s a lot of ice out there. Let’s explore what to do when you and your dog are stuck indoors, feeling cooped up, restless, or a little fried. This is a practical, compassionate brainstorm for caring for dogs when normal routines aren’t possible… and for caring for ourselves in the process.

This episode focuses on observation, regulation, connection, and choice. You don’t need special equipment, extra energy, or a perfect plan.

Ideas shared include:

• Free work and observation based enrichment

• Using your voice to connect and regulate

• Conditioning to move and breathe

• Kongs, Toppls, and safe chewing for settling

• Treat toss and anticipation games

• Relationship and bonding activities

• Understanding the moment

• Music to shape the energy of the room

• Play as an invitation to reconnect
  You don’t have to do all of these . . . just try one.

If you or someone you know is sheltering in place for any reason and trying to support their dogs while their own nervous system is stretched thin, this episode is for you.

Thanks for being here. Keep chasing curiosity… and ask yourself, what’s on top?

linktr.ee/cbwing to connect with Crystal

Kim Palermo at Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

Animal Centered Education Sarah Fisher

The Journey of Building Relationships with Dual-Purpose K9 with K9 Trainer Tabitha

Amy Cook at Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

The Pantone Color of the Year for 2026 is here… and it’s white. Cloud Dancer. And somehow that one announcement sent me down a full-on rabbit hole about culture, emotion, dog training, and why everything around us feels a little too beige these days.

In this episode, I explore what Pantone colors actually reflect about us as humans... why the world keeps muting itself... and how our craving for neutrality shows up in the way we live, train, and let ourselves feel. We talk about neutrality versus peace, the pendulum swing of culture and dog training, and why our dogs may be the last truly vibrant things in a world that keeps trying to quiet everything down.

If you’ve ever wondered why bright collars, neon biothane, or even your dog’s personality feel like a breath of fresh air... this one’s for you. It’s about color as emotion, boundaries as compassion, and the center point where clarity and aliveness finally meet.

Come hang out with me while I chase this thread... all the way from Cloud Dancer to dog training to what it means to feel fully alive again.

https://linktr.ee/cbwing

What can an octopus playing a piano teach us about dog training? Honestly… a lot more than I expected.

In this episode I talk about the YouTube video where a musician spends six months teaching an octopus how to interact with a custom-built piano. What grabbed me wasn’t the trick itself, it was the process. He started with trust. He paid attention to what brought his learner joy. He built the environment around the octopus’s natural strengths instead of forcing a rigid plan.

And then there’s the crab drop... the simple little mechanic that created duration through curiosity and anticipation. That moment opened up a whole new way of thinking about behavior for me.

So today we explore relationship first training, learner-led creativity, environmental design, and how joy can shape cooperation more powerfully than pressure ever could. If you love watching learning unfold... and if you want to bring a little more curiosity into your own sessions... this one is for you.

Want to learn more from Crystal? Click Here