Every reactive dog has a story. And most stories sound very similar. The dog barks at everything.Pulls constantly. Reacts on walks. And the owner feels exhausted and overwhelmed. Most people try the same things first: commands, treats, corrections, stopping and starting, or trying to control the dog more. But often the...
How to Tell the Difference on WalksNot all barking means the same thing. And not all pulling means the same thing either. Sometimes dogs react because they are excited. Sometimes they react because they are scared. The tricky part is that both can look very...
It’s Not What You Think Barking.Lunging.Exploding on the lead. For many dog owners, it feels like it happens suddenly.One moment the dog seems fine… and the next moment they are barking, pulling, or reacting at another dog, bike, or person. But the truth is, it usually doesn’t happen...
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And What to Do Instead A lot of people work very hard training their dogs.They watch videos.Go to classes.Practise cues.Use treats.But sometimes nothing seems to work.And the reason is often much simpler than people realise.The missing piece is safety.When dogs do not feel safe:their body becomes...
What You’re Not SeeingWhen people look at dog behaviour, they usually only see what’s happening on the outside.The barking.The pulling.The lunging.The jumping.But that’s only a small part of the story.Dog behaviour is a lot like an iceberg.When you look at an iceberg in the ocean,...
You cannot train a stressed brain. Think about this.If you were scared, upset, or overwhelmed, would you learn well?Probably not.Dogs are exactly the same.When dogs feel:anxious,overwhelmed,overstimulated,or stressed,their thinking brain starts to switch off.Instead, the survival part of the brain takes over.This is where dogs go into:fight,flight,or...
Why Most Training Starts in the Wrong Place Most people think dog training starts with teaching commands.“Sit.”“Stay.”“Come.”Or they use treats, corrections, or repeat the same thing over and over again.But what if training is actually starting in the wrong place?That’s one of the biggest things we...
The biggest mistake dog owners make on walks?Trying to control behaviour instead of understanding it.What Most People DoTighten the leadGive commandsCorrect the dogWhy This BackfiresBecause control creates:more pressuremore frustrationmore resistanceThe CycleDog pulls, so the human tightens, and the dog pulls harderA tension loop is createdThe...
“He was fine… until the lead went tight.”If you’ve ever said this…… this blog is for you.The Moment That Changes EverythingThere is a moment on every walkwhere everything shifts.It’s not loud.It’s not obvious.But it’s powerful.The moment tension enters the lead.What Happens in That MomentThe dog...