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Reactivity
Reactive Behaviour in Dogs
Do you have a reactive dog? You have a reactive dog if your dog behaves disproportionately, or in an extreme way, towards a particular trigger or situation. This could mean he is also over excited, anxious or aggressive. But whatever…
What anxious and reactive behaviour is really trying to tell us!
There are plenty of people out there that will tell you that you shouldn’t avoid things your dog is scared of. That if you “give in” to them you are somehow rewarding their fearful reaction. In this blog, I will…
Does your dog know all the tricks, but just won’t do them!
It’s not uncommon for a dog to come to me that knows all their tricks but won’t, or can’t, do them in real life. They can sit, stay, recall and walk on a loose lead perfectly in class and at…
Dog behaviours you can’t see, and what to do about them
In the world of dog behaviour it is easy to focus on the unwanted behaviour we can see. After all its stuff like barking, cowering, lunging, or pulling that we want to stop. But there are other kinds of dog…
Don’t give up on your reactive dog just yet
If you ever thought about giving up on your reactive dog behaviour training, I don’t blame you. It’s a frustrating job at the best of times. In this blog, I will delve into the intricate realm of reactive behaviour and…
Dog Barking: Noise pollution or necessary communication?
Dog barking, and other forms of vocalisation, are natural behaviours for our dogs. It is one of four methods dogs use to communicate with each other. The others are Scent, Body Language and Touch. We hate to listen to it,…
Reactive dog behaviour starts somewhere. Why we are ALL responsible in some way!
Reactive dog behaviour starts somewhere. There isn’t a single reactive dog that just became reactive out of no-where. Whether their reaction is justified or not is a different story. But in all cases, the problem started with a request to…
Product Review: Escape Proof Harnesses for dogs
Barely a day goes by when I don’t hear about a dog that has panicked on their walk and got free. Many dogs are able to wriggle free from standard harnesses and collars. If this is the case for your…
Do dogs have spoons, and what happens if they run out?
In mental health, spoon theory can be used to define the amount of mental energy we have to spend on daily tasks. But, can the same theory be applied to dogs? Here’s what I think…
Four stages of the behaviour training process
Changing a behaviour is not the same as teaching new cues. With traditional cue training you can keep adding new skills and tricks for as long as you want to. Changing a behaviour is usually a process that has a…
5 Dog behaviours you shouldn’t ignore
Dogs are constantly communicating with us via their behaviour. Some messages are less urgent, but others should never be ignored. Here are 5 dog behaviours that you shouldn’t ignore in your dog!
Four reasons you shouldn’t yell at your dog!
For years we’ve been taught to yell at our dogs when they do something wrong. Not only is it likely to be ineffective, but it could actually make some problems much worse. Here are four reasons why you shouldn’t yell…