Letters From Your Dog

Guilt is one of the primary negative emotions that I hear about most, when working with devoted dog parents. It makes sense, because we love our dogs so much, we are very attuned to any perceived shortcomings in our ability to provide them with the very best life! In this episode I offer some quick, simple tips to help you to do more/less with your dog, dependent on where your guilt stems from Enj...

Do you ever find yourself in a situation with your dog where they (and possibly you too!) are experiencing some big emotions?? It could be fear, excitement, anxiety, frustration or even sadness. It can be hard to connect with our dogs in these moments and leave them feeling unsupported and us feeling frustrated or guilty. In this episode I talk through a simple mnemonic to help you in these situat...

Lots of dog caregivers worry about accidentally rewarding their dog for "bad" or "unwanted" behaviours. The concern is that offering food, other rewards, or engaging with the dog when they are doing undesirable things such as barking, jumping or whining will make the behaviour worse. I hope this episode will provide some reassurance!  Important Links From This Episode: 1. To re...

Planning for this episode really made me took a long, hard look at my own habits, patterns and ways of being with my dogs. Not easy but definitely a positive, I think! Let's talk boundaries and rules when it comes to sharing your life with your dog! Important Links From This Episode: 1. To join the upcoming free 3 day event, 'Helping you and your reactive dog to feel better' please...

A commonly asked question or group of questions that I get as a behaviourist, start with "should I let my dog"... This is usually followed up by... Sleep on the bed Go on the furniture Seek support/attention from me Bark Share my food Walk ahead of me etc etc etc This short and sweet episode covers exactly what I say to my clients who worry about these questions. If you'd  like my s...

Sometimes we just don't understand WHY our dogs are scared of something. We try to reason with them ("but you've seen this thing 1000 times before, how can you possibly be scared??) but often we are missing the most important part...the meaning the dog has attributed to that thing. In this episode we look at this concept in some detail and how to help If you'd  like my support...

It can be confusing when your dog is showing signs that they might be uncomfortable but also wagging their tail. Are they happy or not? In this episode we compare the tail to the human smile. Not all is always as it seems!  If you'd  like my support with your dog, just send me an email to info@pawsupdogs.com or visit www.pawsupdogs.com and I would be happy to help. I offer: - Self-paced onlin...

If you would you like to join the upcoming 3 day event: "Helping you and your reactive dog to feel better" you can do that here . The 3Ds have long been the standard for teaching a skill to our dogs. In this episode we explore what might be missing and how to add it into the work that you do with your dog! If you'd  like my support with your dog, just send me an email to info@pawsup...

There are so many factors that influence our ability to take in new information, learn new skills and act on our learning. This is true for learning how to train or communicate with your dog too, especially when learning those skills from a professional. In this episode we talk through some of those factors and how to effectively communicate your wants and needs to the dog professional that you’re...

DON'T FORGET TO REGISTER FOR THE KIENO CONFERENCE HERE! We often get so caught up in the things that are "wrong", difficult or challenging. It's no bad thing to work towards positive change with your dog, but in this episode I talk through some of the things that can help you stay in the present with them too. If you'd  like my support with your dog, just send me an email...

You could spend ages trying to help your dog feel calm when you come home, or you could just try this instead! Listen to this episode for a great anti-jump tip for when you come home. If you'd  like my support with your dog, just send me an email to info@pawsupdogs.com or visit www.pawsupdogs.com and I would be happy to help. I offer: - Self-paced online courses and a membership for dog guard...

Ever wondered why you feel such intense emotions when your dog dogs something "naughty" or undesirable in public?  In this episode I explain why If you  like my support with your dog, just send me an email to info@pawsupdogs.com or visit www.pawsupdogs.com and I would be happy to help. I offer: - Self-paced online courses and a membership for dog guardians and trainers -  Digital 1:1 Tra...

Adolescence...it's hard for dogs and their people alike. In this episode I talk through some of what you adolescent dog may be going through and how to help them (and you). In this episode this week's featured workshop of the week: Help for dogs that really struggle to settle. Get the workshop here If you  like my support with your dog, just send me an email to info@pawsupdogs.com or vis...

I can't believe my puppy Strudel is already 10 months! In this episode I talk through what our first 10 months together has looked like. I hope it's helpful for everyone with young dogs or who feels a pressure to train, train, train! In this episode this week's featured workshop of the week: Help for dogs that really struggle to settle. Get the workshop here If you  like my support...

This week we are answering one of our listener questions and it's all about how to prepare your dog for a new dog moving in next door - there are lots of things to think about! Even if you aren't in this specific situation, or won't be, the concepts discussed are helpful for lots of different situations, so don't write this one off! SPECIAL PROMOTION FOR PUPPY PARENTS ONLY AVAI...

This week's episode is all about recall consolation prizes. What are they? When do we use them? How can they help with your recall training? Enjoy! In this episode this week's featured workshop of the week: Help for dogs that really struggle to settle. Get the workshop here If you  like my support with your dog, just send me an email to info@pawsupdogs.com or visit www.pawsupdogs.com and...

Today we are talking a simple, fun and most importantly force-free way to ask your dog to come inside, or to head homewards when they aren't ready yet.  Of course, if we can stay out a little longer we will but that's not always possible, so I hope this will help for those situations. In this episode I mentioned our upcoming training for everyone who would like a more peaceful life with...

In this episode I'm sharing an important question (and my answer) to something asked by one of my Trainer In Your Pocket students ( join trainer in your pocket here ). Today we are talking guilt. How to manage the guilt that so many of us feel when it comes to parenting our dogs. This could be guilt about not doing enough with our dogs, not sticking to a training plan or about more serious th...

In this episode I'm sharing an important question (and my answer) to something asked by one of my Trainer In Your Pocket students ( join trainer in your pocket here ). It's all about how to help a very high energy or high drive dog to have a relaxed or chilled day at home (hint: it's not just kongs and lickmats) If you  like my support with your dog, just send me an email to info@pa...

In this episode I'm sharing an important question (and my answer) to something asked by one of my Trainer In Your Pocket students ( join trainer in your pocket here ). It's all about whether or not it can be too late to help a dog that has an ingrained fear or aversion. If you  like my support with your dog, just send me an email to info@pawsupdogs.com or visit www.pawsupdogs.com and I w...

In this episode we are talking Reward Stations! This is a great connection building activity for you and your dog and perfect for those scorching days when the can't spend long outside! In this episode I also mentioned my upcoming workshop for Dog Guardians: How To Apply Your Dog’s Training To Real Life Situations​. It  was due to take place live on 15th June, 2023 but has been postponed unti...

In this episode we are talking about how one simple and easy "hack" can greatly improve your dog's ability to feel calm in new places. This one is short and sweet so enjoy! In this episode I also mentioned my upcoming workshop for Dog Guardians: How To Apply Your Dog’s Training To Real Life Situations​. It takes place live on 15th June, 2023 but there will also be a recording if you...

In this episode we are talking all about how stress can impact even the most laid back of dogs (and people for that matter) and how to support in those moment. In this episode I also mentioned my upcoming workshop for Dog Guardians: How To Apply Your Dog’s Training To Real Life Situations​. It takes place live on 15th June, 2023 but there will also be a recording if you can't make it live. Cl...

In this episode we are talking about dual-listening - how to better listen to your dog's communication so they feel heard and understood. In response, they will be more likely to listen back in return! If you  like my support with your dog, just send me an email to info@pawsupdogs.com and I would be happy to help. I offer: - Self-paced online courses for dog guardians and trainers -  Digital...

This is a commonly asked question for me as a behaviourist and it makes sense. It can be hard to predict what will be triggering for you dog and what might not sometimes! In this episode I run you through how I manage unpredictable triggers with dogs! We also have 3 awesome events coming up soon that I'd love for you to join: 1. Join The Focused Dog Challenge Here 2. Join The Dog Pro Mental H...