Guns and Noses

Proprioception — your dog’s awareness of where their body is in space — could be the missing piece in your training. In this episode, we explore why enthusiastic, high-drive dogs often struggle with coordination, why speed isn’t the same as control, and how slow, thoughtful body work can improve steadiness, focus, and emotional regulation. If you’re living with a Ferrari engine, this episode is ab...

Sleep is one of the most overlooked foundations in dog training. In this episode, Helen explores why rest is essential for emotional regulation, learning, and behaviour. From resource guarding to reactivity, many “training problems” can be intensified by sleep deprivation. Discover how environment, bed location, busy family homes, and constant interruptions affect your dog’s nervous system — and w...

Rewards in training aren’t about bribing dogs or distracting them from the world — they’re information. In this episode, Helen explores what it really means when a dog refuses food, how the nervous system influences learning, and why enthusiastic, “goofy” dogs are often misunderstood. You’ll learn how to spot when a dog is in fight-or-flight, why slowing down matters for recall and lead walking, a...

In this episode, we slow things right down and take a closer look at one small behaviour that tells us a lot about how our dogs are coping with the world around them: the shake-off. You’ll learn why dogs shake off during training, after loud noises, busy environments, or challenging moments — and how these shake-offs are your dog’s way of processing learning and releasing pressure from their nervo...

As shoot season winds down, this podcast is a space to pause and reflect. Hosted by Helen, a force-free gundog trainer, each episode explores what our dogs show us in the field and in everyday life — from moments of brilliance to the inevitable “I know best” decisions. We talk about preparation versus performance, slowing down busy nervous systems, and why observation is where the real magic happe...