Blog
My latest news and views.
Dominance Theory: It’s not a thing
If I had a penny for every time the words 'Dominance', ‘Dominating’, ‘Alpha’ et al came up in conversation since working with dogs I would be, if not rich, certainly well-off! Seriously though, it breaks my heart that there are still trainers, even here in South...
Was your dog really attacked?
I completely agree that proven, frankly aggressive dogs need to be tightly reined - literally and metaphorically. But there is a huge range of reactivity / aggression - the vast majority of it produced by mind-numbing fear - a Flight or Fight response. The science...
An ode to reactive dogs
'Reactive' dogs. So for example: Dogs who bark. Dogs who bark at other dogs. Dogs who chase squirrels. Dogs who don't want to be looked at directly and patted on the head. Dogs that don't want strangers rocking up to their house. Dogs who jump up. Dogs who eat...
Lead etiquette when out walking
It can be really hard to know what do to with our dogs and their leads when we’re out walking. Of course there are no official rules, but here’s what I’ve learnt from years of walking reactive dogs, great advice from colleagues, and my own training. Note: you’ll find...
What to ask prospective walkers if you have a reactive dog
Owning a reactive dog is really hard. Anyone who has experienced it knows just how hard. The guilt, the fear, the anxiety, the embarrassment, the dread before every walk, the sinking stomach prior to a visit to the vet. Not to mention the judgement we encounter from...