Fear or frustration?
Behaviour never occurs without reason, and reactivity is no different. Whenever we start working with a behaviour problem, it’s important to consider the dog’s physical health and how this is affecting them – you can read more about this here. Excluding the effects of pain and discomfort on behaviour, we then need to break down the […]
Pain and Reactivity
When we assess behaviour issues, we are always on the lookout for red flags that indicate pain and discomfort. This might sound strange, given that we are there to work in a behavioural sense, however behaviour and physical health are intricately linked. A behaviourist cannot diagnose physical issues in your dog; however, they may suggest […]
‘There are no bad dogs, only bad owners’
‘There are no bad dogs, only bad owners’ is a phrase I encounter all too frequently. It’s perfectly well-meaning, but lacks nuance and serves to drive a culture of owner-blaming, which does little to actually resolve problematic behaviours when they arise. In this blog, I am going to break down this phrase and discuss the […]
How to prevent resource guarding in your dog
When I got my first puppy aged thirteen, we borrowed a book on dog training from the local library. I read it cover to cover, determined to train my bubbly, squeaky little border terrier myself. We didn’t attend classes or employ a dog trainer, we just muddled through at home – and looking back, I […]