It's Not About The Dog

08/10/2025

Just love a good bush walk.
Suburban life can be for many dogs (and us humans) overwhelming at times, loud noises, traffic, strong smells( really perfumes and aftershaves should be illegal) then the constant activity really is a lot to navigate. Your morning walk can at times feel like sensory overload rather than relaxation.
When you have chance or make time for your k9 buddy take them for a quiet bush walk or quiet open parklands this way they can truly enjoy their outing with little or nothing to really navigate and they can just have a relaxing sniffathone and decompress.🐾🐾

07/10/2025

Not every dog needs to interact with other dogs, and that is totally ok. What matters most is that they can be calm and non-reactive around them.
Your dog does not need to play, they just need to learn that other dogs can exist nearby without it being a big deal.
Focus on calm coexistence, not forced interaction advocate for your dog.
Confidence and neutrality go a long way.
When you learn K9 lingo you can listen on the dogs conversations.
Always listen, always support.

07/10/2025

https://open.substack.com/pub/zigrid/p/your-dog-your-rules?r=2gtbvq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Training is not about perfection it is about connection.

07/10/2025

Brisbane environment giving us mixed signals.
The heat today says it’s summer, the gorgeous jacaranda trees in bloom lets us know it’s only spring.
Being a lifestyle dog trainer/k9 coach this means the next 6 months are going to be very challenging,
Early starts and split shifts🤷🏻‍♀️🐾
Always best to teach dogs in the coolest part of the day.

03/10/2025

Yep we are done🐾🐾
Coaching session with 2 stunning big boys.
Dogue de Bordeaux puppies are coming along so nicely in adapting to our human environments all thanks to their amazing human family.
Teaching are dogs is not hard it is the learning of k9 lingo that is the challenge.
Loving watching these 2 growing into their own personalities ❤️🐾🐾

02/10/2025

When you understand K9 lingo you can hear a dog speak.
This morning while waiting for a client I saw 2 dog walkers walking together with 8 dogs. Everyone one of the dogs head was tilted down, walking slowly, not one attempted to sniff. Not one dog looked happy, then I saw 3 of the dogs wearing a remote shock collar and the handlers had the remote in their hand.
Just bloody heart breaking.
These people are making money out of making a dog miserable.
A dogs walk is their walk they need to Sniff it’s their god dam right to sniff.
All these aversive training tools should be banned , made illegal.
Gosh dogs deserve so much more.

02/10/2025

All sessions for the rest of the day cancelled due to extreme heat.
Please keep your dogs in air-conditioning, have plenty of water around.
For all puppies parents pups toilet training may go backwards dont stress they may not want to go outside due to heat, please dont make them.

01/10/2025

https://open.substack.com/pub/zigrid/p/the-weight-of-yes?r=2gtbvq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Love lives in the follow-through

30/09/2025

Build trust first through connection, then teaching life skills and etiquette will follow naturally.
Grateful for my boy every single day🐾❤

26/09/2025

Wonderful playdate with these 2 besties.
Of course our awesome labradoodle is always high on life and will be everyone BF.
The gorgeous Rottie girl I have the pleasure of taking out 3 times a week and she just loves a good romp around.
The whole session we just watched them having fun and constantly listening in on their conversation with each other. Not at any time did a human have to go in and navigate.
To often too many humans intervene too quickly when dogs are interacting 98% of the time humans need to mind their own business and only redirect if the dogs are not listening to each other.

25/09/2025

I rarely rant but here’s one!
Consent is not just for humans, It’s for Dogs Too.
Here is the truth that needs to be said louder, and I am a straight shooter so here goes!
Dogs deserve consent, dogs deserve to be heard, dogs deserve to be treated with respect.
Too often I see people yanking dogs on leads, holding them down, forcing them into situations they are clearly uncomfortable with and for what? Compliance?
That is not training, that is trauma.
That is not leadership or k9 parenting, that is control.
And it really destroys trust.
Dogs do do not speak with words, they speak with body language, Lip licking, turning their head, freezing, trying to move away, these are all ways they say, “I am not okay with this.”
Are you listening?
If you choose to bring a dog into your life, then it is your responsibility to learn their language, respect their boundaries, and give them a voice. That is what real partnership looks like.
I will never force a dog into compliance.
I will always ask for consent.
I will always put trust before your so called obedience.
If a dog is struggling in any situation or with grooming, vet visits, or any kind of handling, it is your job to prepare them, support them, be their voice advocate for them, not to punish them for being scared.
Dogs are not giving you a hard time, they are having a hard time.
So to every K9 parent out there, and to everyone that works with dogs
Step up.
Be their voice.
Build trust.
Earn respect.
Because they are not “just dogs.”They are your family. ❤️
There are no quick fixes and what training tools humans use to do so called quick fixes only suppress behaviour they don't change it.
go on the journey that is needed with your dog as when you do that is connection.

24/09/2025

https://open.substack.com/pub/zigrid/p/boundaries-with-love?r=2gtbvq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Teaching Your Dog with Understanding, Not Control