09/07/2025
🐾 Part Two: What is the L.E.G.S. Framework?
And why does it matter so much in understanding your dog?
At Flying Paws, we’re proud to be the only qualified Family Dog Mediators® in Tasmania and that means we approach every dog with the L.E.G.S. Framework front and centre.
Because no behaviour happens in isolation.
Every bark, bounce, or meltdown is shaped by a bigger picture and L.E.G.S. helps us see it clearly.
So, what does L.E.G.S. stand for?
🧬 L – Learning: What has your dog learned from life? Not just training sessions, but everyday experiences. Have people meant treats or trouble? Has being left alone felt calm or scary? Their past shapes how they respond today.
🌍 E – Environment: What’s going on around your dog right now? Think slippery floors, barking dogs, loud noises, smells, people, energy. Their environment can make success easier or impossible.
🐾 G – Genetics: What’s in your dog’s DNA? Breed matters. It influences how your dog sees the world, what they were bred to do, and how they instinctively respond to stress. You can’t train genetics out but you can learn to work with them.
🧠 S – Self: Who is your dog as an individual? Personality, past, likes, dislikes, energy levels it all counts. Even within a breed, no two dogs are the same. Your dog’s “self” deserves to be seen and respected.
We use the L.E.G.S. framework to ask not just “what is my dog doing?” but “why are they doing it?”
That’s when the real progress happens. And often, that’s where the hacks come in not shortcuts, but strategic tools that help dogs succeed:
💡 Managing the environment instead of trying to control the dog.
💡 Teaching self-regulation so they can offer something we can reward.
💡 Offering context so they’re not just left guessing how to cope.
Because success doesn’t come from fixing dogs.
It comes from understanding them, supporting them, and building a world they can thrive in one thoughtful, L.E.G.S. informed step at a time.
Let us know in the comments if you’d like a part three in this series! 🥰