Randi-Dog trainer/ Behaviour Consultant/ Personalized Dog Walker

11/30/2025

11/25/2025

My face when I see some of the 'dog training' advice on the internet 🙄

Why we Read Body Language (And Why It Matters)

There’s a narrative floating around that we can ignore dog body language entirely “just punish the behaviour you don’t like and reward the behaviour you do.”

This sounds simple.
It’s also fundamentally flawed.

Dogs don’t behave in a vacuum.
Behaviour is driven by emotion.
Fear, frustration, excitement, pressure, confusion, these internal states create the behaviour we see.

If we ignore body language, we ignore the very thing telling us why the behaviour is happening.

And when we ignore the “why,” we risk:

Increasing stress

Creating conflict

Suppressing warning signals

Damaging trust

Making behaviour look “better” while the dog feels worse

Punishment might stop behaviour in the moment, but it does nothing to change the emotional drivers behind it.
In fact, it often intensifies it.

I read body language because emotions matter.
They shape learning.
They shape behaviour
They shape how the dog navigates life
And they shape the relationship we build with our dogs.

11/22/2025

Out mentor🚢is: practicle, theoretical, affoardable, and science-based.
The length is2️⃣⏰/☀️ for 2️⃣/🗓️ or 10 weaks 😉
You can figure it out!

11/20/2025

11/18/2025

Some breeders never evolve.
I used to think it was because they didn’t know better.
Now, I know it’s because evolution asks for honesty… and honesty asks for sacrifice.

Over the last few years, I’ve been cracked open by this breed in ways I never expected.
Not through highlight reels or perfect endings though, but through the moments nobody talks about.
The tough placements.
The sleepless nights.
The conversations that changed everything.
The dogs who taught me more than any person ever did.

I’ve seen what happens when decisions are made from convenience instead of compatibility.
I’ve seen what happens when a dog’s whole life is shaped by a breeder’s shortcuts.
I’ve seen what happens when people breed for applause but raise litters without intention.

Those moments didn’t harden me.
they sharpened me.

Today, my program is built on discernment:
– Discernment of structure that will matter years from now.
– Discernment of temperament that shapes entire families.
– Discernment of people… their values, their follow-through, their integrity.
– Discernment of who I align with, and who I will never stand beside again.

Because here is what most don’t understand:
these puppies are my legacy.
Not my content.
Not my income.
Not my “brand.”

My legacy.

Every decision I make, from studs to placements to boundaries impacts how my dogs grow, who they become, and what kind of life they get to live.

I will always choose the option that honors them.

Even if it costs me popularity.
Even if it means skipping a breeding.
Even if it means walking away from people who don’t take this seriously.
Even if it means rewriting everything I thought I knew.

I don’t breed to be loud.
I don’t breed to fit in.
I don’t breed for trends or for validation.

I breed for the dog that matures into an easy, joyful, well rounded Frenchie. The kind I’d proudly keep myself.

If that makes me different,
good.

This breed doesn’t need more noise.
It needs more truth.
More intention.
More breeders willing to evolve… even when it asks something of them

11/18/2025

11/04/2025

https://thedogueshop.com/blogs/dogue-s-blog/posts/7656729/expectations-vs-reality-understanding-normal-dog-behaviour-vs-clinical-problems

By Randi Belfer, CDT Many dog owners begin training with a vision of the perfect dog: calm, obedient, and always responsive. Dogs are living, emotional,...

11/02/2025

https://thedogueshop.com/blogs/dogue-s-blog/posts/7404056/welcoming-a-puppy-to-your-home-a-comprehensive-guide

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT-FLE Bringing a puppy into your home is an exciting and joyful experience, but it also comes with responsibilities and challeng...

11/01/2025

https://thedogueshop.com/blogs/dogue-s-blog/posts/7499446/why-getting-a-dog-for-christmas-may-lead-to-long-term-challenges-the-canadian-winter-socialization-s

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT-FLE The holiday season often brings images of joy, family gatherings, and the ultimate Christmas morning surprise: a fluffy pu...

10/28/2025

https://thedogueshop.com/blogs/dogue-s-blog/posts/7655509/how-cell-phones-are-breaking-the-human-dog-bond

Randi Belfer, CDT The relationship between humans and dogs has always been built on presence, shared moments, eye contact, touch, and mutual awareness. ...

10/28/2025

https://thedogueshop.com/blogs/dogue-s-blog/posts/7466222/responsible-dog-ownership-lessons-from-the-montreal-tethering-incident

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT-FLE In a recent incident in Montreal, a man was fined $664 for tethering his dog outside a bakery. While this may seem like a ...

10/28/2025

From the article Social Cognitive Learning in Dog Training

"When animal trainers demonstrate actions, reinforce problem-solving, and encourage effective decision-making in a supportive environment, dogs learn not only the behaviour but also that their choices matter. This is the mechanism that produces consent-based training. The dog opts in because it trusts the person and believes its actions produces predictable, safe outcomes."