05/12/2025
…their dog is displaying unwanted behaviour either at home or perhaps reactivity on walks. Everyone wants a solution to the behaviour when it is happening. But the solution is really in addressing underlying causes and a lot of practice outside of situations you’re having issues.
For awhile Echo, my German shepherd, was getting quite mouthy and jumping when he wanted something. Now, he’s offering to lay on his mat and wait patiently for whatever it is he needs (play time, a walk, food, etc). This is not because of what I did in the moment when he was being wild…it’s because of all the reps we put in of going to his mat, practicing self control, and implementing frustration reducing exercises.
So if you come to me with a struggle you’re having with your dog and you want to know what to do, I’m going to give your survival tools for when it’s happening. But if you want results in terms of behaviour change, it’s all about determining the underlying cause(s) and practicing the behaviours you want to see.