Four Positive Paws

25/12/2025

A reminder: today is about safety and calm skills

Today needs calmness, management, space and compassion for dogs and humans.

Give yourself permission to prioritise peace over progress.

A calm walk, a bimble, sniffari or a perfect potter can help regulate the nervous system for you and your dog.

Reduce, reset and redefine your walk for your dogs reactive communications.

24/12/2025

Merry Christmas from Dawn at Four Positive Paws.

24/12/2025

Why December is the worst time to judge your dog

This month isn’t neutral.
It’s loaded.

Judging behaviour now without context is like judging fitness during flu season.

Nothing meaningful about your dog is decided in December.

Do your best to be patient, give yourself a pause, be kind and take care.

23/12/2025

What festive chaos does to a dog’s nervous system

Extra visitors.
Different walking times.
More smells, sounds and tension.

A nervous system that’s already sensitive has to work much harder in December.

Behaviour is communication and this month, dogs are saying “this is a lot.”

Can you make adjustments for calmer walks that help with creating calm?

22/12/2025

Why your dog isn’t misbehaving and instead they’re overloaded

Overload doesn’t always look dramatic.
Sometimes it looks like:
• slower responses
• different reactions
• “random” behaviour

Your dog may not need more guidance right now.
They may need less demands, more peace and quiet, bigger space different walks.

21/12/2025

The behaviour changes owners often panic about that are actually seasonal

More barking.
Less focus.
Less tolerance.

These aren’t personal failures.
They’re predictable responses to disrupted routines, overstimulation, and human stress.

Seasonal behaviour changes are information and an opportunity to listen and take supportive, compassionate action.

Reduce stress levels, take a breath, decompress, reset,

20/12/2025

Why dogs seem to “forget everything” in December

December can often look like regression.
Skills disappear. Reactions increase. Everything feels fragile.

Most dogs aren’t forgetting anything.
They’re coping with more noise, more unpredictability, more emotional load.

Learning doesn’t vanish under pressure, access to it does.

15/12/2025

Harnesses Don't Teach Dogs To Pull.

A great post shared with thanks 🐾🐾

MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS: HARNESSES TEACH DOGS TO PULL
(NO, THEY DON’T!!!)

When requests for harness recommendations crop up online, you can bet your bottom dollar that someone will say that putting your dog in a harness will cause him to pull, he will never be able to walk on a loose lead, harnesses should only be worn by sled dogs, etc. (I’m sure you have heard all of these comments before, multiple times).

However, this really is not the case at all. Wearing a well fitting harness allows freedom of movement without pinching or chafing the dog, making pulling more comfortable, but the harness itself will not encourage pulling.

Yes, it is absolutely possible to achieve loose lead walking with your dog in a harness. Even if you take part in sports such as canicross, bikejor, or mantrailing, where your dog works out in front of you and pulls into the harness, a separate harness for those activities can function as a “work cue” so that the dog associates the kit with the specific “job”. Even something as simple as unclipping the lead from two points of attachment to just the back ring can serve as a cue for "go and have a good sniff", then reattaching for road walking, etc.

Top tip: it’s always best to be vague about quite how many harnesses you have amassed when questioned by your other half. “Yes, every one of them is used, and yes, they are all necessary, and no, they didn’t cost much at all, and no, I haven’t bought a new one for ages …” 🤥 etc etc 😏

Anyway, I digress - back to harnesses not teaching dogs to pull.

Here’s a little analogy which I hope will help to make sense of this. Before I became a sloth-like, dressing gown-clad, tea-swilling writer, I used to enjoy running. It was really hard work initially, and an effort to find the get-up-and-go to run. However, I realised that in order to enjoy it more, I needed to improve, and in order to get better, I needed to put the training in. No amount of fancy running gear would turn me into a runner, although the addition of running tights and a sports bra would reduce the jiggle-factor significantly enough to make the whole experience a bit more comfortable.

The point I’m trying to make here is that it is the training that makes the athlete, not what you wear; equipment teaches nothing, training does!

If you still aren’t sure what to think, why not check out my blog post to find out more?

https://www.trailiepawsforthought.com/post/walkies-wear-what-the-science-says

If you need help with your loose lead walking, there is a fantastic free online workshop in the Canine Principles skills hub - I thoroughly recommend it!

https://www.canineprinciples.com/course/stop-dog-lead-pulling #:~:text=A%20free%20online%20workshop%20teaching,Dog%20Training%20by%20Sally%20Gutteridge.

© Trailie Paws For Thought
www.trailiepawsforthought.com

I’m very happy for all of my content to be shared, but please do not copy and paste to avoid sharing from source, screenshot, or download any part of it. THANK YOU! 🐾 🐾

Image text reads:

"MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS

Unfortunately, there are many myths and misconceptions which are perpetuated within the world of dog training. Despite evidence to the contrary, there are still those who believe that harnesses should be avoided and wearing one will teach a dog to pull. Please be assured: this is not the case!

HARNESSES DO NOT TEACH DOGS TO PULL!"

05/12/2025

Did you know adolescence is the most common age for dogs to be relinquished and one of the stages that need plenty of support?

Many people feel relieved once they’ve navigated the puppy stage only to discover that adolescence is a whole new chapter.

Around 6–18 months, dogs go through major brain changes. Their behaviour often becomes:
• More reactive
• More distracted
• Less responsive to requests
• More easily frustrated
• More sensitive to triggers
• Bolder or more worried
• “Like they’ve forgotten everything!”

This is completely normal and often misunderstood.

Not all dogs will behave in the same way to the same degree which is why it is so important to understand your own individual dogs needs so that this stage can be one that positively shapes the future into adulthood.

Adolescence is the bridge between puppyhood and adulthood and it’s when many lifelong behaviour patterns start to form. The support you give at this stage can set the tone for the rest of their life.

With calm, consistent guidance, understanding and supportive education, this stage can become more manageable and a fabulous foundation for connection, trust and confidence.

If you’re living with an adolescent dog and feeling a bit overwhelmed, I can help you navigate it with practical, real life skills for positive progress.

04/12/2025

Newly Adopted or Rehomed Dog Struggling to Settle

Is your newly adopted dog finding life at home a bit overwhelming?

Do they jump at every sound, hide when guests visit, pace the house, or seem unsure how to relax?

This is so common for dogs who’ve just landed in a new environment because they’re trying to make sense of a whole new world and that can feel scary.

It is so easy to rush those crucial first moments, minutes, days and weeks.

Every sight, sound, smell, touch is new to them. They need time, safety, and calm guidance to help them feel secure.

I support guardians of rehomed and adopted dogs through:
• Building confidence gently
• Creating a calm, predictable home routine
• Reducing fear-driven behaviours
• Helping dogs settle, connect, and feel safe
• Supporting you through the emotional ups and downs because it can be a challenging and worrying time with a strong desire to get things right

If your new dog is finding those first few minutes, days and weeks tough, you don’t have to figure it all out on your own.

Get in touch to set yourself and your pup up for a foundation of trust and a positive connection with the new home.

03/12/2025

Walks That Don’t Feel Relaxing or Calm

Does walking your dog feel more like dodging triggers than enjoying the time with your dog?

If your dog:
• Lunges or barks at other dogs
• Spins, jumps, freezes or barks and whines excessively
• Panics when they see people, bikes or wildlife
• Turns into a bundle of nerves the moment you leave the house

This isn’t bad behaviour or a naughty dog it’s a way of your dog telling you they are feeling uncomfortable.

Reactive behaviour on walks can feel exhausting for both of you, emotionally and physically.
But with the right support it can get better.

I help you understand what’s driving those big reactions and show you simple, realistic steps to make walks feel safer and more predictable for you and your dog.

If you’re feeling anxious every time you clip the lead on, you’re not alone, and I can help.

I have walked in those shoes and have experienced how it can feel when our dog is likely to have a big reaction.

I have also experienced the joy and relief when a dog has developed better coping skills and walks can be enjoyable again.