Being Canine, Dog Behaviour and Training

03/09/2025

Thank you to everyone who has bought and shared my book. I really do appreciate it.
You can join my dedicated fb group too if you drop me a message.

What's next?

Look out for some recorded webinar chats coming along soon and I would love to hear about your Engage the Senses sessions too.

02/09/2025

When we think about dog behaviour, we tend to focus on the negatives, the things that we wish our dogs didn't do or that generally irritate or frustrate us.

How often do we think about all the other things that they do and appreciate them?

Our brains are inclined to see, remember and focus on negatives, remembering them with greater clarity than the good events. In fact, one good experience can't outweigh one negative, it's why when someone says something negative to you, you won't erase that simply by someone else giving you a compliment.

Our brains love a story and the more that you tell it that your dog is terrible, reactive etc etc, that then becomes reality. Everything should be balanced. Yes, your dog might react by barking at other dogs, but that isn't their whole life or their whole personality.

It's situational.

Focus on the situation and understand what is going on for your dog and remember thoughts lead to actions. Be mindful about the actions that you take.

31/08/2025

We value a joined-up approach in healthcare, so why not in dog behaviour?

When we experience pain or discomfort, we turn to professionals and we expect them to work together. We know our health can’t be reduced to one symptom, so we’d be frustrated if every doctor only focused on their own corner without connecting the dots.

Yet when it comes to dogs, this joined-up thinking is often missing. Behaviour is too often treated in isolation, as if the goal is simply to “stop” something.

As behaviourists, we’re in a unique position. We see dogs in their own environment, how they interact with their humans, and how those humans respond in return. This gives us insights that aren’t always visible in other settings. In a veterinary practice, for example, stress, anxiety, or the discomfort of being handled by a stranger can completely change how a dog behaves. That snapshot doesn’t tell the full story.

Skilled dog professionals take the wider view. They consider health, diet, pain, environment, and emotional wellbeing, ensuring the pieces of the puzzle fit together. The problem comes when people work in silos, only addressing one piece.

Our dogs deserve the same care we expect for ourselves. Let’s value that joined-up approach when they need it most.

Photo: Eric in the van ready for a road trip. He enjoys travelling but for some dogs having the journey to a vet, trainer or behaviourist can have an impact on how they respond too.

29/08/2025

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/animal-emotions/202508/if-you-want-an-emotionally-healthy-dog-unleash-their-senses

Dale McLelland offers a scientifically and ethically informed approach to gentle and mindful sensory enrichment that prioritizes choice, consent, agency, and emotional safety.

29/08/2025

If someone calls their approach to dog behaviour “balanced,” that’s more than a red flag—it’s a warning siren.

Many rescues rely on or promote this approach, often claiming it helps dogs get rehomed quickly. It’s usually hidden behind terms like “using rewards” or “confident handling,” so what is said might not reflect reality.

Often, those with limited knowledge overestimate their skill—a classic example of the Dunning-Kruger effect—opening a Pandora’s box with predictable fallout.

Photo: The starting point is often referred to as 'Mount stupid' but perhaps that's overly harsh.

29/08/2025

Does Size Matter?

At first glance, the human brain appears much larger and more complex than a dog’s. It might be tempting to assume this makes us superior. But brain size alone is not a measure of value, what matters is how well a species is adapted to its environment.

From an evolutionary perspective, humans as a species have brains that devote significant processing power to vision, whereas dogs’ brains are strongly specialised for olfaction. Their olfactory bulbs are around thirty times larger than ours in relative size, and they possess hundreds of millions more scent receptors. This means that while humans as a species are often described as “visual,” dogs are uniquely equipped to interpret the world through scent.

It is not about which species is “best,” but about how each has evolved to thrive in its own way. For dogs, smell is not just a sense but a vital means of understanding their surroundings.

Reference:
Hagihara, H., et al. (2022). The remarkable sense of smell: Anatomical and functional features of the canine olfactory system. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 9, 939854

Please note: we recognise that within both species, individuals will have different sensory experiences.

27/08/2025

Sometimes FB posts can come across as a bit 'preachy', a little judgemental and of course there is a risk that people will feel that they are being targeted.

It's hard to get the tone just right and of course, really hard to not show a little irritation at having the same poor excuses trotted out for treating dogs badly in the name of training.

So, no, I haven't been on the receiving end of any complaints, I just get it that trying to promote good welfare for dogs and other animals can sometimes cross a line or appear superior.

It's not about who cares the most, or who is the best at providing for their dogs, it's more to do with raising awareness and challenging some of the old ideas and approaches - some that I probably had myself way back and defended too. While I was never in the punishment camp, I certainly have had to rethink many of my well held opinions.

It's not easy either.

But, as I have said before, it's much harder on the dogs if we don't.

Photo: Dear Ava who most definitely had her own opinions on what she considered rewarding activities.

26/08/2025

What are lead pops or lead corrections and what's wrong with using them?

Well, where do I even start on this one?

Many people think punishment is limited to hitting, kicking, or other obvious forms of abuse. Yet the same people who would be horrified to hear about someone physically attacking a dog will go out for a walk and “correct” their dog for moving even slightly out of position. It doesn’t seem to register that lead corrections, those quick tugs on the leash, are still punishment.

At an event once, someone told me they knew the “right way to correct their dog”: not too hard, just within what they considered the normal range of punishment. But it isn’t a matter of degrees.

I watched someone who works with dogs, using lead corrections almost at every other step on a walk. I saw a small dog being marched at a pace, not being allowed to sniff or even to look right or left, it was heart breaking. The person on the other end of the lead would describe themselves as an experienced handler.

Imagine this: if I approached you and pushed you around, pulled you by the collar, and shouted at you, would you be okay with it? Most people wouldn’t. And yet somehow, many believe it’s fine to do the same to a dog—as long as it’s “mild.”

Lead pops might feel small to some people, but to the dog, they are aversive.

They create tension, stress, and confusion, and they don’t teach understanding or cooperation—they teach fear and compliance.

For the person who is not educated in dog behaviour, they may see what looks like a dog being taught how to walk on the lead and yet, in reality, they are witnessing a dog being punished.

It's time to stop excusing this type of behaviour or even admiring it and see it for what it is.

Photo: Dogs can enjoy their walks and we can enjoy them too without being pulled in all directions without the use of lead corrections.

24/08/2025

The paperback version of my book 'Engage the Senses' is now available to order on Amazon. The ebook version should also be out soon.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Engage-Senses-Choice-Led-Enriching-World/dp/B0FNKNZRQY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=YYOZBFF5ANON&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.BFEQYsGaiZFRge4YYo01Yv_PbpCw44lHY_1vltu28gu56ORrqY3LpMqzZSZfFtPqOK54zviqPklwiY9zCJ5TFU9Pqf8KTUrCyccTGLaSwWXIfDuLsWyfsCIhJYoMNnq6KelN9QWNyaSgDty6cHNimSb5F6kOHeEmYhUxtOogeW6hqoyFYn-fKXkMjPD6hiWa.o7IqNYsXlf-OuqLt7Bf7pcKfV23WM9rSj5ZTvlL83SQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=engage+the+senses&qid=1756034261&sprefix=%2Caps%2C1658&sr=8-1