The Caring Canine Coach - Certified Canine Behaviourist

18/10/2025

Starting to look like Halloween here 🎃👻🕷️

13/10/2025

Many dogs who bark, growl or lunge aren’t actually aggressive, they’re reacting to fear, frustration or excitement. Understanding the difference is key to helping them feel safe, confident and calmer.

I’ve written a new blog breaking down reactivity vs aggression, explaining what it looks like and why it happens.

📖 Read the full post at the link below.

Many dogs who bark or lunge aren’t being aggressive — they’re reacting out of fear, frustration or excitement. Understanding the difference between reactivity and aggression helps us see what our dogs are really feeling and guide them towards calmer, more confident behaviour.

10/10/2025

Behind the Scenes of Training with Astrid

What you don’t see on social media: hours of repetition, patience and careful adjustments that turn a behaviour into a reliable, consistent response.

Today, I was working with Astrid on her sit-to-stand. To someone watching a video of the finished behaviour, it might look like she did it all by herself, in seconds. But every repetition builds understanding and reliability.

Training isn’t instant. The polished behaviours you see online? That’s just the tip of the iceberg. The real work happens behind the scenes, in the countless small successes that don’t make the feed but create lasting results.

Celebrate the small wins. Every repetition moves your dog closer to consistent, dependable behaviour.

And no .... There isn't anything wrong with her back foot, which is turning outwards on the stand...... She's so used to moving off into heelwork from heel position, she's placing her foot there ready to push off into heelwork. Not ideal but I can change that with some work!

10/10/2025

Think your dog is stubborn? Think again!

Sometimes it’s not defiance, your dog might literally be struggling to think. Stress, excitement, or tiredness can make the simplest commands feel impossible to your dog.

Discover why “stubbornness” is often a misunderstanding and how understanding your dog’s brain can turn frustration into connection.

Read more here 👉

Think your dog is stubborn? Often, they’re not refusing — they’re overwhelmed. Stress, excitement, or fatigue can shut down their thinking brain, making even simple cues hard to follow. Understanding this changes how we train, communicate, and connect with our dogs, turning frustration into em...

04/10/2025

People abandon you in the wind, but a dog will follow you in a storm.…Unless it’s windy. Or raining. Or slightly damp. In fact, nope. Astrid will absolutely not follow me in a storm. Myth. Busted 😆

How is it where you are with ??

03/10/2025

Don’t dampen your dog’s energy! Use it.

Many people (even some dog trainers) think the key to a “calm” dog is forcing stillness.....
“Lie down”
“Stay”
“Settle”

But stillness isn’t calm, it’s just stillness. And when a dog is full of drive or energy, making them still can actually cause frustration.

Instead, I prefer to harness that energy. Movement, play, training and other appropriate breed outlets, give the dog a chance to express who they are. Once those needs are met, real calmness tends to follow naturally.

It’s not about shutting the energy off. It’s about directing it into something useful and satisfying, so the dog can then choose to relax.

Think of it like steam building in a pressure cooker: you don’t hold the lid down tighter, you let the steam out safely.

Don't get me wrong, I do high level obedience training with my dog, who is high drive and high in energy. She has to lie down and ignore big distractions for minutes at a time but she's not really emotionally calm when she's doing that, she's simply performing a behaviour that she's been trained to do.

Do you work with your dog’s energy, or against it?

22/01/2025

Some snippets from a lovely Google review, left by a client who has just come to the end of their training package with me. I was called out to help with lead walking but it quickly became apparent the clients were struggling with quite a few other challenges too. This little dog is very high energy, is rarely still and as a teenager, struggles to focus and self-regulate. Amazing progress has been made and I am very proud of them all, there is still work to do but I am glad the clients now feel they have a plan to follow going forwards😍

20/12/2024

Just look at this handsome boy! ❤️

This morning, I had the pleasure of meeting his fantastic guardians for their initial consultation, and we’re all excited to kick off our training journey together! ⭐

The consultation may not sound glamorous, but it’s such an important step. It helps me dig into how problem behaviours develop and uncover all the little factors that could be contributing to them.

Every dog is unique, which is why I tailor my training to suit their individual needs. Getting to know them on a deeper level is absolutely key to creating a successful plan.

I can’t wait to meet this gorgeous boy and his lovely family in person in the new year! Until then, they’ve got plenty of homework to keep them busy, and I’m excited to see the progress they make. ❤️

Oh, and I can’t take credit for these stunning photos – I’ve been lucky enough to get permission to share them! 😆

13/12/2024

What a wonderful way to wrap up the week! 🌟

I had the pleasure of doing an online session with the guardians of these two cuties, and just look at them — aren’t they absolutely adorable? 🐾❤️

Bringing a new puppy into the home can be a big adjustment, especially for the older dog. It can be a bit of a stressful time as they adjust to their new companion. Today, we discussed strategies to make the transition smoother and to lower stress levels in the household. 🐶💡

We’ve also put a solid plan in place to ensure their bond continues to grow positively. I can’t wait to meet these two and their wonderful family in the New Year and to see all the progress they’ve made! 🎉

30/11/2024

Love these pics from this morning, thank you so much for taking them 🥰
What a big softy, sat on my knee and I got some lovely kisses, totally adorable boy ❤️

28/11/2024

Black Friday Special – No Discounts, Just Value! 🎉

This Black Friday, I’m giving back to all the amazing dog owners out there! Instead of a sale, I’m offering FREE access to my Trick Training Starter Course—because who doesn’t love learning new tricks with their furry best friend? 🐾💡

Whether you’re looking to bond with your dog, challenge their mind, or just have a bit of fun, this course is perfect for getting started.

👉 Sign up here: https://shorturl.at/9vVPn
Or, go to www.thecaringcaninecoach/freecourse

But hurry—this freebie won’t last forever! Make this Black Friday about more than shopping—make it about creating memories with your dog. 🐕✨

Tag a friend who would love this too! 💬