Stephie Guy, The Shouty-Barky Dog Lady

12/06/2025

We often talk about training as though it’s a one-way street: we have a goal, we work with the dog to get there. Job done.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗱𝗼𝗴𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗼.

Sometimes, our goals and theirs line up beautifully. We want a calm, relaxed walk, and so do they. We want to sit in the garden and do nothing, and they’re right there beside us. Bliss.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵?

We want them to settle while we have a Zoom call. They want to bark at the squirrel on the fence.

We want them to be ok alone for a few hours. They want to be wherever we are.

We want them to stop reacting to other dogs on walks. They want the scary dog across the road to go away right now.

𝐴𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒’𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑔𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑦: 𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑡 “𝑏𝑒ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑠” ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑛 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑔𝑜𝑎𝑙𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔.

We’re trying to get from A to B. They're trying to feel safe, or to release energy, or to explore the world. We’re focused on outcomes. They’re focused on the present moment.

𝗪𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲?

This isn’t about giving in or letting your dog run the show. It’s about listening and adapting.

Your dog isn’t being “difficult” when they dig their heels in on a walk, or bark, or pace when left alone. They’re trying to solve a problem in the only way they know how.

𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑓 𝑤𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑠 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑟𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑏𝑒ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑟?

What if, instead of pushing harder for our goal, we paused and asked: “What’s your goal here, dog?”

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝗧𝘄𝗼-𝗪𝗮𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀

When our goals are misaligned, the answer isn’t to drag the dog over to our side. It’s to meet somewhere in the middle.

Start with curiosity. What does your dog need right now? Safety? Space? Connection?

Then, build from there.

🟢 Want them to rest more during the day? Help them feel safe enough to switch off.

🟢 Want calmer walks? Let them sniff, choose direction, and move at their pace.

🟢 Want to leave them home alone? Work out what helps them feel secure first.

This shift - from training for behaviour to supporting for wellbeing - is where the magic happens.

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁

When our dogs struggle, it’s rarely because they’re “naughty” or “manipulative” (both human concepts, by the way). It’s usually because they’re trying to meet their own needs, in a world that doesn’t always make sense to them.

Alignment doesn’t mean giving up on your goals. It means finding a shared path, one where both you and your dog feel seen, heard, and supported.

And from that place, real progress becomes possible.

20/04/2025

Just me and me dog, in a field, doing nothing together 💕

20/04/2025

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐟: 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝
Have you ever noticed your dog sniffing someone from a distance? It’s a behaviour we often overlook, but it holds a wealth of information about how dogs perceive the world — and how they communicate.

👉 Sniffing from afar is a dog's version of social scanning

Dogs have an incredible sense of smell — up to 100,000 times more sensitive than ours. When your dog pauses to sniff the air while someone is approaching, they're likely gathering vital information: Is this person familiar? Are they carrying scents from another dog? Do they feel safe?

This distant sniffing is often your dog’s way of “checking someone out” before deciding whether to engage. It's subtle, yet deeply social — like humans glancing up to assess whether someone approaching looks friendly, familiar, or best avoided.

👉 The First Sniff

Think about where your dog sniffs first when they greet you. Is it your hand, your legs, your feet? Dogs tend to be drawn to the parts of us that hold the strongest, freshest scents — and they'll often dive straight in to ready those stories from the outside world.

Now compare that to how they greet a stranger. Often, dogs will cautiously approach and begin with a more investigative sniff — typically around the feet or legs — moving towards and away. This is their way of gathering information in a safe, non-threatening way.

These greetings might seem casual or even barely there, but to a dog, they’re meaningful. They help your dog make decisions: Should I stay close? Should I move away? Is this person part of my world now?
Cross-Species Greetings: What Counts as a "Hello"?
Let’s turn the lens onto ourselves for a moment. In many cultures, a simple nod from across the street can serve as a polite greeting — an acknowledgement of another person’s presence without words or physical contact.

Dogs do something very similar. A brief sniff from a distance, a pause while watching another dog pass, a subtle head turn — these are canine ways of saying “I see you” without rushing into a full-on interaction.
When we start to notice these quieter, gentler forms of greeting, we begin to understand just how socially rich and emotionally aware our dogs really are.

👉 Why This Matters: Less Barking, More Understanding

Here’s where it gets really useful: when we tune in to our dog’s first sniffs, we can actually reduce a lot of the barking, shouting, and stress.

Many dogs don’t want to be petted right away — or even looked at directly. They’d rather assess someone from a distance, take a few sniffs of their shoes, and then decide whether to come closer. But when we (or others) go straight in with hands and voices, it can feel overwhelming and unsafe to our dogs. That’s when the barking starts — not because they’re being “naughty,” but because they didn’t feel heard.

👉 By understanding and respecting a dog’s preferred greeting style, we can help them feel safer, reduce tension, and create calmer social interactions. Sometimes, giving a dog space to sniff is the kindest hello we can offer.

𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠, 𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬:

🌿 Notice when they sniff the air — what’s caught their attention?

👃 Watch where they sniff first when greeting people — what patterns emerge?

🚫 Avoid rushing greetings — see what happens when you just wait and let your dog lead.

👋 And reflect on how you greet others from afar — are we really so different?

By tuning into your dog’s subtle social cues, you’ll start to see the world through their nose — and deepen your bond in the process.

11/04/2025

A couple of days ago I wasn’t feeling great. Not terrible, just a bit off.

✨ *I looked fine, but I wasn’t*

I had a headache that wouldn't shift and an unsettled stomach.

Outwardly, I was functioning: I could walk, talk, eat, and if you’d seen me, you’d probably have thought I was perfectly fine.

But inside? I was foggy, unfocused, and not really me.

✨ *My confidence took a hit*

I’m working on something big right now, and yesterday I had major wobbles about the whole project.

Doubts crept in. I second-guessed myself. It’s hard to trust your own decisions or actions when your brain isn’t firing properly.

Feeling unwell – even just a little – can ripple into every part of our day.

We might look like we’re coping, but inside, we’re scraping by.

✨ *The same is true for our dogs*

They might look “fine.”

They can go for a walk, eat their food, wag their tails – but if something doesn’t feel right inside their body or mind, it changes everything.

They might be more reactive, more clingy, more withdrawn… just a bit “off.”

It’s easy to misread those signs as behaviour problems when they might be signs of discomfort.

✨ *So what can we do – for them and for us?*

🐾 Pause and check in

Notice the small signs. Are they sleeping more? Moving differently? Less tolerant?
What about you – feeling more tired, more irritable, less focused?

🐾 Don’t push through

Rest is productive. Slowing down gives the body and brain space to heal.

🐾 Be gentle

With yourself and with your dog. Soft care goes a long way in building safety and trust.

✨ *Rest is productive*

When things feel harder than usual, it’s okay to say, “Today’s not the day for big things.”

Offer yourself and your dog the same understanding.
Healing takes time – physical, emotional, or just energetic.

✨ *Be kind, go slow*

Sometimes the kindest thing we can do is pause, listen, and give ourselves and our dogs permission to take it easy.

Because not every wobble is visible.
And not every “fine” means we’re okay.

04/04/2025

My lovely friend and colleague Suzanne has written a fab article on why pain relief trials need to be longer than the oft recommended 7-10 days. Follow the link to read it!

Is your dog hiding their pain? They often do. That's why pain relief trials are so important. But a quick one to two-week test? It's often a waste of time and can lead to missed diagnoses and ineffective treatment. Let's explore why a 'one-week wonder' pain management approach is not enough for your...

31/03/2025

Starts today! I don't get paid for these things, I do it because I love you guys. Are you registered?

You know how much I care about helping sensitive dogs feel safe and understood, so I wanted to share something with you.

I’m part of a free online event all about supporting dogs who struggle with things like anxiety, reactivity, and trauma. It’s called Love in Action! What Sensitive Dogs Really Need to Feel Safe and Loved, and it brings together loads of brilliant dog professionals sharing ideas that actually work.

I’ll be speaking on March 31st about Separation Anxiety, going beyond the usual advice to talk about what really helps. There are also talks on:

🐾 Helping noise-sensitive dogs
🐾 Managing predatory behaviours in a way that works for your dog
🐾 Kids and dogs living happily together
🐾 Gentle, consent-based grooming
🐾 How our emotions affect our dogs
🐾 Building trust through movement
🐾 And loads more!

Each session is available for 24 hours, so you can watch whenever it suits you. And best of all, it’s completely free.

If it sounds like something that might help, the link is in the comments.

Would love to know if you decide to join in! 💛🐶

26/03/2025

Truth!

Credit
Nathan W. Pyle

25/03/2025

You know how much I care about helping sensitive dogs feel safe and understood, so I wanted to share something with you.

I’m part of a free online event all about supporting dogs who struggle with things like anxiety, reactivity, and trauma. It’s called Love in Action! What Sensitive Dogs Really Need to Feel Safe and Loved, and it brings together loads of brilliant dog professionals sharing ideas that actually work.

I’ll be speaking on March 31st about Separation Anxiety, going beyond the usual advice to talk about what really helps. There are also talks on:

🐾 Helping noise-sensitive dogs
🐾 Managing predatory behaviours in a way that works for your dog
🐾 Kids and dogs living happily together
🐾 Gentle, consent-based grooming
🐾 How our emotions affect our dogs
🐾 Building trust through movement
🐾 And loads more!

Each session is available for 24 hours, so you can watch whenever it suits you. And best of all, it’s completely free.

If it sounds like something that might help, the link is in the comments.

Would love to know if you decide to join in! 💛🐶

21/02/2025

Oiii, listen up! This absolute LEGEND right here? Yeah, Stephie flipping Guy? She’s like the dog whisperer, but, like, cooler—because she actually listens to the dogs instead of just making them do stuff. I mean, she’s got this whole thing about trust and respect, and honestly, I think she’s better at relationships with dogs than most people are with people.

She’s got this ‘Shouty-Barky Dog-Cast’—hilarious name, right? But it’s all these quick, no-BS tips that actually help people with their mad dogs. And if your dog is basically a furry emotional disaster zone, she’s got a whole program for that too—six months of deep healing vibes, or whatever she calls it.

Oh! And her Calmer Canines Club? It’s like a secret society for people whose dogs are sensitive little weirdos—but, like, in the best way. They do mindfulness for dogs! MIND-FLIPPIN-FULNESS! I can't even do mindfulness for me!

Also, she once traded a dead rabbit for some sardines like it was some kind of wizardry, and I still haven't recovered from that.

Honestly, if your dog’s a mess, just give her your money. She’s worth it. But be warned—she will not let you get away with treating your dog like an afterthought. Respect goes both ways, people! Even when you're drunk. Cheers to that! 🍻🐶

** According to ChatGPT, this ↑↑↑ is what my drunk best friend would say about me and my business 🤣

18/02/2025

Every day, I’m grateful for my companion and tutor. Mickle knows how to "dog" far better than I ever could, and he teaches me more and more with every passing day. We guide each other—sometimes my big brain is useful, but often, his instincts are the wiser guide.

Here he is, lovingly watching over me as I work, reminding me to take breaks, breathe, and appreciate the moment. Who really trains who? ❤️🐾

16/02/2025

Yesterday, I sat down with Barney’s caregivers for our fourth consultation, and it was amazing to reflect on just how far he’s come. When we first started, Barney, a German Shorthaired Pointer, couldn’t bear the thought of his humans leaving the house—even for a moment. He needed to know they were there 24/7, and any sign of them stepping out caused him immense stress.

Fast forward a few months, and Barney has transformed in ways that seemed unimaginable at first. Now, he can relax at home with his dog siblings, even when his humans are away—it's a huge shift in his anxiety levels. Here's a glimpse of his journey so far...

💡 Key Wins:

✅ More Relaxed in Company: Family and friends have noticed how much calmer he is in social situations, like Christmas gatherings.

✅ Independence Growing: His humans can now go out, and he can relax at home with the other dogs—no longer needing to track their every move.

✅ Clearer Communication: Learning “show me” to reduce demand barking & responding better to specific language.

✅ Gradual Steps to Solo Relaxation: Now exploring settling in different rooms and short solo periods without the other dogs.

No rigid training schedules, no endless repetitions—just a tailored approach that respects Barney’s needs and emotions.

It’s incredible what’s possible when we meet dogs where they are. 🐾💙