Better Nature Dog Training

21/11/2025

⚠️ This is oversimplified!! ⚠️

This is intended to highlight some key differences between good and bad desensitization for separation anxiety, it is NOT a complete or individualized training plan.

Desensitization needs to be carefully done or it can have the opposite of the intended effect and make your dog MORE sensitive to alone time. Some of those pitfalls include:

1. Pushing your dog too close to their threshold too often
2. Not allowing adequate time for decompression
3. Practicing absences in a pattern, e.g. always increasing difficulty and never making it easier.

If you feel like you’ve been trying desensitization but it isn’t going anywhere, I can help! Get in touch for a free Zoom call, or send me a DM if you’d like to know more about the separation anxiety membership.

19/11/2025

"Don't tell your dog 'it's okay' when they're upset"

A popular trainer recently posted a reel with this advice, and I received a follower request to address it - I won't link it here to prevent giving him any more eyes on his content than he already has!

This trainer's argument was that dogs respond to 'energy' and body language, and that if you are worried about your dog you will make their anxiety worse.

Beyond the fact that 'energy' is vague, not measurable, and subjective, giving advice that essentially boils down to 'just don't be anxious' is entirely unhelpful. We care deeply about our pets; we don't want them to be in distress, and we may have our own fears about safety issues if they're being reactive - those feelings are valid. And let's not ignore the fact that "your anxiety is making your dog worse" is most often said to women.

If our anxiety gave our dogs anxiety, psychiatric service dogs wouldn't exist - but they do, and they're very good at their jobs!

The reason saying 'it's okay' and stroking your dog while they're having a reaction doesn't really help isn't because they're feeding off of your energy or that you're 'reinforcing their fear' - it's just that it isn't a sufficient substitute for a training plan. Doing that might help reassure your dog, which is always a good thing - but it probably won't be enough reassurance for them to really stop feeling threatened. You need to teach them ACTUAL skills - how to self-regulate, how to increase distance when they need it without barking and lunging, how to communicate when they're uncomfortable, and how to trust that you'll keep them safe.

In the absence of any other strategies available to you, it's perfectly okay to comfort your dog and reassure them. You won't be doing any harm by doing so. If you find yourself reaching for that all the time and you don't know what else to do, then get in touch and let's create a real training plan and skills you can start building to better navigate those moments!

04/11/2025

Nervous dogs are going to feel safest if you pretend they aren’t there. That means not staring at them, not talking to them, not making kissy noises, not walking toward them, and definitely not sticking your hand in their face for them to sniff. Nervous dogs deserve to exist in public with their personal space respected and in a way that helps them feel safe.

03/11/2025

Last week I had my final session with Benny, a newly adopted rescue who was displaying fear aggression to new people in the house. We implemented environmental changes to ensure everyone’s safety, then worked through some training strategies to address the underlying emotion and help Benny feel more secure.

In a few short weeks, Benny has transformed from a dog who would bark, lunge, and even nip if you tried to reach for a drink, to a dog who can calmly watch a guest stand up and walk across the room. He even might ask for some love once he’s gotten used to you!

What helped Benny wasn’t “structure and boundaries”, wasn’t telling him no, and wasn’t scolding him for his behaviour. It was understanding how to read when he was uncomfortable, respecting his personal space, and teaching him that new people are safe and predict good things.

Super proud of team Benny!

24/10/2025

02/10/2025

It’s a jungle of misinformation, guilt, shame, and loneliness out there when it comes to separation anxiety. I’m here to say I get it, I know it’s hard, I know it’s confusing, and I’m here to help 💚

29/09/2025

Do you work in rescue and want accessible separation anxiety support for the dogs you adopt out?

I run an online membership for separation anxiety, which is designed to be a more budget-friendly option for separation anxiety dog parents who can't afford 1:1 work with a specialist. You still get the gold standard approach that has helped thousands of dogs overcome separation anxiety, but in a guided-DIY format with group support.

I want to partner with rescues who are trying to find homes for dogs with separation anxiety, by offering 50% off that membership to anyone who can offer these dogs a home. This is open to rescues not just in the UK, but also the US, Europe, Australia and more.

Please help me share this to reach rescues and dogs in need, and if you're working with a rescue who would like to offer this to potential adoptees then drop me a message so we can set you up with the discount code!

23/09/2025

Member Spotlight: Alyssa Broughton – Better Nature Training
Based in North Lincolnshire & Online
www.betternaturetraining.com

Alyssa Broughton is a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer (CSAT) who specialises in helping dogs (and their people) overcome the challenges of being home alone.

She offers one-to-one support as well as a 6-month online membership programme, a budget-friendly option for guardians looking for structured, expert-led help with separation anxiety.

Alyssa works with clients across the UK and beyond, blending empathy, science-based methods, and a calm, supportive approach.

Fun fact: Alyssa is American and a cancer survivor, showing strength and resilience in everything she does.

19/09/2025

Our Reactive Dogs Class is FULL!

I may be able to add a second class if there’s enough interest though, so message the page if you missed out!

14/09/2025

UPDATE: Class now FULL! DM the page if you’re still interested, I may be able to run a second class!

We’re looking for 2 more dogs for our Reactive Dogs Class!

This is a group class tailored to help you build confidence with your reactive dog - without punishment, without flooding them with their fears and hoping they 'get over it', and without having to hear "it's okay, he's friendly!" as an off lead dog barrels toward you 🤦‍♀️

It's a six week long course that will take place on Saturdays at 12:15pm at Paddock in the Pines starting October 4, with a maximum of 4 dogs per class to ensure that 1) your dog has plenty of space to stay calm and only get as close as they're ready for, and 2) you get enough 1:1 attention and guidance.

It's £225 for the six weeks plus lifetime access to the written and video guides that go along with the course and a Facebook group for community support. Spaces are first come, first serve - message us to book or if you have any questions!

18/06/2025

‼️ If an “aggression expert” isn’t advocating for thorough investigation into possible pain as part of their work with you… they are NOT ethical! ‼️

This is a sensitive story, and as such names have been changed to protect my clients’ privacy and identity. The dog pictured below is mine.

Over the last couple of months I’ve been working with a family and their dog (we’ll call him “Benny”). A year ago, Benny turned from a loving family pet to suddenly guarding the lounge; anytime that someone made an unexpected move in the room or entered it, Benny would begin posturing and barking at them, which eventually escalated into jumping and grabbing at their clothes, and then bites that punctured the skin.

A physical examination at the vet didn’t yield any results, and Benny was taking multiple types of anxiety medication that didn’t touch his behaviour.

We started working together, and I asked them to have some scans done to further investigate pain. Behaviour changes are one of the first indicators of pain, but otherwise dogs are REALLY good at hiding pain and it can be easily missed, even in a vet exam.

Because they had already been to see the vet, I was met with some resistance. We did implement safety measures and some training strategies to try to help Benny feel more at ease in the lounge, but his behaviour wasn’t improving.

Eventually, Benny did have an MRI, and it was revealed that he has a chiari malformation in his brain - that is, part of his brain was pushing down into the spinal canal. We could have done all the training in the world but it wouldn’t have mattered, because this wasn’t a behaviour issue.

How many trainers would have slapped a shock collar on this poor dog, who was already suffering? How many would have simply said that he needed to learn boundaries or hear the word “no” and not looked any further? How many would say that it’s all well and good to use positive reinforcement, until it “doesn’t work” and then you need punishment?

It’s estimated that up to 80% of aggression cases have some kind of underlying medical issue. You NEED a behaviour expert who can liaise with your vet and who will advocate for *thorough* examination, not just a quick check over to tick a box.

It’s an unregulated industry. Be careful who you trust with your dog, even if they call themselves an expert or have tons of followers. And if your dog’s behaviour suddenly changes, they’re probably in pain.

16/06/2025

It's getting HOT! 🥵🥵

It only takes a raised body temperature of 1-2 degrees to put your dog at risk of heat stroke; normal dog body temperature is between 38-39C, and heat stroke risk begins at 40C.

Please don't risk your dogs' lives for a walk! There are lots of ways to meet their needs beyond walking them, and if you need help figuring out how to do that, I would love to support you.

Let's also remember that the best education happens kindly; if you do see someone out walking their dog in the middle of the day, it could be that dog's only way to relieve themselves, they could be on their way to the vet and don't have a car, or the dog could have separation anxiety. If you must approach them, do so with curiosity and concern, not angry abuse.

Stay cool, stay kind, and keep taking great care of your pets! 🐾