Dog Behaviour Clinic

24/04/2025

Behaviour Through Their Eyes: Considering Each Dog’s Umwelt and Life Stage

When we assess a dog’s behaviour, it’s essential to remember that dogs experience the world differently than we do — through their umwelt, or their unique perceptual world.

A dog’s umwelt is shaped by:

Their breed-specific instincts and sensory priorities
Age and developmental stage (puppy, adolescent, adult, senior)
Past experiences and current environment

This perspective helps explain why the same situation can trigger vastly different responses from different dogs. A crowded street might be enriching for one dog and overwhelming for another — depending on how they process sound, smell, proximity, and past associations.

Subtle stress signals are often missed, especially when we view behaviour through a purely human lens.

When we take into account a dog’s sensory world and developmental needs, we can create safer, more supportive environments that prevent escalation and build trust.

Pause and ask:
☑What might this experience feel like for my dog?
☑Is this appropriate for their current life stage?
☑Am I noticing their early communication?

Learning to recognise and respect each dog’s umwelt isn’t just compassionate — it’s essential for ethical, effective behaviour support.

21/04/2025

🐾 Understanding Our Dogs: Through Their Eyes, Not Ours 🐾

Every dog experiences the world through their own umwelt — a unique lens shaped by their senses, instincts, and life stage. What might seem like a calm walk in the park to us could feel overwhelming to a senior dog with hearing loss, or overstimulating to a puppy still learning.

When we take the time to consider their perception — what they hear, smell, see, taste, feel, and don’t understand — we open the door to deeper empathy and better communication.

19/04/2025

A sensitive dog is one that reacts intensely to their environment, people, or experiences. They are highly intuitive and can pick up on subtle cues, shifts in tone, changes in routine or the environment, and even your mood.

What Sensitive Dogs Need Most:

➡️Consistency and predictability in daily life to feel secure

➡️Avoid sensory overload

➡️Gentle guidance rather than correction or punishment

➡️Quiet rest time to recharge after stimulating experiences

➡️Patience when introducing anything new

➡️Build resilience

➡️Empathy — they’re not being “difficult,” they’re just experiencing big feelings

16/04/2025

Supporting a reactive or sensitive dog requires a blend of understanding, structure, and slow, thoughtful exposure. Reactivity often stems from fear, frustration, or lack of socialisation, and should not be seen as "bad behaviour" but rather as a form of communication.

Helping a reactive dog become more resilient involves providing tools to help them feel safe rather than being overwhelmed.

14/04/2025

Our blog page is back.

As our understanding of canine behaviour deepens, one thing becomes abundantly clear: humane training methods are not only more ethical — they are more effective. Training is not just about teaching commands; it is about fostering trust, improving communication, and enhancing the quality of life f...

13/04/2025

Most senior dogs thrive on predictability — it helps reduce stress and supports their cognitive health. As their senses and memory may begin to decline, even small disruptions in their daily life can feel overwhelming. A stable routine for feeding, walks, playtime, and sleep can provide reassurance and reduce confusion. Also, keeping furniture in the same place can help them, along with regular health checks.

Have you noticed any changes in your senior dog’s behaviour lately?

11/04/2025

The relationship we have with our dogs is all about the bond we develop, not how much control we have over them. Connection is so much nicer than control.

08/04/2025

Companion dogs have limited choice and control compared to their early ancestors and free ranging dogs. Humans now dictate most aspects of their lives, including food, exercise, and social interactions . Providing choices for dogs is crucial.

06/04/2025

Rest and relaxation play a crucial role in managing both biological and emotional stress. They allow the body to recover from the release of stress hormones and prevent abnormal buildup of these substances.

04/04/2025

Dogs, like people, have complex emotions that are influenced by genetics, development, experiences, and training. Their temperament and emotional resilience are shaped by these factors.

Understanding and respecting a dog’s emotional complexity is important in providing the best care and support for them.

02/04/2025

An update on Luna as I know many of you have followed her story.

The photos don't look like much and they don't look like training - it wasn't "training". We don't do "training" We just simply walk together as she experiences new environments, new stimuli and does lots of calm observation. Through building the relationship and going at her pace/distance, she knows she is safe and is able to cope with so much now. It's not every day you see a horse and cart in the street! Luna looked and then went back to sniffing.

Bearing in mind this is the little girl who could not be touched when she first came into rescue, the last photo shows her progress and how she has learned to trust again. I stopped to chat with a lady I know who owns the cafe and often comes out to see the rescue dogs. Luna has never met the lady but approached when she heard us speaking and realised I knew her. She even requested touch from her. This little girl has made so much progress.

Luna is waiting for her new home with German Shepherd Dog Welfare Fund.

31/03/2025

Selective breeding of individuals can lead to the development of a sensitive strain within a species, but genetic factors are not the sole determinant of sensitivity.

Environmental factors and experiences also influence the expression of sensitive behaviour. This suggests that it is not solely about the breed, but a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Is your dog sensitive?

30/03/2025

Whether you call yourself an owner, a dog guardian, or dog parent, Happy Mother's Day!

Little Luna who is with German Shepherd Dog Welfare Fund is getting into the spirit of things!

28/03/2025

Companion dogs may experience welfare-related issues, despite the privileges of living with humans in urban or suburban areas. Recognising these problems is essential for improving their welfare.
While they benefit from human companionship, they also face challenges. Addressing these issues is crucial for the overall well-being of companion dogs.
(Meyer et al, 2022).

26/03/2025

"Sensitivity" in dog breeds refers to their susceptibility to environmental changes or stimuli. This can include sensitivity to noise, novelty, people, other dogs, traffic, touch, and food, among other categories.

Understanding your dog's specific sensitivities can help you provide a more comfortable and safer environment for them, leading to a happier and healthier dog.

23/03/2025

I recently undertook a course in Forensic Psychology., Does this mean I can call myself a forensic psychologist and look for employment in this field? Of course not and yet there are those who do one little course on dog behaviour and believe they are now qualified to be a canine behaviourist!

Do your research. Find out what and where they studied, where they learned practical skills, look for recommendations and above all, if you don't feel comfortable with what they are doing to your dog, you can be sure your dog wont feel comfortable either!

21/03/2025

Dogs excel in scent work due to a combination of specialised anatomical features and evolutionary adaptations that enhance their olfactory capabilities. They have an incredible sense of smell, making them perfect for search and rescue, tracking, and even medical detection.

But why do dogs enjoy scent work?

Their natural inclination to explore and investigate is a manifestation of the SEEKING emotional system (Panksepp).

Anticipation and Motivation: The expectation of finding a desired scent stimulates their SEEKING system, making the search process inherently rewarding.

Exploration and Problem-Solving: Navigating various environments to locate scents taps into their innate curiosity and cognitive abilities, aspects governed by the SEEKING system.

Positive Reinforcement: Successfully identifying a scent and receiving rewards reinforces the SEEKING system's activation, making the activity enjoyable and encouraging repeated engagement.

Here is a clip of little Luna, currently in rescue with German Shepherd Dog Welfare Fund searching for and finding her toy at a secure field.

18/03/2025

A couple of people have asked how beautiful Una is getting on. You may remember she used to bark non stop in the car and is currently with German Shepherd Dog Welfare Fund waiting for her new home.

We've been doing lots of short journeys, initially just round the car park and she has been making good progress.

We knew she would really enjoy some time at an off lead field but that involves a 20 minute car journey. Last week, we took her. Yes there was quite a bit of barking to begin with but gradually the quiet periods became longer and longer.

Here's a little video clip of her enjoying some freedom, sniffing and running around the field. She hasn't quite got the hang of recall yet haha.
Enjoy!