The Positive Canine - Behaviour Specialist

The Positive Canine - Behaviour Specialist 🩵Rescues, Anxious & Reactive Dogs
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✨Tips & Advice for Dog Guardians
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As a dog trainer, one of the most common things I hear from clients is that their dogs struggle to settle or switch off....
04/12/2025

As a dog trainer, one of the most common things I hear from clients is that their dogs struggle to settle or switch off. This is very common in dogs that are over exercised, especially if they are a working breed or a more active dog.

It's easy to assume that those kind of dogs need more physical stimulation, but the more you give them, the more they crave. Pain is also a very common factor in restlessness and hyperactivity in dogs.

It's okay to give your dog two walks a day, but if you're exercising them physically (and I mean running around or walking at a fast pace, not just sniffing and foraging) for 2+ hours everyday, that could be another reason your dog is struggling to settle.

Exercise with dogs is more about quality than it is quantity. If your dog has a 45 minute walk and they meet all of their innate needs like: sniffing, searching, digging etc, they don't need to be running for hours. What they need more is for you to meet their remaining needs at home, this might be: more sniffing! chewing, problem solving, shredding, hunting (for toys and treats!).

My online behaviour hub (launching soon!!) we'll go into more detail about how to provide appropriate stimulation for your dogs and give you ideas on what to do with them at home.

Save this post to come back later 💕

Worrying that a corporate giant like Purina can't provide any evidence for its dog food claims
17/11/2025

Worrying that a corporate giant like Purina can't provide any evidence for its dog food claims

05/11/2025

This is a fabulous exercise to help nervous or anxious dogs build their confidence. All you need is a box, a marker (I use a clicker) and some tasty treats.

Start by clicking and rewarding ANY interaction towards the box, even a quick glance at it, and then continue to reward anything else your dog chooses to do, like sniffing it, touching, putting paws in.

We're on day 2 of no walks today, Eevee is very much choosing to stay in bed, so this is a nice way to get her moving again. We started off with a box near her bed, clicking and treating for just looking at the box. She got brave enough to put her paws inside so we tried it outside and we got movement in the garden! Yay!!

I think it will still be a while before she wants to go out again, and I'm certainly not going to force her at any point. Recovery takes time. But you can still give your dog the option to try some really low pressure games to get their body moving and their mind problem solving ❤️‍🩹

04/11/2025

We were doing SO WELL. Eevee has a secure base at home, she is totally ok with fireworks and other noises as long as she feels safe at home. Recently we went on a quick toilet walk around 16:00, before it even got dark, and of course someone decided that was an appropriate time to set them off.

Eevee panicked and we had to go home. However, she is now traumatised long term. This video was taken on a short morning toilet walk and Eevee heard a truck that made a slight banging noise and that was it. It triggered her sympathetic nervous system response: adrenaline release, heart and blood pressure increase, muscle tension, digestion pauses. She is in complete survival mode. We were going to wait for a quick lift home, but she ended up wanting to run back which we did.

When your dog experiences a fear response, it is involuntary! This means they don't choose to be scared. It's not something that you can impact by "ignoring" so that you don't "reinforce their fear". That's not how biology works. I guess my point is, when your dog is scared, comfort them and get them to safety.

I am currently waiting on some short term anxiety medication from the vet, as it's not fair on Eevee to expect her to cope. She now doesn't want to go outside at all. We all have different coping thresholds, I know Eevee's brain works very differently to Kovu, who really couldn't care less about any noises!

To sum up: when your dog is afraid, don't ignore them and use medication when your comfort is not enough to help them.

02/11/2025

If your dog gets super anxious around fireworks (like Eevee!), give this game a go before and during fireworks.

When I filmed this, there were fireworks going off outside and she was happy to continue playing (normally she just wants to hide).

The tea bag goes inside a little container to prevent your dog from grabbing or chewing it, and the container goes inside the heavy jar for the same reason!

Sniffing can help to calm the nervous system and build your dogs confidence in times of stress, while chamomile can also have some soothing benefits.

Happy sniffing! 🌿

29/10/2025

If you want your dog to listen to you, you need to show them that you are worth listening to, and that starts with meeting their needs. If you like to run, it doesn't necessarily mean your dog has to join on every run. Sometimes it's better to give them a walk suited to THIER needs and then meeting your own needs.

When we become responsible for another animal, that is part of the sacrifice we have to make.

Sniffing, exploring, digging, getting dirty...these behaviours are how dogs decompress in our busy human world.

When we give them a chance to see the world, comfort them, give them things they want, we aren't spoiling them. In fact I LOVE it when clients tell me they spoil their dogs.

This is how you build trust that sets the foundation for training.

Anxious and reactive dogs are already struggling with the world, and taking away their basic dog instincts will often make things worse.

A well mannered, focused dog starts with a fulfilled and satisfied dog.

23/10/2025

It's one of the most common myths I see as a dog behaviourist and trainer.

Many guardians of collies, spaniels or shepherds think the answer to a busy or wired dog is MORE exercise. But here is the truth: more miles just creates a fitter dog, not a calmer one.

If your dog is constantly on the go, struggles to settle or needs "wearing out", it's worth asking why. Because exercise alone doesn't fix:
👉🏼 Underlying pain or discomfort that makes rest difficult
👉🏼 Unmet breed needs (e.g. herding, sniffing, problem solving)
👉🏼 Poor diet or gut issues affecting mood and energy
👉🏼 Sleep deprivation (not enough/poor quality)
👉🏼 Overstimulation from busy environments or high adrenaline play

More exercise just fuels the same cycle.

What really helps is balance: physical outlets plus mental decompression, enrichment, quality rest and diet, addressing discomfort.

This is the kind of work I do everyday with "high drive", anxious and reactive dogs, helping guardians build calmer and more fulfilled lives for their dogs 🩵

Can you tell when your dog is stressed?
20/10/2025

Can you tell when your dog is stressed?


15/10/2025

Try some with your dog and watch your relationship rebuild:

🌼 I ask instead of telling: the difference between a cue and a command. My dog has an option and can say "no"

🌼 Avoid making feel trapped: never forcing my dog to stay somewhere she isn't comfortable

🌼 Observe, don't interrupt: I give her time to process and watch whenever it is safe, whether it's at home or on walks

🌼 Ask before petting: touch should be an invitation, not something we are entitled to

🌼 Let her walk away: if she turns away from a greeting, she's not being rude. She's making a choice to self regulate

🌼 Offer options, even with food: safe decision making and opportunity for sensory enrichment

🌼 No tricking: if I need my dog to do something, I always pay up, even if she didn't respond the first time

🌼 Slow down: no rushing. Give yourself more time or less distance to cover on walks

🌼 No forced walks: walks aren't a be all / end all for all dogs. Some prefer to go without, we respect that

🌼 Routines are opportunities: doing something everyday doesn't automatically mean your dog loves it. We always take time to check how our dogs feel today by observing their responses

💭 What are some ways in which you give your dog more choice?

You are what you eat! Nutrition is always an important element of effective behaviour change, and ensures quality of lif...
15/10/2025

You are what you eat! Nutrition is always an important element of effective behaviour change, and ensures quality of life for your dog. If you aren't sure where to start, drop me a DM and I'll be happy to point you in the right direction 🫐

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