Adaptive Behaviour

25/03/2026

Three things I wish more people understood about dog training:

Firstly, behaviour isn't never "just" behaviour and training isn't just about behaviour problems. We need to consider the whole dog and their world to find and address gaps that need filling - this might involve meeting needs, improving health, adjusting the environment as well as teaching skills.

Secondly, change doesn't happen on our schedule. Learning takes time and happens at our dog's pace. Progress depends on our ability to consistently show up and do the mahi, and is never a straight line.

Lastly, and most importantly.. THE JOURNEY IS THE GOAL! Too often we are just concerned with results, but the best part of this process is the understanding and relationship that develops from us spending time with our dogs, listening to and working with them to create the best life together. (Sometimes we might even find along the way that results don't matter quite so much).

13/03/2026

Everyone, please welcome Freya! She'll be joining some private sessions and group classes as work placement over the coming months:

Hello 👋
My name is Freya and I’m currently studying Canine Behaviour and Training full time this year. As part of my course, I’ll be completing work experience with Lavinia this semester. I’m really looking forward to learning from Lavinia and soaking up as much knowledge as I can!

I’ve been in the animal care industry for a number of years now. After leaving high school I completed my Veterinary Nurse Assistant qualification, then worked in a pet store before spending over four years at a dog rescue centre. During that time I developed a real interest in dog behaviour and training, which inspired me to continue studying in this field.

I have a cat called Effie and my dog Ruffy, a four-year-old Bearded Collie cross who I adopted from my job at the rescue centre, after coming to us from Ashburton Pound. Training and learning alongside her has been an amazing experience and has helped me understand dogs so much better - sometimes through a bit of trial and error! Ruffy will also be joining me on my study journey, as we use our own dogs as part of the course.

Outside of study, we love getting out for daily walks, whether that’s in the hills or around the red zone, and we’ve recently started agility together. I’ve also developed a growing interest in the sport and working dog world, which I’m really excited to explore more this year.

A couple things I'm looking forward to while working with Lavinia, is meeting some of you along the way, seeing how your dogs’ training progresses, and being exposed to a wider range of breeds.

11/03/2026

Mik ( foster pup) vehicle chasing update - out of the backyard and into the real world.

Using reinforcement that fulfills the same function as unwanted behaviour (chasing) in a more appropriate way can make reducing that unwanted behaviour much easier and more effective.

To do this well, we need to be able to manage/control access to that reinforcement and put it under stimulus control (i.e. on cue) so we can make it happen after we get preferred behaviour. Basically, don't chase until you get the Go signal, and after you do what I want then you can go chase this [specific thing that is safe to chase].

This video shows how we've moved out of the super controlled home setup into more natural, unpredictable environments. This didn't require a lot of exposure to practice (most days/walks we avoid roads entirely) - making the most of the training opportunities is what really counts.

Now we can walk down the street 200m to the park without her barking/lunging the majority of the time (unless she sees a bike, or dog... but we are working down that list 😁).

10/03/2026

Super excited to be joining the wonderful team at Small-Paws Education to help create some awesome (human) learning opportunities!

Keep an eye out for future offerings 👀
What sort of things would you like to learn more about?

🌟 Meet Our Instructor Dr. Lavinia Tan! 🌟

We’re excited to introduce Dr. Lavinia Tan, BSc (Hons I), PhD, CDBC, CANZ-ABC, a scientist, educator, and behavior consultant joining the instructor team at Small-Paws!

With nearly 20 years of experience in learning and behavior, scientific research, education, and animal training, Lavinia brings a unique ability to translate complex behavioral science into practical, ethical strategies that create meaningful and lasting change for dogs and their caregivers.

Through her work with Adaptive Behaviour , Lavinia supports families navigating challenges such as fear, reactivity, and aggression while also building essential life skills, socialization, and cooperative care. Her approach focuses on strengthening the relationship between dogs and their people through knowledge, empathy, and evidence-based practice.

✨ About Lavinia:
Lavinia holds a BSc with First Class Honours in Psychology and Zoology and a PhD in Psychology specializing in experimental behavior analysis and comparative cognition. She is a Certified Dog Behaviour Consultant with the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and a CANZ Accredited Animal Behaviour Consultant.

She is deeply committed to advancing canine welfare and raising standards in the behavior and training field because when teaching is grounded in sound science and delivered with care, both dogs and their humans thrive.

Stay tuned to learn more about Lavinia’s upcoming courses with Small Paws! 🐾

03/03/2026

𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗡 𝗗𝗢𝗚𝗦 𝗕𝗜𝗧𝗘
(this is a long one so get comfy! 😁)

With the recent spate of dog attacks making headlines, canine aggression has been on my mind (and maybe yours too). I was recently interviewed by The Press about this but wanted to elaborate further, since it is a complex topic that deserves more-in-depth discussion than a few brief quotes.

First it’s important we acknowledge a somewhat uncomfortable truth: 𝘼𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙙𝙤𝙜𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙙𝙤𝙜 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙘𝙞𝙧𝙘𝙪𝙢𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨.

Bites rarely happen “out of the blue” and to be able to design effective interventions to address this issue, we need to look beyond the individual incidents to understand the environmental and behavioural precursors that contribute to these events.

🧠 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗔𝗴𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻?
Aggression is not misbehaviour, or even one behaviour. It’s a survival response made up of a group of escalating distance-increasing signals (e.g., stiffening, hard stare, growl) and contact behaviours (snap, bite) - i.e. the "Fight" in Fight/Flight/Freeze. The function of aggressive behaviour is to remove a perceived threat to a dog’s safety or wellbeing.

Evolution doesn't favour rushing into a fight; it's high-risk and costly, and therefore typically only used as a last resort. However, if a dog is repeatedly punished for growling (a lower level warning) or placed in overwhelming situations without a way to escape, they may learn that more peaceful solutions are ineffective. This increases the likelihood that they will escalate straight to a bite in the future.

⚠️ 𝗗𝗼𝗴 𝗕𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀
To prevent bites, we must examine what makes them more likely. Stress is an underlying theme, as this increases sensitivity to potential threats, and makes individuals more likely to (over)react. Some important influences include:

⏺ 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨: Genetics influence characteristics like the aspects of the predatory behaviour sequence that have been specifically modified by selective breeding (e.g. terriers vs. labradors) and dictate the potential severity of a bite. Furthermore, puppies bred without consideration to temperament and physical health (which is strongly influenced by their parents genes) are more likely to struggle with health and behaviour issues.

⏺ 𝘌𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘌𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴: Prenatal and postnatal environments also have a measurable impact on resilience and development - stressed mothers and deprived or demanding early conditions have negative long-term effects on behaviour.

⏺ 𝘜𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘵 𝘕𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴: Dogs left confined and/or isolated for long periods, or those lacking adequate sleep, physical exercise, mental enrichment, and safety, often experience frustration and chronic stress. This can result in unwanted behaviours like roaming, barking, guarding and unwanted (natural dog) behaviours like chasing, herding, hunting.

⏺ 𝘗𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘳: Research shows that up to 80% of behavioral problems are linked to pain or health issues. A dog that is sore or uncomfortable is more likely to be more sensitive about space, defensive and reactive. Note chronic pain can be difficult to diagnose and is often missed in a typical 10 minute physical check-up.

⏺ 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢: Dogs that have experienced trauma can become more sensitive and reactive. For example, in a recent local incident, the dogs involved had reportedly been pepper-sprayed by police crossing their yard several weeks beforehand. The use of aversives and force in training can also result in stress and trauma. Stressful events, large singular ones, as well as smaller chronic ones, can create strong negative associations, making dogs more likely to perceive threats in similar situations.

⏺ 𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: Dogs communicate through subtle body language. These signals can be misinterpreted - a wagging tail is assumed to be friendly, a cautious approach is thought to be an invitation to touch, a roll over is taken as a request for belly rubs. Bites occur when early warning signs of discomfort are missed or deliberately ignored.

💡 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Following a bite incident, it is common to see calls for stricter laws and harsher penalties. However, behavioural science shows us that removing freedoms, relying on threats, and aversives is not the best way to produce successful, sustainable behaviour change in dogs or humans. Punishment is reactive and produces resistance, stress and other undesirable side effects. Developing understanding and skills by encouraging preferred choices in a way that promotes agency is much more effective in modifying behaviour.

Laws and boundaries are necessary for public safety, however we should also consider a bottom-up approach that proactively addresses the root causes - changing the culture around dogs and empowering people with the resources, knowledge and ability to make better, safer choices.

This requires education on:
🎓 Ethical Breeding: Ensuring potential guardians and breeders understand the importance of genetics, breeding decisions, and early environments.
🏠 Selecting the right dog : Matching families with dogs that fit their lifestyles and homes
🐾 Meeting Needs: Dogs are intelligent, sentient beings with complex needs that go beyond food, water and shelter - it is the responsibility of guardians to adequately meet these.
🐕 Training as lifelong learning: Socialisation and training is an ongoing journey, not just for new puppies, or as a band-aid applied after problems arise. Positive reinforcement training produces less negative side effects (like aggresion) than punishment-based training.
👀 Canine Communication: Learning to read dog body language so dogs do not need to resort to aggression.

If we want to stop bites, we need to treat the underlying problems that create these behaviours, not just the results. This begins with a better understanding of all sides of the story, especially the dogs’.

20/02/2026

👏👏👏👏

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AddB9ZSSW/

Food is not just a “wage” for behaviour.

Yes, we can use treats operantly. Behaviour happens, consequence follows, and behaviour becomes more likely in that context.

Yes, we can use treats respondently. Trigger appears, cheese appears, and over time we change what the stimulus signals and what the learner’s body prepares for.

The two processes are not mutually exclusive.

But the reason food can be so useful is that it lets us design experience, and experience is what updates the learner’s model of the world.

Let’s explore this a bit.

1) Operant is not just reinforcement. It is allocation.

In the real world, the learner is not choosing between “sit” and “do nothing.” They are allocating behaviour across options:

- Orienting to the environment
- Scanning, sniffing, moving away
- Checking in, disengaging, reorienting
- Barking, lunging, freezing, fidgeting
- Choosing proximity or choosing distance

Food helps because it lets us build a reinforcement system where staying is possible, recovery is reinforced, engagement is valuable, and the learner has a predictable way to succeed.

2) Prediction error is the update signal

If you want one technical concept that explains most of this, it is prediction error. Prediction error is simply what the learner expected, minus what actually happened.

When “that dog”, “that person”, “that noise” reliably predicts uncertainty or aversives, the learner’s model updates in the wrong direction. Hypervigilance becomes sensible.

Food can be powerful because it can repeatedly create moments where the learner thinks: “I expected worse,” “that was safe,” “sometimes it is even good!”

3) Incentive salience: food changes what feels worth doing

Food is not just pleasant. It has motivational gravity. It can pull attention, support approach behaviour, and make engagement with their caregiver feel like a coherent option. That matters in triggering contexts because attention is not necessarily the rational choice when a dog is in a survival system. Food can help the learner remain organised enough to notice, assess, and recover, instead of spiralling into scanning and escalation.

4) Not all change is associative

Habituation is a reduced response to repeated exposure that stays within tolerance. Sensitisation is the opposite, when exposure is too intense or too long and the response grows. Treats are not the mechanism of habituation, but they can support the conditions that make habituation more likely. Exposures are brief. Intensity stays under threshold. Recovery happens quickly. The learner has something predictable to do. Opting out is easy and safe.

5) These systems stack, and stacking is the point

In a well-designed moment, several things can be true at once:
- Operant: behaviour is reinforced, especially recovery and disengagement
- Respondent: the trigger’s meaning shifts toward safety
- Motivational: attention and approach become easier
- Non-associative: repetition under threshold supports desensitisation and/or habituation

6) Learning is often context-bound

If the street corner has a history of unpredictability, it will carry emotional weight.
A reinforcement system that consistently creates safety and success can start to change not only the trigger, but the feel of the whole context.

7) Food is not automatically ethical just because it is “positive!”

Used well, it is often the least intrusive option available. I will absolutely use food to reinforce trained operant skills in order to create safe movement and clean choices in situations where the alternative might be tighter leashes, physical steering, or escalating management. Sometimes a treat is the gentlest lever in the room.

But use mindfully, because food can also slide into coercion when the learner cannot realistically opt out, the set-up is too close, too long, or too intense, when food is being used to keep them in a situation they would otherwise leave or when the “cost of no” is high (no access to distance, no exit, no break)

Treats should usually be working WITH the functional reinforcer, not competing against it.

If the learner is barking and lunging because distance is what they need/want, then my food delivery should support behaviour that earns distance safely. If the learner is worried and trying to create relief, then food can help organise behaviour, but relief still has to show up in the system.

If you want lasting change, understanding function is not optional. Otherwise you are just trying to outbid the environment forever.

8.) If food is doing all the work, the system is fragile

If the behaviour only happens when food is visible, it usually means one of two things:

a) the behaviour has not been reinforced enough yet in that context, or
b) the behaviour is not contacting enough functional reinforcement in real life.

So the goal is to make sure the behaviour starts being reinforced by other outcomes too, including:

- Distance and relief (especially in trigger contexts)
- Access to sniffing, moving, social space, or rest
- Predictability and control
- Successful completion of the task itself

Food can be the bridge that gets you there, but it should not be the only load-bearing wall.

9) Treats should make the world bigger, not smaller

If my reinforcement system is working, the learner’s options expand over time. There are more contexts where the skill is available, more flexibility in what counts as reinforcement, less friction around triggers, and more real-life reinforcement maintaining the behaviour.

If the options are shrinking, if we are paying more and more to get less and less, or if the learner looks like they are enduring rather than choosing, it means the set-up needs changing, not that the behaviour needs “more proofing”.

So yes, treats reinforce behaviour. But they also:

- Reduce uncertainty
- Support regulation
- Keep exposure within tolerance
- Update predictions
- Make safe choices genuinely available

But look, treats (or toys, or any other extrinsic reinforcement) are not the point. The point is the learner’s updated expectation: what happens next here, what options are available, and what they can do that reliably works.

Want to learn more? Join me at the IAABC Foundation conference for my talk on “The Reinforcement Economy.”

(You can find the schedule here: https://iaabcfoundation.org/animal-behavior-conference/schedule-of-events/)

16/02/2026

Cutting to the chase! Prey drive and flirt pole and fun with Miki

Trying out a new format - let me know what you think (more of this or nah).

09/02/2026

People often think my job is mostly playing with puppies (it's not 😅) . But sometimes it is just playing with puppies (and I love it 🥰).

Here's some Nico cuteness - in full sharky glory - enjoying some downtime (after working very hard while his humans get a break) in his trainer-only session, a special feature of their Thrive membership 🐶💕

05/02/2026

Welfare-led, reward-based training isn’t ideology. It’s biology.

29/01/2026

(NOT) CHASING CARS!

Foster pup Miki has recently (after my stint in hospital) started chasing traffic. Before she would be able to walk down the street without blinking an eye, but began barking, lunging or chasing moving vehicles within 5-10m.

This was a fun surprise 🫠 and something to add to the very top of her list of “things to work on” for safety, stress levels and convenience (for me).

Miki isn’t especially scared of cars, but as a herder, fast movement triggers a strong desire to chase. This increases exponentially when her arousal level is heightened or she is tired (e.g. at end of walks).

This video, of two snippets of training walks taken 3 weeks apart, shows how it's possible to see changes in chasing behaviour without much time (and no force/punishment). Note there's no big reactions in either (that's the aim), but in the first snippet Miki is more stressed and on-edge (truthfully, I am too).

How did we get to this point?
✅ Management - no more street walks (unless for training), only in remote areas with limited/no traffic
✅ Desensitisation - gradual exposure, keeping her below threshold
✅ Counterconditioning - following the appearance of cars/vehicles with nice things to increase helpful associations and feelings
✅ Providing appropriate outlets for chasing behaviour and helping build arousal regulation and impulse control skills around chasing behaviour

At the end of the video it looks like she’s fine with cars, with little to no reaction as they pass but this doesn't mean it's now “fixed”. Changing this type of hard-wired and highly (self-) reinforcing behaviour pattern takes a lot of time, consistency and repetition, and even then there’s no guarantee it might not pop up again.

But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to celebrate every small step in the right direction. 😁

Are you struggling with (traffic) chasing behaviour? Interested in more about this? Post any questions/requests below!

27/01/2026

Had a fun day of classes on Sunday (and managed to miss the rain 🥳) including the Life Skills walk through the forest where we practiced some nice manners with and around other dogs, and a super social session with lots of low key hanging out with lots of sniffs!

One of my favourite things is that both these groups are made up of a real mix of dogs: some young puppies, some older, more experienced individuals, and some who've been doing some great work on their big feelings and reactions around other dogs. I love that there is a space for all of them here, and they all do so well! 🥰🤗

26/01/2026

Spay recovery is hard. No runs, no tug, no flirt pole for two weeks now 😭.

We have been working on Miki's car chasing in mini training sessions and shaping new tricks instead.

BUT all work and no play makes Miki a sad girl. She has resorted to chaos and mess in protest.

She says please send help (or more chews) 😅🤞🐶