Train Dog Friendly

03/15/2025

Environment is an important factor in dog behavior - always keen in mind how the environment (and change to it) can be affecting how your dog is feeling and acting!

Your Dog’s Environment Shapes Their Behavior—Are You Setting Them Up for Success?

Your dog’s behavior doesn’t exist in a vacuum—it’s a direct response to their environment. Just like a stressful workplace can affect your mood and productivity, an incompatible, distressing environment can create anxiety, frustration, and unwanted behaviors in dogs.

The L.E.G.S.® framework reminds us that a dog’s environment isn’t just about where they live—it’s about how that space supports or hinders their well-being. The right adjustments can reduce stress, build confidence, and even improve behavior.

What a Supportive Environment Looks Like:
🐾 A Safe Retreat Space – A quiet, comfortable area where your dog can relax away from household, neighborhood, urban noise, or overstimulation.
🐾 Sensory Enrichment – Give your dog the chance to sniff, forage, dig, or observe the world safely—this taps into their natural instincts and reduces frustration.
🐾 Consistency & Predictability – Dogs thrive on structured routines and familiar environments. Unpredictable schedules and constant environmental changes can be stressful.

Common Environmental Stressors (and How to Support Your Dog!):
❌ Overcrowded Living Spaces → ✅ Declutter areas where your dog rests and plays
❌ Limited Freedom to Explore → ✅ Create safe opportunities for off-leash movement, scent work, or problem-solving activities
❌ Too Much Noise & Activity → ✅ Provide calming elements like white noise machines, covered crates, or designated quiet zones
❌ A Lack of Mental Stimulation → ✅ Rotate toys, offer puzzle feeders, and engage in interactive play

Creating the right environment for your dog is a game-changer—it helps reduce frustration, prevents behavioral challenges, and ensures your dog truly thrives.

What’s one small change you’ve made to improve your dog’s environment? Share in the comments!

02/28/2025

Clicker training works for anyone 🥰

02/26/2025

Bird flu has crossed species - at least one dog death that we know of so far. Please take steps to keep your animals safe!

A health alert has been issued for pet owners, as veterinarians are seeing cases of bird flu among cats. Dogs can also contract H5N1, experts said.

02/23/2025

Dogs use their body to communicate all the time! When we get better at recognizing and understanding this language, their behavior becomes much easier to understand and predict!

01/28/2025

Such a great reminder! Dogs can sometimes struggle with their emotions just as humans do.
If you are struggling to understand or manage your dog's big emotional responses, reach out to me for help!

As a dog trainer and the owner of a dog with social issues reactivity is just part of my daily life. But as I meet more and more dogs with social issues I am coming to realize that there is a wealth of misinformation about reactivity out there. And our dogs are paying the price for that.

Every dog owner has a reactive dog. All dogs react to their environment to some degree. Dogs bark at squirrels and other critters. Many bark at people who come to their door or trucks they see going by their front windows The reactive label though only seems to be applied to dogs that react in social situations - the dogs who react to other dogs or people.

Reactive has become a common term to describe dogs that bark and lunge at other dogs or people when on leash. In this case the label has evolved into something that also carries some judgment. I once told someone that my dog was reactive to other dogs and she replied “Oh, you have one of those vicious dogs!”

No, my dog Maddie (pictured here) is actually a very well-trained, loving dog who likes people. But she’s afraid of all other dogs and so lunges and barks at them to increase distance. This is a specific response to a specific trigger for a specific reason. It does not define who she is. We work with her to modify her emotional response in that specific situation because we need to change what she does, not who she is.

Why are people so quick to see dogs that over-react as vicious or aggressive? There is a well-known quote, “People fear most what they don’t understand.” I think in the case of dog reactivity they also judge what they don’t understand.

The world has this unrealistic expectation that every dog should be a social butterfly who interacts happily with all dogs and humans. We hold them to a much higher standard than humans! Perhaps this is because we are afraid of potential physical interactions. To see dogs arguing physically can be very scary.

People don’t understand that aggressive looking behaviour is, in most cases, an emotional response. Most reactive dogs are either fearful and trying to increase distance from the other dog, or frustrated because they cannot reach the other dog to interact with them. In both cases the aggressive displays are a lot of sound and fury to communicate but not to injure.

Life for reactive dogs and their people is not fun. The dogs do not want to be in a constant state of emotional distress. Owners don’t know what to do to help them and are embarrassed and discouraged about their dog’s behaviour and people’s response to it.

So the next time you encounter a reactive dog and their owner instead of staring disapprovingly give them space. Walk on by or head off in another direction. A little wave would be nice a nice touch also. Our dogs and those of us holding the other end of the leash could really use a little empathy and support.

01/17/2025

Dogs need to learn an "off switch" - create a safe place for rest and reward a calm resting state!

01/06/2025

Fight, flight, freeze, faint or fidget are the 5 main responses to fear.
We only have to look at our own behaviour to know different personalities have different reactions and so do our dogs.
So when it comes to observing behaviour, we need to keep our individuals in mind and stay curious as we do so.

For more body language videos and handouts, check out the body language bundle. (Link in stories and bio)

How does your dog show fear?

01/04/2025

I train loose leash walking by rewarding for the dogs attention - starting in a space with few distractions then gradually moving to more challenging areas. When you consistently reward for your dogs attention, you get more of it!
When you create a habit for the dog to check in with you, and meet their basic needs, you aren't always in competition with the environment. Walking with your dog becomes much more pleasant for you both!

12/31/2024

Plan ahead to keep your pet safe and comfortable during fireworks!

12/27/2024

Hammy is a dog who LOVES to dig! So every opportunity I have to allow him a safe way to take part in his favorite activity, we take advantage of!
Hammy says his dirt mustache is just a bonus!
Allowing your dog a safe and natural way to get his needs met is one way to keep behavior problems to a minimum!

12/25/2024

Wishing all my dear clients and friends a wonderful holiday season! Thanks for sharing your sweet dogs with me!

12/12/2024

If we truly love animals, we have to do better by them

We claim to love them, so why won't we get to know them?

12/06/2024

Millie demonstrates the best way to eat a pup cup 🩷

12/05/2024

Let's try and see the world as our dogs do and give them some grace for living in our world as well as they do 💗

11/26/2024

Grateful for my precious friends 💗

11/04/2024

A reminder that reward-based methods aren't just for sunny days and easy dogs and puppies. They are for all dogs. If you want to know more, I've got a post on my blog that answers common questions about training methods, from the archives. https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2019/11/reward-based-dog-training-isnt-just-for.html