Fideaux Fundamentals

21/08/2025

If you have taken a class or private session with me. You know, Suzanne Clothier's Really Real Relaxation and Auto-Check In are what I teach you first. Both of her protocols are life changing. Life skills every pet parent should teach their dogs. Check out her blog. All her work is amazing.

One key reason I developed Really Real Relaxation is that I got angry watching a trainer teach a dog to relax.

What they meant by relax was laying down with head on the ground between the paws and not moving at all, no matter what happened. If the dog lifted his head to look at the trainer who was stomping all around the dog, a big correction was forthcoming. It didn’t take long for the dog to figure out there was only one right answer: lay still, don’t move, keep head down no matter what.

You can imagine what that dog looked like: shut down, inhibited, anxious. But the trainer was delighted with the results. I felt so badly for that poor dog, and knew there had to be much better ways to help a dog relax.

Read more at the blog:
➡ https://suzanneclothier.com/dog-choice-relax-versus-down-command/

18/08/2025

12/08/2025

"Why don't you just train them"...
They see a snapshot of your dogs behaviour and not the effort and dedication behind that reaction.
They certainly don't see your dog for who they truly are.
They don’t see the hours of work, the tiny wins, the restraint it takes to stay calm when your dog is not.

They will never know the joy of having a "boring walk".
The determination you have in staying calm when your dog is in a full blown reaction.

So how can they support people with a reactive dog?

Number one.
Stop the judgement.

Recognise this isn't a choice.
No one would choose this life for their dog or themselves....ever.
It's hard work, no doubt about that.
The planning that goes into a walk is enormous.

Too busy or the wrong time of day....too much for many reactive dogs.
Even wind can cause issues.
Always watching what is around...always.
It can be exhausting.

If there’s one message every reactive dog owner would want others to hear, it’s this....

All it takes is one incident.
One bad experience.
And suddenly....you’re the one being judged for not having “trained” your dog.

11/08/2025

Plastics are porous: they trap oils🩸 that quickly turn rancid. Unless washed daily (which isn’t realistic), plastic containers can spoil the pet food stored inside.

Proper storage is key to slowing harmful chemical changes and stopping bacteria🦠 growth.

Want to know the safest ways to store your pet’s food, toppers, treats, and supplements? Check out The Forever Dog LIFE—the New York Times Best Seller and #1 most-sold pet recipe book of the year, where in "Chapter 1 - Feeding Your Pet: the section titled 'Food Storage' we cover the best ways to store your pet food toppers, treats, meals, or supplements.

Now available (and 50% off) at Amazon, Target, and other favorite retailers.

01/08/2025

When an infant or young baby visits a home with dogs—even beloved family dogs—awake, aware, and active adult supervision is essential at all times!

Dogs should never have unsupervised access to a baby! Even the most gentle dog can feel uncertain, overwhelmed, or startled by a new little human—especially one they don’t know well!

Here’s our 4 tips on how to set everyone up for safety:

🚪 Secure doors when a baby is napping or sleeping. Use baby gates with solid latches or closed doors that fully shut.

👀 Always have an adult present and fully focused during interactions between babies and dogs—distraction-free supervision is non-negotiable.

⏸️ Pause and plan: Don’t assume familiarity. Even if the dog has met the baby before, each visit is a new experience with new smells, sounds, and movements.

⚠️ Accidents happen fast. A single moment of unsupervised access can lead to outcomes no one wants.

Don’t take a chance…. Prepare in advance!

Safety plans aren’t overreacting—they help set everyone up for success 💚

Comment SUPERVISION and we will send you the link to our free 5 types of supervision webinar!

You can also click here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe7FJudClRI&pp=ygUjNSB0eW9lcyBvZiBzdXBlcnZpc2lvbiBmYW1pbHkgcGF3cyA%3D

01/08/2025

"All good ☺️Neither dog are growling"
Hang on.
Dogs can and do growl in play.
It can be completely normal.

"So how can I tell"?
It can be tricky to tell the difference between healthy play and those interactions that are something else entirely.
There are some areas we can look at to help us decipher.

➡️Immediate posture changes/rigidity/stillness

Some dogs pause, go still..... then explode with loose and wiggly movements. That’s often play.
The problematic kind of rigidness is different. It can linger for longer.
Even when the other dog is showing everyway they can "all's good here"
That stillness and posture is "tight".
It can come with hard stares, leaning or standing over.
Stiff body posture from either dog.....even the one on the ground.
That’s not play

➡️When high energy switches to frantic

Chasing and being chased.
Some dogs love this.
There can be an energy change with chasing that we need to watch for though.
It can turn.
It can become far more frantic and direct.

If one dog is always the chaser, and when they catch the other.....the tone changes, the body language tightens, the movements escalate and it stops looking mutual...that’s when caution is needed.

We don't want to stop dogs playing....but we do need to recognise when it is no longer fun for all dogs involved.

01/08/2025

The signs of pain in your dog can be subtle. With signs like lethargy, aversion to being touched, and pacing often passing unnoticed.

13/07/2025

LIPSTICK PEEK-A-BOO

Those of us with male dogs might be all too familiar with the sudden appearance of the colloquially named “lipstick" or "red rocket" as it’s commonly known.

This seems to happen at the most inappropriate times and may leave us feeling embarrassed and believe that our dog only has one thing on their mind!

It’s natural to assume that this display must be related to sexual arousal and yes, it is related to arousal, but it’s generally not sexual arousal.

Arousal is also not necessarily about excitement and may be triggered by a host of other emotions.

The same applies to hu***ng – although both males and females may hump. Hu***ng is commonly seen in a dog that is over aroused.

There are many emotions linked to arousal - see my post about hu***ng here – bit.ly/405MMqm - for more information.

Unless there is a suspected medical reason or your dog is doing this frequently, it’s not usually something to be concerned about.

Ignore it, don’t pay attention or make a fuss and it should soon go back into the tube!

Very often, behaviour is not about the way it looks, but the way we perceive it from our human perspective and how it makes us feel.