06/18/2025
đž A to Z of Dog Things
A â Attention Seeking
When your dog brings you a soggy sock again, itâs not because they think youâre underdressed, itâs attention-seeking 101. Learn when to ignore it and when to redirect it.
B â Barking
Itâs communication, not chaos. But if your dogâs running a one-dog opera every time a leaf moves, itâs time to look at boundaries, boredom, and unmet needs.
C â Crate Training
Not a cage, not cruel, itâs a bedroom with a view. When done properly, crate training builds independence, security, and a spot to hide from the hoover.
D â Did You Know?
Dogs have about 300 million scent receptors in their noses. You? Roughly 5 million. Let that sink in before you argue with a dog about where a trail went cold.
E â Enrichment
A walk isnât always enough. Sniffing, shredding, licking, chewing, and foragingâthatâs how dogs unwind. Enrichment isnât optional. Itâs a need, not a luxury.
F â Fetch (Or Not)
Some dogs love it. Others look at you like, âYou threw it, you fetch it.â Respect the breed and donât force the retrievers out of terriers.
G â Grooming
Itâs not just a beauty routine, itâs bonding, health checking, and desensitisation rolled into one. And yes, even your ânon-sheddingâ dog still needs brushing.
H â Heelwork
Walking to heel isnât a punishment. Itâs a polite conversation on a lead. Teach it right and it becomes poetry in motion, not a tug of war with squirrels.
I â Impulse Control
Just because he can sn**ch the sandwich doesnât mean he should. Teaching âleave itâ and waiting at doorways might not seem flashy, but theyâre gold-standard life skills.
J â Jumping Up
Cute at 10 weeks. Chaos at 30 kilos. Letâs stop rewarding it with attention and start reinforcing calm greetings, shall we?
K â Kisses
Letâs be honest, most dogs define kisses as âenthusiastic face lickingâ. Some love dishing them out, others hate being smooched. Just remember: licking isnât always affection, sometimes itâs appeasement, anxiety, or âyou taste like beef crisps.â
L â Loose Lead Walking
Ah yes, the mythical walk where the lead has slack. It can exist. But only with consistency, structure, and not letting the dog take you water skiing every morning.
M â Myths
âLetting your dog on the sofa makes them dominant.â
Right. And wearing sunglasses makes you a pilot. Letâs retire outdated dominance theory and focus on relationship-based training instead.
N â Nose Work
Itâs not just for sniffer dogs or show-offs. Nose work builds confidence, focus, and calmness and itâs one of the most natural forms of enrichment you can offer.
O â Obedience
Itâs not about creating robots, itâs about communication. Sit, down, heel, recall, place⌠itâs your shared language, not a list of demands.
P â Play
Play is serious business. It builds bond, tests control, teaches rules, and channels energy. Plus, itâs fun. And who doesnât need more of that?
Q â Quiet Isnât Always Calm
A quiet dog isnât always a content dog. Suppressed stress is real. Know the difference between ârelaxedâ and âshut downâ.
R â Recall
The holy grail. If you donât practise it, donât expect it to work. And no, shouting their name louder and angrier wonât improve results.
S â Sit
One of the first things most people teach and often the first thing the dog learns to ignore. Sit isnât just a trick; itâs a pause button for life.
T â Trigger Stacking
A bin lorry, a noisy child, a tight lead⌠and then boom. That ârandom outburstâ probably wasnât so random. Learn to spot the signs before they stack up.
U â Unwanted Behaviours
Theyâre usually not âbadâ behaviours, theyâre unmet needs in disguise. Dig into the âwhyâ before you jump to correction
V â Vet Visits
Make them less traumatic by preparing at home: handling paws, opening mouths, practising lifts. And always bring the good treats. Always.
W â Whining
Annoying, yes. But itâs communication. Anxiety, anticipation, or simply bad habits, itâs up to us to decode the cause, not just hush the sound.
X â X Marks the Spot (Scenting Edition)
Dogs follow invisible scent trails like you follow Google Maps. You just canât see the X. They can. Trust the nose.
Y â You Are the Difference
Training is 90% owner, 10% dog. Consistency, tone, timing, patience, leadership, itâs your energy that sets the tone. Train yourself first.
Z â Zoomies
That post-bath, post-poo, mad five-minute dash? Perfectly normal. Often hilarious. But also a clue your dogâs letting off steam. Zoomies = unspent energy.