⚠️READ⚠️ Training is not always about what we do, as much as it is about what we DO NOT do!
💪To practice achieving neutrality, begin by exposing your dog to a low-intensity version of the trigger (e.g., people, dogs, sounds) at a safe distance where they can observe without reacting. Remain calm, non-reinforcing, and relaxed—do not reward, correct, or overly engage. Mark and reward your dog for calm behaviors like looking away, sitting, or orienting back to you. Gradually reduce the distance or increase the intensity as the dog remains neutral.
🥅The goal is to help the dog perceive the trigger as irrelevant rather than positive or negative. Neutrality builds emotional stability, reduces reactivity, and increases resilience in high-defense or insecure dogs. It creates a foundation for impulse control and teaches the dog to process the environment without being overwhelmed or overexcited. This is critical for long-term behavior change and safe, predictable responses in real-world settings.
😀 By slowly, but surely practicing neutrality, we teach our dogs to kindly tolerate the world in which we live all thanks to benevolent leadership!
#dogtrainer #germanshepherd
⚠️SHARE⚠️ Check out Philip, the shelter dog! He’s terribly insecure and was afraid to go for walks!
🐕Dogs are masters of body language because they evolved to communicate primarily through nonverbal cues. Their survival once depended on reading subtle movements and energy shifts in other animals, including humans. Unlike verbal commands, which require associative learning, body language is instinctual, immediate, and universally understood by dogs.
💪Owning space—whether in the home or on a walk—signals leadership and provides structure. Dogs thrive when they know their handler controls the environment, reducing their need to make decisions or react defensively.
👉A handler who confidently claims space projects security, allowing the dog to relax rather than take on the role of protector. This is especially critical for insecure or high-defense drive dogs, as uncertainty about leadership fuels anxiety and reactivity.
🔑When a handler consistently demonstrates spatial awareness and control, the dog feels safe, knowing that responsibility doesn’t fall on them, fostering trust and stability in their behavior
🧐You wouldn’t burden your 8 year old child with the responsibility of the home space! Why do that to your dog?! Own the space and therefore own the RESPONSIBILITY: that’s benevolent leadership!
#dogtrainer #shelterdog #rescuedog #bergencounty #doglife #dogtrainingtips
😢Meet Rue, the GSD Malinois cross. She’s not viscous nor mean, she’s just insecure. Stop assigning ignorant labels!
🐕A Belgian Malinois-German Shepherd mix can be prone to insecurity due to conflicting traits from both breeds.
👍Malinois are hyper-vigilant, high-drive dogs that require precise training and structure, while German Shepherds CAN be sensitive and prone to anxiety if not properly socialized, much like all dogs!
🤔When combined, these traits can create a dog that is highly reactive, overly defensive, and unsure of how to handle stress.
💪Without clear leadership, firm boundaries, and confidence-building exercises, they may develop fear-based aggression, hyperattachment, or excessive suspicion. Their high intelligence means they can easily pick up on handler uncertainty, which can further reinforce insecurity.
😇Rue is so fortunate she has two lovely humans in her life willing to do the WORK and we look forward to bringing you her updates as we embark on our journey of benevolent leadership!
#dogtrainer #dogbehavior #shelterdog #rescuedog #gsd ##belgianmalinois
😢Otto’s owner passed away.😢
The only world he’s ever known was taken from him and he’s terribly afraid and confused.
🐕He’s a 5 year old lab/pit mix and he’s super afraid. Dogs are often so fearful the may exhibit what’s known as fear aggression.
This wasn’t the case with Otto, yesterday.
👉”Why didn’t you give him treats, Richie?!”
When dogs are in fight or flight the nose shuts down and they won’t eat. Patience is the best tool to use, followed by movement.
🙏Otto needs out. We will do our best to begin his rehabilitation journey but we need a foster to step up. Please share Otto’s story and be part of the reason he experiences love and benevolent leadership.
#dogtrainer #shelterdog #dogtraining #dogbehavior #rescuedog #dogmom #doglife #doglove #doglover
⬇️READ & Share ⬇️ A dog’s behavior is a reflection of its handler’s consistency, discipline, and leadership.
😱If a handler lacks self-discipline—being inconsistent with commands, rewards, or corrections—the dog will struggle to understand expectations.
🐕Dogs thrive on clear, calm, and confident leadership. When a handler is disciplined in their approach—maintaining structure, setting boundaries, and reinforcing rules consistently—the dog naturally follows.
⚠️Expecting a dog to be disciplined without first embodying discipline as a handler leads to confusion and poor behavior.
💪True leadership starts with the human, creating an environment where the dog feels secure, guided, and motivated to behave appropriately. self-discipline is a mindset of the benevolent leader.
#dogtrainer #doglove
🛑Stop allowing people to invade your dog’s space! This is one of the few cases where we let the dog make the decision! (Keep reading!)
😢Allowing strangers to pet an insecure dog can undermine the dog’s trust in its handler and worsen its anxiety. Insecure dogs rely on their handler for safety, and forced interactions can make them feel trapped or threatened. This can lead to defensive behaviors like growling or snapping, reinforcing fear-based reactions.
⚠️Additionally, if the handler does not advocate for the dog’s space, the dog may lose confidence in them as a protector.
💪Prioritizing the dog’s comfort by limiting unwanted interactions helps build trust, ensuring the dog feels secure and looks to the handler for guidance in uncertain situations.
😀The emphatic instructions to people, “Her/his name is Fluffy, call the dog to you.”, is yet another example of providing benevolent leadership!
#dogtraining #germanshepherd
🤣Do you agree??? Let us know!
😡Ever met a person who disliked dogs or puppies?? Weird right? Perhaps an ex or a weird neighbor comes to mind!
💪 We should all agree that disliking dogs is strange, just like we should all agree that the answers are in benevolent leadership!!
#dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogbehavior #dogmom #doglife #puppies #puppylove
🤔Remember Daley? He was very uncomfortable. Fight or flight is NOT where dogs WANT to be!!
☹️Daley, the 2 year old lab shepherd mix was brought to us 8 weeks ago for severe fear aggression. Insecure dogs with high defense drive are NOT natural and therefore require intervention. Many pet owners have unfortunately learned to tolerate it though.
☎️Need help with your dog or puppy? Call dm or text 862-380-4882📱
🐕Puppy Development
🐕Reactivity
🐕Aggression
🐕Anxiety
🐕Fear
🐕Basic obedience
🐕Leash manners
💪Chris and Marisa chose to do the work instead of euthanizing Daley. We couldn’t be more proud of them! It’s amazing what we can accomplish with benevolent leadership.
#rescuedog #dogtraining #dogtrainer #shelterdog #dogmom #doglife #bergencounty #dogbehavior
⬇️READ⬇️They’re very few absolutes when it comes to dogs.
🛑An enormous one is we NEVER hit dogs, done end of story.
🤔If we strike or touch our dogs and use a corrective word or corrective sound, we associate negativity with the human hand! It’s a great way to teach your dogs to be hand, shy or to bite grandma’s or a little Jimmy’s hands!
🛑Don’t EVER hit your dog! Be the benevolent leader!
#dogtrainer #dogtraining #dogtrainingtips #dogbehavior #germanshepherd #doglife
💀Remember Tank?💉💉He came close💀.
The growly Rottweiler? Yes,…. Some said his growls were aggressive. Some didn’t like the “looks” he gave. 🤦♀️
🐕Though we always approach dogs by temperament, having knowledge of breed specific tendencies is very helpful. In this case, it likely prevented Tank from taking a final walk to the vet💀.
🤔Some breeds vocalize more and or differently than others, hence the “Rottie Rumble”. In addition, they were bred to be suspicious of strangers and vigilant guard dogs. They require a period of acclimation and relationship building!
💪Again, as dog professionals, especially in the shelter and rescue community, we’re not permitted to dislike any one particular dog. If you do, I’m sure you can learn, “want fries with that?”, and explore other employment. Or, just mind your business. We must be objective regarding behavior and likelihood of successful adoption.
🙏So, yes…. Tank, the rumbly Rottweiler went home two days ago with his phenomenal humans after 6 months in the shelter. Thank you to all who interacted with our persistent stories featuring him. We’re also tremendously grateful to the few folks who trusted our assessment of Tank. We couldn’t be happier with his outcome and the overall impact of benevolent leadership.
#dogtrainer #dogtraining #shelterdog #rescuedog #dogbehavior #dogmom #rottweiler #rottie #doglife #adoptdontshop
I’m the behavioral specialist & Greta trains the dogs. We keep it simple, fun and lasting. NJ/NY/C
