Walking with a Friend

12/24/2025

🐾Why Calm Observation Matters When Desensitizing a Dog and Building Confidence🐾

One of the most overlooked yet powerful tools in behavior modification is calm observation. 🚫 Not correction
🚫 Not reassurance
🚫 Not distraction
Simply the ability to observe a dog without emotion, urgency, or interference.

When we rush to “fix” a dog’s reaction, we often miss the most important information they are giving us: how they are processing the world in real time.

Desensitization is not about forcing exposure. It is about allowing a dog to experience a stimulus at a level they can emotionally tolerate. Calm observation is how we determine that threshold.

🐾Dogs Learn Through
Emotional Association, Not
Explanation🐾

Dogs do not rationalize experiences the way humans do. They associate sensations, environments, and stimuli with how their body feels in that moment.

If a dog encounters something new or triggering and feels:
• pressured
• restrained
• rushed
• soothed with anxious energy
• corrected for reacting

the nervous system does not register safety. It registers conflict.

Calm observation allows the dog to investigate without being pulled forward or pulled away.
It tells the dog, “You are allowed to notice. You are allowed to think.”

That freedom to process is the foundation of confidence.

🐾Observation Prevents
Flooding🐾

Flooding occurs when a dog is exposed to too much, too fast, without the ability to disengage. Many well-meaning owners accidentally flood their dogs by assuming “they’ll get used to it.”

When you are calmly observing, you notice:
• subtle weight shifts
• breathing changes
• ear position
• scanning or freezing
• hesitation before approach

These early signals tell you when the dog is nearing their threshold. If you miss them, the dog will escalate because subtle communication was ignored.

Confidence is built when the dog feels heard before they feel overwhelmed.

🐾Your Nervous System Sets
The Tone🐾

Dogs are highly attuned to human energy. When you hover, tense up, talk excessively, or anticipate a reaction, the dog’s nervous system mirrors that state.

Calm observation requires neutrality.

🚫 No cheerleading.
🚫 No bracing for impact.
🚫 No disappointment if they
hesitate.

When your body is relaxed and your presence is steady, the dog receives a clear message: there is no emergency here.

That message matters more than treats, commands, or praise.

🐾Stillness Gives the Dog
Agency🐾

Agency is the ability to choose. A dog that feels trapped cannot build confidence.

Calm observation allows the dog to:
• approach at their own pace
• retreat if needed
• re-engage when ready

Each self-directed choice strengthens the dog’s belief in their ability to cope. That belief is confidence.

We don’t build brave dogs by dragging them through fear. We build brave dogs by allowing them to discover they can handle discomfort without being pushed past it.

🐾Reactivity Often Comes From Not Being Allowed to Observe🐾

Many reactive dogs were never given time to simply look.

They were corrected for staring.
Pulled away too quickly.
Redirected before they could process.

As a result, the dog learns that triggers predict chaos, tension, or loss of control. Calm observation rewires that pattern.

Looking is not reacting.
Noticing is not danger.

When a dog is allowed to observe calmly, the brain has time to shift from survival to assessment.

🐾Confidence Is Built in Quiet
Moments🐾

Progress does not always look dramatic. Sometimes it looks like:
• a dog pausing instead of
panicking
• softer eyes
• a deeper breath
• choosing to disengage on
their own

These moments are easy to miss if you are focused on outcomes instead of awareness.

Calm observation teaches us to value what truly matters: a regulated nervous system.

Final Thought….

Behavior change does not happen because we control the dog. It happens because the dog learns they are safe enough to learn.

Calm observation is not passive. It is intentional restraint. It is leadership without pressure. It is trust without force.

When we slow down enough to truly observe, we stop training reactions and start building confidence.

And that changes everything.
🤗🐾❤️

12/24/2025

Let's take a moment to think about the unrealistic expectations we put on our pets. While some pets may tolerate certain festive activities, most would likely prefer to sit them out. From crowded gatherings to loud noises, the sights, sounds, and smells of the holiday season can be overwhelming for our pets.

It's important to remember that pets have their own preferences and comfort levels. Just because we enjoy certain aspects of the holidays doesn't mean they do!

When we acknowledge that our pets might not share our enthusiasm for every festive tradition, we can make more thoughtful choices.

By recognizing their needs and stressors, we can take proactive steps to ensure their well-being. This might mean giving them a quiet space to retreat to, adjusting plans to avoid overwhelming them, or simply letting them opt-out of certain activities.

At the end of the day, the holidays are about celebrating with loved ones—including our pets. Let's make sure we're considering their needs and comfort, so we can all enjoy a safe and stress-free season together!

12/18/2025

12/08/2025

✨ Exciting News! ✨

We’re delighted to share that The Canine Behaviour College has been featured in USA Today, highlighting how our Ofqual-regulated Level 6 Diploma is setting a new benchmark in the industry. 🎉

📰 Read the full article - check out the link in the comments! 👇

🎓 If you’ve been waiting for the next opportunity to join us, early enrolment for the April 2026 cohort is now open.

You can reserve your place with the link in the comments. ⬇

12/04/2025

As dog trainers who specialize in dog, baby and toddler safety, this is something that we wish more parents knew…

You’d baby and toddler do not have the cognitive ability yet to understand what “be gentle” means!

We see many viral videos of parents or get calls from parents becoming frustrated at their child for hitting or grabbing the dog’s fun after they tell them to “be gentle” or not following simple instructions like “pet the dog nicely”

But why is this?

Your child’s pre-frontal cortex is not developed yet!

Everything that it is responsible for, such as emotional regulation and the executive functioning umbrella (for things such as self control and inhibition) doesn’t exist yet.

The ability to follow instructions reliably isn’t even developed until they are 3.5 to 4 years old. 

This is why we always say “dog and baby on the scene, a parent in between” as well share the 4 Pillars of Dog Aware!

It is our responsibility as parents to help advocate for our dogs as well as our children by implementing developmentally appropriate ways for them to safely engage with eachother!

Follow our page for a video tomorrow being shared about how we can help safely engage in developmentally appropriate activities to help teach our children about being Dog Aware!

11/28/2025

Imagine if you were walking down the road and a stranger ran up to you and you just had to let them do whatever they wanted without sticking up for yourself?

It's a bit unthinkable isn't it?

That's often the position we are asking dogs to be in when we try to silence their "reactive" behaviours that are actually not reactive at all, they're boundary setting.

Dogs are allowed to set boundaries. Some dogs have stricter boundaries than others. Some dogs get overtly cross when their boundaries are crossed, others get fearful. But expecting dogs to NOT have boundaries and allow absolutely everything anyone wants to do with them without push back is unrealistic.

🐾 If play gets too rough and rude, dogs are allowed to say so
🐾 If a greeting is far too fast and impolite, dogs are allowed to say so
🐾 If a human is touching a dog in a way that's making them feel threatened, dogs are allowed to say so.

The thing is, if we try to punish these boundary setting behaviours, we run the risk of making them worse. Boundary setting behaviours are controlled and appropriate to the situation. But if we try to silence them the dog may just react with more aggressive behaviour responses in a way that becomes inappropriate to the situation. For example, much more exaggerated a response, unable to control themselves, unable to have their say and move on.

Any cross words from our dogs and we immediately feel we need to apologise, they're in the wrong. But are they? Lily is one of the most gentle and friendly dogs I know. Certainly the most sociable I've ever parented! But even Lily gets cross. Even Lily has boundaries. A short sharp collection of woofs towards dogs jumping in her face too often and she moves on. That's boundary setting. That's normal.

Picture: we give our dogs boundary setting behaviours ALL THE TIME. Telling dogs to get off things, telling dogs to sit and wait, teaching a dog to walk nicely.... These are all boundary setting behaviours. We need to allow our dogs to have their own boundaries too. Boundaries aren't aggression 🐾💜

11/27/2025

As we gather around the table this Thanksgiving, it’s important to know which foods are safe for our furry friends and which ones to avoid. While some turkey and vegetables can be a treat, certain holiday favorites like grapes, onions, and casseroles are harmful to dogs. We want to share this list with our pet parents to ensure everyone has a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

Below is an article from the AMVA highlighting a few other tips, such as securing the trash can, to ensure a safe holiday. You can follow the link to view the whole article: https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/thanksgiving-pet-safety?os=___&ref=app

We wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

11/26/2025

Thanksgiving smells and leftovers can tempt our pets🐶🐱, but many holiday foods are risky for them. Ingredients like onions, garlic, rich fats, and sweeteners can lead to serious health issues.

Keep your pets safe by keeping harmful holiday foods out of reach.

If you want to share a small treat, safer options include plain green beans, carrots, sweet potatoes, apples, pumpkin, and unseasoned, boneless turkey!

Enjoy the holiday, and keep curious paws away from the kitchen to avoid any emergencies. 🦃