Unleashed Behavior and Training Services

01/13/2026

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01/09/2026

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01/08/2026

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TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN HELPING OUR DOG TO BECOME LESS FEARFUL, FIRST, WE MUST STOP SCARING THEM!

When we have a fearful dog, it's essential that we work at their pace and don't try to rush them or skip steps. If they don't feel safe, then they won't be able to focus on learning new things, or gain confidence and build trust.

In order to succeed in changing conditioned emotional responses, we need to go very slowly, with really small, well-orchestrated exposures; but, how do we know if we are going slow enough? This is something only your dog can determine, but what we can be sure of is that we cannot set a timeframe for how long it will take for them to feel safe; it takes as long as it takes!

When we countercondition/desensitise, it is essential that we work at the dog's pace, observing body language, acknowledging and responding to any opting out, and stopping before there are any signs of stress or discomfort. If we are to change how they feel about something and reduce fear, we really must respect what they can and can't cope with, and not push ahead in the hope that they will suddenly realise there is nothing to fear after all. If they are becoming anxious during a cc/ds session, then we are moving too fast, missing important signals, and not respecting their communications that they are struggling. For CC/DS to succeed, the dog must remain within their coping threshold, otherwise we are in flooding territory.

When a dog has an existing negative conditioned emotional response to something, continued exposure alone is very unlikely to help them overcome their fear, as they do not have the capacity to rationalise and reason. We can't prove to them that something isn't scary by continuing to place them in that same situation that scares them - we will only succeed in confirming to them that we are not trustworthy, they are not safe, and they were right to be worried.

We need to be aware that a dog who is repeatedly pushed to the edge of his comfort zone and beyond may *appear* to feel calm and comfortable, but this might actually be the result of them feeling totally overwhelmed and giving up on trying to make themselves understood. A lack of obvious behaviours does not necessarily mean that they are feeling less fearful - emotional shutdown is a real risk if we go too fast or don't allow them the choice to opt out.

While working on a particular trigger, we need to ensure that our dog has plenty of decompression time and that we don’t try to work on lots of things at once. If our dog is already strung out from day-to-day stressors before we even begin training, progress will be very minimal due to trigger stacking, and not being in a frame of mind that is conducive to learning. Coping thresholds are fluid, varying depending on what is happening, what has happened earlier in the day, or even several days before. Rest and recuperation plays a big part in stress management and ability to learn, and directly impacts the dog’s well-being and ability to recover.

Remember: if we are to be successful in helping our dog to become less fearful, first, we must stop scaring them!

© Trailie Paws For Thought
www.trailiepawsforthought.com

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01/07/2026

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It can be tempting, once our dogs have got the hang of a new cue at home, to think that they know exactly what it means and head out into the world. But when we come to need that cue away from home, suddenly there is no response to the cue at all!

Because of the way our language driven brains function, once we know what a word means it means the same thing wherever we are. So why isn't it the same for dogs?

Dogs don't actually understand the word and what it means. What has happened is that they have formed an association with the sound that word makes and a response we would like from them. However, dogs are far more aware of their environment than we are a lot of the time and, when we have only worked on the cue at home, that environment is a part of the cue setup in their minds. At this point as far as they understand it, the cue means the particular response is wanted in a particular place.

To show that the cue is asking for the same response wherever we are with our dogs, we need to go through a process of generalising, or 'proofing' the response.

This means gradually widening the number of places where the dog understands and can respond to the cue in the way we would like or need them to. As an example let's look at an absolutely essential cue, a recall.

We may start off teaching recall in the house, from just a few steps away when the dog is already heading towards us. This makes it easy to form the association between coming to us and the rewards for doing so (whether you use treats, fuss and attention, toys or games etc). And it's easy to introduce the cue word you have chosen for recall at this point also.

When recall is mastered in the house, move out to the garden and repeat the process.

After recall is solid in the garden, go somewhere quiet and with minimal distractions. Repeat the exercise there.

Gradually increase the number of distractions around as you ask your dog for that important recall, until it's solid and they are able to understand and respond to the cue wherever you go.

When adding a new location or more distractions, it's recommended to up the value of the rewards on offer. Use extra tasty treats, a highly valued toy or absolute favourite game, for example, so your dog knows that responding in this new and slightly busier place is definitely worth it. Once they have clearly got the idea, we can go back to a lower level of incentive and save the high value items for when we next increase the difficulty.

Be considerate when recalling your dog out in the world. Try not to recall them when they're having a good sniff as this is interrupting their time they get to carry out an important natural behaviour.

If you are not sure of your dog's recall, you can use a long line (always attached to a harness, not a collar, for safety) while working on the cue. That way your dog has more freedom to explore but you have backup security of a physical connection if needed to stop them potentially getting into trouble or bringing them in closer when needed. For off lead time secure dog fields can be very useful while you are still working on the reliability of your dog's recall.

Once your dog is reliably responding to the cue wherever you go, you have 'proofed' the behaviour, and you and your dog can go out and enjoy the world, confident that, when needed, your dog will come back to you when you call. Safer and more relaxing for all involved!

01/06/2026

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THE CHOICE TO CHOOSE
WHY DOGS SHOULD BE ALLOWED CHOICE

Imagine every little detail of your life is controlled - what and when you eat, where you sleep, when you’re allowed inside or outside, when you’re allowed to go for a walk and if you’re allowed to stop and sniff, who you’re allowed or forced to interact with, what activities you’re allowed to participate in, when you’re given attention, where you’re allowed to be touched etc.

This would create stress and anxiety, a feeling of helplessness, apathy, a lack of confidence and many other negative emotions. The same is true for dogs.

Dogs live in a world where just about everything is controlled by us.

Allowing choice, no matter how simple or small that choice may be, provides so many benefits.

The context and parameters in which we allow choice is obviously important.

Safety, boundaries, environmental factors, other people or animals always need to be taken into account.

A very long time ago, when my daughter was little, she would flat-out refuse to put on the set of clothes I had picked out for her.

Tantrums and stubbornness would often make us late for wherever we were going. This problem was solved by laying out 3 different sets of clothes and allowing her to choose which set she was going to wear.

These were still within my parameters and were still my choice, but by doing this I had allowed her a choice and the problem was solved, without harsh discipline or emotional fall out.

Dogs that are allowed some control over their environment and how they respond to situations are more confident, more emotionally balanced, more resilient, better able to cope with stressful situations, less anxious, less stressed and generally have fewer behaviour problems.

Look for simple, safe ways to provide more choice for your dog.

Improve their wellbeing and quality of life in a world that seeks to dominate and control.

01/05/2026

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I'm not a massive fan of 'new year resolutions' but this is one that can make a massive amount of difference for our dogs. Allowing opportunities to carry out natural behaviours in a safe and appropriate way is a huge part of ensuring the welfare of our canine companions.

From my book Building the Bond:

"This is an important freedom that our dogs need but it is also one that many guardians may not realise their dogs are missing. Our society can place many expectations and demands on dogs in our world and the way in which they behave, and these do not always mesh all that well with the normal and natural behaviours of dogs. It is, however, vitally important to find ways to let dogs be dogs. They need to carry out these natural behaviours, which in dogs means they will at times bark, they may dig with little regard for the appearance of a manicured lawn if that’s the only place they have to dig, they chew things and will find their own chew toys if not given appropriate things to satisfy that urge. They run and they play. It is up to us to find the ways we can safely let them fulfil all of these natural behaviours in our human oriented world. A dog who does not get enough time to be a dog doing dog things, snack on some kind of tasty chew, and then have a nice comfortable spot in which to nap will begin to suffer from stress due to the suppression of their normal and natural behaviours."

01/02/2026

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✨🚗 The open road promises adventure — but we need to be mindful of unexpected obstacles when it comes to our pets’ safety. For , our ASPCA Poison Control (APC) experts share their top travel tips like prepping a pet-friendly travel kit, packing extra water, and never leaving pets alone in parked vehicles. Because the best journeys end with wagging tails, gentle purrs, and everyone home safe. 🐶🐱

👉 Read our full travel do’s and don’ts here: https://www.aspca.org/news/traveling-pets-follow-these-expert-dos-and-donts-keep-them-safe

12/31/2025

As I look back on 2025, I feel SO INCREDIBLY blessed. Thank you all for such an amazing year. I wish you and your pups many blessings, lots of love, great health, bundles of happiness... and many cozy cuddles. Happy New Year!!! 🥳🥳🥳

12/30/2025

Love this! ❤️

12/30/2025

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Some people change an industry not by being the loudest voice but by changing what everyone looks for.

Sarah Fisher did exactly this. We are devastated to hear she has passed 💔

Sarah taught us to notice the quiet things: posture, breath, tension, hesitation, curiosity. She reminded us that behaviour is communication, and that dogs need safety and agency before they can learn well.

Through ACE and previously through TTouch, Sarah’s influence reached far beyond dog training and into rescue, vet teams, grooming, therapy support, and everyday homes. Her work helped dogs feel safe enough to engage with the world, and helped humans become calmer, kinder observers.

Thinking of Sarah’s loved ones today and of the many people grieving across our community.

If you’re able, honour her by practicing what she modelled: slow down, watch, and let the dog lead ❤️

12/23/2025

Congratulations on your graduation Roxy!! ❤️🥰🥳

12/23/2025

Congratulations Paxton!! You are a graduate! 🤩🐾🥳