Faithful Friends Dog Training, LLC.

19/07/2026

19/07/2026

Interesting and hopeful news.

Laverdia is a new pill which can be given at home for treatment for canine lymphoma, as traditional treatment may not work or be available

17/07/2026

OMG, I love this!

17/07/2026

This is just beautiful. It's not about capturing and cornering the horse (or dog).

16/07/2026

Studies on dogs, primates, and rodents show that even mild hyperthermia affects the prefrontal cortex — the part of the brain responsible for impulse control, decision‑making, and behavioural inhibition.

When body temperature rises by 1–2°C, the brain:

🔘processes information more slowly

🔘becomes more reactive to movement

🔘loses fine motor control

🔘struggles with inhibition

Heat alters the nervous system’s ability to regulate arousal

References:
Hall, E. J., Carter, A. J., & Bradshaw, J. W. S. (1999).
Effects of mild hyperthermia on working dogs.
Journal of Comparative Physiology B.

Bruchim, Y., et al. (2017).
Heat stress and the canine nervous system.
Frontiers in Veterinary Science.

Kiyatkin, E. A. (2019).
Brain hyperthermia and behavioural inhibition.

15/07/2026

Hi, I'm Duke

I'm a 16-month-old German Shepherd.

My mum was a nervous dog. I think I take after her a bit, I cant help who I am.

I wasn't prepared us for the world or for leaving my mum and brothers ans sisters, one day I was just taken away.

I went to live with someone who was a bit unpredictable. They love me but sometimes they do things that confuse me, or leave me scared and they can getfrustrated with me. I never really knew what to expect.

Now, when I go out, the world feels overwhelming. I'm insecure. My back legs also hurt when I exercise but my human doesnt really notice it because I dont limp.or cry out in pain.

Every walk feels like something might happen that could scare me or harm me.

So I do what I think will keep me safe.

I bark.

I make myself look as big and as scary as I can.

I'm not trying to be difficult. I'm hoping people and other dogs will stay away because I don't feel safe enough to cope with them.

To feel safe, I really need a human who understands me, builds my confidence, gets my discomfort under control...I need a human who listens.

What I don't understand is this...

If I'm anxious...

If I'm hurting...

If I'm frightened...
..how is punishing me supposed to help me feel better?

How does that make any sense?

Instead of feeling safer, I just learn that the things i worry about are justified as when they are around im punished and I learn expressing how I feel has consequences.

Eventually I learn to just stop telling you, because i dont want to be punished.

I stay quiet.

Not because I'm okay.

Because I'm scared to speak.

At least my human is now happy that im quiet. They got what they wanted, I just wish I got what I needed.

Duke is fictional but if dogs could speak, I wonder how many would tell us a similar story!

Picture not of a GSD before anyone feels the need to mention it 😉

15/07/2026

There’s a common misconception that dog trainers must have well-trained dogs themselves.

However, the truth is that positive dog trainers are passionate about helping dogs who need it most.

We work with those who struggle and need support, and we celebrate dogs expressing themselves freely, not through rigid training.

Our aim is to give them the best possible freedom and a fulfilling life.

23/06/2026

Wise words.

09/06/2026

Who does it benefit? The stranger.

The “immediately friendly equals well-socialised” myth

There’s a widespread assumption - particularly in Western dog culture - that an immediately friendly dog is a well-socialised one. But sociability and social health aren’t the same thing.

A dog that rushes up to every stranger isn’t necessarily confident. It can equally reflect overarousal (due to varying emotions), a lack of impulse control, or a lack of clear social boundaries.

Natural reservation and fear are not the same thing. This distinction matters enormously, and the two are frequently collapsed, which is a significant equivocation with real consequences for dogs.

Fear-based reservation tends to involve active avoidance, visible stress signals, and an inability to recover. Natural reservation looks quite different - the dog may be calm, observant, and fully functional - simply withholding engagement until they’ve made their own assessment. Conflating the two pathologises a healthy characteristic.

Some breeds were never bred for indiscriminate friendliness: Chow Chows, Akitas, and many Nordic and Eastern breeds among them. Applying a universal social template to every dog and finding them wanting does a real disservice to both the individual and the breed. The Eurasier standard, for example, describes the breed as reserved with strangers, but without signs of aggression - and in my experience, that’s accurate. There’s a spectrum, as with any breed, but natural reservation was genuinely one of the things that drew me to them.

The pressure for dogs to be immediately friendly with strangers largely serves the stranger, not the dog. A dog that takes their time is exercising due diligence. Appropriate social boundaries. Something we’d readily respect in a human.

There’s also a persistent assumption that reservation in adult dogs signals inadequate early socialisation. Sometimes that’s true - but a well-socialised dog of a naturally reserved breed, or any breed, may still be reserved. Socialisation does shape confidence and resilience, but it doesn’t necessarily alter how much social contact a dog seeks, or from whom.

Every dog deserves to be read as an individual - not measured against a template, or unrealistic expectations that we wouldn’t apply to other humans.