HeartDog with Janet Finlay and Michelle Dart

22/08/2025

ACEing Reactivity: Helping you and your dog feel safe, calm, and connected

Reactivity is often seen as a “problem behaviour” - the barking, the lunging, the pulling - but it is simply a dog expressing big feelings about the situation. In ACE (Animal Centred Education), we look beneath the surface to what the dog is experiencing.

Through gentle, practical techniques like ACE Free Work, combined with mindful observation, we can help dogs reset, rebalance, and build the confidence they need to feel safer in the world.

📅 Four weeks live online
Starts: Wed 10 September 2025, 6pm UK time

Together we’ll explore:
✨ How to use Free Work to support your dog’s emotional and physical wellbeing
✨ Ways to reduce overwhelm and give your dog more choice and agency
✨ Simple strategies that fit into everyday life - from walks to rest time
✨ Skills that help you see what your dog needs before reactivity takes hold
✨ Gentle techniques to build resilience, confidence, and connection - for you both.

What you’ll receive:
- Weekly live Zoom teaching sessions with space for reflection and discussion
- Practical resources and guides for using Free Work and ACE techniques
- A downloadable observation journal to track and build on your learning
- Feedback on your ACE activities in a private community
- A follow-up group Q&A one month later, so you can check in and refine your practice

💡 This workshop is aimed at guardians working with their own dogs but all are welcome - it is suitable for anyone who wants to help the dogs in their care feel calmer and more understood. ACE credits will be available.

Course fee: £150

Led by Janet Finlay, ACE Instructor since 2020, member of the UK Association of Pet Dog Trainers (mAPDT 01046), Family Dog Mediator and experienced coach for humans living with reactivity. She is the author of the book “Your End of the Lead”.

If you’d like to move beyond “managing behaviour” and give your dog tools to feel safer and more balanced, this programme is for you. Link to find out more in the comments.

19/08/2025

You spot it before it happens.

That subtle shift in your dog’s posture, the way their eyes fix just a little too hard on something up ahead.

And there it is - the bark, the lunge, the sudden tightening of the lead.

It’s not that you’re doing anything wrong. It’s that your dog’s big feelings - and yours - are still right there under the surface.

That’s why I created ACEing Reactivity - a four-week live online programme starting 10 September to help you and your dog feel safer, calmer, and more connected.

Places are limited. The last time I ran this was 2021 - and there’s no set date for the next one.

Find out more and join us here → https://www.heartdogtrainers.com/ACEingReactivityLive

02/05/2025

✨ “We can’t pour from an empty cup. And yet we so often try.”

If you’ve been needing a moment to reflect and recharge, Janet's talk on Compassion for Ourselves goes live tomorrow (3rd May) as part of the KIENO Dog Behaviour Conference.

The live event is nearly over, but there’s still time to catch this talk free of charge from 8am tomorrow or you can upgrade to VIP for £47 to get continued access to all 28 amazing sessions — and support a good cause (Street Paws).

Let’s care for ourselves as deeply as we care for the dogs. 💛

Link to access the conference in the comments.

20/04/2025

Kindness is Essential, Not Optional 🐾

We’re so excited to be part of this year’s KIENO Dog Behaviour Conference – 28 amazing speakers, all sharing force-free, thoughtful, practical strategies to support you and your dog. 🐶💬

It’s free. It’s online. And it starts tomorrow - Monday 21st April.
If you’ve been needing a boost, some fresh inspiration, or just a reminder that you’re not in this alone — this might be just the thing.

Janet is talking about Compassion for ourselves on May 3rd, and there are heaps of other fabulous speakers involved.

🎟 Save your seat here: https://janet.kienoconference.com/

20/03/2025

At HeartDog we support day!

Today is for you, our wonderful .

A day where you can be celebrated from a distance - just the way you like it.
A day where we honour your gentle hearts and cautious paws.
A day where the world takes a step back, so you can breathe a little easier.
A day where the world softens its sounds for you, because we know loud noises can be scary.
A day where movement slows, because stillness makes you feel safe.
A day where our emotional dogs are seen, respected, and loved without judgement.
A day where they are given space from everything that feels overwhelming.
A day where you put on your yellow, and with it, a little more confidence. A sign to the world that you need space, and that you are understood.

Tonight, as the world quiets down, know that we see you.
We celebrate you.
And just like the stars in the sky—we shine for you.

25/11/2024

We've had a super busy week putting some brand new mini courses (plus a toolbox!) together to throw into our Black Friday Sale for you!

If you like
✅ Bitesize learning
✅ Igniting your motivation
✅ Practical Power ups

These are for you! And yes - they’re all included in the big sale (along with everything else on our site) - but it must end soon!

Here are the brand new offers for you👇

Reactivity Shorts (from £15)
Ideal for a practical powerup that you can dip in and out of in bitesize chunks. These two new mini-courses are designed to give you straightforward actionable relief from reactivity struggles.
>>> https://www.heartdogtrainers.com/reactivityshorts

Your End of the Lead Mini Toolbox
Mindset matters - and if you need help with how to support your clients with the powerful shifts that will transform your results together, this toolbox is the answer.
>>> https://www.heartdogtrainers.com/your-end-of-the-lead-mini-toolbox

Business Strategy 101 Mini Course
Get to grips with the business side of working with dogs and find the route to making your business work for you (not against you). This is bitesized business motivation for a bargain price - it might just save your sanity!
>>> https://www.heartdogtrainers.com/businessstrategy101

Wellbeing & Choice based training webinar bundles
Wellbeing is crucial for everyone involved in your working relationships - for the dogs you help, their humans and YOU! This selection of webinar bundles is designed to help you take practical steps to put wellbeing and choice at the heart of your business.
>>> https://www.heartdogtrainers.com/webinars

We hope you’ll find a small yet mighty offer that you’d love to take advantage of. They’re all super practical and easy to absorb - so we know you’ll get a lot from them.

Our Black Friday Sale must end this week, so please don’t wait around if you want to bag the discounted prices.
Ready, set… GO! 🏃🏽🏃🏻‍♀️💨

23/11/2024

The biggest disconnect between humans and their dogs often strikes when adolescence hits!

And it’s no wonder really - for it really is a perfect storm! 🌪⛈

Hormones are surging, boundaries are tested, and more often than not - the human end of the lead has NO idea what’s going on beneath the surface.

Take a read of our latest blog to discover what each end of the lead is experiencing…

And discover how to get guardians up to speed with what their dog’s really need to thrive during the teenage storm! 👇

The teenage phase of a dog’s life is HARD. Discover what’s really going on and perhaps more importantly - what you can do about it.

19/11/2024

What do you need in your business? 🤔

We all have different needs and desires for our lives and businesses - there’s no one size fits all….

And that’s why we have such an array of different ways to help you achieve your goals.

>> Struggle with tech, video or resource creation?

Our Toolboxes take the pain away and give you a stash of valuable content you can implement to instantly level up your client delivery.

>> Aspire to finally achieve life/work balance and build a business you love?

Our Connect Membership will guide you forwards and unite you with like minded pros who’ll inspire you.

>> Want to get geeky on dog stuff?

Our courses on reactivity, ACE Freework & Tellington TTouch will scratch that itch.

Get bargain grabbing now!

This Black Friday sale will run until the 2nd December - but we know how many emails and ads you’re likely to be bombarded with between now and then.

So if there’s something you know you want to achieve in your business in 2025, swerve the distraction and take action now. Let us help you (and save you lots of pennies!).

>>>Shop our Black Friday Mega Sale here

We can support you in so many ways in your business: toolboxes of customisable videos and resources, professional courses on reactivity, ACE, TTouch and more, mentorship support on business and personal growth as well as dogs, a safe, supportive and yet challenging community.

18/11/2024

Fingers at the ready: our MEGA Black Friday Sale has launched! 🥳

Get 40% off absolutely everything and make 2025 the year your business works for you.

Already know what you want? Read no further - click the link below and your 40% off will automatically be applied at checkout.

👉 https://www.heartdogtrainers.com/what-we-offer-pros

Curious about what’s on offer? 👇

If you’ve not yet got a HeartDog wishlist, let us give you a quick rundown of what’s up for grabs at bargain prices!

🙀Puppy & Teen Toolbox Bundle (Was £2600, now £1560) *payment plans available
🎯Reactivity Toolbox (was £1595, now £957) *payment plans available
🤩Reframing Reactivity Pro Course (was £995, now £597) *payment plans available
🙌Connect Membership (was £69 p/mth, now £41.40 for first 3 months) *cancel anytime
🐶ACE workshops (from just £21)
🐕Tellington TTouch workshop (was £75, now £45)

We hope these mammoth savings will be music to your ears and the opportunity you’ve been waiting for to get your business working in your favour!

🏁40% off absolutely everything starts now >>> https://www.heartdogtrainers.com/what-we-offer-pros

We can support you in so many ways in your business: toolboxes of customisable videos and resources, professional courses on reactivity, ACE, TTouch and more, mentorship support on business and personal growth as well as dogs, a safe, supportive and yet challenging community.

05/10/2024

Please share - we don't want any pros to miss this opportunity.

This is bigger than even our legendary Black Friday sales!
But it ends October 7th…

If you want to become a certified HeartDog Canine Reactivity Specialist, this is the only time you’ll be able to do it for just £545! 😱

And yes, there are payment plans available. 🙌

So who’s it for?

It’s for you if….
🐾 You love learning and always want to stay ahead of the curve
🐾 You want to bring wellbeing to the core of your work but don’t know how
🐾 You find reactivity cases tricky and want to feel confident in your work
🐾 You want to bounce off other practitioners and think outside the box
🐾 You want to do things differently but need guidance on the practicalities
🐾 You want to improve your practical and coaching skills (as well as your theoretical knowledge)

And while Reframing Reactivity Pro 2.0 is a self-paced course that you can do on your schedule…

You get monthly live calls with Janet and an awesome private community space so you can connect with like-minded people and expand upon your learning.

This isn’t just a course, it’s an experience.

And one that’ll change the way you work with all your future clients.

Enrol now to save £450 (offer expires 7th October)

https://www.heartdogtrainers.com/reframing-reactivity

13/08/2024

I’ve been reflecting lately on just how much physical wellbeing contributes to emotional health and wellness. I know it from my own experience and from observing our dogs. And of course this is now widely recognised by canine professionals - at least those who are focused on the experience of the dog.

But what we don’t always consider is that physical wellbeing is a very complex thing. It includes consideration of illness, injury, nutrition and fitness, all of which influence each other.

Getting to the bottom of a physical health issue is not easy. There may be multiple symptoms to consider - sometimes these are linked in an obvious way but sometimes not.

I have been trying to get to the bottom of my own physical symptoms for over two years. I can’t fault the NHS at all. I have had referrals to at least three different hospital departments, MRI and CT scans and a whole bank of tests and, though we have ruled out lots of things and found a cause for a subset of symptoms, the majority are still unexplained (more tests to come and dietary changes - I am hopeful!).

But if this is how difficult it can be to untangle the physical health of a human who is able to articulate what the symptoms are, when they occur and how and where it hurts, what chance does a vet have of establishing the physical health of a dog in a 10 minute check-up?

When we ask our clients to have a vet check before a behaviour consultation, getting the all clear does not mean the dog is not experiencing pain or illness. It means that there were no obvious signs in that moment.

Gut issues may not result in changes in p**p or temperature but that doesn’t mean the gut is healthy. Joint issues can be masked by raised adrenaline. And some dogs are exceptionally stoical. Being in pain does not always stop movement or play - especially when it is chronic.

This is in no way a dig at vets. They have an impossible task and can’t practically do extensive testing when they are asked for a simple health check.

But as professionals we often see dogs over a more extended period and need to always keep physical health in mind, even if a vet has declared the dog healthy.

Asking guardians to keep a diary can be really helpful, looking particularly at changes in behaviour through the day, when these occur and what might be triggering them. Does behaviour change happen after eating, for example, or before? Are things better before a walk or after?

We can look at posture, gait, coat patterns, as we do in ACE, to note anything unusual.

And as we gather this data, we can look for patterns that can help our client’s vet get a broader picture to inform their diagnosis.

Not every behaviour concern is a result of physical illness but improving physical health and wellbeing will always improve emotional wellness.

02/04/2024

Today is and we are very happy to celebrate it here at HeartDog!

Whaaat? I hear you say. Surely ensuring our dogs get ample walks each day is part of properly caring for them and meeting their needs?

Yet increasingly, positive, qualified trainers (including Niki French who started this day) are recommending not walking dogs - especially those who are sensitive, highly aroused or fearful.

So what is it all about? Essentially it is about meeting our dog's needs in the most appropriate way rather than being tied into a particular activity.

And a great way to do this is the . Read more here: https://www.heartdogtrainers.com/blog/deconstructeddogwalk