11/29/2025
No time like the present to take the L.E.G.S. Applied Ethology FDM Professional Course! This course filled in so many gaps in my own learning and consulting on dog behavior, and at the same time, it validated where, or why, I was feeling stuck in my trajectory.
And, it's the gift that keeps giving - I learn so much from other pros in the L.E.G.S./FDM community (and even get to revisit the course!).
There's been a noticeable shift since I started incorporating L.E.G.S./FDM - a 'Welfare First' model. I've tracked a growing number of clients/families who are now, for the first time, feeling like they're understanding "the dog in front of them as an individual", and ALL the needs underlying those so-called "behavior problems".
Often, what we uncover is not the "perfect obedient dog" they once idealized, but rather, a dog with unmet needs (L.E.G.S.) that are ever changing. That's so relieving for many families to recognize - the notion of a "good" or "bad" dog, or behavior, often just falls by the wayside. That's the heavy lift for us, the rest is about supporting that individual dog's and family's needs.
It's progress, rather than perfection. (Something I have to remind myself of - as I TOO have a tendency to idealize.) It's been incredibly fulfilling for me these last couple years to see families and dogs start living their best lives (welfare) - and through relationships built on understanding, trust, safety, harmony, and joy. That's what it's all about in my book ❤
“We have to start seeing dogs as captive animals. That’s what they are. They’re captive animals living in human homes, subject to human expectations, with little to no control over their environment or access to natural behaviors.”
— Kim Brophey, Total Welfare Talk
It’s time we faced a difficult truth.
Dogs aren’t just pets. They’re animals with deep instincts and biological needs that rarely fit the world we’ve built for them. We expect them to be quiet, calm, easy, and accommodating. We expect them to nap while we’re gone, ignore their instincts, and adapt to environments that make no biological sense for who they are.
Most pet dogs are living in captivity, unable to freely explore, forage, hunt, socialize, or protect what matters to them. And when those needs go unmet, the fallout shows up as “behavior problems.”
It’s not disobedience.
It’s captivity distress.
The Total Welfare model helps us see this clearly and gives dog pros a practical, science-based path forward. It distills established animal welfare principles into a simple 3-step program:
1. Understand and accept each dog’s unique L.E.G.S.
2. Improve welfare to deliver the Good Life, instead of increasing restrictions.
3. Track progress through behavioral diversity surveys that reflect welfare status.
And soon, the Total Welfare App will bring all of this into one place.
Welfare tracking, case management, and behavioral diversity data right on your phone.
It’s not about control.
It’s about compassion, responsibility, and the future of our field.
You cannot take the first step toward Total Welfare without L.E.G.S., which is why we’re making it easy this November.
The L.E.G.S.® Applied Ethology Family Dog Mediation Professional Course, now updated with the Total Welfare Framework, helps dog professionals move beyond behavior management to true behavioral resolution by identifying and addressing welfare deficits at their source.
When we focus on welfare, everything changes. For dogs, and for the people who love them.
✨ 50% off sitewide all November
Code: GRATEFUL50
🔗 https://kimbropheylegscourses.thinkific.com/pages/pro-landing-page
