Equinine Behavioural Practice

Equinine Behavioural Practice Canine behaviour and - training

27/11/2025

A good ole wrestle?
The quick "fly by" and catch me if you can?
How they play and interact with another dog is great information✅

They're likely giving you clarity in who they prefer and this can help you slowly introduce others that your dog has already "pre vetted" simply by their play style choices.

Good body language signals are so much easier to read when a dog has the same play style as another dog, and that's easier for you too.
Assessing just what is actually happening is easier when you already know your own dogs proclivities, and respect them.

What can get some dogs into difficulty is when there is a clear "mis match".
Sometimes that comes from us wanting or wishing they played with more energy, or even less.

They are who they are.
They can (or may) change their play styles but that often comes with more trust in the other dog.
It doesn't come from us desperately wanting them to "have more fun".

Dogs don't even have to interact much at all to enjoy each others company.
They can just "be".
They may have a good sniff session together or parallel "play" where they are at a distance and don't mingle or touch.

That's still social interaction.

27/11/2025

What is your dog trying to tell you? 🐶

It's normal to feel frustrated by your dog's behavior at times. However, all behaviors serve a purpose - to meet their needs.

So, when you notice a behavior you don't like...

👀 First: What are they doing?
Describe the behavior(s) you see. What are they trying to access or get away from?

👀 Second: Dig!
What body language do you notice before, during, and after the behavior(s) are performed? Based on your observations, can you tell what they might be feeling?

💭 Third: Plan
What actions can we take to help meet their needs? How can we prevent the unwanted behaviors from being rehearsed? How can we set them up to succeed next time we're in this situation?

Even when you're feeling frustrated, remember that all behaviors serve a purpose, and your dog is not doing something to spite you. If you are struggling, please reach out to a qualified, positive reinforcement-based behavior professional for help.

27/11/2025

Trainer Tip Tuesday:

25/11/2025

Keep your dog safe this Christmas and every day.
Here’s a simple guide to what dogs can, can’t, and should only eat in moderation.
Save this chart for later and share it with another dog parent.

25/11/2025

This has nothing to do with "training".
It also has everything to do with it.✅

Reactive dogs typically have a far lower tolerance for change.
They thrive on consistency.
They love routine.

We can have a weird view of what predictability actually means though.
Some people take their reactive dogs to work with them, they always have and yes that in itself is predictable.
Does your work involve meeting new people and travelling to new worksites?
Is what you believed is predictable really not?
New machinery?
Couriers unexpectedly popping in?

We may walk at the same time of day, but where?

Are you swapping where you walk too often and too soon?
Have you tried just walking in a low stress area for a few weeks?
Are there predictable triggers that you can safely "use" in that area?
Are your responses reliable or are you unpredictable in your response?

Predictability can help lower stress.
That starts to flow into all other areas of their lives.
Over time it can have a positive affect with their reactivity.

Predictability isn't boring for a reactive dog.

It's safety.

25/11/2025

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.

JoAnn and Rugar all smiles after graduating today. Well done. Hope to see you for more fun next year.
25/11/2025

JoAnn and Rugar all smiles after graduating today. Well done. Hope to see you for more fun next year.

16/11/2025

Before you share snacks with your dog… READ THIS! 😱👇
This chart shows exactly what’s safe, what’s risky, and what’s dangerous.

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