Let’s Talk Paws Academy - experts in dog training

10/07/2025

Parker has a tough time staying calm when visitors came to the house and even when his family come downstairs in the morning. There is lots of excitement, big feelings and he’s not quite sure what to do with himself in that moment.

Together with Parker’s family we focused on setting him up for success using a few key strategies:

Environmental Management - We adjusted the space so Parker could feel safe and supported, including using baby gates and a bigger space (other than the hallway) this gave him the choice to take space when needed and process information a lot slower.

Positive Associations - Instead of visitors and family coming into the room being overwhelming, we worked on pairing their entrance with good things. We used high value treats in a snuffle mat to help Parker feel more comfortable.

Redirection to a snuffle mat - This was a game changer! We helped Parker by redirecting his energy into sniffing and foraging, this helped lower arousal and gave him something productive to do while guests/family came into the room.

It’s all about building trust and giving our dogs tools to navigate the real world situations. Parker’s confidence is growing and his family now feel like they are able to manage him much more easily.

Head over to our instagram Parker has a tough time staying calm when visitors came to the house and even when his family come downstairs in the morning. There is lots of excitement, big feelings and he’s not quite sure what to do with himself in that moment.

Together with Parker’s family we focused on setting him up for success using a few key strategies:

Environmental Management - We adjusted the space so Parker could feel safe and supported, including using baby gates and a bigger space (other than the hallway) this gave him the choice to take space when needed and process information a lot slower.

Positive Associations - Instead of visitors and family coming into the room being overwhelming, we worked on pairing their entrance with good things. We used high value treats in a snuffle mat to help Parker feel more comfortable.

Redirection to a snuffle mat - This was a game changer! We helped Parker by redirecting his energy into sniffing and foraging, this helped lower arousal and gave him something productive to do while guests/family came into the room.

It’s all about building trust and giving our dogs tools to navigate the real world situations. Parker’s confidence is growing and his family now feel like they are able to manage him much more easily.

👉🏼Head over to our Instagram for the video of Parker coping well with a visitor!

26/06/2025

H O M E S E S S I O N S with Charlie 🐾🏡

Charlie the mini dachshund may be little but he has a lot of big feelings.

His wonderful guardian got in touch with me to help understand these big feelings and teach her how she can support him to be a more confident pooch.

In our first session together we talked through all the ways in which we can help him emotionally regulate better, help him when visitors come over and how he communicates with us through his body language.

Would you like to know more about:

🫶🏼Emotional regulation
🫶🏼Decompression
🫶🏼Environmental management with visitors
🫶🏼Providing choice and agency
🫶🏼Body language & displacement behaviours

Shoot me a message 0493426278 so we can chat about your goals 📋

23/06/2025

Build positive associations 🫂
Advocate for your dog 🫶🏼
Listen to your dog by observing their body language 👀
Let’s lower our expectations for our dogs, especially our young pups and our nervous dogs.

Socialisation is a term that many struggle to define.
It's often confused with play, but play is a completely separate and important skill.
In a world that pushes constant interaction ….where dogs are expected to greet and play with every other dog they see, we can unintentionally create a dog who views every other dog as a source of excitement.
This isn’t socialisation… and it never was.

A better way to think about socialisation is acclimation, helping your dog adjust to everything the world offers, not just other dogs.

Weather
Surfaces
Animals
Crowds of people, all ethnicities, ages, and movement styles
Noises
Scents

That’s just a taste of what true socialisation really is.

Acceptance is another way to view it.
Accepting, not reacting.
Building positive associations.

That is true socialisation.

20/06/2025

M A X and his dedicated, loving family 🫶🏼

I visited Max and his family a couple of weeks ago, they were experiencing challenging behaviours such as barking and reactivity to visitors or the family members coming home.

We sat down and discussed the behaviour, what concerns they were having and their goals as a family.

Within the hour 1/2 I was in their home Max was already showing signs of calmer behaviour as we started implementing strategies (clever boy!)

We practiced in real life situations, using the family as unpaid actors! We mimicked the same pattern of people coming through the door, asking Max to settle on a mat and then rewarding him for staying there.

I’m so happy to be able to help families like these, to help them better understand their dog’s behaviour and the emotions behind them.

🚪Do you have a dog who finds it difficult when visitors come to the door?
🤯 Do you come home after work and your dog’s behaviour is unmanageable?

📲 Get in touch! My home visits are a perfect way to address the behaviour and begin to work towards overcoming challenges.

20/06/2025

Another session for Wiener Crew Rescue a couple of weeks ago 🐾

Sweet Milo is currently in foster care and learning a new life, environment, new people and other dogs.

The world is a scary place for him but me and his carer and wonderful boss lady at the rescue went through all the ways to help him feel more confident.

We discussed how to help him sleep better, decompress and feel more comfortable in low threshold environments like the grassy area at the front of their home.

Such a rewarding part of my journey as a dog trainer. Feeling very lucky and grateful to be a part of these sweet dogs journeys 🫶🏼❤️

19/06/2025

This 100% deserves to be a post.

I have so much respect, admiration and love for my clients that put in the hard work to overcome behavioural challenges. It’s not easy, it’s often tiresome but the outcome is so so rewarding.

This sweet trio are Hunter, Clancy and Maisie 🫶🏼

I’ve been working with mum Jess to overcome some troubling behaviours she was experiencing with Hunter and Clancey. Although the boys love each other very much they would often become aggressive towards each other and it was very difficult for them to be in the same space!

We have been working together to not only improve their communication and relationship but also help each individual dog decompress and emotionally regulate better everyday.

The 2nd video was sent to me from Jess today, all three of them together, all getting along. The barrier was implemented as good management for mum and works well for the dogs knowing they have their own space but can also be close.

My goodness I love my job.

What a huge achievement, I’m so so proud 🩶

26/04/2025

I met the sweet Wally a couple of weeks ago 🫶🏼

He was on high alert, barking at every sound and reacting to people passing by the house. His world felt unpredictable and that stress was showing up in his behaviour.

To help him feel safer, we started at home. We created a calm, consistent environment:

* Practiced engage/disengage - a helpful strategy to minimise reactivity
* Implemented decompression in safe spaces such as crates (sniffing, chewing, licking)
* Closed off any visual triggers from the balcony
* Built a solid daily routine for meals, walks and rest
* Focused on positive reinforcement to build trust and confidence.

We also worked on desensitisation, pairing those scary sounds and sights with things he loves like treats and social interaction.

Helping a reactive dog starts with understanding and patience and it always begins at home.

�Need help? Send me a DM or email me at [email protected]

22/04/2025

Working from home with your dog, It’s not always as peaceful as it sounds but with the right tools and strategies, your pup can learn to settle while you work.

A part of my session with Camus and his guardian was to implement these strategies to ensure she can work from home successfully and Camus knows the routine.

🐾Teaching a solid “place” cue�A comfy bed, mat or crate becomes their chill zone. Reward calm behaviour and over time, your dog will learn this is their spot to relax whilst you work.

🐾Using enrichment to prevent boredom�Puzzle toys, lick mats, long-lasting chews—these help satisfy your dog’s mental needs while you're on Zoom calls.

🐾Reinforcing calm behaviour�If your dog nudges, barks, or paws for attention, offer them a soft pat, redirect them and reward calm behaviour.

🐾Practicing short separations�Even if you're home, give your dog space. Start with 5-10 minutes in another room. Gradually build independence so they’re not glued to you all day.

With the right guidance working from home can be a blessing for both you and your dog.

Do you need help teaching your dog to settle while you work? I’ve got your back.

DM me to chat or book a session 🫶🏼

18/04/2025

The sweetest guy 🥰 so happy to be able to provide help for this wonderful dogs and their caring families 🐾

10/04/2025

R E A C T I V I T Y with Dolly 🌸

Reactivity isn’t a “bad behaviour” - it’s a communication.

When a dog barks, lunges or growls, they’re often saying:
“I’m overwhelmed, I don’t feel safe.”

Whether it’s other dogs, people, bikes or loud noises, reactivity usually comes from a place of fear or insecurity.

So as their guardians, how can we help?

🫶🏼 By being their advocate and showing them the world can be a safe place.

I am currently working with Dolly and her fantastic family to overcome some challenging behaviours she is experiencing, one of which is reactivity.

A few things we will work on over the next few weeks:

• Distance is your friend - give your dog space from triggers.
• Don’t punish communication from your dog. We should, instead, reward calm behaviour and look for early signs of stress.
• Work at their pace - building confidence takes time and is best built gradually, in low-stress environments.
• Use positive reinforcement, the act of rewarding with food reinforces the behaviour and encourages them to repeat the behaviour. This then helps them form new, safe associations.

Reactivity isn’t easy but I’m here to help! 🤝🏼

Contact me on 0493426278 for more details on my outdoor sessions 🌿🐾

10/04/2025

🐾 Head over to my Instagram where all the fun is!

👉🏼 letstalkpawsacadamy

30/03/2025

M O N T Y 🫶🏼

Monty’s family reached out to me a couple of weeks ago as they have seen some troubling behaviours.

After meeting Monty and his wonderful family it was clear he was very loved and has the most wonderful home.

Monty has displayed signs of Resource Guarding since he was young, this is an extremely challenging behaviour and has some very complex emotions behind it.

Resource guarding is a natural behaviour in dogs where they protect items that are valuable to them. This can be things such as food, toys or even their favourite resting spot. While it’s instinctual, it can sometimes lead to unwanted behaviours like growling, snapping or even biting.

Addressing the cause of this complex behaviour is very important, often our dogs are feeling some level of pain/discomfort that leads them to resource guard.

Gathering information on his environment, his day to day routine and how to help him decompress is just the beginning of this journey with Monty’s family. We discussed environment management, decompression, how to help him slow down and how to better understand his body language.