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http://www.thecanineperspective.com.au/

The Canine Perspective, Sunshine Coast (2025)

30/09/2025

Hands up if you’ve ever heard something like:

✨ “Labradors are always great with kids.”
✨ “Staffies are aggressive.”
✨ “Cavoodles don’t bark.”
✨ “Border Collies are easy to train.”

These kinds of blanket statements get thrown around all the time. And while they sound convincing, they can actually set both dogs and guardians up for heartache.

Because here’s the truth:
Dogs are individuals. Just like people.

Sure, breeds carry tendencies. But they don’t come with guarantees. That Labrador? He might love kids… or he might be really nervous and reactive around them. The Cavoodle? She might be quiet… or she might be the loudest kid on the block. Staffies are some of the nicest dogs you’ll ever meet. And that Border Collie? Brilliant, yes - but brilliance comes with a brain that needs work to stay out of trouble.

When we rely only on breed reputation, we risk missing who the dog really is - and whether they’re the right fit for us.

👉 So instead of simply asking: “What’s the best breed to get?” ask yourself:
“What kind of dog would thrive with our family, our current energy levels, and our current lifestyle?”

Because that's when the magic happens.

With calm, care, and a whole lot of heart,
Sarah 🐾

PS – Thinking about adding a dog to your family soon? Let’s make sure it’s the right match. I’m offering a limited number of free 15-min consultations to help you make the best choice for your household. Spots are filling quickly, so drop the word NEW DOG below 👇 to grab one before they’re gone.

30/09/2025

What breed of dog would thrive with me?

It's a bit of a novel concept, isn't it?

What would happen if we asked this question, and researched the breed (or breeds) we wanted to welcome into our home?

What if we based the choice on whether we could meet that breed's needs - rather than choosing a dog based on the way they looked, what we had as a kid, or the dog we saw in a movie once?

What breed of dog would thrive with me?

Here's what would happen...

🐾 Less dogs would have behavioural issues (I might be out of a job!)

🐾 Less dogs would be surrendered to pounds and shelters due to behavioural issues

🐾 Less dogs would be euthanased as a result

By simply making better choices, we have the ability to make a massive impact in the lives of the animals we love so much.

What are your thoughts? Share them below 👇

29/09/2025

One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is thinking that choosing a dog is as simple as “what breed looks cute” or “what puppy is available right now.”

And I get it. Who can resist those big eyes and wiggly butts? But here’s the thing: choosing the right dog for your family is less about love at first sight… and more about matchmaking.

Because while every dog is wonderful, not every dog is the right fit for your lifestyle.

✨ Got kids who thrive on chaos? Then maybe avoid a super-sensitive breed who just wants peace and quiet.

✨ Dream of long weekend hikes? Probably not the best idea to bring home a squishy-faced couch potato who thinks “exercise” means walking from the couch to the food bowl.

✨ Love your sleep-ins? Maybe skip the working breeds who think 5am is prime time for a marathon.

The truth is: dogs aren’t accessories. They’re family members with needs, quirks, and personalities of their own. And when we choose based on our lifestyle, our energy, and what we can realistically give - that’s when we find the perfect match.

It’s not about “good” breeds or “bad” breeds. It’s about the right fit. For you, for your family, and for the dog who’s about to share your world.

👉 So here’s the real question: don’t just ask yourself “what dog do I want?” Ask, “what dog would thrive with me?”.

Because when you get that right, you don’t just get a dog. You get a partnership that makes both your lives better.

With calm, care, and a whole lot of heart,
Sarah 🐾

PS: Thinking of adding a new dog to your home and want some tailored 1:1 guidance? Send me a DM and let’s chat!

PPS: Missed the last Recall Challenge? Our next 7-Day Recall kicks off in October. With only 10 spots, they go fast. Drop the word WAITLIST below 👇 and I’ll make sure you’re the first to hear when doors open.

23/09/2025

Tonight's the night!

I know firsthand how heavy it can feel to live with an anxious dog. The constant scanning for triggers. The dread of a walk turning into a meltdown. The guilt of wondering if you’re “doing enough.” It can be exhausting, lonely, and sometimes really overwhelming.

That’s why tonight’s Pawsitively Peaceful Workshop means so much to me. Because I don’t want you to feel alone in this. And I don’t want your dog to keep carrying that weight, either.

At 6:00pm AEST tonight, I’ll be sharing the tools, strategies, and simple steps that I’ve seen make such a difference for anxious dogs (and their people). Not magic wands. Not quick fixes. But practical things you can start using right away to help your dog feel safer - and to give you some calm back, too.

🌿 Pawsitively Peaceful: 5 Steps to Supporting Your Anxious Dog
📅 Tonight, Wednesday 24th September
⏰ 6:00pm AEST (online via Zoom)
💳 $47 AUD + GST
🎥 Replay + downloadable workbook included

👇 Click the !ink below to save your spot

If you’ve ever looked at your dog and thought:
🐾 “I wish I knew how to help you feel safer.”
🐾 “Why do you bark, lunge, or panic - and what can I do about it?”
🐾 “I just want a calmer, easier life for both of us.”

… let this be your gentle nudge. Come join us tonight. You and your dog deserve this. 💛

With calm, care, and a whole lot of heart,
Sarah 🐾

PS – Can’t make it live? Please don’t let that stop you - every spot comes with the full replay.

PPS - Prefer 1:1 support? Reply and let’s schedule time to talk about your dog and a plan that fits your individual situation.

23/09/2025

Let’s get a quick show of hands…

Hands up if you’ve considered a barking collar because your dog barks at EVERYTHING.

Hands up if walks and outings involve avoiding other dogs, other people, cafés, certain areas, or certain times of the day.

Hands up if you dread vet visits, bath time, or leaving the house because of the panic it causes your dog.

Hands up if this wears you out. If you carry the worry into your day. If you’ve ever cancelled plans because you weren’t sure how your dog would cope. Hands up if you feel embarrassed or ashamed when someone judges. Hands up if you’re tired of the guesswork and you just want a bit of calm back in your life.

If your hand is up, I want you to know two things straight away:

You aren’t alone. So many guardians are living with this same stress, wondering what they could be doing better.

There is hope. We can make small, consistent steps to help change our dog’s inner experience of the world around them – once you know how.

Try this instead for a second…

Picture yourself sipping coffee at a café while your dog relaxes at your feet.

Imagine going for a walk without scanning the environment, crossing the road, or apologising for your dog’s outburst.

Picture stress-free vet or grooming visits. Or no longer worrying about barking complaints from the neighbours.

Those “after” moments are possible. They don’t happen overnight, and they aren’t about quick fixes or silencing behaviour. They’re about understanding what’s happening inside your dog and giving them new, positive associations so their nervous system can learn to settle.

If this has you nodding (and your hand is still up), I’d love to help you find the next steps. We’re covering gentle, practical tools for anxious dogs in tomorrow’s Pawsitively Peaceful Workshop – real strategies you can start using straight away to help your dog feel safer and more relaxed in this crazy human world.

I’d love you to join us.
Sarah 🐾

PS Quick details:
🐾 Pawsitively Peaceful: 5 Steps to Supporting Your Anxious Dog
📅 Tomorrow, Wednesday 24th September
⏰ 6:00pm AEST (online via Zoom)
💳 $47 AUD + GST
🎥 Includes full replay + downloadable workbook

👇 More information and booking !ink in the comments

PPS – Can’t make it live? No worries. Everyone who registers will get the full replay.

PPPS - Prefer 1:1 support? Reply and let’s schedule time to talk about your dog and a plan that fits your individual situation.

21/09/2025

🤣 When you ask your partner to act as a distraction so you can film something for clients... 🤣🤣🤣

20/09/2025

Is anxiety affecting both ends of the lead? 🐾

We’ve talked about the fact that the barking, the growling, the chewing, the lunging - on the surface it just looks like “bad behaviour.” But underneath? It’s your dog’s nervous system, doing its best to cope in a world that sometimes feels too loud, too busy, too much.

But the truth is (if we’re honest about it), it’s not just your dog who feels it. You do too.
That knot in your stomach on walks. The embarrassment when the barking starts. The stress of not knowing what will set them off next. The shame when yet another person mutters “can’t you control your dog?”

I get it.

But there’s a secret I’d love to share: anxiety doesn’t have to be the end of the story. Our dogs can learn that the world isn’t as scary as they thought. They can feel safer. And you can feel calmer, too.

You just need to know how.

And that’s exactly why I’m running the Pawsitively Peaceful Workshop next week. Together, we’ll look at:
✨ What anxiety really looks like (even when it doesn’t look like “anxiety”).
✨ What’s happening inside your dog’s nervous system.
✨ And most importantly – those practical steps you can start using straight away to help your dog feel safer and more settled.

🌿 Pawsitively Peaceful: 5 Steps to Supporting Your Anxious Dog
📅 Wednesday 24th September
⏰ 6:00pm AEST (online via Zoom)
💳 $47 AUD + GST
🎥 Includes replay + downloadable workbook

👇 Click the l!nk in the comments to save your spot

Because when we start listening to the story our dogs are telling us, everything changes - for them, and for us.

I’d so love to see you there.
Sarah 🐾

PS – Can’t make it live? No worries. Everyone who registers will get the full replay.

PPS - Prefer 1:1 support? Reply and let’s schedule time to talk about your dog and a plan that fits your individual situation.

20/09/2025

One of the biggest gifts we can give an anxious dog is the chance to see the world differently.

Because for them, it’s not just a doorbell. It’s a trigger.
It’s not just another dog on the street. It’s a threat.
It’s not just the vet’s office. It’s terrifying.

But here’s the really, really cool part: with patience and the right strategies, we can help them rewrite those stories. We can actually help them rewire their neural pathways! (Yep – the nerd in me gets REALLY excited talking about this stuff!).

It’s called positive association - pairing the “scary thing” with something your dog loves. Food, play, praise, sniffing, safety. Over time, those scary things start to lose their edge. They stop being triggers, and start being neutral. Sometimes, they even become good.

I’ve seen dogs go from trembling at the sight of another dog to perking up because they know “oh, this is the moment good stuff happens.”

It looks like magic, but it’s not. It’s science - and it works.

We’re going to be talking about the specific technique I use to do this, at next week’s Pawsitively Peaceful Workshop (Wednesday 24th September, online). We’re also going to dive in to some video demonstration that you can watch again and again after the workshop so you can practice it with your own dog. We’ll look at what’s happening in your dog’s nervous system, why those reactions can be so explosive, and simple, practical ways you can start helping your dog feel safer in their world.

The details of the workshop are:

───────────────────────
🐾 Pawsitively Peaceful Workshop

📅 Date: Wednesday 24 September
⏰ Time: 6:00pm AEST
💻 Where: Online via Zoom (link sent after registration)
💵 Investment: $47 + GST
🎥 Bonus: Includes replay + workbook
───────────────────────

👇 Want more info on what we'll be covering? Check out the link below for more details and to grab your spot!

With calm, care, and a whole lot of heart,
Sarah 🐾

PS – Can’t make it live? Don’t stress – we’ve got you. The workshop will be recorded, so if you register, you’ll get a copy of the recording to watch at your leisure. x

PPS - Prefer 1:1 support? Reply and let’s schedule time to talk about your dog and a plan that fits your situation.

18/09/2025

One of the trickiest parts of living with an anxious dog is that what you see on the outside is only half the story.

Think of it like this: your dog’s body has two “gears.”
• Green zone: rest, digest, play, learn.
• Red zone: fight, flight, freeze - pure survival mode.

When anxiety kicks in, their nervous system flips into the red zone. That’s why you see barking, lunging, hiding, growling, chewing - behaviours that often get labelled as “naughty.” But in reality their body is saying: I don’t feel safe right now.

This means many anxious dogs spend most of their life in the red zone. That affects their sleep, their digestion, and their ability to cope with the day-to-day stress of living in this noisy human world.

But - there is hope.

We can help their nervous system find the green zone again. We can actually help rewire our dog’s brain to see the world as safe rather than scary, by using simple, repeatable techniques that I’ll be sharing in next Wednesday’s 1 hour online Pawsitively Peaceful Workshop.

👉 Want to know more? Drop the word PEACEFUL below and I’ll send the details.

With calm, care, and a whole lot of heart,
Sarah 🐾

PS - Don’t forget: the workshop is recorded for everyone who registers. If you can’t make the live session, you’ll still get the full replay.

PPS - Prefer 1:1 support? DM me and let’s schedule time to talk about your dog and a plan that fits your personal situation.

17/09/2025

One of the things I love most about dogs is that they’re always teaching us. Even in my own home.

Many years ago, before I ever got involved in dog behaviour, we adopted a Pug from the Byron Pound. Her name was “Froggy” (possibly the worst name ever!). She came to us at six years old.

Our old boy, Tyson (yep – we’re going back a while now), loved having a new friend to hang out with, and the two of them got on well at home. But the first time we took Froggy for a walk, she tried to attack every dog she saw. And I don’t mean a little snarl - I mean full Cujo-style meltdowns.

I was shocked. Here was this sweet, beautiful girl who had slotted into our lives, suddenly trying to rip the throat out of every dog in sight.

I was embarrassed. The judgmental looks from other dog guardians were almost too much to bear. People told us to muzzle her (have you ever tried to muzzle a Pug?), to “get her under control.” One person even told us we shouldn’t own a dog that “aggressive.”

Back then, I didn’t know what to do. So we started avoiding dogs on walks. Then we started avoiding walks altogether, or sneaking out late at night. Cafés and beaches were off the table. And every outing was coloured by shame.

Eventually I managed to track down some of her history. She’d had four litters in six years. She’d spent her life in a backyard. She’d never seen sand, never sat at a café, never had the chance to just be a dog in the world. The only dogs she’d met were her own puppies, or males brought in to mate with her.

It hit me: my “aggressive” dog wasn’t aggressive at all. She was a hot mess! Anxious, overwhelmed and out of her depth. Her nervous system was fried. And every time she saw another dog, her message was simple: “Back off. I can’t handle this.”

Had I known then what I know now, I’d have done things so differently. I would have helped rehabilitate her. Supporting an anxious dog through a world they’ve never been taught how to cope with takes skill, patience, and compassion. There are so many ways I could have helped her feel safer, braver, and less alone.

Even after 20+ years in this work, my own dogs remind me daily of this truth: behaviour is communication. And when we listen, everything changes.

With calm, care, and a whole lot of heart,
Sarah 🐾

PS – If you’d like to learn practical ways to spot anxiety and support your dog differently, join me online next Wednesday (24th September) for the Pawsitively Peaceful Workshop. Live or replay, you’ll walk away with tools you can use straight away to help your anxious or reactive dog. Just drop the word PEACEFUL below for more details.

PPS – Oh, and we changed her name to “Maxi.” New name, new life.

15/09/2025

I saw a client last week who was so distressed by her dog’s behaviour that she phoned me in tears. She’d been shamed by her neighbour into seeking help for her Golden Retriever who wouldn’t stop barking. Over and over, she said: ‘I feel like a bad owner.’ All because she couldn’t stop the barking.

I asked her a couple of specific questions, mostly around whether her gorgeous boy barked a lot when she was home, and the answer was “he never barks when I’m there”.

That opened the door to a different conversation: what if her dog’s barking wasn’t naughtiness at all… but anxiety? A conversation that surprised her – because she had never thought about it in that way.

And she’s not the only one.

So many guardians I work with don’t realise that their dog’s behaviour is a reflection of their internal state – that the “naughty” or “bad” behaviours that we sometimes see are actually our dogs saying “I’m not ok and I need help”. Because anxiety isn’t always trembling in the corner or hiding under the bed. Sometimes it looks like chewing the leg of your coffee table, growling at another dog on a walk, or lunging at kids whizzing past on bikes.

Or barking when no one is home.

The tricky part? Once we recognise that our dogs are having a hard time – what do we do about it? How do we support them better? How do we let them know they’re safe? How do we help them be anxiety-free in this crazy, human world?

The Pawsitively Peaceful Online Anxiety workshop I’m holding next Wednesday (24 September) is to help you learn exactly that. Practical, easy-to-follow steps you can use TODAY to help your anxious dog feel safer and calmer in our noisy, unpredictable world.

We’ll be talking about what anxiety looks like (and how you can tell it’s anxiety, and not just your dog being “naughty”), what happens in your dog’s nervous system and why it sometimes looks like their ears are painted on, and a take home workbook full of ideas and strategies that you can use with your own dog.

So if you've ever asked yourself any of the questions above - this workshop could be just the answer you're looking for.

If you’d like more details, drop the word PEACEFUL below 👇and we’ll send you more information.

With calm, care, and a whole lot of heart,
Sarah 🐾

PS – Can’t make the workshop live? Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. Everyone that registers gets a recording of the workshop, so you won’t miss out on a thing.

14/09/2025

Does your dog do "naughty" things?

Things like chewing the couch? Barking non-stop? Growling at the vet?

It’s so easy to see those behaviours and label them as “bad,” “dominant,” or “stubborn", isn't it?

But here’s the thing…

What if those behaviours aren’t “naughty” at all?
What if they’re your dog’s way of saying: In this moment, I’m not okay.

Because here’s the truth I see again and again in my practice:

🐾 Barking and lunging at another dog isn’t necessarily aggression - it can be anxiety and panic in disguise.
🐾 Destroying furniture when left alone isn’t payback - it might be a desperate attempt to self-soothe.
🐾 Growling when touched isn’t “dominance” or “throwing their weight around” - it could be fear, discomfort, or pain.

When we shift our perspective from “my dog is giving me a hard time” to “my dog is having a hard time,” everything changes. We stop looking for ways to punish and start compassionately looking for ways to support.

The question then becomes: how do you know if it truly is anxiety?
And once you do… what can you actually do about it?

Sometimes it’s about creating safety.
Sometimes it’s about giving them skills to cope.
And sometimes it’s about looking deeper at what’s going on in their body and nervous system.

Anxiety doesn’t make a dog bad. It makes them a dog who needs our understanding, patience, and compassion.

With calm, care, and a whole lot of heart,
Sarah 🐾

PS - Next Wednesday (24th September), I’ll be hosting the Pawsitively Peaceful Workshop online: 5 steps to supporting your anxious dog. It’s packed with practical, everyday steps you can use right away to help your dog feel calmer and safer. Can’t make it live? No worries - everyone who registers gets the replay.

👇 Drop the word PEACEFUL below for more information ❤️

The Canine Perspective

30/09/2025

30/09/2025

29/09/2025

23/09/2025

23/09/2025

21/09/2025

20/09/2025

20/09/2025

18/09/2025

17/09/2025

15/09/2025

14/09/2025

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