The Doggie Diplomat

19/06/2026

"Why would I want my dog doing nothing?"🙄
Because the nothing is everything.

It's teaching them to settle.
Teaching them to switch off.
Showing them that relaxation is an option.

We spend so much time teaching dogs to do things.
Sit.
Come. Wait. Leave it.
But some dogs never learn how to stop.

Ever sat at a dog-friendly café and wondered how some dogs can just lie there and relax?

Next time you're there, have a look underneath them.
Notice that mat?
Their own little piece of familiarity in a very busy world.

A place where good things have happened over and over again.

Food. Pats. Toys. Praise.
Safety.

The mistake people make is jumping straight to "stay".

Because a mat isn't supposed to be a place your dog is forced to remain.
It's a place they want to be.

At first, all you're doing is making that spot the best place in the world.
Then you slowly expand where that mat goes.
The backyard.
Then a friend's house.
The vet waiting room.

It’s not "stay here."
It’s not "don't move."

It should be "This spot is safe."

That's why mat work can be so powerful.

That's why it works.

11/05/2026

Your dog doesn't need a full day of activities to be content. Rest should take a fair portion of their day.
&Ralph

When did nothing become so uncomfortable?

A dog lying quietly? We worry they’re bored.
A slow day? We feel guilty and fill it.
A calm moment? We fill it with action.

So the chews come out.
The games start.
And the constant stimulation begins.

It’s a fine balance here.
We absolutely need to provide opportunities for enrichment, exploration and mental stimulation.
Just not all the time.

Yes, we can “over provide .

Many reasons for this, sometimes it starts when they are very young and we are determined that all chewing will be on a toy or longer lasting chew, rather than our chair leg.
When they get bored with that, we provide another to entertain and distract.

From a very, very young age we may have begun to teach them a lesson they really don’t need to learn, that we will fill every small quiet moment with “something”.

Then slowly, without meaning to, we can create a dog that struggles with stillness and “nothing”.

Busy is now their normal.

Then:
They can’t switch off.
They pace.
They follow constantly.
They can be persistent with wanting interaction and attention.

And we think:
“They need even more stimulation.”

The loop goes around and around.

09/05/2026

Sit
There are many useful behaviours for your dog to learn. In general, being calm in various circumstances is a behaviour that is very desirable.
There are some breeds of dogs that rarely naturally sit, and sitting for elderly dogs or dogs with health issues could be uncomfortable.
Calmness also doesn’t have a fixed position.
If your dog can’t behave calmly, they probably need more distance from the stimulus you are working with or from the situation they find themselves in.
Choices
There are times you definitely shouldn’t ask your dog to sit.
If your dog is uncomfortable around people or dogs, sitting won’t fix their feelings in fact it could make them feel worse. Have a look at the 2 dogs sitting in the picture. Both dogs look very uncomfortable or afraid, but if you are only observing the position, sit, well, some people will think this looks calm.

&Ralph

07/05/2026

If you take it away, what have you got?

We have this weird relationship with “sit”.
It’s become an “everything” request and if we have to rely on it so much, we’re missing the point.

What if, instead of a sit when they’re frustrated, we worked on the frustration? Actually work on the issue rather than repeatedly asking for a sit when clearly they are struggling in that moment.

Can we please just have a dog standing beside us or having a sniff on the grass when we stop to chat to someone, rather than insist on sitting?

This next one may sting a bit, but do we need to constantly insist on a sit to prove we have some sort of “control” over our dogs?

Sit is just a position. Not a solution
It’s often the first thing taught and relatively easy to do.
So we use it and boy do we over use it.

I often see rehoming posts for young dogs, in that difficult “teenage” phase. Heavy commissure grin in the photos and then the description.
“He loves running in his yard, comes with his bed and bowl and knows sit”.

What if we concentrated on engagement before we taught a sit.
Could we work on settling skills first?
Maybe checking in?

Imagine the possibilities if we delegated it to be taught further down the road.

Imagine if sit wasn’t first.

18/04/2026

I find dogs playing a truly beautiful thing to watch. Since I'm lucky enough to have two beautiful, playful dogs, I see a lot of well-balanced play. When play goes wrong, it can become an overwhelming and negative experience.
I love these slides, check them out for tips on structuring healthy play sessions.

&Ralph

05/04/2026

It is very normal for a dog to be selectively social. Fights can occur when we misunderstand our dog's desire to make friends and their ability to interact with other dogs. The 3-second rule is an excellent rule to follow :)

&Ralph

02/04/2026

Everybody loves a puppy. This adorable puppy had such a strong desire to work in his training session. He learnt desired behaviours, and by the end of the session, he was calmly looking for guidance, so beautifully behaved and wise beyond his time.

&Ralph

28/02/2026

This beautiful boy was a delight. He worked hard in his training session. His personality I absolutely fell in love with. I'm so lucky to work with dogs; they bring me so much joy, and helping pet parents communicate and understand their dogs better drives my purpose.

&Ralph

28/02/2026

Once you learn the early signs of an aggressive outburst, you can intervene and foster a different response from your dog.

&Ralph

27/02/2026

The love from a Frenchie is a beautiful gift.

&Ralph

“I am not a pet — I am family.” 🐾❤️

Frenchie love is loyal, playful, stubborn, and full of personality. If you have a French Bulldog, you already know… you don’t own them — you’re chosen by them. 💕

Tag a proud Frenchie parent! 🐶