ATR Dog Training and Behaviourist

ATR Dog Training and Behaviourist Positive reinforcement dog trainer and behaviourist based in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

Offering one on one training to improve general obedience and manage problem behaviours including agression and anxiety.

Ok folks. I’m looking for the most reactive dog towards people, weather they are reactive inside your house or outside, ...
05/07/2026

Ok folks. I’m looking for the most reactive dog towards people, weather they are reactive inside your house or outside, I wanna hear from you.

Typically a lot of dog owners who are going through this get embarrassed as they obviously don’t want their dog to do this yet despite everything they’ve done nothing seems to work. I’ve been working with reactive dogs for many years now in Australia and Canada, they all share the same thing in common which is they’re reacting out of fear or some sort of anxiety related issue.

If you don’t feel comfortable commenting then just feel free to PM me for more info.

We offer services between Portland and Naracoorte.

Happy dog training

03/26/2026

Well…. When one door closes another door opens as they say. I have had the pleasure in meeting to wonderful dog owners in Cape Breton NS who want to do right by their dog but were struggling as to how to do it. I have one more session booked for Sunday 05th April held at the fiddle in Sydney for reactive dogs, after which I am due to fly back home to South Australia Mount Gambier and hopefully catch up with some old faces. Our plan is to come back to Cape Breton though as we love it here so much. So it’s only cheerio for now.

02/06/2026

RESCUED A DOG RECENTLY?

It’s always difficult to know what’s best for the dog as, we don’t always have the knowledge of what they have been through, to know the right course of action.

Obviously not all dogs have had traumatic experiences. However many dogs who have had traumatic experiences develop anxiety and in some cases, severe anxiety.

When a dog is anxious it is very challenging to get them to listen. It is pointless asking them to sit, stay, down whatever because they’re too busy being anxious.

Once you take away the anxiety part of the mind then the dog can be relaxed enough to listen to instructions. Putting any kind of pressure on an anxious dog like forcing them to listen because they’re not doing as they’re told will only make them more anxious.

Although we use positive reinforcement methods no 1 case is treated the same. Every dog is different, just like every person. Our job is to find out a method that works for you and your dog.

We’re based in Cape Breton NS. Get in touch for more info.

Happy dog training

01/31/2026

A big thank you to all those who not only responded to my FREE dog training sessions who were struggling with their anxious dog/s but who also shared the page. Very rarely do you ever see the same amount of shares than there are likes. As you know this offer was throughout January only.

I am pleased to inform everyone that we managed to visit and help over 20 clients and helped another 10 clients through messages.

Sadly we are only here in Cape Breton until April, so we are still taking bookings and organising sessions at a time and date that suit us both but they will no longer be free.

01/16/2026

A MASSIVE THANK YOU TO ALL THE NEW FOLLOWERS.

We have reached over a thousand followers which I am very grateful for. We find ourselves in new territory that we have never experienced before.

I would like to give special thanks to all the volunteers that have had a hand in helping me assist with other clients who have had issues with their dogs, my job would be a lot more challenging without you guys.

My plan is to create videos in helping anyone that is struggling with their dog/s. If you would like information on how to solve your dogs issues please comment below the issue your having and I shall create a short video for you explaining how to fix it.

Please comment and share so we can try and help as many people as possible.

As always, happy dog training to everyone! 😁

12/31/2025

It’s that time of year again!

People associate new years with fireworks but dogs have zero association with them. So unless your dog has been desensitised to the noise ensure that they are kept indoors or at least somewhere where they feel safe. If your unsure how to desensitise your dog to firework sounds just download YouTube clips of fireworks on your laptop but have the volume down low or at least to the point where they are not reacting and slowing increase the volume each time they become more and more comfortable with it until you reach full volume.

Stay safe, but keep your dogs more safe!

12/26/2025

FREE dog training for anyone struggling with their dog who have a bite history towards people or other dogs. Available only in Cape Breton NS area throughout the whole January. Get in touch for more info.

Please like and share or tag someone you know to help as many people as we can.

Happy dog training to you all

Roger Blackstone
ATR Dog Training

11/29/2025

There was an article on a page in Sydney NS about a lady who has children and a 4mth old puppy. She was looking help or advice about her situation. Half of the responses she received were positive and useful the other half of responses were not.

Things like, ‘a dog is a life long commitment, if you can’t look after them then don’t have a dog’ or stuff like ‘the dog didn’t ask to be abandoned, how could you!’

I believe most people get a dog with the intention of having a lifelong friend. But life and unforeseen event happen. Things don’t go the way we planned.

It is my observation that most people who have a dog need advice with some type of issue; weather its jumping up, barking, pulling on lead, no recall, chewing on furniture or even suffering from anxiety around new people and other dogs.

No one is born with the right information on how to deal with these situations and like people, dogs dont all learn the same way. There isn’t a single method that works for every dog but there is A method that does work for every dog.
My point being that those people who had an issue with their dog looked for help and guidance.

People don’t post their situation just to be humiliated or made to feel embarrassed about their predicament.

We’ve got to do better as a society. Especially when someone needs help. Better for people and for dogs.

11/20/2025

I got over 700 reactions on my posts last week! Thanks everyone for your support! 🎉

Interesting session today. A family with 3 dogs that all react to people and dogs when at home but a session with one of...
11/09/2025

Interesting session today.
A family with 3 dogs that all react to people and dogs when at home but a session with one of the dogs out in public, pretty much zero reaction. The reactive dog said hello to 2 different dogs with zero drama.

Tip- just because your dog is barking at others doesn’t mean they’re antisocial. It may just mean they’re wanting to protect their property. Otherwise known as resource guarding.

This is a completely seperate issue that will be dealt with in the near future.
But just know that if your dog is reacting at home, try taking them to a park to identify the issue if its just at home or everywhere you go. Don’t assume they’ll react in public, you may just be surprised how great they do when around new atmospheres and smells.

Happy dog training!

Address

Sydney, NS

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when ATR Dog Training and Behaviourist posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to ATR Dog Training and Behaviourist:

Shortcuts

Share

Category