Stephens' Solutions Dog Training

08/16/2025

It's great your dog is ok off lead.
It's not great when they come barreling up to a dog on a lead.
The leash is there for a reason.

We might be building confidence.
Working through anxiety.
Recovering from an injury.
We may be on a mission to stay calm around triggers.
Or any number of reasons.....

Every dog deserves to feel safe on their walk.

08/14/2025

WHAT THE F? –
Stress responses in dogs

Fight or flight are well known reactions to fear or stress, but these other “F” words are also important to understand and be aware of as they may not always look obvious.

Freeze, Fawn, Fidget and Fool around are also responses to stress or fear and are also commonly seen in people.

Some dogs may have a genetic predisposition to one type of response while some react based on previous or a learnt experience - what has worked before or what hasn’t.

Some dogs will have different reactions depending on the specific context.

Recognising and taking note of situations or circumstances where these responses are seen is important to understand how our dogs are feeling.
Take note and be aware of what an individual dog’s signs of stress look like and try to avoid exposing them to situations where they feel stuck or trapped.

Try to give dogs as much appropriate choice as possible. Look at using positive reinforcement to help dogs form new, neutral or positive associations.

When we take the time to recognise a fear or a stress response, we are able to intervene and advocate for our dogs before the situation escalates or becomes a learnt pattern.

08/14/2025

They do hear you.
They may just not respond.
What looks like ignoring is often your dog prioritising what feels the most safe or important in that very moment.

They may be processing other information first... a sound, smell, or a movement that caught their attention.
They need time to process what it is they just experienced.
They might be uncertain about what you’re asking or lack enough practice/history with the cue in that situation.
Stress, excitement or even fear can override their ability to focus on you.

Sometimes it’s about what their brain decides matters most right now.

08/10/2025

Did your dog just do nothing?......absolutely nothing?
Brilliant!
Reward them.
We don't reward nothing enough.
They have made good choices with no barking, jumping or simply checked in with you for more guidance.

Training doesn't have to be spins, tricks and always telling them what we want.
Real "training" can happen in silence.....and often its trickier to spot.

Keep your eyes and ears ready to spot those good choices.
When you reward them.....watch what happens.

More "nothing".
Excellent!

07/27/2025

EVERYONE needs to read this if you are thinking about trialing one of our dogs or any dogs for that matter.
It takes time and patience! No dog deserves to be judged by its first hours, days, even weeks!! It takes time and work!

Adopting a pet? Congrats! You've just picked someone up in your car who isn't great at communicating, just got out of a tough situation, and isn't sure if they trust you yet. Sound familiar? That's because the first three days with a new pet are basically a 72-hour first date.

It's exciting, it's awkward, and it's definitely not the time to start planning your holiday cards or giving them a bubble bath.

No judgment, but some of y'all might need a quick refresher on first-date etiquette. So here's your official guide to early red flags (from you, not them).

🚩 Leaving them unattended like it's no big deal-
Imagine showing up to a blind date and immediately getting ditched at a party where you know no one. That's how your pet feels when they're left alone right away.

🚩 Being too handsy
They're cute. You're smitten. But this isn't the moment for kisses, cuddles, or TikToks with voiceovers. You just met. They don't know your intentions yet.

This isn't a fling; it's the start of something real. Let them come to you.

🚩 Introducing them to your entire cast of characters
Have you ever met someone, and they immediately want you to meet their mom? Yikes.

Your pet doesn't need to meet your whole social circle (or animal crew) right away. Let them settle in, one face at a time. Save the group hangs for later.

🚩 Giving them a bath
You wouldn't give someone you just met a bath, and if you would… we don't want to talk about this anymore.

Yes, shelter pets can be a little stinky. But baths are a lot. They're wet, stressful, and weirdly intimate for a pet who doesn't even know your hobbies yet. Spritz some pet-safe essential oils around the house and give them time to decompress before sudsing them up.

🚩 Taking them on a spontaneous adventure-
Keep things calm and close to home. No breweries, dog parks, or road trips. Your pet's just trying to figure out which room has the snacks, don't make them learn a whole new location yet.

🚩 Expecting instant love
Some folks swipe right, go on one date, and expect sparks to fly immediately. The same energy applies to new pet parents who expect instant attachment.

Sometimes, it does happen, but more often, it's a slow burn. They might hide under the bed, bark at the fridge, or side-eye you for three days straight. It doesn't mean it's not working. It just means you're still getting to know each other.

💘 The Bottom Line: Love doesn't always strike like lightning. Sometimes, it starts with awkward silences, side-eyes, and mutually agreeing that you won't make any sudden moves. But give it time, stay patient, and keep showing up, and you just might find yourself in the best relationship of your life.
This is asking Austin a pug mix looking for his family!

07/17/2025

This is a repost(ish) but well worth repeating. Many of you have heard me harp on harness fit time and again. Having spent decades evaluating harness fit in working dogs of all types with thermal imaging (as well as having years of working and active dog experience combined with a strong biomechanics knowledge base) using front-clipping or "Gentle Leader" type harnesses only guarantee more structural stress in active dogs that makes for more work for me and other chiro/sports med colleagues. PLEASE only use harnesses that fit with proper ergonomics! [NOTE: I've tweaked the English & syntax in the added-on description below so it might read a little differently.]

"All dog owners should know this fact! A harness like this is a terrible injustice to your pet!! AVOID USING THIS TYPE OF HARNESS !

In a dog's forward movement, a harness with a tape that crosses its chest from side to side hinders it in the same way humans would bother going hiking with an elastic band holding their arms. Physiological movement of the front extremity is prohibited. Just like rubber would inhibit the pendular movement of our ARMS.

Thanks to the "Study of Canine Movement at the University of Jena", we now know that in the dog, the center of rotation of the front limb is at the top of the scapula, but in the human the center of rotation in the arm is in the shoulder (head of the humerus). Jena's study demonstrates, among other things, the importance of scapular movement for dog locomotion. Now we understand the importance of taking into account the free movement of the dog's shoulder when choosing a chest harness.
That means there SHOULDN'T be bands across the scapular (orange) area, and they shouldn't cross the chest side to side either.

From the point of view of biomechanics and physiotherapy, it is recommended not to choose getting harnesses that have a strap that goes through the chest laterally, or that have straps that touch or press the scapula.

Always lean towards harness models with ERGONOMIC design, to allow maximum freedom of movement for your dog, improve his well-being and safety during his walk.
Source : REAL CEPPA"

07/15/2025

LIPSTICK PEEK-A-BOO

Those of us with male dogs might be all too familiar with the sudden appearance of the colloquially named “lipstick" or "red rocket" as it’s commonly known.

This seems to happen at the most inappropriate times and may leave us feeling embarrassed and believe that our dog only has one thing on their mind!

It’s natural to assume that this display must be related to sexual arousal and yes, it is related to arousal, but it’s generally not sexual arousal.

Arousal is also not necessarily about excitement and may be triggered by a host of other emotions.

The same applies to hu***ng – although both males and females may hump. Hu***ng is commonly seen in a dog that is over aroused.

There are many emotions linked to arousal - see my post about hu***ng here – bit.ly/405MMqm - for more information.

Unless there is a suspected medical reason or your dog is doing this frequently, it’s not usually something to be concerned about.

Ignore it, don’t pay attention or make a fuss and it should soon go back into the tube!

Very often, behaviour is not about the way it looks, but the way we perceive it from our human perspective and how it makes us feel.

06/06/2025

Congratulations to these Family Dog Manners graduates. Fun class with a great group! Well done guardians & dogs!

06/06/2025

JUST SHAKE IT OFF

A “shake off” is one of many types of body language and is one of the easiest ones to notice.

The shake off can provide us with important insight as to how our dogs are feeling.

Besides being a very effective way to get rid of dirt, bugs or water - dogs can remove up to 70% of water in one single shake off - the shake off is often seen just after something that a dog needs a mental reset from.

It’s a way to flush out adrenaline and could be compared to us taking a deep breath to reset our nervous system and calm ourselves down.

Dogs instinctively know they feel better when they just shake it all off!

It’s their way of saying “Phew, I’m glad that’s over, now I can put it behind me and move on”.

Shaking off is a positive way to calm down, reset and cope with stress – be that negative or positive stress.

It’s a healthy way of transitioning from one emotional state to another.

It’s important to be aware that shake offs may sometimes be caused by an underlying medical issue like an ear infection, allergies, itching or pain.

If you notice a shake off, look at what has just happened beforehand. This will provide a good clue as to what it is that your dog feels they need to reset from.

03/18/2025

Still room in Thursday's Family Dog Manners class at Saanich Commonwealth - come join us!

Do you have a pup 5 months or older? Join our reward-based training class to master all the basics together.
✅ Focus and attention skills
✅ Sit, stay, come when called
✅ Walk without pulling
✅ Prevention of jumping up and other common behaviours
🗓️ Classes run Thursdays from 6:30 to 7:20pm, beginning March 20.
This class is perfect for friendly dogs who are comfortable around other dogs and people. (Note: This class is not suitable for reactive or fearful dogs.)
Learn more and register at bit.ly/3Fo3kT5

Send a message to learn more

03/01/2025

Congratulations to Family Dog Manners graduates! Great group of students & dogs 😊🐾💕. Well done everyone! We missed you Daniel, Shivaun & “Wally”.