Pack Instinct dog training, rehabilitation, walking

13/08/2025

How to Properly Meet a Dog

The best way to introduce yourself to a dog is to allow the dog to approach you without any pressure. Avoid direct eye contact, touching the dog, or trying to speak to the dog.

Many people mistakenly believe that dogs will appreciate their attention and interaction right away. However, taking a more subdued approach often makes the dog feel more comfortable.

For instance, when I met Teddy—a water dog who usually shows fear toward men—his owner was surprised that he came up to me just after I said hello to her in the parking lot. As we walked to their apartment, Teddy even followed closely behind me.

First impressions are crucial when it comes to dogs. If you start on the wrong foot, it can be difficult to win their trust later on.

I've encountered situations where dog owners wonder why I don’t immediately greet their dogs, as they are accustomed to others doing so. However, I always prioritize the dog's needs, and this approach has consistently yielded positive results. There will be plenty of time for touching, talking, and making eye contact once the dog feels comfortable with you.

So, the next time you meet a dog, try this approach. It's the quickest way to make a dog feel at ease, and it sets the stage for a positive interaction. Remember, first impressions matter to dogs.

09/08/2025

There are some seriously selfish people out there who have no problem disregarding you or your dog to get what they want. You need to be comfortable saying no to them, especially if you have a dog that doesn't do well with strangers, and you need to advocate for them.

When someone asks if they can touch your dog, say no. Then step in front of your dog to emphasise that you are serious about what you're saying to them. If they don’t listen to your "no," they will pick up on your energy. It’s straightforward: you can't touch the dog I’m with, and it’s none of your business why.

The same applies to individuals who permit their dogs to approach any dog they encounter. The truth is, one day they will let their dog approach the wrong one because they haven’t provided any guidance or protection for their pet. Don’t let it be your dog that gets blamed for their lack of understanding, which puts their dog in a dangerous position.

The same applies to children. It doesn’t matter how politely you ask, when someone says no, you need to respect that. There’s a wise saying: "F*** around and find out." But don’t let your dog be the one to pay the heavy price for someone else’s delusion.

Suppose someone is considering getting down on the ground and putting their face close to your dog or engaging in other inappropriate behaviour. In that case, I hope they are ready for the consequences. If they approach the wrong dog, they might end up in the hospital, and unfortunately, the dog will bear the brunt of that situation.

So, no, you can’t touch my dog. You can either respect our space or stay away from us. Please advocate for your dogs and don’t let selfish people do whatever they want. Your energy is everything in this situation. With a bit of practice, you will become very good at saying no and meaning it, especially if you have a dog that requires that from you.

09/08/2025

Today was Jack's first session of his four-week program. We took him out so I could help his owner gain more control over him during walks. Today wasn't perfect, but I wouldn't expect it to be at this stage. As a trainer, it's essential to demonstrate the intermediate stages of training.

I let his owner walk him the way they usually do, which you can see at the beginning of the video. Then, I changed the approach to help his owner gain more control and get Jack walking in a calm state of mind. That includes staying calm around kids and other dogs, which were significant triggers for him before today.

At the start of the video, you can see that Jack is used to walking out of his apartment building in an anxious and excited state—that’s where the problem lies. Many unwanted behaviours will fade away once you help a dog focus on you rather than the environment. It’s essential to clearly understand what you want to achieve and how to get there.

For homework this week, Jack's owner will practice structured walks, keeping Jack focused on him during the walk. I'm looking forward to our session next week to see how they've improved.

When you're working with a high-energy dog like Jack, who has a few significant issues inside and outside the home, you’ll probably not see perfection immediately. It will take time and consistency. I hope this video helps show others working with their dogs that you don’t have to achieve perfection immediately; you need to stick with it. With the right tools and knowledge, you will succeed.

07/08/2025

Is "love" all you need?

Loving your dog is essential, but it may not be enough to raise a well-balanced dog without significant issues.

Many narratives online suggest that if you simply love your dog, they will turn out fine. However, this perspective overlooks several crucial aspects, such as teaching a dog to be calm at home, understanding their energy levels, meeting breed-specific requirements, acknowledging pack mentality, fostering mental strength, and preventing issues like separation anxiety and aggression, as well as other undesirable behaviours.

When you hear someone say that dogs just need love, it often reflects their limited understanding of dog ownership. The reality is that many dogs with loving owners still exhibit serious issues both in and out of the home. Love cannot replace knowledge or energy. If it were enough, everyone would have a fantastic dog, given the abundance of love that humans provide to their pets.

However, there is often a lack of understanding regarding dogs and how to meet their instinctual needs. Establishing clear rules and accountability can help put you in control of the relationship.

In summary, love alone is not sufficient. But love, combined with the various elements mentioned, can cultivate a fantastic relationship between humans and dogs.

While it’s nice to say that people should love their dogs, that advice is not particularly helpful if you're already facing challenges.

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07/08/2025

Why is it essential for your dog to walk next to you or slightly behind you during structured walks?

Having your dog walk next to you or slightly behind you keeps you in their line of sight, allowing them to see you and follow your direction easily.

For fearful or reactive dogs, walking closely with you provides a sense of safety, as they can focus on you and feel more secure. I’m not referring to competition heeling, but rather encouraging your dog to walk alongside you in a calm state of mind.

Most of the reactive dogs I work with do not walk in this manner, which is precisely what they need to feel safe and to experience your protection and guidance.

Therefore, this is the first change I focus on with owners to help their dogs begin walking in a more relaxed state of mind.

06/08/2025

Baily and Loki

This morning, I had the pleasure of meeting these two dogs and their owner. Baily and Loki are 2-year-old littermates. Their owner has had them since they were just 2 months old. Like many in Spain, these dogs were abandoned and found in bins before being rescued by their new owner.

The owner's primary concern is the lack of control when taking both dogs out, especially in their neighbourhood, which has many stray cats. It's challenging because if she takes one dog out, the other tends to throw a tantrum.

Another concern I pointed out was their rough play inside the house, which includes a lot of growling, mouthing, and grabbing skin with their teeth. Although they have played this way since they were puppies, if it continues, it could escalate into a fight, negatively impacting their relationship.

Other than that, the dogs are great. I've shown their owner how to work with them, and we now have them equipped with the right tools for success. She will also work with the dogs individually until she gains enough control to take them out together.

I'm looking forward to our next session next week to see how they have progressed. Today, their owner established reasonable control and achieved a calm state of mind in both dogs while working with them individually. This approach is what she will continue with throughout the week.

This case also highlights littermate syndrome, which their owner had never heard of before today. It's funny because I posted about this yesterday, not realising I would be working with dogs experiencing this syndrome today.

06/08/2025

Last week, I met two stunning Mastin puppies and their owner. They are 3 months old and littermates. I discussed with their owner how to raise these pups to become great dogs.

The underlying concern with littermates is that they can develop littermate syndrome if they aren't separated enough during their early stages. Littermate syndrome occurs when siblings form a stronger bond with each other than with their owner. You can avoid this by understanding what littermate syndrome is and working with the dogs separately every day.

Many owners, including the owner of these two dogs, have never even heard of littermate syndrome. Unfortunately, many owners of littermates don’t discover the issue until it's right in front of them, and by that point, it may be too late.

To prevent this, the two puppies will have their crates to sleep in at home, and their owner will work with each of them separately every day. Some days, she will work with them twice if she has the time. This approach will help give them the best start in life.

For those who haven’t experienced it, living with littermate syndrome can be pretty challenging. Imagine having two young dogs, just a year old, who never want to be apart from each other. They become so focused on each other that they often ignore their owner's commands, making communication nearly impossible. Something as simple as taking one dog to the vet while leaving the other at home can be extremely difficult for the dog that stays behind, as they may suffer from severe separation anxiety.

Living with littermate syndrome is certainly not pleasant, and it can make everyday tasks very difficult. You can avoid it by understanding the issue and taking proactive steps.

05/08/2025

I've just finished a training program with Cookie and his owner. They will be travelling back to Kuwait this week. I’ve seen a huge improvement in Cookie since I met him a few weeks ago. He was a seriously anxious little guy and would bite his owner for doing things that, in his eyes, were off-limits, like taking his leash off!

A big part of what we’ve worked on is clear communication from his owner and effectively saying no to unwanted behaviors. As his owner has now realized, it’s much easier to address these behaviors when Cookie is a bit tired from doing some mental work, so we have focused on that as well.

Cookie's owner is certainly well-equipped to handle Cookie and continue the training process when they return to Kuwait.

04/08/2025

Tino

Tino is now 7 months old. We started his training when he was 3 months old, which is when his owners got him. He's a very energetic puppy, and I can see that he's forming a fantastic bond with his owners.

Being a poodle, he has all his obedience commands down. He is crate trained and even travels comfortably between countries. He is super confident for his age. There was a bit of separation anxiety at the beginning, but since his owner started using his crate more throughout the day and had him sleep in his bed at night, it has improved significantly.

Yesterday's session focused on distractions and proofing his obedience commands. We also practised getting him to go into his crate on command without any restraint. Although Tino is doing well in many areas, he has a strong prey drive, so his owner needs to communicate clearly with him, especially when around other animals, such as the ducks he lives next to, which have caught his attention.

I'm pleased with Tino's progress, even though I have to admit we had a bit of a bumpy start with his separation anxiety. I'm looking forward to our next session next week!

04/08/2025

Today was Boy's first session of his four-week training program. Although he is only 13 weeks old, he is growing rapidly! Since last week, his owner has been putting in a lot of work with him, and Boy has picked up on almost all of his obedience commands. However, it hasn't all been smooth sailing.

During our consultation last week, I emphasized the importance of having a secure place for Boy to rest during the day, especially since they can become overtired frequently at this age. The best way to do this is through crate training. Crate training provides your puppy with a safe space at home, helps prevent separation anxiety from developing, and significantly aids the house training process.

Unfortunately, Boy's owner did not get the crate last week. As a result, he had a tough time with Boy when he became overtired. Boy has been lunging at his owner and mouthing his legs, hands, and arms. When I saw Boy's owner today, I could see the marks on his arms.

Many people believe this type of behaviour is normal and acceptable for a puppy of this age. While it is true that puppies under five months old are commonly overtired and mouthy, I do not believe this behaviour should lead to physical injury to the owner. Without a proper setup to support puppy-raising, you leave yourself vulnerable to your puppy's overtired outbursts when they should be getting the sleep necessary for appropriate development. Additionally, allowing mouthing behaviour on the skin only encourages it.

I encourage owners to play with their puppies using appropriate toys and never to allow them to bite skin to the point of causing damage. Interestingly, many people feel guilty about crate training their puppies. Still, they are doing themselves and their dogs a much larger disservice by creating opportunities for these other issues to develop.

Boy's owner will get a crate for him today, and I believe he will have a much easier time with him as a result. Our session today went amazingly well. Boy learned how to jump, the "place" command on the bed, continued to work on all his basic obedience commands, and was introduced to "stay," restrained recalls, and proofed recalls. We ended with a game of tug, focusing on the "out" command.

I look forward to seeing them again next week, and I hope Boy's owner has a much better experience with him this week after taking my advice.

03/08/2025

Hi! I hope you are enjoying your summer. I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that I offer video call consultations, which are ideal for owners who want advice and wish to continue progressing with their dogs over the summer. You can find all my prices and services on my website, Packinstinct.com.

30/07/2025

State of Mind Training vs. Classic Dog Training and Activities

I primarily focus on two areas of dog training. While I appreciate and am interested in various other activities within the dog training world, such as agility, protection training, dog sports, competitive obedience, gun dog training, and tracking, my main client base consists of regular dog owners. Many of them adopt dogs from shelters or buy dogs from breeders without the expectation of giving their pets a specific job in the future. Some owners do have specific training goals, but the majority do not, and that is completely fine.

My work mainly involves puppies and dogs with behavioural issues. My main priorities are teaching people how to raise, live with, and train their puppies and implementing behaviour modification for dogs struggling with anxiety, reactivity, pulling on walks, and aggression. The problem with many dog activities I mentioned earlier is that they do not effectively change a dog's state of mind into a healthier one.

Engaging your dog in these activities can certainly be beneficial, as long as your dog does not have any behavioural issues and you can manage everyday situations easily. However, improving a dog's state of mind often requires more calming exercises rather than exciting or flashy ones.

That is why I emphasise the importance of structured walks and ensuring owners get this right. It's also crucial to establish clear communication in the house and introduce the concepts of rules, boundaries, and limitations. Effective communication on structured walks can help prevent dogs from behaving dangerously when out with their owners.

Focusing on these fundamentals and maintaining consistency, especially with a challenging dog, requires the proper knowledge, tools, and approach. A strong and calm mindset is necessary when things don't go as planned. That is why not all dogs and owners are compatible.

If you have a dog with behavioural issues, my advice is to avoid diving into sports or flashy training activities and focus on improving your dog's state of mind first. If you have a puppy, I recommend starting these practices right away to prevent any issues from developing later on. Creating a calm and confident state of mind in your dog from an early age is essential.

I've wanted to share this perspective because there's a clear difference between my approach and trainers who focus mainly on other activities. Although those of us in the field understand these differences, they aren't always evident to dog owners, so I hope this helps to clear it up.