Speak Dog

Speak Dog Veterinary recommended Dog Behaviourist. Compassionate, ethical and reputable support for canines and guardians.
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I saw this on a dog training website with a HUGE social media following:“Helping average trainers increase their marketi...
13/05/2026

I saw this on a dog training website with a HUGE social media following:

“Helping average trainers increase their marketing presence and generate a bigger income.”

Honestly, that was sad to read.

“Average trainers.” ( added: my interpretation of this meant)

So instead of raising standards, improving education, and encouraging professionals to become truly skilled for the dogs’ sake… the focus is teaching people how to market themselves better and build a bigger following

(I have no issue with both, good skills and knowledge and good marketing)

Meanwhile, some of the most knowledgeable, experienced, and ethical trainers out there spend their time aiming to always be and do better for the dog ( and humans).

Standing on the front line trying to genuinly improve lives, not chasing algorithms and ego.

This is where we seem to be heading:
Visibility matters more than ability.
Marketing matters more than knowledge.
Followers matter more than results.

And the dogs are the ones who pay for it.

The industry doesn’t need more influencers pretending to be experts, it needs more experts being valued.

As a behaviourist, for me personally, the initial assessment and exploration stage is one of the most important parts of...
08/05/2026

As a behaviourist, for me personally, the initial assessment and exploration stage is one of the most important parts of my work.

People often come to me with the symptom:
“My dog barks at dogs.”

But that’s only the surface layer. We are rarely looking at a simple “dog problem”, and because of that, we are often not going to be working around dogs straight away like many people imagine.

Why? Because before we expose a dog to the thing they struggle with, I need to understand WHY the behaviour is happening in the first place.

Is it pain-driven?
Fear-driven?
Anxiety-driven?
Excitement that tips over into frustration?
A combination of several things?

Sometimes we also need other professionals involved. If I suspect pain or discomfort could be contributing, collaboration with vets, physiotherapists, or other specialists becomes incredibly important. Behaviour does not exist in isolation, and good behaviour work should never happen in isolation either.

And equally, I do not think it is fair to suspect something like pain and simply pass a client on with no ongoing behavioural support in place while they wait for answers. These cases still need guidance, management, safety strategies, and support throughout the process.

Because even while we are waiting for investigations or diagnoses, there can still be a LOT of work to do.

I still need to think about:
• How we reduce the dog’s exposure to inappropriate or overwhelming situations
• What safety measures we need in place
• How to lower overall stress and arousal levels
• What management strategies can help prevent rehearsal of the behaviour

Because often, the behaviour starts long before the dog even sees another dog.

Is the dog already highly aroused before leaving the house?
Are they scanning the environment immediately?
Is their “arousal bucket” already close to overflowing before the walk has properly begun?

All of these things matter.

Sometimes people feel certain they know the reason behind the behaviour so dont see the value of an assessment, but very often what we actually know is the symptom.

The barking, lunging, growling, shutting down, the stealing, the fear of being touched, those are pieces of information, not the full story.

This is why initial assessments are vital to me.

Without proper exploration, we risk treating the visible behaviour while missing the various components of the underlying cause.

Why are we so disconnected?Why is it that humans can suffer chronic pain quietly, and we recognise it, empathise with it...
06/05/2026

Why are we so disconnected?

Why is it that humans can suffer chronic pain quietly, and we recognise it, empathise with it, yet we don’t always extend that same understanding to dogs living in chronic pain?

Why do we reach for pain relief when we need it, but hesitate, question, or even resist the idea that our dogs might need the same kind of support?

Why would we resent a teacher who used fear, intimidation, or punishment , yet still accept those methods as “training” when it comes to dogs?

Dogs aren’t human. But they are emotional. They are sentient. They feel discomfort, stress, fear, and relief, just like we do.

When and why dont we extend REAL empathy across species?

Incorrect labels, not being heard, all can have an impact on any relationship, including the canine/human dynamic.If you...
06/05/2026

Incorrect labels, not being heard, all can have an impact on any relationship, including the canine/human dynamic.

If you want to learn a ridiculously simple framework which ditches incorrect lavels and focuses on observation vs interpretation, then come join this live interactive session this evening.

Cost: £17.50
1 hour ( ish)
Zoom
Time: 5.45pm GMT

Recording access for 30 days.

www.speakdog.co.uk/events.

Ticket sales close at 1pm.

“Fine.”It’s one of those words that makes a lot of ethical and responsible dog professionals quietly wince.Because when ...
05/05/2026

“Fine.”

It’s one of those words that makes a lot of ethical and responsible dog professionals quietly wince.

Because when someone says a dog was *fine*, what they often mean is… nothing obvious happened. No barking. No lunging. No chaos. Just quiet.

But quiet doesn’t always mean comfortable.

It’s incredibly common to hear “they were fine” about dogs who were actually shutting down, holding it together, or simply choosing the safest option available to them in that moment.

They weren’t relaxed, they were still, subdued, watchful, avoidant.
They didn’t explode, so we assume they coped.

But what did “fine” actually look like?

What did you see?
And just as importantly, what did you *not* see?

Did you see loose, wiggly movement? Soft eyes? Curiosity? Choice?

Or did you see stillness? Avoidance? A dog who stayed in one spot, didn’t engage, kept walking on by but didnt make eye contact, pulled more, switch sides ( if out walking).

Because often, “fine” more about what was absent. No noise. No disruption. No inconvenience, thats behavioir WE are fine with, but not the dog necessarily.

And here’s the uncomfortable truth: sometimes we prefer it that way.

A quiet dog fits more easily into our lives than a loud, reactive one. Behaviours driven by fear or anxiety that are subtle, freezing, withdrawing, “being good”, are often far more acceptable to us than barking, pulling, or protesting.

But being quiet is not the same as feeling safe.

Dogs don’t always express distress in ways that are obvious. And we *do* have the ability to notice the difference, to look closer, to ask better questions, to recognise when “fine” might actually mean “struggling silently.”

The question is… are we always willing to?

Because understanding this sometimes means changing what we accept, what we expect, and what we’re willing to work through.

And that’s a lot harder than just calling it “fine.”

( picture of my beautiful girl Marlene)

30/04/2026

Trina 💛

Trina is a dog with a story many can relate to. After three negative experiences, she understandably started to believe that every dog she saw was a threat.

When the world feels unpredictable, you do what you can to cope, and for Trina, that initially meant trying to act “normal” and hoping other dogs would just leave her alone but that tactic stopped working when the 3 incidents occurred, so ahe changed tactic and barking and lunging was the new go to.

Each session we see change, progress, but yesterday, something shifted again.

Her session with Stinks (my wonderful stooge dog) was a moment to be proud of, not just for Trina, but for her dedicated humans too.

Instead of Trina bracing for the worst, Trina is beginning to pause… to process… to ask herself whether every dog truly is something to fear.

And that’s huge.

She’s learning that she has choices. That not every situation is the same. That she can assess, think, and move forward in a way that feels safe and appropriate for her.

This didn’t happen overnight. Its not perfect, but time, patience, and consistency ahows progress not perfection.

No harsh methods. No pushing her into overwhelming situations. Just steady support, understanding, and trust.

So here’s to Trina, her amazing humans, and Stinks, the best helper a dog could ask for. 🐾

People are quick to dismiss animal consent, choice, and agency as “tree-hugging nonsense.”But here’s something worth thi...
25/04/2026

People are quick to dismiss animal consent, choice, and agency as “tree-hugging nonsense.”

But here’s something worth thinking about:

Most of those same people will go to great lengths to avoid doing anything that could land them in prison.

Why?

Because prison strips away your freedom. Your ability to choose. Your control over your own life. Your agency.

So we clearly understand, on a very personal level, that losing those things matters.

The question isn’t whether freedom and agency have value. We already know they do.

The question is, why do some people only take that seriously when it applies to them?

Animals may not articulate “consent” the way humans do, but they have preferences and experiences.

If we value our own freedom so deeply, its pretty insular to not realise, acknowledge or to simply ignore that other animals value the same.

With dogs, help is often something we reach for when things feel like a struggle, when the barking is too much, the pull...
25/04/2026

With dogs, help is often something we reach for when things feel like a struggle, when the barking is too much, the pulling is exhausting, the reactivity is embarrassing, or life just feels difficult.

But the truth is, by the time it feels like a problem for the human… the dog has usually been struggling for a long time.

Dogs rarely “become difficult.”
They communicate, they cope, they adapt, until they can’t anymore.

What we label as bad behaviour, is often stress, confusion, fear, pain or unmet needs that have been quietly building under the surface.

Real help means looking at things from the dog’s perspective.

It means asking:
What is my dog experiencing right now?
What might they be trying to tell me?
Where have they been coping alone?

Help might look like slowing things down.
It might look like changing expectations.
It might mean creating more safety, more clarity, more understanding, a vet visit.

What it should NEVER be, is methods simply designed to silence the unwanted behaviour.
That is short term relief for the human and another layer of stress for the dog.

It’s not just about "fixing" behaviours.
It’s about recognising when a dog has been doing their best with what they have, long before we noticed there was a problem.

Because by the time we ask for help…
they’ve often needed it for a while.

Mobility scooters have become a lifeline for many people, offering independence, freedom, and the ability to get outdoor...
22/04/2026

Mobility scooters have become a lifeline for many people, offering independence, freedom, and the ability to get outdoors again. For dog owners, they can also make it possible to continue walking and caring for their pets, something that might otherwise be difficult or impossible.

But what does this mean for the dogs themselves? Like most things, there are both positives and potential downsides.

On the positive side, mobility scooters can ensure dogs still get regular outdoor time, fresh air, and mental stimulation. For many owners, without a scooter, walks might be shorter, less frequent, or stop altogether.

A scooter can keep that routine alive, which is hugely beneficial for a dog’s wellbeing. It also allows owners to explore parks, longer routes, and social environments, great for those dogs who genuinely enjoy those places.

For some dogs, depending on size, especially older dogs a scooter can provide a place to sit and take breaks on with thier humans.

However, there are considerations to keep in mind. Speed is a major one.

Dogs can easily be pushed beyond a comfortable pace, especially if they’re trying to keep up with a scooter moving faster than a natural walking speed. This can lead to fatigue, joint strain, or even injury over time and limits the dog in thier ability to engage in the environment.

Safety. A dog on a lead attached to or held from a scooter can react unpredictably, pulling toward another dog, chasing a squirrel, or stopping suddenly. This can create a risk of tangling, falls, or accidents for both the owner and the dog and others.

Surface and terrain matter too. Pavements, curbs, and uneven ground can be more challenging when coordinating both a scooter and a dog. And not all dogs adapt easily, some may feel anxious around the noise or movement of the scooter, especially at first.

In the end, mobility scooters can be a fantastic tool for dog owners when used thoughtfully. Keeping speeds moderate, using appropriate leads or harnesses, and paying close attention to a dog’s comfort and behaviour can make all the difference.

Like any walking method, it’s about finding the right balance, ensuring both human and dog can enjoy the experience safely and happily.

Ready to welcome guardians whos packages with another professional included the Learning to Listen Session!!Love collabo...
13/04/2026

Ready to welcome guardians whos packages with another professional included the Learning to Listen Session!!

Love collaborating 🥰

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