Breakthru Behaviour

03/07/2025

Does a Dachshund make your heart sing? 😍🐶

Meet George — a 1-year-old wire-haired Dachshund. He’s been joining his big brother Tom and the rest of the crew on pack walks for the past 8 months, learning the ropes like a little pro.

Curious, busy, and always into everything, George has been exploring the great outdoors on a long line — building his confidence, learning to stay with the group, and practising his recall.

Today, George graduated to off-lead freedom! 🎺🏳🙌😍 Isn’t he doing brilliantly?

He’s currently enjoying short bursts off lead to help solidify his recall and confidence in small steps. At this stage, we want to avoid him getting too overconfident and deciding he doesn’t need to listen anymore! 😅

His owner was absolutely chuffed with his progress — and rightly so.

See you next week, George, you little superstar 🌟

02/07/2025

‼️Avoiding reactive situations doesn't address the issue

A reflection for anyone with an over-excited, reactive young dog 🐾

"He’s full of beans and easily overstimulated. I actively avoid situations I know he’d react to, hoping that with age he’ll just settle and stop overreacting."

This is something I hear a lot — and I get it. Avoiding the chaos feels like the safest choice when options are limited.

🟡 But here’s the thing… avoidance builds frustration where you need to be teaching self control.

When we keep young, over-excited dogs away from life — walks, other dogs, everyday triggers — they don’t learn how to cope. They just store it up. Eventually it bursts out in barking, pulling, spinning, or shutdown, and eventually redirection.

✅ What actually works?

Calm exposure around stable, neutral dogs — always off lead

Structured on-lead neutrality sessions — no greetings, no sniff-and-hope, impulse control and focus on you.

Teaching the dog to do nothing — not because we’ve dragged them past, but because they’ve learned how to manage their own emotions

It’s not about flooding them. It’s about carefully showing them how to exist without reacting — so they don’t need to.

🧩 Dogs don’t just grow out of reactivity.
They emotionally mature when they’re supported through it, step by step — with calm guidance, consistent exposure, and the chance to practise being neutral in the real world.

02/07/2025

Separation Anxiety – Can you relate?

My 2-year-old dog is showing signs of separation anxiety. She becomes very fretful if left alone, even for a short time.

Here’s what not to do: 👇

🚫 Don’t get another dog hoping it will “keep her company.”
It’s not another dog’s job to carry the emotional load. In fact, this often leads to two dogs with issues instead of one. Your dog hasn’t yet learned how to feel safe and calm in her own space, to regulate emotion — and that’s where the real work lies.

🚫 Don’t rush to medicate without first addressing the behaviour.
Medication can sometimes help in complex cases, but it should never be the first or only solution. When we jump to meds too quickly, we risk masking symptoms rather than building real coping strategies. With the right support — structure, routine, rest, emotional connection — many dogs can improve significantly without the need for medication. Let’s help them feel safe before we consider chemical support.

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Here’s what to do instead: 👇

✅ Start supporting your dog to feel safe without you.
This begins with micro-absences — leaving for just a few seconds and returning before your dog becomes distressed. It’s not about leaving her to “get used to it,” but about building tolerance and confidence, step by step.

✅ Look at your connection, not just your absence.
Dogs with separation issues often struggle to fully switch off even when we’re home.
Tip: If your dog follows you from room to room, can’t settle unless you’re in sight, or panics when doors are closed — these are clues that she hasn’t yet learned emotional independence.

✅ Focus on rest, space, routine, and regulation.
A consistent daily rhythm is key. That includes calm alone time while you're home, predictable meal and walk times, and quality decompression. Crates and safe spaces are useful tools for this. You're not being unkind — you're helping her nervous system settle.

✅ Absolutely necessary is ensuring plenty of routine exercise, especially sniff-based, low-pressure walks, as this can help regulate stress and bring structure to her day.

💬 If you’re dealing with this, you’re not alone. It’s hard, emotional, and frustrating — but change is possible. With the right support, your dog can learn to feel safe again.

01/07/2025

Thanks to everyone who responded to the poll. These answers came up again and again — and they tell me a lot about what dog owners are really facing.

🙇‍♀️ Staying calm myself ⬇️
This isn’t about deep breathing and zen vibes. Staying calm means being in control of your own reactions so you can lead your dog through the moment.
If you panic, they escalate. If you steady yourself — even just enough to move them on — you change the tone. That’s leadership, not perfection.

👂Getting them to listen ⬇️
Reactivity shuts off thinking. Most reactive dogs aren’t disobedient — they’re in fight, flight or freeze.
You’re not dealing with a training issue in that moment. You’re dealing with a dog who’s struggling to stay functional and on task.
Solution - Interrupt early, work outside trigger zones, and give your dog a clear role to focus on. Leave, Come.

😮‍💨 Feeling judged by others
You’re probably doing 100 things right — but a single bark and suddenly you’re “that owner.”
Here’s the truth: most people have no clue what you’re dealing with. Their opinions don’t count anyway. Your consistency, effort and boundaries do.

🤔 Not knowing what to do in the moment
This is the one that brings most people to me. You can’t make good choices when your brain is in crisis.

This is where most people freeze — not because they’re clueless, but because reactivity throws everything into chaos.

Let’s strip it back.

Here’s what to focus on in the moment, when your dog is reacting or on the edge:

1️⃣ Create Space — Fast and Calm

Don’t faff. Don’t plead. Just move.
Get off the path. Cross the road. Step behind a car. You’re not avoiding — you’re managing load.
The more distance you give, the quicker their brain can come back online.

2️⃣ Use Your Body, Not Just Your Voice

Forget yelling their name — they can’t hear it.
Instead, step into their space calmly to block fixation, turn them away with your body, or walk a curve to change focus.
You’re giving direction, not asking for it.

3️⃣ End the Situation with Authority

Sometimes the best response is to leave. Not in defeat — but in leadership. No negotiations, no bribery. A calm “let’s go,” a firm lead turn, and walk off. Praise comes after they’ve disengaged, not during the chaos.

4️⃣ Don’t Add Noise

No cue stacking, no treat flinging, no verbal overload.
They don’t need 6 commands and a bag of sausage — they need clarity, space, and your leadership.

5️⃣ Reset After

Once you’re out of the situation, don’t drag it out.
No long debrief. No guilt spiral. Shake it off, give your dog a task (sniff. walk, settle cue), and move forward. Dogs don’t replay it unless we do.

This is the difference between “coping” and handling.

Reactivity happens because of the emotional response your dog is experiencing — not because you're failing as an owner, but because your dog doesn’t yet have the tools to cope with what’s in front of them.

If this feels new or overwhelming — that’s OK. It’s not about doing it perfectly right now. It’s about having a plan so next time, you’re not scrambling.

01/07/2025

If you missed the first ever aggression assessment video of Vinnie the Rottie, scroll back on Impackts page. His progress since then is heartwarming. There will be a full video of his recent three day intensive behavioural work coming up. Stay tuned! #

01/07/2025

Maggie – Our Protector/Enforcer

Maggie is a special girl. She has great energy, strong opinions, and a no-nonsense approach to social behaviour. And for certain dogs, that makes her an incredibly effective helper.

Maggie has a natural instinct to step in when another dog is becoming too much — too chaotic, too rude, too unaware. She’s quick to sense when energy is bubbling up, and often stops over-arousal before it kicks off.

Her message is clear:
“That’s not welcome here, it's not how we do things!”

But Maggie isn’t left to manage things on her own.
She works with me. Together, we help restore balance and prevent things from boiling over.

Maggie’s role is especially valuable with dogs who struggle to read other dogs, or who miss social signals entirely. Her corrections may look sharp, but they’re fair — and they often succeed where softer dogs are ignored.

Maggie doesn’t go looking for conflict — but she absolutely won’t tolerate disrespect. That consistent presence can help other dogs re-learn the rules of engagement in a way that no human can replicate.

I trust her instincts wholeheartedly, if she doesn't trust a dog, neither do I. This is what makes her incredible. ❤️💪🙏

30/06/2025

💬 What’s the hardest part about your dog’s reactive behaviour?

🙇‍♀️ Staying calm myself
👂Getting them to listen
😮‍💨 Feeling judged by others
🤔 Not knowing what to do in the moment

👉 React with the emoji that fits – or comment with your own experience. You’re not alone in this.

💛 Every dog is different — and every owner deserves real, compassionate support.

29/06/2025

29/06/2025

🪶 Roo – Our Quiet Observer, Confidently Disengaged

Roo is not a pack leader, protector, or social player — she’s the dog who doesn’t want a role in group dynamics. She’s not shy, but she’s private. Her world is small by choice, and she likes it that way.

She’ll check out new dogs at her own pace, issue a deep, rumbling grumble if they overstep, and then remove herself from the social current. She doesn't want conflict — but she will correct sharply if her requests for space are ignored.

🧠 Roo’s Inner World

She’s environmentally aware, and sensitive to chaos

She seeks distance over dominance

Her ideal social setup is: observe from afar, remain unbothered. You see her on the outskirts of the group and will often only come in if invited by here trusted human.

She’s not trying to connect, and doesn’t want others trying either.

And yet — she’s not emotionally fragile.
In her own space, with trusted people, she’s stable and content.

She doesn’t want more friends. She wants peace 🙏

Pushing Roo into social situations can be stressful for her. Whilst we don't avoid other dogs or social gatherings, in fact I provide this often, I remain very aware of her body language and when she has had enough, allow her to exit on her terms. I advocate on her behalf if other dogs become troublesome and who ignore her attempts to say stay away. Without exposure to other dogs Roo could have easily been a nervous wreck, but instead she has grown in confidence and is self assured around other dogs. Just choose to stay on the peripheral. On some occasions she meets a dog she loves and will happily play. But they must be an awesome dog for her to pick as a friend. She keeps circle is small 😉

Let's honour our quiet observers ❤️

Have you got a Roo?

28/06/2025

A reminder to take extra care in this heat. ☀️🐶🥵

🌞 Heatstroke in Dogs 🌞

As temperatures rise, it's important to be aware that heatstroke is a common risk for our dogs. Unlike us humans, dogs can’t sweat to cool down; they primarily rely on panting. This makes them vulnerable during hot weather.

When dogs are panting normally, their tongues will sit at the front of their mouths. But as they start to heat up, you’ll notice their tongue moving to the side to help them take in more air. This is one of the first signs they’re feeling the heat! Their tongue may also appear larger than usual as they try to cool down.

Certain breeds, especially those with short snouts like Bulldogs and Pugs, as well as older dogs, overweight dogs, long haired breeds, and those with existing health issues, are at a greater risk.

To keep your dogs safe, provide them with plenty of fresh water, avoid strenuous exercise during the hottest parts of the day, and always provide access to shade.

Recognising the early signs of overheating will make a big difference. Stay alert and keep your dogs safe in high temperatures! 🐶

🆘️IN CASE OF EMERGENCY - If your dog is showing signs of distress in the heat, soak through all over or even better submerge the dog in cold water 💧. Your dog needs to cool down and quick. Dry off and keep in the shade to rest.

Side note: If you fancy a run in the morning sun, even though it's only 21 degrees and think taking your dog with you is a good idea, try doing it with a coat on! Please leave the dog home!

28/06/2025

🐾Every so often, a dog comes along who teaches without needing to say much. For me, that’s our queen - Winnie 👑.

She’s been by my side for years — not because she demanded space, but because she held it. Even as a youngster, people would comment on her aura. Calm. Grounded. Steady. Confident, but never dominant.

In group settings, Winnie doesn’t rush to intervene or control others. She watches. She holds her space. If a dog is rude or disrespectful, she’ll calmly correct them. But most of the time, she doesn’t need to. Her presence alone brings a kind of quiet order.

She doesn’t step in unless it’s necessary — and she never loses her cool. She looks to me, trusts the environment, and carries herself with the kind of energy that helps other dogs soften without even realising it.

Winnie isn’t a protector or enforcer. She’s a centred elder — a quiet force. A dog who reminds you that leadership can be calm, that presence can be powerful, and that being steady matters just as much as being strong.

She’s been shaping how I understand dogs for years — not through grand gestures, but through stillness, patience, and trust.

If you’ve ever known a dog like that, you’ll know exactly what I mean. ❤️