Redefined Dog

03/06/2026

When I look at photos like this, I can't help but think about how much pressure there is when we first bring a dog into our lives.

Whether they're a tiny puppy, an adolescent whirlwind, or a rescue settling into a new home, it often feels like there's so much we should be doing -
Training plans, socialisation, enrichment, recall, loose lead walking. Combined with advice from friends, family, social media and complete strangers.

It's easy to feel like every decision matters and that if we get something wrong, we'll somehow mess everything up. But after working with so many dogs and their people, one thing I've learned is that relationships aren't built through perfect training plans. They're built through connection, understanding and spending time getting to know the individual dog in front of you.

If I could go back and tell my younger self one thing, to spend less time worrying about what everyone else thought I should be doing and more time enjoying the dog in front of me. Because dogs aren't projects to complete. They're individuals with their own personalities, preferences and stories to tell.

So I'm curious... If you could go back and tell yourself one thing when your dog was younger, what would it be?

31/05/2026

One of my favourite sessions this week wasn't really about training at all. It held one of those conversations that reminds me why I love this work.

We found ourselves talking about everything from gut health and movement to breeding, emotions, expectations and pain. Not because we were trying to find a quick answer, but because all of those things can be connected.
As humans, we accept this pretty easily. We know stress can leave us with tight shoulders, headaches or an upset stomach. We know poor sleep can make us less patient. We know living with discomfort can affect how we move, how we feel and how we cope with the world around us.
But when it comes to our dogs, we often feel pressure to find the reason.
Is it behavioural? Is it physical? Is it the food? Is it training?

The reality is that it may not be just one thing. A dog with gut discomfort may carry tension through their body. A dog in pain may move differently. A dog who doesn't feel comfortable in their body may find everyday life a little harder to navigate. It's rarely as simple as the behaviour we see on the surface.

Sometimes the most valuable part of a session isn't finding an answer at all. It's creating the space to be curious. Because when we stop looking at behaviour, health and emotions as separate pieces and start looking at the whole dog, we often begin to understand them a little better.

28/05/2026

RD team meeting today consisted of:
Nellie making it her personal mission to soak absolutely everyone after discovering the stream 💦
Cairo posing dramatically while contributing absolutely nothing to the workload ☀️
Various dogs enjoying every bit of cool breeze, shaded spots and air conditioned comfort they could find 🫠🐾
And me… moving dogs between cool rooms, fixing the car air con, prepping frozen enrichment, planning sunrise walks, running visits, answering admin and carrying enough water around Kent to hydrate a small village ☀️

…but honestly, anything for these dogs 🤍

27/05/2026

Another workshop for the diary, held just outside of Canterbury in the most beautiful 14th Century Barn! Very excited for this!

Time working with and learning from the amazing & lovely Deanna of Redefined Dog 💫 How pleased am I to share this event!!!!

ACE Freework Workshop 🐾

Join us for a calm and supportive ACE Freework Workshop at the beautiful Littlebourne 14th Century Barn.
11 July

ACE Freework is a choice-led activity that gives dogs the opportunity to explore different surfaces, scents, textures and enrichment items at their own pace.

There are no commands, no pressure and no expectation for dogs to “perform”. Instead, we learn through observation, allowing dogs the space to communicate naturally.

Throughout the workshop we’ll explore how ACE can help support:
🐾 Confidence building
🐾 Emotional regulation and calmness
🐾 Body awareness and movement
🐾 Recovery from stressful experiences
🐾 Relationship building between dog and guardian
🐾 Understanding subtle body language and behavioural responses.

The workshop will run from 9am – 1:30pm, with all dogs receiving at least two individual ACE sessions throughout the day.

Dogs will work one at a time within the ACE set up to ensure the environment remains calm and supportive for every team attending.

Guardians will also have the opportunity to observe other dogs working through the set ups, helping build a deeper understanding of canine body language, movement, emotional responses and individual processing styles.
This workshop is suitable for a wide range of dogs including puppies, adolescent dogs, sensitive dogs, high arousal dogs, older dogs or dogs who simply enjoy enrichment and exploration.

Whether you’re completely new to ACE or already exploring more holistic, dog-led approaches, we’d love to welcome you 🐾

4 handler spaces
4 spectator spaces

Booking and payment secures your place, on a first come first served basis

If you're ready to book or have any questions please message or send an email to [email protected]
.. more workshop dates and events coming soon...

24/05/2026

Hot weather changes the rhythm of our days at RD ☀️
The routine shifts a little - earlier mornings, quieter routes, slower walks and shady sniff spots. Water always close by, frozen enrichment prepped the night before, and constant check-ins with how each dog is coping day to day.
Even behaviour sessions often look different in this weather too. Sometimes that means swapping busy training plans for calmer decompression walks, finding shaded spaces to work in, or simply slowing everything down and meeting the dog where they are that day.
Some dogs still want to potter and explore, others would much rather rest in the cool and watch the world go by. And that’s okay.
Because good dog care isn’t about sticking to the plan no matter what. It’s about adapting, listening and responding to what dogs actually need in that moment.
Sometimes the kindest thing we can offer isn’t more exercise or more stimulation, just comfort, rest, safety and space to be. 🧡

20/05/2026

So so so excited for this!!

🐾 ACE Freework Workshop 🐾

I’m so excited to be hosting an ACE Freework Workshop with ACE Advanced Practitioner and Behaviourist Denna Tennant from Redefined Dog

📍 Held at Off The Leash at Headcorn Place
📅 Sunday 14th June
⏰ 10am – 2pm

Spaces available:
🐶 handler places - NOW SOLD OUT
👀 3 spectator places – £60

ACE Freework is a calm, enriching activity designed to help dogs explore, process information, build confidence, improve emotional regulation, and develop better movement and body awareness — all at their own pace.

Freework can benefit all dogs, but in particular:
✨ Nervous or sensitive dogs
✨ Over-aroused or busy dogs
✨ Adolescent dogs
✨ Dogs recovering from injury or needing low-impact enrichment
✨ Dogs who struggle in more traditional training environments
✨ Puppies building confidence and resilience

During the workshop, dogs will work through carefully designed Freework setups using different surfaces, textures, enrichment items, and movement opportunities. You’ll learn how to observe your dog more closely, understand their choices and communication, and see how small environmental changes can have a huge impact on behaviour and wellbeing.

The day will include:
🐾 Individual Freework sessions
🐾 Discussion and observation of canine body language
🐾 Understanding arousal, emotional regulation, and processing
🐾 How to use Freework at home and in training
🐾 Plenty of opportunities to ask questions and learn from Deanna’s experience

Dogs will work one at a time, so dogs attending must be comfortable waiting between sessions in the car parked next to the field.

Whether you attend with your dog or as a spectator, this workshop is packed with fascinating insights into behaviour, learning, and emotional wellbeing.

Please message or email [email protected] to secure your place ✨

17/05/2026

We speak a lot about creating safety for the dogs in our care, but what about the humans holding the lead?

Because dogs feel us too. The tension in our bodies, the breath we forgot to take, the pressure to “get it right”.

Part of our role at RD isn’t just supporting dogs. It’s helping guardians feel safe too, safe to ask questions, safe to slow down and safe to have hard days without judgement.

Sometimes creating safety for our dogs also means softening ourselves a little:
Taking a breath.
Relaxing our shoulders or our jaw. Its so easy to say relax your body but we all know thats easier said than done!
Letting things go instead of carrying them for the whole walk.

Dogs are often much better at regulation than we are. Maybe there’s something we can learn from that too.

Photography by .dography

13/05/2026

I’ve worked with dogs for over 10 years now and honestly ... I’m still yet to meet a “perfect” dog.

Do they exist? I don’t think so.

Dogs are emotional, instinctive, individual beings. Some are sensitive, some are impulsive, some are worried about the world around them, and some are bold, excitable, goofy, mischievous or just a little chaotic at times. And personally? I don’t think those things need to be trained out of them.

Somewhere along the way, parts of the dog world became heavily focused on obedience, control, and stopping behaviours as quickly as possible. But behaviour doesn’t happen in isolation, and for us at RD, it’s never just about what the dog is doing on the surface. Emotions, physical health, the environment, it all matters. Feeling safe, respected and understood matters too.

That’s why our focus has always been on understanding the whole dog, not simply suppressing behaviours we find inconvenient.
Because when we slow down and really observe what dogs are communicating, we often find there’s so much more underneath the surface than “bad behaviour.” Fear, frustration, overwhelm, excitement, pain, stress, confusion, genetics, learning history and so much more. The world can feel big sometimes.

At RD, we’re far less interested in creating “perfect” dogs and far more interested in helping dogs and their humans understand each other better.

Because honestly? I’d always rather see a dog with personality, communication and trust than a dog who simply complies.

Photography by .dography

09/05/2026

Todays connection walk allowed us space to talk openly about the realities of life with dogs. The wins, the worries, off lead dogs, training struggles, small progress and everything in between.
No one pretending things are perfect and no judgement. Just support, understanding and dogs allowed to move through the world in the way that feels right for them.
Some walked close together, some needed more distance, some sniffed every inch of the path and some simply enjoyed being part of the group.
And honestly, that’s what these walks are all about 🧡

08/05/2026

Today marks the 100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough.
I don’t think there’s many of us who haven’t grown up with his voice somewhere in the background. Teaching us to look closer, slow down, and notice the world around us.

Before I entered the dog world, I worked with animals in zoo's, and that love for observation, behaviour, welfare and the natural world has stayed with me ever since.

And honestly, dogs bring me back to that feeling every single day. They pause to watch birds moving through the trees. Get excitement over a beetle on the path. Sniffing the breeze. Rolling in grass warmed by the sun. Standing quietly while the world moves around them.

Sometimes we forget that our dogs are animals first. Deeply connected to the environment around them, constantly taking information in through scent, movement, sound and touch.

So much of what we do at RD is about reconnecting with that. Allowing dogs the space to explore, observe, forage, sniff, watch and simply be.

We don’t always have to do big things to make a difference. Sometimes connection starts with noticing the beauty already around us 🧡