MANSFIELD DOG TRAINING

20/10/2025

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14/10/2025

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Canine behaviour isn’t random—it’s a response to internal states, environmental triggers, and past experiences.

Before we label a dog as “naughty” or “stubborn,” let’s ask: What are they trying to tell us?

Let’s shift the narrative from correction to connection.

05/10/2025

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🐾Although dogs descend from a common ancestor with wolves, they have undergone millennia of domestication and genetic engineering, resulting in distinct differences from their wild counterparts. Despite this misconceptions about canine behaviour persist, perpetuating unrealistic expectations and outdated training methods.

Such myths revolve around the idea of dogs as inherently naughty, stubborn, and trying to be the leader of the pack, requiring punishment for correction [1]. The original study of wolves and behaviour was conducted in 1947 by Rudolph Schenkel, who claimed that wolves hold a social position, the pack is controlled by a dominant male and female; and wolves fought within each other to establish top rank. This was disproved by Dr. Mech in 2000 [2].

The world evolves constantly yet the human race is still stuck on this notion. Qualified dog trainers and behaviourists are not trying to convince you that the world is flat, we are simply trying to improve your relationship with your dog without the use of outdated training mythology.

In reality; natural wolf groups function as family units, with parents as caregivers. Communication within the wolf group relies heavily on subtle cues, such as body language and facial expressions, rather than overt displays of aggression and dominance.

Despite scientific advancements debunking the alpha dog theory, some trainers continue to perpetuate these myths, advocating for dominance-based techniques. However, the lack of regulation in the industry allows such outdated practices to persist.

Understanding dogs requires acknowledging their individuality and respecting their preferences.

Effective training involves environmental management, systematic desensitisation, and counter-conditioning, with the use of positive reinforcement; which helps dogs understand desired behaviours without resorting to punitive measures [3]. Using modern, evidence-based methods helps build healthier, more respectful relationships with the dogs we share our lives with.

Television has also played a significant role. Many networks promote trainers who rely on dominance-based methods, where compliance is achieved through coercion and correction. While this may look effective on screen, the reality is that dogs often respond out of fear and avoidance rather than genuine understanding and willingness.

Dominance is often misunderstood as a personality trait, when in fact it is better understood as a survival strategy often rooted in fear or anxiety. Punishing a dog for unwanted behaviour does not teach them what to do instead, and because behaviour stems from underlying emotions, punishment fails to resolve the emotional challenges driving the behaviour.

Helping your dog with the emotions driving their behaviour is what truly leads to lasting change[4]. Many people turn to outdated or inappropriate methods simply because they’re often just overwhelmed and unsure of how else to cope with the problems they’re facing.

Today, qualified professionals understand that the human–dog relationship is not about asserting social rank. It’s about creating an environment where dogs feel secure. This means managing their surroundings to prevent situations where they might struggle, and consistently reinforcing the behaviours we want to encourage.

Our dogs don’t need us to be their ‘boss’, they need us to be their guide, their support, and their safe place.

[1] 2008, Position Statement on the Use of Dominance Theory in Behavior Modification of Animals, AVSAB, https://avsab.org/.../Dominance_Position_Statement...

[2]Mech, L. David. 1999. Alpha status, dominance, and division of labor in wolf packs. Canadian Journal of Zoology 77:1196-1203.
Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Home Page. http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/2000/alstat/alstat.htm
(Version 16MAY2000).

[3] Herron M, Shofer S, Reisner I, 2009, Survey of the use and outcome of confrontational and non-confrontational training methods in client-owned dogs showing undesired behaviors, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Volume 117, Issues 1–2, Pages 47-54

[4] Herron M, Shofer F, Reisner I, 2009, Survey of the use and outcome of confrontational and non-confrontational training methods in client-owned dogs showing undesired behaviors, Applied Animal Behavior Science, Volume 117, Issue-12, https://www.sciencedirect.com/.../pii/S0168159108003717...

04/10/2025

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“We want to think about providing for greater expression as opposed to greater suppression.” - Kim Brophey

When dogs’ needs are met, it is much easier for them to be a “good dog.” They can relax into our human world because they have had the chance to meet their own needs first.

But when those needs are ignored, when they are chronically frustrated or deprived of opportunities to move, explore, play, forage, rest, or connect, obedience becomes an unfair ask. We cannot expect calm, compliant behavior from a dog whose welfare has been compromised.

Expression is not a luxury. It is the foundation. When we honor dogs as the animals they are, training becomes a bridge, not a battle.

28/09/2025

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When you first pictured life with your dog, what did you imagine?

A robotically obedient little puppet?

Or a companion who makes you laugh, comforts you, and feels safe with you?

We’ve been conditioned to think:

…that a “good dog” is an obedient dog.
…that compliance equals love.
…that control equals security.

But a dog who hides their needs to avoid consequences isn’t thriving. They’re walking on eggshells. Suppressing who they are.

What most people actually want isn’t robotic compliance.

It’s a relationship. Trust. Safety. Joy.

You picked your dog. You brought them into your life.

But the real measure isn’t that you chose them…

It’s whether they feel safe enough to choose you back.

Obedience isn’t the goal. A real relationship is 🫶

01/09/2025

Kindness and Understanding.

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28/08/2025

Watch for these things. Not always what you think it is.

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🤔Those little weird little things you've noticed here and there.
They may make a bit more sense now.
That heavy "gotta get that itch" session when you grab the leash preparing for a walk?
Those times your dog wasn't wet but did the "shake off"?
That one person that is a target for your dogs ....cough, cough "love hugs"?
Many times displacement behaviours are nothing to worry about....they’re a normal way for dogs to release tension and get back to baseline.
Little pauses that help dogs regulate themselves, much like us taking a deep breath.

Gets a bit tricky because many of these can also be shown in times of stress or even over arousal.
We can all be unsure in certain situations.....if you're concerned there may be a bit more happening, write it down.
List the times and the context it happened in.
That's a great way to give you some clarity.

30/07/2025

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Let’s practice more acceptance.

Acceptance doesn’t mean you can’t still work toward your long-term behavior goals for your dog. It just means you’ll spend less time ruminating and loosen your grip on the expectations you had for them.

When you do that, you’ll start to see your dog for the beautiful, unique, and perfect being they already are.

It’s an important lesson for life with dogs and for us in general, especially these days.

What are some things that you've learned to accept in your dog?

28/07/2025

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For generations, we've been told that dogs are both our loyal companions and at the same time, creatures to be controlled—caught in a confusing narrative that casts them as best friends and, at times, adversaries in a struggle for “dominance”. But in truth, modern dog training is a relatively recent development—barely a century old—and for much of that time, many widely accepted methods were rooted in coercion, force, and punishment.

Unfortunately, dogs are often incredibly forgiving. You can use harsh techniques in the name of training, and some dogs will still seek connection, affection, and reassurance from their humans. That willingness to reconnect often makes it seem like those methods “work.” But just because a dog complies or comes back for attention doesn’t mean the training was kind, effective, or free of emotional cost.

This may be one reason why the training industry has been slow to evolve. Thankfully now, with a growing understanding of canine cognition and emotional well-being, we know there is a better way—one grounded in trust, respect, and science-based, force-free methods.

It’s time to move beyond outdated ideas and build relationships with our dogs based on mutual understanding, not control.

19/07/2025

We should think ourselves lucky.

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Just reading a paper on canine aggression. Apparently in the US between 2-4% of dog bites require hospitalisation. Which considering that pretty much 100% of dogs have 100% ability to hospitalise us, shows remarkable restraint on their part. The rise in popularity of social media posts, including dogs looking ‘shameful’, ‘guilty’ or just dressed up like a clown, has put tremendous strain on the human-canine bond and we are damn lucky our dogs don’t use this legitimate form of communication more often!

02/07/2025

Dogs in the human world.
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The Parallel Universe of Dogs
Our dogs live in a sensory world entirely different from ours.
We think we experience reality, but the truth is, we only perceive our version of it.
How often have you debated the colour of an object? Or disagreed on how something smells or tastes? Human perception is fluid, subjective, and shaped by experience—now imagine how vastly different the world must be for dogs.
They might as well exist in a parallel universe.
That treat on the floor they can’t see.
That red ball in the green grass—so clear to us, yet invisible to them.
That cat in the bushes they seem to ignore—until the tiniest movement changes everything.
Dogs don’t see better or worse than us—they see differently. Their vision is adapted for dim light, making quick changes in brightness potentially disorienting. A dog struggling to transition between environments? Light conditions might be the cause.
Their acuity is estimated at 20/75—meaning that what a human sees at 75 feet, a dog sees at 20 feet. Yet their motion detection is extraordinary. While humans register movement at just 5%, dogs pick it up at 42%.
This could explain why they walk past a squirrel one moment, then suddenly lunge at something we haven’t even noticed.
Their depth perception surpasses ours, some studies suggest ultraviolet sensitivity, and remarkably, research even hints that dogs may align their bodies with the Earth’s magnetic field when they poo—which might explain their lengthy search for the perfect spot.
And then there’s sound.
Dogs hear nearly double the frequencies we do. They detect sounds four times farther than humans. That bark at "nothing"? That sudden startled reaction? It’s not nothing—they hear things we simply can’t.
Then, of course, there’s scent—perhaps the most misunderstood of all.
Smell is a world-builder for dogs. It’s how they navigate, communicate, and understand their surroundings. To restrict sniffing on walks is like blindfolding a human in front of a breathtaking landscape—a cruel disservice to their most powerful sense.
When we get frustrated with behaviors we don’t understand—scavenging, barking, hesitancy—we label them as bad, naughty, weird, or stupid.
But the reality is they don’t live in our world—they adapt to it.
Imagine how overwhelming human spaces must feel. Busy streets, unnatural chemical scents, chaotic sounds, restricted movement, expectations they never agreed to.
They see, hear, and smell things we will never experience, yet we often punish them for reacting to it.
So, when frustration rises—take a step back.
Instead of questioning their behaviour, question your own understanding.
Instead of restricting their instincts, respect the way they process the world.
Because if we truly listened, we’d realise—they have adapted for us far more than we have ever adapted for them.

01/06/2025

Some great work here.
Further video clips through the link below and more to add asap
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRhkhkXKIvw9ZHGeuOr-F9A