Muddy Trails dog coaching, Portsmouth (2026)

02/06/2026

Do you actually know what’s rewarding for your dog? 🤔🐾

Many people assume food is the ultimate reward. And for a lot of dogs, it is. But not all food is created equal.

Does your dog work harder for chicken, beef, cheese, liver, fish, or something else entirely?

And what if your dog isn’t food-motivated at all?

Maybe their biggest reward is a tennis ball, a tug toy, a flirt pole, a game of chase, or the opportunity to sniff and explore.

The key isn’t using a reward.

The key is using the right reward.

The more valuable the reward is to your dog, the more motivation they have to engage with you, learn, and make good choices.

A dog that will ignore kibble might do anything for a piece of roast chicken.

A dog that turns their nose up at treats might light up the moment you pull out their favourite toy.

Reward is personal.

So ask yourself:

👉 What does my dog truly love?
👉 Have I tested different rewards?
👉 Am I using what motivates my dog most in that moment?

The better you understand your dog’s currency, the more successful your training will be.

What’s your dog’s ultimate reward? Let me know below! 👇🐾

15/05/2026

Humans are masters at camouflage.

I remember working as a nurse after an intense shift on the ward… I could walk into the toilet, cry for 10 minutes, pull myself together, wipe my face and walk back out like nothing happened. Most people would never know.

We learn to hide pain.To mask fear.To pretend we are “fine.”

Dogs don’t do that.

Dogs don’t present fake emotions to make others comfortable. They don’t smile when they’re overwhelmed or suppress their feelings to fit social expectations.

When a dog is scared, stressed, worried or uncomfortable… they show it. Honestly. Genuinely.

And somehow humans punish them for that honesty.

A growl, a bark, avoidance, reactivity — these are not acts of manipulation or “bad behaviour.” They are communication. They are the dog telling the truth about how they feel in that moment.

Maybe instead of expecting dogs to suppress themselves the way humans do, we should learn to listen to what they’re trying to say. 🖤

14/05/2026

People confuse a “friendly dog” with an over socialised dog all the time 👀🐾

A genuinely friendly dog:
✔️ can greet politely
✔️ can walk away calmly
✔️ respects boundaries
✔️ can disengage when asked
✔️ doesn’t feel entitled to every dog or person

An over socialised dog?
❌ thinks every dog exists for interaction
❌ gets frustrated when they can’t greet
❌ pulls, whines, stares or lunges to say hello
❌ struggles to regulate emotions around dogs
❌ often has very poor social skills despite being called “friendly”

That’s not confidence.
That’s dependency on interaction.

A truly socialised dog is neutral most of the time.
Calm.
Able to exist around the world without needing access to everyone in it.

We’ve normalised chaotic “friendly” behaviour for so long that people forget emotional regulation is actually the goal.

Your dog does not need 100 dog friends.
Your dog needs emotional stability, safety and the ability to make good choice

10/05/2026

I absolutely adore rescue dogs.
Especially overseas rescues.

But would I recommend a foreign rescue to everyone?

No. 🐾

And I think that shocks people when they hear it.

Because getting a dog should never be about proving a point online or to society.
Not to look morally superior.
Not to gain validation.
Not to fit an image.

A dog is a living being, not a statement.

Overseas rescues can come with trauma, genetic unknowns, health risks, cultural/environmental adjustment and behavioural struggles people may not be prepared for. Some dogs adapt beautifully. Others find modern life incredibly difficult.

Love alone does not prepare someone for the reality of it.

Some of these dogs have survived things most people cannot imagine. They may struggle with handling, urban environments, confinement, frustration, visitors, traffic, noise, dogs, people or simply existing in a completely different world to the one they were born into.

That does not make them “bad dogs.”
It makes them dogs trying to survive in a world that often makes no sense to them.

The same goes for UK rescues too. Rescue can be incredibly rewarding, but many dogs come with complex behavioural or medical needs people are not prepared for.

And ethical breeders? Good breeders are preserving health, temperament and breed purpose. A well-bred dog with predictable genetics and proper early development can genuinely be the right choice for many homes.

The real issue was never where the dog came from.
It’s whether humans fully understand what they are taking on.

Questions matter more than judgement:
• Does the dog fit your lifestyle?
• Can you meet their needs?
• Are you emotionally and financially prepared?
• Do you understand the breed or background?
• Are you prepared for possible behavioural struggles?
• Are you choosing the dog for the right reasons?

Sometimes the most ethical choice is the one that sets BOTH the human and dog up for success.

The dog world needs less judgement and more honest conversations 🖤

Address

Portsmouth

Website

https://muddytrails.wixsite.com/my-site

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