Better Nature Dog Training

21/04/2025

Three cheers for Umoya the lab who finished her training with us today! 🎉🎉

Umoya started seeing me a few weeks ago because she was struggling with reactive behaviour toward other dogs and fearful behaviour toward guests in the home.

90% of the behaviours that were causing concern were resolved by our first session, because we implemented effective pain management to deal with a shoulder injury Umoya had around the time she became reactive.

We implemented some new training strategies to help her navigate that other 10% - including what you see here, which is managing some excited reactivity that her sister Nandy exhibits which can get Umoya going. By actively supporting BOTH dogs, we keep Umoya feeling safe so she doesn’t feel the need to react!

Umoya’s on a weight management plan to take further strain off her shoulder and will be starting hydrotherapy soon to make sure that her pain is well managed even as she gets older. She’s an extremely happy, energetic, and smart girl who deserves the fullest life possible!

Remember that behaviour does not exist in a vacuum. You need a behaviour expert who doesn’t just look at what your dog is doing, but the entire picture including their overall health and wellness. And if you need support with your dog’s behaviour, get in touch to see how we can help!

(Also, props to our girl Maisie for being an excellent helper dog 🙌🏻)

16/04/2025

Reactive dog owners get it 🤣🤣

Very inconsiderate of you! 🙄

15/04/2025

Understanding why dogs bite is at the core of preventing it; the more that we push the idea that dogs displaying aggressive behaviour is “bad”, “naughty”, “disobedient”, “unacceptable”, the more dangerous our lives with them become. We need to understand that our dogs are always communicating with us; and yes, aggression is a form of communication. The safer our dogs feel and the better their physical wellness is cared for, the more bites we can prevent.

Questions? Drop them in the comments!

01/04/2025

Last call for the SECOND timeslot of our Reactive Dogs Class (Wednesdays at 6pm starting April 9) - enrolment will close end of day tomorrow (April 2)!

🐾 An enclosed, controlled space to practice the skills you need to navigate the world with your reactive dog
🐾 Lifetime access to written and video guides
🐾 Learn how to address the underlying emotion of your dog's reactivity, but also how to navigate those 'oh ****' moments
🐾 Class size capped at 4 dogs to help your dog stay calm and ensure you get enough 1:1 trainer attention
🐾 All using compassionate, welfare-driven methods

It's just £225 for 6 weeks of training - message us to learn more or book on!

26/03/2025

UPDATE: Our Saturday class is now FULL but due to high interest we’ve added a second class starting Wednesday, April 9 at 6pm! Link below to reserve your space!

We're looking for 2-3 more dogs to join our Reactive Dogs Class!

This is a group class tailored to help you build confidence with your reactive dog - without punishment, without flooding them with their fears and hoping they 'get over it', and without having to hear "it's okay, he's friendly!" as an off lead dog barrels toward you 🤦‍♀️

It's a six week long course that will take place on Saturdays at 12pm at Paddock in the Pines starting April 12, with a maximum of 4 dogs per class to ensure that 1) your dog has plenty of space to stay calm and only get as close as they're ready for, and 2) you get enough 1:1 attention and guidance.

It's £225 for the six weeks plus lifetime access to the written and video guides that go along with the course and a Facebook group for community support. Spaces are first come, first serve - reserve yours below or message us if you have any questions!

https://betternaturedogtraining.as.me/?appointmentType=76161013

19/03/2025

I’ve changed the separation anxiety membership to rolling enrolment!

No more waiting for 2+ months until the next course launches to get help - sign up when you’re ready to start and get moving on the path to calm, comfortable alone time straight away.

Recorded group calls on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday every month, a Facebook group for community support, sharing progress and asking questions, and of course the gold-standard approach for treating separation anxiety that is written and guided by a CSAT.

It’s also entirely online - join from anywhere!

Head to the link in my bio to sign up, or if you have questions, drop them in the comments!

10/03/2025

I got to see Umoya today! This lovely girl was in some of my early group classes, but she developed some reactivity after injuring her shoulder. We’ve already seen a LOT of positive change from working to manage her pain, but we’re also working on some practical skills to support her through her big feelings.

Here we’re practicing an emergency u-turn, which can be a really valuable skill for helping your dog navigate surprises and give them a little more breathing room.

Remember that you should ALWAYS be investigating pain when it comes to concerns like reactivity or aggression. It’s estimated that up to 80% of behavioural cases have some underlying health concern - and if you’re working with a trainer who hasn’t brought up potential pain, find a new trainer!

06/03/2025

On our stories now - help us pick the next rescue to receive a free bundle of high quality muzzles!

08/02/2025

I love when my job enables me to give back to the community!

Thanks to those of you who have used my affiliate code with The Muzzle Movement, I have been able to donate two bundles of muzzles to local rescues in the last few months. We donated a bundle to Rain Rescue last year, which was the rescue we got Odin from, and today I’ve just dropped off the next bundle with Jerry Green Dog Rescue in Broughton. I’m also now able to offer free muzzles as part of my training services 🥰

Muzzles are such an important safety tool (and legally required for some dogs), and I think dogs deserve muzzles that are comfortable, well-built, and brightly coloured so they don’t look so scary!

You can use our code ‘BETTERNATURE’ to get a discount on your order with The Muzzle Movement and help us keep getting muzzles into the hands of owners and charities that need them 💚

04/02/2025

📣 Calling anyone struggling with dog aggression! 📣

I’m opening my books to new aggression clients from March onwards. This will include a holistic approach that centres safety as well as your dog’s welfare, helping you reach your goals with modern, ethical methods that do not include force, fear, pain, or discomfort.

The first 3 clients to sign on for 8 weeks or longer will receive a FREE muzzle from The Muzzle Movement (valued £48-55) that you can customise to whatever colours you wish!

You can book an initial consultation using the link below, or comment if you have any questions!

https://betternaturedogtraining.as.me/initialconsultation

31/01/2025

What’s your favourite skill that you’ve taught your reactive dog? For me and my dog Odin, it’s the game “Look At That” by Leslie McDevitt. This game is so powerful and makes training so much easier, I really think it should be in everyone’s toolkit!

Odin used to be very reactive to dogs and strangers; he even came to us with a bite history. He used to refuse food outside and was more interested in the environment than in us! But thanks to patience, force free training, and helping him make the right choices, he’s living his best life 🥰

Do you need help with reactivity or aggression in your dog? You can book a consultation with us, or access our online self-paced reactivity course on our website. DM or drop a comment below if you have questions!

06/01/2025

Trying to desensitize your separation anxiety dog and don’t feel like you’re getting anywhere? Here are 3 things that might help!

Desensitization is a simple process, but it can still be easy to get wrong. Many people simply think of it as exposure, but really it needs to be exposure /at a level that does not create a fear response/. And dogs are so good at studying our behavior, sometimes we unintentionally clue them in that we’re trying to make things harder!

If you feel like you need more guidance with your separation anxiety dog, I would love to help. Enrolment is open for our next round of the Separation Anxiety Membership, which starts January 13! Guided lessons and worksheets to help you build your own training plans, plus community support from other sepanx guardians facing the same challenges as you. Don’t miss out!

29/12/2024

I don't believe in last resorts when it comes to behaviour modification.

Hear me out!

When it comes to sharing your life with a dog, there are absolutely avenues you may come face to face with (such as behavioural euthanasia or re-homing) that are final and only entertained when all other options have been exhausted. This isn't about that.

This is about the options we explore when we are changing behaviour. For example, many people approach aversive tools (prong collars, slip leads, e-collars) with an attitude of 'these are okay as long as you try positive reinforcement first'.

My thoughts on this are: if you are inclined to avoid something until your other options have failed, this must mean that you recognise the potential for harm those tools pose. That potential does not go away just because you tried the 'nice' way first - so what makes aversive tools okay in some situations but not others? Is the harm no longer present because you have a behaviourally complex dog?

Another solution for behaviour change that is often viewed as a last resort is behaviour medication. In these cases, it may not be that the medication is viewed as harmful, but many do see it as 'cheating' or 'the easy way out' - or they simply don't understand how medication works and think of it as 'drugging' the dog.

My question: if something exists which is safe, thoroughly studied, can speed up your training, and most importantly have a positive effect on your dog's quality of life, why would you wait until the last minute to give it a try?

I do not employ any behaviour modification techniques that I would be unwilling to implement on day one. I just don't understand the concept of a 'last resort' in this context - but what do you think? Is there something I'm missing? Let me know!

17/12/2024

The world is full of uncomfortable, scary, unpleasant and unpredictable things, and I know that I can’t protect my dogs from all of them. But I can do my best to not add to them, and instead be a safe shelter for the animals that I have chosen to care for.

This is at the core of everything that I teach and how I teach it. Am I helping these animals feel more safe? Dogs who feel more safe are less likely to aggress. They experience more joy. They will be more optimistic. Their quality of life will be better. These should not be controversial statements, yet the industry seems set on finding ways that we can justify pain and discomfort and prioritize our own desires and convenience at the expense of our dogs. It’s not a trend that I want any part of. What about you?

27/11/2024

As a force free trainer, I make it my mission to ensure that my behaviour modification plans are as kind to my learner as they can be. I avoid the use of intentional force, fear, frustration, pain, or discomfort as teaching tools, and work to minimise stressful experiences in a dog's life to the best of my abilities.

There are many trainers who criticise this approach as unrealistic, or think that I am trying to prevent dogs from ever experiencing stress, discomfort, or aversive experiences altogether. But I'm acutely aware that life is full of unpleasant, uncomfortable moments that can't be avoided! My goal is, simply, to not be one more unpleasant or uncomfortable thing to my dog.

So what's the main difference between a training style that uses aversion and the fact that life is simply aversive sometimes?

To me, it's choice.

I can choose to go for a run even though I hate it. I can choose to push myself, but I can also choose to stop, slow down, speed up, or take breaks.

How much more unpleasant and stressful would running be if I had someone behind me, lightly jabbing me in the back if I went too slow or stopped? (Some people may enlist the help of such tactics to keep up motivation, but again, they have the choice to do so or not!)

How much choice do our dogs ACTUALLY have in their lives, when we control their food, their movements, their access to the outdoors, their toys, and even when they can relieve themselves? Do we really believe that introducing fewer choices through aversive control is what creates more confident and stable animals?

We know that increased choice is a marker of good welfare. We know that there are different kinds of stress - that overcoming a challenge of your own volition is not the same as being pushed into an overwhelming environment that you aren't prepared for. And we know that learning is more effective when dogs have more relief from stress, not less.

Please stop letting people convince you that your dog needs to be uncomfortable in order to learn. I promise that you will have a better relationship, and your dog will be emotionally healthier if you are not one of the things adding to the stress in your dog's life.

16/11/2024

A friendly PSA just because I’ve seen a very alarming post - NO ONE who is not a medical professional is qualified to prescribe OR take your dog off of medication. PLEASE run from any professional who tries to!!

As a behaviour expert, I understand that there is a very close link between health and behaviour. I also understand that the brain is an organ like any other, and often needs a helping hand in order for training to be its most effective. That DOES NOT qualify me to prescribe medication - but I can liase with those who are qualified, share my perspective and observations, and work with them to find the best solution for the dog.

Similarly, neither I nor any other behaviour professional who is not a veterinarian is qualified to decide that your dog doesn’t “need” medication, and we are NOT qualified to instruct you to stop administering it to your dog. Listening to that advice can be detrimental to your dog’s welfare at best, and dangerous/deadly at worst.

I hate that I have to put out these PSAs; if you’re working with a qualified trainer/behaviour expert, they will most likely know these things, but unfortunately the industry is so full of snakes and charlatans that will do harm to your dog. Please be careful who you trust.

An autumnal photo of our Maisie for dog tax 🐶

12/11/2024

There are people who will tell you that you need to punish dogs who struggle with aggression - they might not say so in such clear terms, but they’ll use phrases like “you need to tell your dog no” or “your dog needs to know this isn’t acceptable”.

But the truth is, it’s not only possible to overcome severe aggression without any punishment or correction, but it’s the most humane AND effective approach. Taking into account our dogs’ underlying emotions and motivations is what creates change that truly lasts, and helps our dogs feel GOOD about the process.

Ari and Zelda have ended up at the emergency vet in the past because of the intensity of their fights, but they are quickly approaching a place where they can once again co-exist in the same home with peace and safety. It isn’t an overnight process and it takes work, but it can absolutely be done if you have the right knowledge and skills behind your strategy!