Beyond the Breed

02/06/2026

LENNY'S STORY

Three years ago, a dog arrived at one of our workshops wearing a muzzle - not because he was dangerous, but because his guardian had lost her confidence after an incident at a training class.

The muzzle had become the only thing that made her feel safe taking him out.

We assessed Lenny as a Defender. A dog doing exactly what his functional character is wired to do, misread as a problem to be managed.

We explained to Lenny's guardian what being a Defender means, why he behaved as he did, and how to work with his nature rather than against it.

Three years on, the muzzle is gone for good, Lenny's guardian and I are still in touch, and he gets to be himself.

This is what the Canine Functional Characters Workshop is about - not fixing dogs but understanding them.

SUMMER WORKSHOP IN BEAUTIFUL WORCESTERSHIRE
Dates: Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 July
Venue: Kemble's Field, Charlton, near Pershore

Over the weekend we cover all three levels of our work: Discovery, Development and Mastery.

HANDLER and SPECTATOR PLACES AVAILABLE
Full details and booking in the comments below. 🐾

01/06/2026

BOOK TWO'S CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN IS NOW LIVE!

I'm truly honoured that the Foreword for Beyond the Breed: Living With Functional Characters - why behaviour is not what it seems, will be written by Dr Sue Armstrong 😮

Dr Sue is a UK veterinary surgeon with over four decades of experience, internationally renowned for her pioneering work in integrative animal healthcare. She lectures all over the world, is the author of several books on canine health, and was one of the first vets in the UK to bring together conventional medicine, homeopathy, acupuncture, and nutritional therapy in a single integrative approach.

The book itself is the follow-up so many readers have been asking me for. It goes deeper into each of the eight canine functional characters, with practical guidance on living alongside them through everyday life and the bigger moments too.

Reward tiers start at just £5 and run through to a small number of "Inner Circle" places. There are signed paperbacks, a Reader's Bundle with an exclusive backer-only PDF guide, and one-to-one Zoom consultations available too.

The first 48 hours of any Kickstarter campaign matter more than any other time, because backers in those early hours help the project gain visibility. If you've been waiting for this book, now is the moment.

Have a look here:

Why behaviour isn't what it seems. The next chapter in the journey beyond the breed, beyond the labels, beyond the obvious.

19/05/2026

Something I've been working on for a long time is nearly here..

Beyond the Breed: Living with Functional Characters launches on Kickstarter at 8am on Sunday 31 May.

If you'd like a reminder from Kickstarter the moment the campaign goes live, you can sign up on the prelaunch page now at the link in the comments.

17/05/2026

WANT TO GET THE NEWS FIRST?

Newsletter subscribers see new videos first and get the inside track on what's coming next.

Link in comments. 👇

12/05/2026

Does your dog get labelled at the park? Pull on the lead?
Bark at visitors? Get written off as 'difficult'?

What if the behaviour you're seeing isn't a problem to fix, but a functional role to understand?

I'm running a FUNCTIONAL CHARACTER ASSESSMENT WORKSHOP at the beautiful Kemble's Field, Charlton, near Pershore in WORCESTERSHIRE on SAT 11 and SUN 12 JULY.

It's open to dog guardians and professionals alike, with or without your dog. The whole point is to see them assessed in real life, not just read about it.

By the end of the weekend, you'll see your dog differently - not as a set of behaviours to manage, but as a functional character doing exactly what they were born to do.

A whole summer weekend in the countryside, geeking out on dogs!
Link to the info and booking page is in the comments.. 🐾

06/05/2026

BOOK TWO IS ON THE WAY..
Meet Ava - she's a Defender, and once you understand that, everything about her behaviour makes sense. Not just for Ava, but for every dog who has ever been misunderstood into a label.

This is the idea at the heart of my new book, Beyond the Breed: Living with Canine Functional Characters.

If you've ever watched a dog be labelled unfairly and thought 'that's not right', this book is for you. 🐾

Ahead of the main Kickstarter campaign, I opened some Founding Reader and Founding Reader Plus places for people who wanted to be part of the book from the very beginning, and inside it when it's finished, AND get the chance to read some of the chapters ahead of publication.

There are two Founding Reader tiers available - £30 and £40 - and the links are in the comments...

14/04/2026

Imagine watching your dog…
and finally understanding them.

Not guessing. Not labelling. Not trying to “fix” things that never made sense.

Just… clarity.

That’s what people take away from these workshops.

Because once you understand your dog’s Functional Character, everything shifts:
✔ Behaviour makes sense
✔ Reactions feel predictable
✔ You stop second-guessing yourself

This isn’t about training harder. It’s about understanding deeper.
Come and experience it for yourself.

Venue: Kemble’s Field, Charlton, Worcestershire
Dates: Sat 11 and Sun 12 July

Handler and Spectator places available

👇 Details in the link

09/04/2026

BEHAVIOUR IS NOT THE PROBLEM

A newly published scientific paper has just reinforced something I’ve been teaching for years… Behaviour is the output of an internal system - not the issue itself. Dogs aren’t being “difficult.”

They’re not “choosing” to misbehave. They are responding from:

• their biology
• their biography
• their emotional state
• their functional character
• their perception of the world
• what they feel they need to do to stay safe

In other words… Behaviour is coming from the inside out.

And this is exactly where Functional Characters come in - because when you understand your dog’s internal driver, everything starts to make sense:

• A Defender isn’t “aggressive” - they’re trying to control safety
• A Guide isn’t “bossy” - they’re organising the environment
• A Follower isn’t “clingy” - they’re seeking direction
• An Observer isn’t “stubborn” - they’re overwhelmed and watching
• A Hunter isn’t “ignoring you” - they’re responding to instinct
• A Peacekeeper isn’t “interfering” - they’re diffusing tension
• An Overseer isn’t “aloof” - they’re monitoring everything
• A Lone Individual isn’t “antisocial” - they’re self-sufficient by nature

Same behaviour? Maybe. Completely different reasons? Absolutely.

And that changes everything, because when you stop trying to fix behaviour and start understanding what’s driving it… real change begins.

On the video, watch for the moment one dog says "No!"

04/03/2026

Two dogs meet. Same moment. Same space.
But their responses can be completely different.

That’s because every dog plays a different functional role within a group - and once you learn to recognise it, behaviour suddenly starts to make sense.

Join us in Yarm, North Yorkshire on 21–22 March for a practical workshop where we observe real dogs interacting and explore the concept of Functional Characters.

Handlers and spectators are both welcome.

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering “why does my dog do that?” - this weekend will give you a completely new way of looking at behaviour.

04/03/2026

Two dogs meet.

Same moment. Same space.

But their responses can be completely different.

That’s because every dog plays a different functional role within a group - and once you learn to recognise it, behaviour suddenly starts to make sense.

Join us in Yarm, North Yorkshire on 21–22 March for a practical workshop where we observe real dogs interacting and explore the concept of Functional Characters.

Handlers and spectators are both welcome. Handler places include one dog.

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering “why does my dog do that?” - this weekend will give you a completely new way of looking at behaviour.