Adopt That Monster

Adopt That Monster Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Adopt That Monster, Dog trainer, Heraklion.

💟 Specialised Rescue Dog Training
🐶 Recall, Reactivity, Basic Training
📝 ISCP Diploma in Supporting Rescue Dogs
🎙️ Podcast
🐾 Volunteer work 's Shelter for Rescued Dogs (Romania)

31/05/2026

My coffee bean. 🤎 May 2026.

29/05/2026

„Mine is friendly!“

And I believe you. I really do.

But „mine is friendly“ is a observation about your dog’s past, not a guarantee about what’s about to happen between our two dogs, in this moment, in this specific context.

It can absolutely indicate that a positive interaction is highly likely. It’s useful information. It tells me your dog has a history of being social and easy with other dogs and that matters.

What it doesn’t tell me is whether that friendliness automatically applies to my dog, today, in this particular environment and circumstance.

Because even the friendliest dogs have bad days.
Even the most social dog can become too much for another dog.
Even „friendly“ can tip into overwhelming, and overwhelming can tip into conflict… faster than either guardian has time to react.

This is why I still recommend avoiding short leash, narrow pavement interactions with unfamiliar dogs —(city life dog etiquette!!) regardless of how friendly either dog is reported to be.

Even in open spaces: watch body language.
Stiffness, intensity, a dog that goes suddenly very still - those are your cues to move on, no conversation needed.

You don’t owe anyone an interaction.
And neither does your dog.

So here’s what I want to know:

What do you hear when someone says „mine is friendly“: „mine has been friendly so far“ OR truly that „mine will always be friendly, no matter what“?
Let me know below.

dogmumlife

dog training tips / dog body language / reactive dog / leash manners / dog socialisation / first time dog owner / dog trainer advice / dog behaviour

29/05/2026

We cross the street. Every time. On purpose.

And for a long time I wondered if that meant we hadn’t made enough progress.

But here’s what I’ve come to understand about reactivity and what I wish someone had told me earlier:

The goal was never for Kona to greet every dog.
The goal was for her to move through the world without feeling like every dog was a crisis she had to respond to.

And she does that now.

She sees a dog across the street and carries on.
No circus show. No adrenaline hangover for both me on the walk home.

That is not a limitation.
That is the work.

Calm avoidance is a trained skill. Neutrality is a result. And a quiet street crossing is sometimes the biggest win of the whole walk.

Progress doesn’t always look like more greetings.
Sometimes it looks like less noise. Less tension. Less of you holding your breath every time a dog appears around a corner.

Kona doesn’t need to meet every dog to be okay.
She needs to feel safe enough that other dogs are no longer a big event.

That, to me, is success.

Vote on the poll 👆
What does success look like for you and your reactive dog?


[reactive dog training / dog reactivity / leash reactivity in dogs / how to manage a reactive dog / reactive dog progress / dog trainer / calm walks with reactive dog / dog behaviour]

29/05/2026

The moment the treat bag is empty, something shifts.
Suddenly the walk feels harder. Your dog feels further away. And you feel like you’ve lost the one thing that was keeping it all together.

But here’s what I want you to sit with: that panic isn’t about the treats.
It’s about a BELIEF that got quietly installed somewhere along the way: that food is the only reason your dog comes back to you.

It isn’t.

You are not a vending machine. And your dog is not just waiting to be fed.

Recall built only on food is fragile by design. Because the moment the machine is empty, the whole thing wobbles.

But recall built on you: your energy, your voice, the way you move, the freedom you offer — that doesn’t run out. Doesn’t get left on the kitchen table. Doesn’t go stale.

If you have a dog who seems “only food motivated” or whose recall falls apart the second you’re out of treats, this one is for you.

[dog recall training / dog training for women / positive reinforcement dog training / recall training tips / dog mum / off leash dog training / how to train your dog to come back / dog training mindset]

5 days left to read Mile High with us, dog mums.Swipe. You’ll understand.Comment your favourite Zanders moment below 👇 (...
27/05/2026

5 days left to read Mile High with us, dog mums.
Swipe. You’ll understand.

Comment your favourite Zanders moment below 👇 (no spoiler police here, we’re all falling hard for this book boyfriend…)

Book club check‑in: are you Mile High obsessed yet or just getting started? Drop your page number in the comments! ...
21/05/2026

Book club check‑in: are you Mile High obsessed yet or just getting started? Drop your page number in the comments!

Dog mums, this is your sign to pick a cozy corner, grab a snack, and come get emotionally invested with me this weekend....
16/05/2026

Dog mums, this is your sign to pick a cozy corner, grab a snack, and come get emotionally invested with me this weekend.

Monkey 🤎.
16/05/2026

Monkey 🤎.

12/05/2026

A photographic ode to the floof of winter season 2025-2026!

Address

Heraklion

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Adopt That Monster posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category