Pawprints in Paradise - Training & Behaviour Counselling

16/07/2025

🐾 What is Stress in Dogs?🐾

Stress isn’t always a bad thing, it’s a normal part of life. Our dogs' ability to cope can deeply impact their well-being, both physically and behaviourally.

Stress is the body’s response to challenges or demands, whether good or bad.

✨Good Stress: Helps your dog learn and build confidence, like playing new games or exploring a new trail.

✨Tolerable Stress: Mildly challenging situations your dog can recover from with your support, like vet visits or careful socialization.

✨Toxic Stress: Prolonged or intense stress without escape or support, which can harm your dog’s health and behavior.

Through understanding stress, we can help our dogs live happier, healthier lives and build resilience.

Dog training should not just be about "fixing bad behaviours". We are doing our dogs a disservice by not considering all the factors that could be contributing to their behaviour. It's not just about stopping a behaviour that is inconvenient to us, we need to be looking to help them regulate through things such as confidence building and opportunities to become a more resilient version of themselves.

The way stress impacts us depends on our ability to cope - if we've never had the opportunity to develop coping skills how are we meant to succeed in difficult situations? Why would we assume dogs are any different?

💡 Question for you: What’s one “good stress” activity your dog enjoys that helps build their confidence?

📖 Inspired by The Stress Factor in Dogs by Dr. Kristina Spaulding

01/07/2025

🌞🐾 When It Is Too Hot Outside, Switch Up Your Dog’s Activities!

When summer temps soar, it’s not always safe to take your dog for long walks or play in the heat. But that doesn’t mean your pup has to be bored!

🧩 Enrichment toys are a safe, fun way to keep your dog’s brain busy indoors. They help your dog burn mental energy, reduce boredom, and keep life interesting, even on the hottest days.

✨ Good news! I'm having a short summer sale on enrichment toys! Keep your dog safe, happy, and enriched all summer long. From now until July 5th. Free delivery available from West Bay to Prospect.

There is a limited supply on items (just a few of each!) so DM or email to order with your name, phone number, address and requested items. 🐶💛

30/06/2025

Last month I completed “Unlocking Resilience” offered by Dr. Kristina Spaulding from Science Matters Academy of Animal Behavior LLC This is a course focused on understanding stress, well-being, and resilience in dogs 🐕🧠.

During the course I was able to deepen my knowledge of how stress impacts behavior and how we can build resilience through thoughtful training, meeting needs, and prioritizing emotional well-being. It aligns perfectly with my commitment to science-based, ethical training that helps dogs thrive.

When we understand why dogs struggle, we can help them learn and live with confidence. 💛

Thank you Dr. Spaulding for an insightful and empowering course!

20/06/2025

🐾 PSA: Not all dogs want to be touched by strangers!

We often assume dogs must be friendly and enjoy every interaction — but just like humans, dogs have individual comfort levels and boundaries. 👀

➡️ Consent matters.
Would you walk up and hug a random child on the street? Of course not. The same respect should be given to dogs.

Some dogs are shy, recovering from trauma, or just not interested in being pet by unfamiliar people — and that’s okay.

✅ Instead of reaching out, try:
🔹 Asking the guardian first
🔹 Letting the dog approach you
🔹 Watching for soft, wiggly body language

Respecting a dog’s space builds trust — and helps prevent fear and reactivity. Let's teach kids and adults alike: Ask first, observe body language, and never assume. 🐶💛

11/06/2025

Socialization isn’t just about exposing your dog to new things — it’s about how those experiences happen. Rushed or overwhelming encounters can actually do more harm than good, especially during sensitive stages of development.

🐾The first 12–14 weeks of life are considered a critical period — but socialization doesn’t stop there. Dogs of all ages benefit from well-managed, positive experiences.

Here’s the key:
✅ Socialization should be dog-led
✅ It should feel safe, calm, and fun
✅ It’s not about “fixing” behaviors — it’s about preventing fear and building confidence

If a dog can’t choose to opt out, it’s not socialization — it’s stress. Pay attention to body language, allow distance, and always prioritize your dog’s comfort over the checklist.

🐾 Your dog deserves the chance to explore the world with confidence — not pressure.

05/06/2025

For anyone who has a pup and is expecting a human baby 👶 💕

WEBINAR ALERT 🚨 This Saturday!

Your Best Friend Is Your Dog—And Now You’re Expecting a Baby.

You’ve got so many questions…

🐾 How will it go?

👶 How will your dog respond to your baby?

💛 Will they still feel like your best buddy?

With just a little preparation, your dog can adjust more smoothly and confidently to all the exciting changes ahead.

We’re here to help!

Preparing before your baby arrives increases the chances your dog will feel more relaxed—and your whole family will thrive.

🎓 Join our Dogs & Storks® Live Webinar

📅 Saturday, June 7

👶 For expecting families with dogs and their support systems

💻 Link To Register In Our Bio OR Click The Link Below ⬇️

🔗 https://familypawsbooking.as.me/schedule/1450ac5a/?appointmentTypeIds%5B%5D=19390846

05/06/2025

THIS. 👇

Most dogs do not like to be hugged. (One study suggested only 7.6% seemed to be comfortable with hugging!) At best, your dog might tolerate it.

And even if your dog is tolerant of being hugged or happens to be one of the rare dogs who enjoys it, this is **not something we want to model** for children to learn.

We do not want children learning that it is OK to hug or kiss dogs or they will go to a neighbor's house and hug that dog. And chances are, that dog will not be tolerant of hugging, and that's when bites happen. 77% of dog bites happen from familiar dogs, not stray or unfamiliar dogs.

Let's model safe, appropriate interactions with dogs when around children. If it is not something that you would want a child to do, then you should not be doing it!
This includes not just whether you hug or kiss the dog but ALL your interactions - training methods, play, respect, handling, and how you speak to them. Read more in my post: https://rescuedbytraining.com/2024/06/03/setting-good-example-for-children

03/06/2025

“Heavy socialization is the single best investment you can make in your dog.” – Jean Donaldson

✔️ And science agrees! Here’s what you need to know:

🐾The Critical Puppy Period (estimated to be under 12 weeks):

✔️Puppies are most open to new experiences during this time.
✔️Positive exposure helps prevent fear, anxiety, and aggression later.

“Incomplete or improper socialization... can increase the risk of behavioral problems later in life including fear, avoidance, and/or aggression.” — AVSAB

🐾 Socialization Tips for Puppies:

✔️Focus on quality, not just quantity. Exposing your puppy or dog to new things at a level they are uncomfortable with is called flooding, which can cause more harm than good.
✔️Expose your puppy to new people, friendly dogs, surfaces, sounds, and places.
✔️Keep it positive and low-stress — use treats, toys, play, and patience.
✔️Avoid overwhelming them or forcing interactions. Always give your puppy or dog the opportunity to opt-out

🐾Socialization shouldn't stop at puppyhood – keep going through adolescence!

✔️Dogs go through a second sensitive period during adolescence (6–18 months).
✔️Continued positive experiences help reinforce confidence.
✔️Include calm outings, “happy visits” to the vet, and social time with well-matched dogs.

🐾What Counts as Good Socialization?

✔️ Exposure at the dog’s pace
✔️ Can be paired with something positive
✔️ Variety: people, environments, noises, and other dogs
✔️ Opportunities for choice and control (don’t force it!)

Early and ongoing socialization can help to build a confident, well-adjusted dog 🐶💛

Have a question? Ask in the comments or send me a DM!

28/05/2025

If you've never watched this I encourage you to take 5 minutes - it will help you appreciate just how amazing your dog is ❤️

One take away from this video: please let your dog sniff. They've got this intricate and complex system - you'd be doing them a disservice to not let them use it. Next time you're on a walk with your dog, think about what they must be "seeing".

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-do-dogs-see-with-their-noses-alexandra-horowitzYou may have heard the expression that dogs ‘see with their no...

26/05/2025

🐾 From the 5 Freedoms to the 5 Domains: Evolving Animal Welfare

For decades, animal welfare was guided by the Five Freedoms, first developed by the UK’s Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) in 1979. These focused on minimizing suffering — ensuring animals were free from hunger, discomfort, pain, fear, and able to express normal behavior.

While still foundational, the Five Freedoms reflect a primarily avoidance-based model — aiming to prevent negative states.

In the 1990s, animal welfare scientist David Mellor introduced the Five Domains Model. This framework builds on the Freedoms but takes welfare a step further. It includes:

Nutrition

Physical Environment

Health

Behavior

Mental State (the result of the other four)

Unlike the Five Freedoms, the Five Domains emphasize that animals are sentient beings capable of experiencing not just suffering, but also joy, comfort, curiosity, and contentment.

The goal is no longer just to prevent harm — it's to actively promote positive experiences.

This shift is especially relevant for those of us working with companion animals like dogs. It urges us to go beyond the basics and provide enrichment, choice, social connection, and emotional well-being.

14/05/2025

Dogs use their body language to communicate.

Have you ever been out and someone asks to pet your dog, you say yes and your dog seems quite uninterested or even turns their head away? This is your dog asking for space in an extremely polite way. When those requests are not respected, dogs may turn up the volume a little bit by giving a hard stare, physically getting up and moving or letting out a little snarl or growl.

Learning your dogs' ways of communicating is one of the best things you can do.

Try this the next time you are petting your dog. Stop petting them and see what they do. Do they solicit more attention from you? Great! They were likely enjoying that nice cuddle. Do they do nothing or even walk away? Chances are they weren't enjoying the pets as much as you thought they were.

This is called a consent test. Giving your dog that choice to engage or not can be a game changer for your relationship.

Try it out and let me know how it goes!

10/05/2025

What if behaviour modification wasn't just about addressing the specific behaviour?

A lot of the time, we tend to focus on the specific behaviour we don't want. "I want my dog to stop jumping up" or "I want my dog to stop barking when I am trying to work".

It is really important to look at the *why* of the behaviour. Then, focus on what you want your dog to do instead.

Dogs are social beings - if your dog has been alone all day and jumps up on you when you get home, there's a chance they have not had their social needs met.

Or if you're working and your dog is barking at you - maybe they are bored and have not had their mental or physical needs met.

Dogs aren't being "bad" - they are stuck in a human world and are just doing the best they can to maximize their well-being.

If we focused more on filling their cups - physically, mentally and emotionally- a lot of the problems that we try to correct instead of addressing would be addressed.

If your dog has practiced the less desirable behaviour and it's their go-to, show them what they can do instead in those specific contexts where the behaviour is not working for you.

Switching your thinking from what the dog needs to do for you to how you can help your dog adjust will have massive positive implications on their well-being and behaviour.

If the dog is feeling better, the dog is capable of making "better" choices.

What are some ways you like to fill your dogs cup? 🐾