12/06/2025
Love this! Definitely something to read and share around! 💖
🐾 A to Z of Dog Things
A – Attention Seeking
When your dog brings you a soggy sock again, it’s not because they think you’re underdressed, it’s attention-seeking 101. Learn when to ignore it and when to redirect it.
B – Barking
It’s communication, not chaos. But if your dog’s running a one-dog opera every time a leaf moves, it’s time to look at boundaries, boredom, and unmet needs.
C – Crate Training
Not a cage, not cruel, it’s a bedroom with a view. When done properly, crate training builds independence, security, and a spot to hide from the hoover.
D – Did You Know?
Dogs have about 300 million scent receptors in their noses. You? Roughly 5 million. Let that sink in before you argue with a dog about where a trail went cold.
E – Enrichment
A walk isn’t always enough. Sniffing, shredding, licking, chewing, and foraging—that’s how dogs unwind. Enrichment isn’t optional. It’s a need, not a luxury.
F – Fetch (Or Not)
Some dogs love it. Others look at you like, “You threw it, you fetch it.” Respect the breed and don’t force the retrievers out of terriers.
G – Grooming
It’s not just a beauty routine, it’s bonding, health checking, and desensitisation rolled into one. And yes, even your ‘non-shedding’ dog still needs brushing.
H – Heelwork
Walking to heel isn’t a punishment. It’s a polite conversation on a lead. Teach it right and it becomes poetry in motion, not a tug of war with squirrels.
I – Impulse Control
Just because he can sn**ch the sandwich doesn’t mean he should. Teaching ‘leave it’ and waiting at doorways might not seem flashy, but they’re gold-standard life skills.
J – Jumping Up
Cute at 10 weeks. Chaos at 30 kilos. Let’s stop rewarding it with attention and start reinforcing calm greetings, shall we?
K – Kisses
Let’s be honest, most dogs define kisses as ‘enthusiastic face licking’. Some love dishing them out, others hate being smooched. Just remember: licking isn’t always affection, sometimes it’s appeasement, anxiety, or “you taste like beef crisps.”
L – Loose Lead Walking
Ah yes, the mythical walk where the lead has slack. It can exist. But only with consistency, structure, and not letting the dog take you water skiing every morning.
M – Myths
“Letting your dog on the sofa makes them dominant.”
Right. And wearing sunglasses makes you a pilot. Let’s retire outdated dominance theory and focus on relationship-based training instead.
N – Nose Work
It’s not just for sniffer dogs or show-offs. Nose work builds confidence, focus, and calmness and it’s one of the most natural forms of enrichment you can offer.
O – Obedience
It’s not about creating robots, it’s about communication. Sit, down, heel, recall, place… it’s your shared language, not a list of demands.
P – Play
Play is serious business. It builds bond, tests control, teaches rules, and channels energy. Plus, it’s fun. And who doesn’t need more of that?
Q – Quiet Isn’t Always Calm
A quiet dog isn’t always a content dog. Suppressed stress is real. Know the difference between ‘relaxed’ and ‘shut down’.
R – Recall
The holy grail. If you don’t practise it, don’t expect it to work. And no, shouting their name louder and angrier won’t improve results.
S – Sit
One of the first things most people teach and often the first thing the dog learns to ignore. Sit isn’t just a trick; it’s a pause button for life.
T – Trigger Stacking
A bin lorry, a noisy child, a tight lead… and then boom. That “random outburst” probably wasn’t so random. Learn to spot the signs before they stack up.
U – Unwanted Behaviours
They’re usually not ‘bad’ behaviours, they’re unmet needs in disguise. Dig into the ‘why’ before you jump to correction
V – Vet Visits
Make them less traumatic by preparing at home: handling paws, opening mouths, practising lifts. And always bring the good treats. Always.
W – Whining
Annoying, yes. But it’s communication. Anxiety, anticipation, or simply bad habits, it’s up to us to decode the cause, not just hush the sound.
X – X Marks the Spot (Scenting Edition)
Dogs follow invisible scent trails like you follow Google Maps. You just can’t see the X. They can. Trust the nose.
Y – You Are the Difference
Training is 90% owner, 10% dog. Consistency, tone, timing, patience, leadership, it’s your energy that sets the tone. Train yourself first.
Z – Zoomies
That post-bath, post-poo, mad five-minute dash? Perfectly normal. Often hilarious. But also a clue your dog’s letting off steam. Zoomies = unspent energy.
