08/07/2026
A well-behaved dog isn’t always a well-regulated dog. 🖤
A dog can heel beautifully, hold a down, walk into the show ring, perform on the field, and do everything we ask of them… while their nervous system is still screaming.
And I think we need to talk about that more.
I see it in pet dogs, but I especially see it in the sport and show world. Sometimes we become so focused on what a dog can do that we forget to pay attention to how the dog is actually feeling while doing it.
Compliance does not always equal comfort.
Performance does not always equal regulation.
Every dog deserves time where nothing is being asked of them. No obedience. No positions. No reps. No expectation to perform.
I’m a huge believer in giving dogs safe, appropriate off-leash freedom whenever possible..letting them sniff, explore, move their bodies, make choices, decompress, and simply exist.
Let your sport dog be a dog.
Let your show dog be a dog.
Let your perfectly trained dog be a dog.
Train the behaviors. Build the skills. Chase the goals.
But learn their nervous system, too.
Because understanding the dog underneath all that training?
How chic of you. ✨
