12/27/2025
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One of the biggest reasons we can struggle when working on a dog’s behaviour is because of where we are trying to make the change.
We often ask dogs to “do better” in the exact environments they already find overwhelming.
Think about it:
A dog that explodes on walks is expected to suddenly stay calm on the same busy street, at the same time of day, with the same triggers.
A dog that struggles with visitors is expected to make better choices while strangers enter the home, talk loudly, move unpredictably, and reach toward them.
A dog that can’t focus around other dogs is taken straight back to the park and asked to “listen” when they’re already over threshold.
From the dog’s point of view, nothing has changed, except the possible extra pressures of more expectations.
Learning doesn’t happen when a nervous system is flooded. When a dog is already stressed, excited, fearful, or overwhelmed, their brain isn’t in a state where it can absorb new skills.
Expecting change in those moments often leads to frustration on both sides and labels like “stubborn” or " stupid" are thrown in the ring.
But here’s the truth:
If we want our dogs to change, we have to be open to change too.
That could look like:
Changing our routines.
Choosing quieter routes, different times of day, or more distance from triggers.
Practising skills in easier, calmer environments before asking for them in harder ones.
Letting go of the idea that progress should look the same as other dogs’ progress.
Adjusting expectations so success is realistic, not idealistic.
Behaviour change isn’t about forcing a dog to cope, it’s about setting them up to succeed.
When we adapt, so do our dogs. Confidence grows. Trust builds. And the behaviours we want to see have a chance to emerge.
Change doesn’t start with the dog.
It starts with us being willing to do things differently.
