ADK-Nine Behavior & Training

01/10/2026

Five useless things you’re doing with your reactive dog (and what to do instead.)
Thank you for posting this, Jack Fenton!

01/10/2026

Be a voice for your dog. Tell them you are listening. I can show you how!

We live in a world built almost entirely for human convenience, and somewhere along the way, we began expecting dogs to adapt to it flawlessly, often at the expense of their nature.

A dog’s natural responses,barking, guarding, reacting to unfamiliar people or environments, needing space, expressing fear or excitement are increasingly labeled as problems.

We call them “bad behaviour,” “reactivity,” or “aggression,” when in reality many of these responses are rooted in instinct, communication, and survival.

Dogs evolved to read their world through scent, movement, and energy, not busy streets, pubs,or constant exposure to strangers reaching for them without consent.

Modern society asks dogs to be quiet in crowded cities, "ok" in overwhelming environments, friendly on demand, calm despite constant stimulation, and tolerant of situations we ourselves would find stressful.

We ask them to suppress their warning signs so we can feel comfortable, then act surprised when something goes wrong.

A growl becomes unacceptable. A bark is disruptive. A retreat is seen as defiance. Yet these are the very tools dogs use to communicate discomfort long before escalation.

The truth is, many dogs aren’t “misbehaving.” They’re responding honestly to a world that rarely listens.

Our bias shows up in subtle ways. We value dogs most when they fit an ideal: social, quiet, obedient, and endlessly adaptable.

We praise the dog who tolerates everything and shame the one who sets boundaries. But if we reframe the question, from “How do we make dogs fit our world?” to “How do we make space for dogs within it?”, the conversation changes.

Reevaluating our bias means acknowledging that discomfort is not disobedience. That communication is not a flaw. That a dog’s reaction can be a reflection of the situation we’ve placed them in, not a failure of training or temperament.

It means respecting their limits, advocating for their needs, and resisting the urge to humanise them only when it’s convenient.

Living alongside dogs responsibly doesn’t mean erasing who they are. It means meeting them with humility, curiosity, and empathy and recognizing that coexistence requires adjustment on our part too.

If we truly love dogs, we must stop asking them to be less like dogs and start asking ourselves to be more understanding humans.

( Picture of handsome Buckeroo and Jazz, the beautiful welcome I receive when at my friends farrn)

01/03/2026

This will help you understand my approach to rewarding and reinforcing skills and behaviors.

Reward Schedules in Dog Training

Article Eight: When Rewards Fade And When They Shouldn’t

At some point in almost every training journey, someone asks:

“So… when do I stop rewarding?”

It’s usually asked with good intentions, mild concern, and a vague fear that the dog might demand payment for the rest of its natural life.

Let’s clear this up once and for all.

Rewards do not disappear.
They evolve.

And knowing the difference is what separates reliable training from wishful thinking.

The Myth of “Phasing Out” Rewards

The idea that rewards should be completely removed is one of the most persistent myths in dog training.

Behaviours don’t stay strong because they were once rewarded.
They stay strong because they continue to work.

Remove reinforcement entirely and behaviour will:
• Degrade
• Slow
• Lose precision
• Or disappear altogether

This isn’t a training failure, it’s how learning works.

Professional Dogs Still Get Paid

This point often surprises people.

Police dogs.
Search dogs.
Sport dogs.
Assistance dogs.

All of them still receive reinforcement, sometimes obvious, sometimes subtle, sometimes delayed, but always present.

What changes is:
• The type of reward
• The timing
• The delivery
• The visibility

What doesn’t change is the feedback loop.

Rewards Change Shape Over Time

As training progresses, rewards often shift from:
• Food → play
• Food → praise
• Food → access to environment
• Immediate → delayed
• Frequent → strategic

This is not fading rewards.
It’s layering reinforcement.

A dog that recalls and is released back to sniff has been rewarded.
A dog that heels and is sent to work has been rewarded.
A dog that performs well and hears a clear marker has been rewarded.

Payment doesn’t always come in sausage form.

When Rewards Should Increase Again

Here’s the part many people forget.

Reinforcement should increase when:
• The environment changes
• Distractions increase
• Stress rises
• Emotional pressure is present
• Criteria are raised

Stepping reinforcement back up is not failure.
It’s intelligent handling.

Good trainers are generous when things get hard.

The Danger of Withholding Rewards

Withholding reinforcement to “prove” training often leads to:
• Reduced effort
• Conflict behaviours
• Frustration
• Avoidance
• A dog that works only when managed

Reliability is not built by deprivation.
It’s built by consistent, fair feedback.

Lifelong Reinforcement Is Normal

Dogs are not machines.
They are learners.

Learning systems that rely on ongoing feedback remain strong.
Those that don’t eventually decay.

The question is not:

“How do I stop rewarding?”

It’s:

“How do I reinforce this in a way that suits real life?”

A Final Reality Check

You still get paid for work you learned years ago.
You still receive feedback.
You still respond better when effort is recognised.

Dogs are no different.

Expecting lifetime performance without reinforcement isn’t leadership, it’s unrealistic.

The Final Takeaway

Reward schedules are not about control.
They’re about communication.

Used properly, they:
• Build confidence
• Create reliability
• Strengthen relationships
• Reduce conflict
• Make training fair

Used poorly, they create confusion, frustration, and blame, usually aimed at the dog.

Train generously.
Progress thoughtfully.
Pay fairly.

Your dog will meet you there.

Merry Christmas everyone, hope you all have a lovely day 🐾❤️🐾

01/02/2026

Advocate for your dog. If you would like to know more, contact me 🙋🏼‍♀️
Your dog will thank you for it!

When strangers touch our dogs without consent, it can be unsettling for them—much like an unexpected touch feels to us. Dogs deserve respect and agency over their bodies. Politely guiding others to wait for the dog’s signals, like approaching willingly or leaning in, helps ensure interactions are safe and comfortable.

12/31/2025

This is the unseen side of the work I do with dogs—facilitating downregulation of the nervous system.

12/14/2025

09/28/2025

It’s Not Your Dog’s Job to Know What You Hoped For

Your dog wasn’t born knowing how to be the dog you imagined when you first brought them home. It’s not their job to figure that out. Their “job” is to do what feels safe and what helps them survive in the world.

If there’s something about your dog’s behaviour you’d like to change or improve, the first step is is understanding. Ask yourself:

What is my dog trying to start?

What is my dog trying to stop?

What does my dog need or want?

Every behaviour has a motivation behind it. Once we understand why our dogs are responding the way they do, we can step in with compassion. That means managing situations to reduce stress, and then helping them learn new ways to get their needs met, ways that work better in our human world.

In the end, it shouldnt be about expecting dogs to stop being dogs. It’s about building a bridge between what they need and what we need and thinking if our expectations are fair or idealistic.

Both sides can feel safe, understood, and connected when we consider the motivations and how we can support not surpress our dogs.

08/22/2025

I love it when people have this attitude 🙏🏻❤️🐶

08/15/2025

Colvin loves wrestling and roughhousing, and Tony is a great playmate!
If your dog has a preferred play style, they will appreciate having opportunities to play with like-minded, well-matched dogs!

07/07/2025

If you train with me, this is what you get 🐶