Dogs Behaving Better

14/01/2026

Beanie just turned 5 months old and graduated today from my puppy program. Her transformation from super-jumpy to calm, thinking, and responsive has taken just a few weeks. She's got the looks and charm, as well as the smarts!
p.s. that's an invisible fence collar

14/01/2026

YES! This is what I'm teaching every student.

CULTIVATING CALMNESS
We teach our dogs all sorts of things, but maybe don’t realize that teaching “calm” is an important behaviour that has so many positive applications for both us and our dogs.

Calmness is the foundation that allows dogs to think, problem solve, cope and become more resilient to the world around them.

A dog that can settle, regulate their emotions and recover from excitement or stress is far better equipped to handle everyday challenges such as unexpected events, new environments, other dogs, visitors etc.

Calm behaviour supports emotional resilience, reduces anxiety, and lowers the risk of stress-related reactive or unwanted behaviour. It also supports physical health, as chronic arousal can contribute to a lowered immune system, gut or digestive issues and suppressed recovery.

When dogs are taught how to switch off, rest, and feel safe, the nervous system can function at its best.

Some ways to teach calmness:
Settle on a mat or in another place and capturing and rewarding calm behaviour –
The Calm Settle - for dogs and puppies – by Emily Larlham -Kikopup
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr1olzgidMw

Scenting, sniffing and foraging are very effective and simple way to promote relaxation. These activities lower the pulse rate and create feelings of wellbeing.

Chewing is another powerful relaxation tool. Dogs use chewing to relieve stress, frustration or anxiety. Chewing has a calming effect on the adrenal-pituitary axis in the brain which triggers the release of endorphins. It’s like self-medication for stress or anxiety.

Relaxing music that is specifically made for dogs can also work well, especially with dogs that get over excited in a car or have storm or firework fear.

When playing an exciting, high-energy game with your dog, take frequent breaks before starting up again to help your dog wind down and become calmer.

Aromatherapy, ear or other types of massage are other ways to help create calmness.
TTouch massage - A gentle way to calm & connect from HeartDog https://www.heartdogtrainers.com/blog/ttouch-for-dogs
Aromatherapy for dogs
By Jackie Gowland - BSc. Animal Science & Advanced Canine Nutritionist
https://bit.ly/3NKM7qQ

Cortisol holidays are also really important after a stressful event to prevent trigger stacking and allow cortisol levels to return to normal.

Calm is not something we can force our dogs to be, but it’s an invaluable life skill that needs to be taught, practiced and reinforced on a regular basis.

08/01/2026

Enrichment is meeting all of their needs, from physical to mental to sensory to agency, security, and more.

Enrichment is NOT something you give your dog once a day.

Enrichment means meeting all of an animal’s physical, behavioral, and emotional needs to empower them to perform species-typical behaviors in healthy, safe, and appropriate ways.

It is not extra things you have to do for your pet. It is the everyday stuff that really matters: feeding, cuddling sniff sessions, or even just giving meds!

07/01/2026

Pain is so common but easily overlooked.

HURTING IN HIDING
WHY WE OFTEN MISS THE SIGNS THAT A DOG MAY BE IN PAIN

It’s natural to assume that dogs don’t have pain if they can run, play, fetch, jump or pull excitedly on leash, but dogs often hide pain extremely well, not just by nature, but from a flood of chemicals that the brain releases in response to various emotions.

These chemicals block and mask pain signaling and can take hours or even days to wear off. By the time we see obvious symptoms, the pain may have been there for a long time.

Often the earliest sign of pain is a change in behaviour, which is why pain should always be ruled out before starting any kind of behaviour modification plan.

I have often found it so frustrating when taking one of my dogs to the vet for what I can clearly see is a painful condition. Maybe it’s a limp, skipping or hopping when running or an aversion to touch in a certain body part. As soon as we get to the vet, the symptoms just magically disappear! The vet can find no pain, no abnormalities and I end up feeling like a neurotic mother!

But the condition is really there, it’s just been blocked and masked by a flood of chemicals in response to the stress and anxiety of the vet visit.

Dogs in pain might also pull more on leash when in pain. Just the anticipation of going out for a walk releases brain chemicals before the walk even starts. Moving forward at a fast pace may also reduce discomfort by shifting weight away from painful limbs or joints. This can make a painful dog look excited, eager and full of energy, even though they’re really struggling with pain.

“Trainers” that use aversive tools like prong collars, shock collars or choke chains will claim that they don’t cause pain or discomfort. The dog may look fine, unconcerned or even happy, but that’s because the chemical surge has blocked pain and discomfort in response to fear and anxiety.

Pain can be complicated to address when it’s not a visible condition like a dental problem, an ear infection, injury or similar.

The first step should always be a full vet check, remembering that stress at the vet can mask pain. A trial of pain meds is often beneficial.

It’s also useful to take videos of your dog showing symptoms that you could show to your vet.

An accredited Dynamic Dog Practitioner who is trained to assess gait, posture, and movement is so beneficial. This is done at your home over a period of time in a relaxed environment and a detailed assessment is provided to your vet for further evaluation.

We owe it to our dogs to look deeper when we feel something is “off”. Dogs don’t have words to tell us where it hurts. It’s our responsibility to advocate for them.

Changed behaviour usually means something physical changed first.

31/12/2025

Feeling gratitude for all my wonderful, amazing learners this year, canine and human! It's been a roller-coaster of events, emotions, highs and lows, personally and professionally.

Thank you for working with me to understand, communicate with, and support your puppies and dogs with training and all sorts of behavioral issues.

For 2026, be healthy first of all, and be kind to yourselves and your animals. And if you need help living in harmony with dogs, I'm here for you.

Private in-home dog and puppy training in Easton, Oxford, St Michaels in Talbot County MD. Positive reinforcement training that's fun for puppies and adult dogs needing life skills, leash skills, and behavior solutions. I am a certified professional dog trainer and behavior consultant.

24/12/2025

There’s much more going on with good training than what you see on the surface.

Most people think changing a dog’s behavior is just about giving treats or teaching tricks. In reality, it’s so much more than that.

It’s about cultivating a deeper understanding of your dog but also yourself.

It’s about meeting everyone’s needs.

It’s about reading stress signals and body language.

It’s about creating trust, breaking old cycles, and building a relationship where both you and your dog feel understood and confident.

And just so much more.

Behavior work isn’t a quick fix, it’s a partnership.

If you’re ready to take the next step and get support for your dog’s behavior, our team of experienced dog trainers and behavior consultants is here to help. Together, we’ll create a plan that meets both your needs and your dog’s, so you can build a happier, more harmonious household!

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Our prices will be increasing on January 1, 2026. Book a consultation now to lock in our current rates and secure your spot before the change! We offer behavior consultations virtually worldwide or training in the Chicago Suburbs! Link in bio for more details.

best online dog training program, online dog training for reactive dogs, dog trainers in Naperville IL, dog trainers Chicago suburbs

20/12/2025

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSZ5ldyjWWt/?igsh=MXBoM3Y1dm9xN29udg==

14/12/2025

Decompressing is for good stress too!

13/12/2025

If you feel the same way about training and need help, get in touch.

If this post resonates, welcome to your corner of the internet where where our dogs’ nervous systems matter, our needs matter, and the relationship comes first! 💙

22/11/2025

Positive reinforcement training makes dogs happy and eager to learn.
The old ways don’t.
Choose positive.

A lot of talk about training philosophies on social media in the last few days … so I want to add my 2 cents, too.

Deciding what training approach to take is really not so difficult. It can all come down to simply asking:

“How does my dog feel when we’re training?”

And in order to answer that … just look at your dog. Are they thrilled to be working with you? Are they excited to be your partner?
Or do they look like “Oh dang, I hope no 💩goes down today”

When a mistake happens (and yes they will happen at some point) - do they eagerly bounce back into starting position to try again?
Or do they look apprehensive and afraid of the consequences?

When you finish a session, does your dog seem elated and proud of themselves? Or do they look like “Thank god this is over”?

And speaking of ending a session … the vast majority of your dog’s time is spent NOT being trained by you.

So how does your dog feel during THAT time?

Are they happy to be in your presence? Do they seek out your company, do they ask you to play, are they excited to be around you? Do they come to you when they’re afraid and unsure of something?

The next time you wonder which way you should train, just ask yourself …

💚 “Am I making my dog smile?” 💚

Because if the answer is no, it’s time to change things 🙂

19/11/2025

Shock and prong collars are equally aversive and risk long-term damage that most guardians don’t perceive.

In case you haven't seen, there's a proposed USD 1.9million settlement in a class action lawsuit in California about "gravely dangerous" shock collars. Amongst other things, the court filings say “In reality, Shock Collar Products are far from safe and harmless. In fact, the use of electric shocks is gravely dangerous to the pets’ physical and psychological well-being.” The class action is about different kinds of shock collars (bark-activated, barriers, fences) and Californians who purchased a shock collar between October 1st 2018 and October 31st 2022 are eligible for the settlement.

Details via the link in bio or https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2025/11/shock-collars-in-dog-training-are.html

19/11/2025

Helping dogs Feel Better is the best way to make them Behave Better.

There’s a common misconception that dog trainers must have well-trained dogs themselves.

However, the truth is that positive dog trainers are passionate about helping dogs who need it most.

We work with those who struggle and need support, and we celebrate dogs expressing themselves freely, not through rigid training.

Our aim is to give them the best possible freedom and a fulfilling life.