06/07/2026
Engaged Dogs offers SO much more than “dog training!”
While it’s fun and useful for our dogs to know some “obedience” based cues (think Sit, Down, Touch, Place, etc) the reality is that cultivating things like nervous system regulation, the ability to settle (teaching an “off switch,”) and safety based behaviors (like walking close when in crowds, ignoring other dogs/ humans/ kids/ squirrels/ etc) are infinitely more important and practical than traditional “dog training” typically offers.
An example:
Your dog may know tons of cues/ behaviors and be really good at them!
BUT if they are overstimulated/ fearful/ anxious/ etc and their nervous system is dysregulated, they are likely unable to perform and utilize those skills consistently. (This is a major contributor to why we hear “my dog is great inside, but loses it as soon as we got outside!”)
Similar to humans, we might have excellent skills and education experience, but when ANY emotion becomes *too much* and floods our systems with cortisol and adrenaline, we are not able to access and perform the required skills to manage the world properly.
Try not to get caught up on cues and tricks (though they are fun and have their place!) and instead focus on “how can I help my dog feel their best and be emotionally regulated?”
Need some help?
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