Everyday Challenges & Behaviour Support
This section explores some of the common challenges dogs and their owners experience. You’ll find information on how to recognise them, and the ways I can support you and your dog to move forward with confidence.
Anxiety And Fear Based Behaviours
Fear and anxiety based behaviours can develop when a dog is feeling worried or unsafe. Fear is usually a response to something happening in the moment, while anxiety relates to ongoing or anticipated worry. These behaviours aren’t “bad” or naughty, they’re your dog’s way of coping and asking for help. With understanding, patience and kind, evidence-based support, we can help your dog feel safer, more settled and more relaxed over time.
These behaviours may include:
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Separation Anxiety - Signs of distress when left alone, such as vocalising, destruction or soiling.
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Noise Sensitivities and Phobias - Fear of thunderstorms, fireworks, household sounds or other loud or unpredictable noises.
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Social Fear - Worry or fear around unfamiliar people, children or other dogs.
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Handling or body sensitivity - Anxiety when being touched, handled, examined or groomed.
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Situational Fears- Fear linked to specific situations such as vet visits, car journeys, walking on new surfaces or being in unfamiliar environments.
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Trauma - Responses linked to past negative experiences or a lack of early exposure.
If you’re not sure which of these applies to your dog, we can explore this together during your initial consultation.
I get very worried sometimes....
"I'm so EXCITED!!!"
Reactivity and Over-Arousal
Reactvity and over-arousal can happen when a dog's emotions and nervous system become overloaded. In these moments, feelings become too intense for the dog to manage , making it difficult for them to stay calm or make good choices. This isn't because a dog is being difficult, but because they're overwhelmed.
With understanding, patience and kind, evidence-based support, dogs can learn to feel more settled, cope more effectively, and navigate the world with greater calm.
These behaviours may include the following:
Different Types of Reactivity
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Dog-to-dog reactivity - Often linked to fear, frustration or over-excitement.
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People-directed reactivity - Responses to unfamiliar or certain types of people.
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Lead / barrier reactivity - Reactivity when on the lead, behind fences, in the car or at windows.
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Territorial reactivity - Responses to people or dogs near the home, garden or car.
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Frustration-based reactivity - When a dog wants to reach something (often another dog or person) but can’t.
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Movement or predatory reactivity - Triggered by fast movement such as joggers, bikes, scooters or wildlife.
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Fear-based reactivity - Rooted in feeling unsafe or threatened.
Different Types of Over Arousal
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Environmental over-arousal - Becoming overwhelmed in busy or highly stimulating places.
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Social over-arousal - Over-excitement around people or other dogs.
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Play over-arousal - Emotions escalating during play, such as grabbing clothes or ignoring stop signals.
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Stress-accumulation over-arousal (sometimes called trigger stacking) -When smaller stresses build up over hours or days.
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Emotional regulation difficulties - Some dogs find it harder to shift from “excited” to “calm”, particularly young dogs or certain working breeds.
If any of this sounds familiar but you’re unsure where to start, we can explore this together during your initial consultation.
Puppy Foundations
Puppy foundation skills are the early building blocks that help puppies feel safe, confident and ready to explore the world around them. They support healthy emotional development, learning and positive relationships, giving your puppy the best possible start in life. Building these foundations early can help prevent difficulties later on and supports puppies to grow into calm, happy companions.
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Feeling safe being left for short periods.
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Settling calmly at home and in new environments.
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Comfortable handling and gentle restraint.
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Positive experiences with people, other dogs, and everyday life.
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Calm lead walking foundations.
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Focus and engagement with their owner.
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Responding to their name and basic cues.
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Relaxing around food, toys, and other resources.
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Confidence with everyday sights, sounds, and surfaces.
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Learning to cope with frustration and excitement.
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Developing good sleep and rest habits.
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Appropriate play skills and bite inhibition.
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Building resilience and emotional regulation.
Every puppy develops at their own pace, and I’ll support you in building these skills in a way that feels manageable and positive for you both.
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Teach me EVERYTHING!
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Such a good boy!
Everyday Manners and Confidence
Everyday manners and confidence-building skills help dogs feel comfortable and make good choices in daily life. They support emotional balance and positive interactions, and are particularly important during adolescence, when many dogs experience big changes and may find things harder to cope with.
Continuing this support through adolescence, revisiting skills as dogs mature, and introducing new ones when needed helps dogs grow into calm, confident adult companions.
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Settling calmly at home and in public places.
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Walking comfortably on the lead.
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Polite greetings with people.
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Relaxed behaviour around visitors.
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Choosing calm responses around other dogs.
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Reliable recall foundations.
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Waiting calmly for food, doors and attention.
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Coping with everyday frustrations.
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Confidence in new environments and situations.
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Recovering quickly from surprises or stress.
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Relaxing when activity is happening around them.
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Sharing space and resources peacefully.
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Responding to cues despite distractions.
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Taking breaks and switching off when needed.
If your dog is finding any of these stages challenging, I can support you to build these skills at a pace that feels right for you both.