Behaviour &

the Bond

You want your dog to be calm.

You want them to feel confident.

You want them to listen.

You want them to stop wrenching your

shoulder out of its socket on walks!

The solution starts with changing

the way they feel.

All living creatures are driven by emotion. Emotion dictates behaviour for every creature from flies to human beings.

Highly intelligent beings like you and me can learn to control our emotions and the behaviours attached to them, but even adult humans struggle with this!

Do you have perfect control of your temper? Do you have a 100% success rate at resisting temptation? Probably not.

Most "behaviour problems" are rooted in your dog's emotions. When dogs jump, pull on the leash, bite, chew, bark, or growl, they're obeying their feelings of excitement, anger, fear, or joy.

So that's where we need to start.

Step 1: Check Your Dog's Connection To You

Secure

The dog confidently explores new places with their caregiver, checks for their reaction to startling events for reassurance, and communicates needs clearly.

They look for their caregiver if left with a stranger, and quickly relax when the caregiver returns.

Associated behaviour problems:

None

Anxious

The dog clings to the caregiver and remains anxious, seeking physical contact when startled but staying stressed.

They panic if left with a stranger, remain distressed after reunion, and may not communicate needs clearly or engage in persistent attention-seeking.

Associated behaviour problems:

Aggression or fear toward strangers, separation anxiety disorder, negative

attention-seeking, destructiveness, reactivity.

Avoidant

The dog avoids eye contact with the caregiver, may dodge away when reached for, and doesn't seek closeness when startled or confused.

They respond minimally to their caregiver's return, don't differentiate between strangers and the caregiver, and try to meet their own needs directly.

Associated behaviour problems:

Aggression toward caregivers, ignoring caregiver, "stubbornness", avoids being leashed, rebellious behaviour, reactivity.

Does a Secure Attachment Solve Everything?

No, securely attached dogs can still develop bad habits or associations, but secure attachment is a critical first step.

A well-behaved dog starts with a secure attachment.

Your dog's basic sense of security is the foundation for all other learning and behavior.

Without that, you might struggle for years using clickers, treats, or special collars and harnesses to change your dog's behaviour with limited or inconsistent success.

It's like trying to teach algebra to someone who hasn't mastered multiplication.

Once we have a secure bond, then we can start tackling the dog's behaviour.

Step 2: Address the Root of the Problem

Sometimes, addressing your dog's feelings of security and self-sufficiency solves the problem on its own.

More commonly, new habits need to be built, and the dog needs to be taught how to regulate their own emotions.

We do this by using their attachment to you as a bridge to co-regulate and teach them calm and self-controlled behaviour.

Through step-by-step exercises aimed at addressing the root of the problem, you will learn how to co-regulate your dog until eventually they can regulate themselves on their own.

Step 3: Build on the Solid Foundation

The more confident and trusting your dog is in you, the more their brain seems to develop.

Suddenly your dog begins surprising you with their thoughtful communication and decision-making.

The more you build on this, the more astounding it will become!

Are You Ready To Move Toward Real, Sustainable Change In Your Dog's Behaviour?

Bond & Behaviour Package

In just two months, you could have an attentive, calmer, eager-to-please dog with our Bond & Behaviour Package.

$1600 for 8 weeks

Optional:

Follow-up/Maintenance - $279 for 2 sessions/month

8 weeks
8 hours of private one-on-one coaching
Hands-on help from a dog behavior expert
Empathetic and science-informed interpretations of your dog's behaviour .
Ensure your love is communicated clearly to your dog
Help your dog understand what you expect and would like from them
Get to the root cause of problems with leash walking, recall, barking, and destructive behaviour.
Connect online and in-person with a community of like-minded dog guardians who want the absolute best for their dog.

Click to Sign Up

Bond & Behaviour Package

In just two months, you could have an attentive, calmer, eager-to-please dog with our Bond & Behaviour Package.

$1600 for 8 weeks

Optional:

Follow-up/Maintenance - $279 for 2 sessions/month

8 weeks
8 hours of private one-on-one coaching
Hands-on help from a dog behavior expert
Empathetic and science-informed interpretations of your dog's behaviour .
Ensure your love is communicated clearly to your dog
Help your dog understand what you expect and would like from them
Get to the root cause of problems with leash walking, recall, barking, and destructive behaviour.
Connect online and in-person with a community of like-minded dog guardians who want the absolute best for their dog.

We work on land which was taken from the nations who had lived here for thousands of years. They are still here and they are still waiting patiently for us to stop being jerks about it.