In this video I discuss why we need to reconsider our mindset around dog training and behaviour support

A Dog Centred Care approach invites carers and dog professionals to explore the emotional experience that drives dog behaviour and move beyond the usual judgements, expectations and labels that can often hold us back.

Dogs share many of the emotional and physiological responses we do. Like us, their behaviour will be driven by how they are ‘feeling’, and the only way they can communicate that emotional need is through their behaviour. The need to feel safe is a primary driver. Often the dog is seeking some form of ‘relief’ to feel differently. This may be relief from physical pain or discomfort or emotional or social pain or discomfort.

When we understand these emotional and physical care and support needs, we can move away from the traditional emphasis of arbitrarily creating/changing behaviours. Instead, we can find ways to offer the dog the safety and relief they seek, and support behaviours that are innately useful to them and that aid self regulation.

This is the power of a Dog Centred Care Approach.

You will find lots of my work on this page where I have shared my thoughts about working in this way with dogs and supporting their caregivers.

If you would like to host me for talks, podcasts, conference or other media appearances, please use the contact form at the bottom of the page.

Gallery

Here are some of the graphics I use for social media. As well as the social media graphics I designed, all the bespoke artwork is designed and created by my amazing colleague Denise O'Moore at Mighty Dog Graphics. I would like to thank Denise for the many years of friendship and support and for bringing my ideas to life with such powerful artwork.

Personal Blogs and Media

I love sharing my passion for exploring the emotional side of behaviour, and I have been lucky enough to speak about this at many of the leading animal welfare and dog behaviour conferences around the world.

I have also written many articles on the subject, some of them are linked below.

I have been invited on to lots of podcasts and media platforms as well to share these thoughts and you can find some of them here. If you would like me to speak at an event, or guest on any media platforms, please get in touch via the contact form below.

I am invited as a guest on lots of podcasts to talk about the emotional experience.

Here is a small selection.

And here is a playlist of some more podcasts where I have guested and talked about the emotional experience for us and our dogs

Dog Centred Care TV

Check out my YouTube channel where you will find recordings of all my FB live chats with the most amazing guests. You will find every aspect of the emotional experience covered in these conversations - Physical, emotional and social pain, trauma, physiology, learning, safety needs, neurology to name but a few of the topics. My guests are all leaders in their field and include scientists, veterinarians, trainers and behaviour experts. Just click the image to go to the channel and subscribe to get easy access to all the chats and notification about new FB lives.

Here is a selection of some more video media I have been involved in, from presentation at conferences, to being a guest on popular platforms.

Don't forget you can watch all my own Dog Centred Care chats, and see other media where I have been appearing, over on my Dogcc YouTube Channel. Just click subscribe below to go there.

Here is a selection of some of my articles and blog posts.

Phantom of the Operant

This was the article that really got people talking ! It looks at why we need to consider behaviour through a different lens, and not just how we can seek to change it through training.

Time and space

Two little words that mean a lot ! They really are at the heart of everything we do. Click here to read my article on why they are important.

A New Year Message of Hope

This blog post looks at how a powerful message of compassion and care is, and will continue, to make a positive change for dogs.

The Three Promises

Three promises to ensure we are doing all we can to support the dogs that come into our care.

Whose Behaviour is it Anyway ?

What is behaviour? So many models, so many disciplines that have been formed to explore it. We like to judge it, label it, define it etc. Click here for my take on an important aspect of behaviour we don't always take into accoune.

Dog Centred Care : Getting right end of the stick

A dog centred care approach is about trying to put our own judgements and expectations to one side, and consider what lies beneath the dog's behaviour. This article explores this.

Collaboration and CAKE!

CAKE : Compassion, Awareness, Knowledge and Empathy. Read more in the article about why brining is 'CAKE: is so important.

Emotional Truth of Dogs

Like us, our dogs have an emotional truth that they are waiting for us to work out.

My Take on Punishment

There is already so much good stuff written about the negative impacts of using punishment and aversive training, so I didn’t want to visit that ground as such, but to take a broader look at it.

Redefining 'aggression' : The reality for RED ZONE dogs.

I am passionate that we need to challenge this narrative, and change the language and approaches to working with ‘aggression’ cases. In this article I explain why