Resource guarding is one of the most misunderstood canine behaviours. When a dog growls over food, stiffens around toys, or snaps when approached near a valued item, it is often labelled as dominant, possessive, or aggressive. In reality, resource guarding is not about ownership or...
Many behaviour challenges do not begin with disobedience. They begin with missed communication. Dogs are constantly communicating how they feel, but their language is subtle, easily overlooked, and often misunderstood. When these signals are missed or misinterpreted, dogs are left with fewer options and behaviour...
Loose Lead Walking: Why Calm Walking Is Built, Not Forced By Orlando dos Santos Loose lead walking is one of the most common training goals for dog guardians, and also one of the most misunderstood. Many people believe their dog pulls because they are stubborn, dominant, or deliberately...
Recall is often described as one of the most important behaviours a dog can learn, yet it is also one of the most fragile. Many dogs respond reliably at home but appear to “forget everything” the moment distractions appear. This is not because the dog...
Training Success Starts with Clarity By Orlando dos Santos Most people come to training with a problem. Their dog pulls on the lead, barks excessively, jumps on visitors, or reacts strongly to other dogs. The behaviour feels urgent, embarrassing, or overwhelming, and the natural instinct is to...
A lot of people think dog behaviour is simple. A dog is either: good, bad, obedient, or naughty. But behaviour is much more complicated than that. Dogs don’t behave randomly. Their behaviour is driven by needs. At CEWS, we use something called the SCARP Needs Wheel to help explain this. SCARP stands...
One of the biggest causes of reactivity is something many people don’t even notice. Lead tension. When the lead becomes tight, a lot changes for the dog. Movement becomes restricted. Pressure increases. And the dog starts feeling less in control. For many dogs, this feels...
How to Tell the Difference on WalksNot all barking means the same thing. And not all pulling means the same thing either. Sometimes dogs react because they are excited. Sometimes they react because they are scared. The tricky part is that both can look very...
Every reactive dog has a story. And most stories sound very similar. The dog barks at everything.Pulls constantly. Reacts on walks. And the owner feels exhausted and overwhelmed. Most people try the same things first: commands, treats, corrections, stopping and starting, or trying to control the dog more. But often the...