03/11/2025 - News & Tips
Today after classes, I worked with an adult dog who hasn’t wanted to go on walks for months.
This behaviour came on suddenly and out of the blue — one day he just decided walks weren’t for him anymore.
This isn’t the first time I’ve dealt with a case like this, but every dog is different. There’s never one neat answer when a dog’s behaviour changes overnight. My job is to work out why.
When I meet a dog like this, I ask a lot of questions. Some may sound unrelated, but every single one helps me piece together the puzzle — what happened before, what’s changed at home, how the dog acts inside compared to outside.
I’m not just looking at the “walk” itself. I’m building a full picture of what the dog experiences every day.
Today, that process paid off. We got further down the road than he’s been in months — and more importantly, he looked relaxed and confident doing it.
Before working with dogs, I was Head of Problem Management for a large bank. My job was to investigate incidents, find the root cause, and — most importantly — make sure they didn’t happen again.
That experience taught me to look deeper than the surface. A dog refusing to walk isn’t just “stubbornness” — it’s communication. Something has shifted for them, and finding out what that is takes proper investigation, not a one-size-fits-all method.
Unfortunately, I often see dogs who’ve already been to other trainers with little or no progress. It’s not because the owners haven’t tried — it’s because cookie-cutter training methods rarely work for complex behaviour problems.
There’s no single “fix” for every dog. Some need confidence-building. Others need help managing pain, fear, or anxiety. Sometimes it’s environmental. Sometimes it’s emotional.
Good behaviour work takes curiosity, patience, and a tailored plan. That’s exactly how we made progress today — and I’m confident we’ll go even further next week.
If you’re struggling with something similar, don’t wait or hope it’ll go away. Get in touch and we’ll work out the best path forward together.
This isn’t a call for free advice — it’s a call to find out what type of support will actually help you and your dog.
Whether it’s classes or private sessions, we’ll help you get the results you’re looking for.
