Long-form pieces on how I think about dog training. The four modes, the Still Waters waterline model, body language, and why I almost never start a reactive case with walks.
Methodology · Foundation
Every dog's day, organised into four distinct modes with different expectations and different rules. Most behaviour problems aren't about the dog's temperament. They're about mode confusion. Once owners get the modes holding, the household changes fast.
Read the post →Methodology · Arousal
Reactive dogs aren't unpredictable. The Still Waters waterline model explains why the same dog will walk past six triggers and react to the seventh, and what you can do to actually lower the baseline rather than just manage the reaction.
Read the post →Methodology · Communication
Most owners watch their dog's tail and miss everything else. Body language is a constant signal. The bark is the last word in a long sentence. Once you can read it, you stop reacting to eruptions and start responding earlier, softer, and with better results.
Read the post →Methodology · Routine
A standard walk is a messy blend of EXPLORE and ANCHOR with no clear rules, run twice daily past a series of triggers the dog isn't ready for. For reactive dogs, walks are daily practice at reacting. Cycles replace them — until the dog has the regulation to handle a walk without both of you surviving the experience.
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