The Canine Behaviour Academy

06/09/2026

Reactive dogs need time to unwind and that’s what we give them at Canine Calm Club.

Space to relax and regulate so when they do see another dog they feel calm and confident.

Max, Anouk, McCoy and Winnie did so well today at their first session. Big shout out to all the handlers who slowed down with their dogs and did some really great lead management.

02/09/2026

Henry is an Australian Cattle Dog. He is very gentle and affectionate with people but the farm animals are over him!

He is a young fella and he is looking for work to do. His herding instinct have him chasing the Clydesdale, ducks, sheep, cattle and his favourite - the geese!

Today we worked on impulse control, introduced cues for stopping during stalking, coming around stock and we turned up recall. We also taugh him how to get in the ute using an esky for a step. 🤣❤️🐶

01/09/2026

21/08/2026

Does your dog really enjoy walks?

Let’s think about this for a moment.

Ask yourself is your dogs barking, lunging or unmanageable on lead?

Are walks stressful for you?

We hang on to the idea we need to take our dog on walks around the streets and we can become disheartened when the reality is actually stressful for us and our dogs.

If any of the above sounds familiar chances are your dog may love an outing but might not enjoy the neighbourhood walk.

If you would like to reimagine this, try taking your dog to a wide open space and let them explore on a longline lead. Walk in big circles not in straight lines this will be difficult for you at first. Sit and watch nature- I bet you will get bored before they do! Scatter treats in the grass to get them sniffing or try scent work at home or in the garden.

There are many things we can do to help our dogs relax without pounding the pavement but it might require a shift in mindset and a curiosity to try something new.

11/08/2026

This is Anouk.

When she was a puppy, two off lead dogs attacked her in a public space - their owner arrived at the scene way to late. The family fought off the dogs as best they could until the owner final arrived.

For Anouk and her family the emotional scars are deeply embedded. As Anouk gets older she feels frightened and apprehensive of other dogs especially when she is on lead.

Her barking and lunging look scary and have been increasingly difficult to manage. Her family are dedicated to learning how to support Anouk.

I can’t wait to see this girls confidence grow over the coming weeks so she can relax and enjoy her outings.

09/08/2026

Whylie is our rescue pup. Originally I was looking for activities that would help her recover from a tricky start to life.

She is the reason I became interested in Mantrailing and became a qualified instructor so I can share this fun activity with other people looking to help build their dog’s confidence.

26/07/2026

Thank you everyone for such a wonderful weekend. It was great to catch up and have a laugh with old friends and new friends. Whylie and I learnt so much.

11/07/2026

05/07/2026

There is still a belief out there that we can train through some of our dogs challenging behaviours.

Instead of looking at each behaviour let’s zoom out and take a look at the whole dog to understand what is really going on.

Our busy world is full of sights and sounds that can cause our dogs stress. When there is no letting up this stress becomes chronic.

Sometimes your job is to turn the volume down (literally and metaphorically). Learn to read your dog’s body language and understand when they are stressed. Take a trigger inventory so you know exactly what freaks them out.

Avoid some or all of those triggers and take days off- in nature or just at home-to allow your dog to sleep, relax and regulate.

Teach and practise pattern games and treat yo-yos so when you’re out in the world you have some low criteria options to relieve your dog’s tension and aid recovery.

Stop worrying about people judging you and your dog, seriously, all that matters is you keep showing up for them.

Safety can change behaviour.

28/06/2026

Core to much of my work is rehabilitating rescue pups, showing them and their guardians how to navigate an often hectic and overwhelming world.

This is darling Walter recently rehomed from Lab Rescue. The session started with Walter lunging and barking at me as I open the car door.

Dogs never cease to amaze me. With many rescues if you build trust and lead with love it doesnt take long to make a genuine connection.