Eps 166. Control and Management

Debbie talks about what to do in the moment when your dog is reacting, from letting go of the embarrassment and staying cheerful with passers by to creating space, loosening the lead and using silly noises instead of your dog’s name. She also explains why the recovery afterwards matters just as much, and why the goal is fewer, smaller reactions with a quicker bounce back rather than avoiding the world altogether.   Get your 3 Day Free Trial at The Potter Pawcademy - Start Now! https://potter-pawcademy.mn.co/plans/1820577?bundle_token=01b2cc425e6324dc8f034beb4fc55837&utm_source=manual Get our emails - https://mailchi.mp/potterpaws.co.uk/jointhelist

Debbie talks about life with her new kitten in a house of three adult dogs, and why bringing a cat into a dog home can be far easier than adding a puppy to a cat home. She shares her theory that the age old feud between dogs and cats may really come down to frustration rather than hatred, and wonders whether cats who grow up with dogs start to act like dogs themselves. Get your 3 Day Free Trial at The Potter Pawcademy - Start Now! https://potter-pawcademy.mn.co/plans/1820577?bundle_token=01b2cc425e6324dc8f034beb4fc55837&utm_source=manual Get our emails - https://mailchi.mp/potterpaws.co.uk/jointhelist

Debbie talks about control and management, a phrase you will hear a lot in dog training, and explains why it is essential for real progress. Using everyday examples like dashing out of the front door and recall around rabbits, she shows how simple tools such as stair gates, locked doors and long lines stop your dog rehearsing unwanted behaviours while you train.    Get your 3 Day Free Trial at The Potter Pawcademy - Start Now! https://potter-pawcademy.mn.co/plans/1820577?bundle_token=01b2cc425e6324dc8f034beb4fc55837&utm_source=manual Get our emails - https://mailchi.mp/potterpaws.co.uk/jointhelist

Debbie talks about the behaviours we so often label as naughty, from jumping up and mouthing to ragging on the lead, and why they are usually a sign of overwhelm rather than deliberate mischief. She explains how these behaviours become rewarding, why timing matters so much when redirecting them, and how quieter signals like a “thinking scratch” can warn you before things escalate.    Get your 3 Day Free Trial at The Potter Pawcademy - Start Now! https://potter-pawcademy.mn.co/plans/1820577?bundle_token=01b2cc425e6324dc8f034beb4fc55837&utm_source=manual Get our emails - https://mailchi.mp/potterpaws.co.uk/jointhelist

Debbie reflects on the four dogs she has shared her adult life with and how each one arrived at exactly the moment she needed the lesson they brought, from steady consistency to patience and working at a dog’s own pace. She shares how her most challenging dogs reshaped not only her approach to training but her parenting too. Get your 3 Day Free Trial at The Potter Pawcademy - Start Now! https://potter-pawcademy.mn.co/plans/1820577?bundle_token=01b2cc425e6324dc8f034beb4fc55837&utm_source=manual Get our emails - https://mailchi.mp/potterpaws.co.uk/jointhelist

Debbie explores why some dogs bark at everything from the car when they are perfectly calm on walks, and how barrier frustration and being unable to move, sniff or read body language play a part. She explains why barking at passers by is rarely about protecting you, and why the confidence work you do outside transfers into the car and the window at home.  Get your 3 Day Free Trial at The Potter Pawcademy - Start Now! https://potter-pawcademy.mn.co/plans/1820577?bundle_token=01b2cc425e6324dc8f034beb4fc55837&utm_source=manual Get our emails - https://mailchi.mp/potterpaws.co.uk/jointhelist

Debbie tackles a question many dog owners quietly worry about: what happens if your dog never reaches the goal you have been training towards. She explores how character, breed and history shape what each dog can achieve, sharing honest stories about her own dogs, Dave, Rem and Fred, and the guilt and grief that can come with adjusting your expectations. Get your 3 Day Free Trial at The Potter Pawcademy - Start Now! https://potter-pawcademy.mn.co/plans/1820577?bundle_token=01b2cc425e6324dc8f034beb4fc55837&utm_source=manual Get our emails - https://mailchi.mp/potterpaws.co.uk/jointhelist

Debbie talks about something every dog owner reaches for without a second thought, the humble treat, and how, delivered in the wrong way, it can stop working as a reward. She explains how asking a nervous dog to overcome its fear to reach food can tip it into internal conflict, so the treat becomes a warning rather than a welcome. Get your 3 Day Free Trial at The Potter Pawcademy - Start Now! https://potter-pawcademy.mn.co/plans/1820577?bundle_token=01b2cc425e6324dc8f034beb4fc55837&utm_source=manual Get our emails - https://mailchi.mp/potterpaws.co.uk/jointhelist

Debbie explores how training should actually feel, arguing that enjoyment and connection matter just as much as results. She talks through the common reasons training starts to feel like a chore, from difficulty and lack of purpose to the pressure of expecting instant results, and explains why small wins deserve celebrating along the way.  Get your 3 Day Free Trial at The Potter Pawcademy - Start Now! https://potter-pawcademy.mn.co/plans/1820577?bundle_token=01b2cc425e6324dc8f034beb4fc55837&utm_source=manual Get our emails - https://mailchi.mp/potterpaws.co.uk/jointhelist

Debbie explores why asking for help is one of the fastest ways to accelerate progress with a reactive, anxious or struggling dog, and why so many dog owners resist reaching out until they're at breaking point. Get your 3 Day Free Trial at The Potter Pawcademy - Start Now! https://potter-pawcademy.mn.co/plans/1820577?bundle_token=01b2cc425e6324dc8f034beb4fc55837&utm_source=manual Get our emails - https://mailchi.mp/potterpaws.co.uk/jointhelist