Positive reinforcement, fun and force-free (harm-free) methods are the best way to encourage your dog to repeat behaviours that you are happy with because it's rewarding for them to do so, instead of trying to help them understand that they've done something wrong.

Snuffle mats are 100% of a time a better choice over food bowls! Not only are they fun for dogs to use and snuffle out every piece, but they also help prevent boredom by allowing your pup to use their excess energy to problem solve using their nose!

The nose is the key! Think of it this way: After a long day of work, above we use our eyes and ears to consume content (a movie, music, social media, book reading) that helps decompress and relax. Just the same, we can help our dogs relax but mainly through their nose, by providing them with puzzles, snuffle mats and exercises for them to snuffle and use their nose in fun way that helps their brain relax. End these exercises with a stuffed Kong for even calmer results!

Absolutely not! Chances are that if your dog is walking out in front if you is because they're simply eager and looking forward to get somewhere for one reason or another and/or they've got too much energy at that moment which makes it difficult for them to walk in a more relaxed, at ease manner, whether it's in front of you or not. Focus more on why your dog may be choosing to walk the way they are, but it's a guarantee that it's not to dominate you and if you'd like your dog to walk different, you can make sure they're getting the opportunity to do so after they're already feeling mellow from fun and engaging activities with you!

This is entirely up to your preference! Whether you want your dog to sleep with you on your bed, or their own space (their own bed or crate) make sure that it's something you have them practice from a very young age! Dogs are a creature of habit and if sleeping on your bed is something that works for them, then they're going to repeat it until something else works better/instead, and it can be your responsibility to get them used to an alternative early on, so that you know you both have options, and as your dog gets a bit older and can understand you preferring one over the other at times. Be as consistent as possible early on so that you build the habits you want and that your dog is successful with before deciding to make changes!

To communicate and show how they're feeling at that specific moment, about the environment around them! A wagging tail can mean friendliness, happiness, excitement, and feeling good about something. To be more certain of how your dog is truly feeling, please make sure that you're looking at your dog's body language in its entirety. Ears, eyes, hair, body stiffness, mouth etc!

Generally speaking no. This can be a cause of stress for dogs and oftentimes the scenarios where it looks like our dogs are 'protecting' us from something or someone is more likely a case of resource guarding, where the resource they're guarding is you. Even resource guarding, which is common for dogs and animals (including us) to do for one reason or another isn't a pleasant one. And although the idea of our dogs wanting to protect us and vice versa can be nice, it's best that they play the role of family pet, friend and companion rather than protector. As there are many complicated human-made scenarios where dogs just aren't well equipped to know and differentiate whether they should respond in one way or another, meaning it's better to take the safer side and have ourselves be the ones to protect them and be there for them!

Absolutely not! However.. as we ourselves get paid for the work and efforts we do, there's no reason our dogs shouldn't get compensated for wanted behaviour. That said, there are many ways that we reward ourselves and others when we do something we're happy about. Simply feeling accomplished is a reward, but while we're working on shaping a wanted behaviour in a dog, especially a puppy, we can use treats, and sometimes even their kibble (which they will be getting on a daily, anyway) to reinforce desired actions. Just as well, incorporating food into daily activities and exercises can and will make a healthier, more responsive, fulfilled, and obedient pooch!

100% However not in terms of what type of training but rather what type of enrichment activities and exercises you should consider based on your dog's breed. A common misconception is that a breed is harder to train or raise than others, and although they each have different needs and at different levels, when we first consider training we must think of setting our dogs (regardless of their breed) to be successful thanks to our guidance. A pug can end up requiring more training than a german shepherd, if we don't provide him with proper guidance, training and what they need as a dog and individual from the start, first and foremost!

Let's jump straight into a few examples! 1. When you're walking your dog and you ask him to sit but he doesn't listen. If sitting is something your dog normally does on walks with little difficulty, if you're finding that they're struggling to do so all of a sudden, you should first take a moment to wonder if there are any external factors (such as noises, smells, people, dogs, or cars, etc) that are either distracting or concerning to your dog. If so, then the best thing you can do is avoid repeating the verbal command/cue and instead help your dog walk away in a fun, light way until they feel more at ease and you can reconnect with one another, before trying again. 2. When you're in a classroom (for dog training) and your dog isn't listening. Break down the lesson you're trying to work on, with your dog that you're finding they're struggling with. Your trainer can help you with this, but the most important thing when it comes to your dog not listening is how you react. Practice making things easier for your dog by re-trying the lessons/commands you're working on with your dog, in a way that is more doable for you both. If your dog isn't listening, chances are they're either having an off day, they're tired, overstimulated, or feeling too distracted. Ge what you can during class but be sure to practice again, at home. 3. When you're at the dog park/at a social setting and he doesn't listen. From experience, in social settings, most pet parents tend to speak and expect their dogs to listen when they're doing something they're not happy with. If this is a habit that has been forming over time, it might be wisest to revisit these environments as a whole. If your dog isn't successfully listening to you here and there, the best thing for you to do is to help them walk away (preferably done using a leash) and try speaking to them once again when they've reconnected with you and given you more of their attention. If they're struggling to focus on your voice in a social setting, it could be due to similarly challenging elements as the first example. To conclude, the common denominator among all examples above is that before expecting your dog to listen to you, you will want to practice even more listening on your part. One thing is for sure: dogs aren't listening on purpose or because they don't want to. They're simply reacting to their environment around them and if you pay close attention to it and them, you will be even more in tune with your dog which will let your dog know that you listen to them as well!