GuidesPractical guides for owners of nervous, anxious and reactive dogs.

Written once and kept up to date, rather than a blog. Each one answers a question I get asked in consultations.

• The Tellington TTouch harness for nervous dogs

  How the Tellington TTouch harness changed my nervous dog's walks — what it is, why the two connection points matter, and how to fit one.

• Is your dog's behaviour caused by pain?

  Bunny hopping, a shortened stride, refusing food near a trigger, broken sleep. The physical signs behind behaviour that looks like fear or reactivity.

• Enrichment and freework for anxious dogs

  Scatter feeding, foraging mats and ACE freework — how sniffing lowers arousal, and what to try first with a nervous dog.

• Muzzle training without the stigma

  Why a muzzle is a kindness for some dogs, how to introduce one so your dog likes it, and choosing a shape that lets them pant and drink.

• Long lines and decompression walks

  Why a five-metre line beats a retractable lead, where to walk a dog who cannot cope with other dogs, and how sniffing brings arousal down.

• Tug toys and building confidence

  Letting your dog win, why tug is not about dominance, and how play builds the engagement that nervous dogs need on a walk.

• Calming products for anxious dogs: what actually helps

  Pet Remedy, plug-ins, sprays and bandanas — what the evidence supports, what to expect, and what no product can do on its own.

• Natural chews and why chewing calms dogs

  Chewing releases stress, but it can also signal pain. What to offer, what to avoid, and what a sudden increase in chewing may mean.

• Dogs from overseas: Romanian and imported rescue dogs

  What is different about a dog who arrived from abroad, why the first months matter, and how to build safety before asking for anything.

• Understanding your dog's stress bucket (PDF)

  Dr Sarah Heath's bath tub analogy — why everyday stresses stack up, why a calm dog can suddenly stop coping, and how rest lets the bucket drain. A one-page printable leaflet.

• The sensitive dog (PDF)

  What a sensitive dog is, how dogs communicate through body language, the Ladder of Aggression, and trigger stacking — with practical ways to help. A two-page printable leaflet.

• Reading your dog's body language (PDF)

  Kendal Shepherd's Ladder of Aggression explained — the quiet signals dogs give before they have to shout, how to read eyes, ears, mouth, tail and body, why a freeze and stare needs extra care, and what to do when you see the signals. A two-page printable leaflet.

• Free Work (PDF)

  An introduction to Free Work, part of Sarah Fisher's ACE (Animal Centred Education) — letting your dog sniff, explore and choose while you quietly watch, what it can tell you, and how to set up a simple, safe session at home. A two-page printable leaflet.

• Setting your dog up for walking success (PDF)

  Choosing and fitting a shoulder-friendly harness and lead, why dogs pull (and why huskies are bred to), and how to plan calmer walks — before you go, while you're out and when you get home. A two-page printable leaflet.

• Calmer grooming (PDF)

  Inspired by Sue Williamson's Taking the Grrr out of Grooming — building trust before the task, the consent check, where on the body to start, setting up at home, and choosing a low-stress groomer. A two-page printable leaflet.

• Helping your dog switch off (PDF)

  The body's "accelerator" and "brake", what the vagus nerve does, signs your dog is relaxing, and calm, natural ways to help them rest — sniffing, licking, slow touch, sleep and your own calm. A two-page printable leaflet.