Walking With You - Dog Trainer

01/09/2026

🐾 Building Confidence Through New Experiences 🐾

Building confidence is such an important part of raising a happy, resilient dog—particularly during puppyhood and adolescence, when they are still learning how to navigate the world around them but also our older adult dogs who may struggle due to anxiety or previous negative experiences.

One simple way to build confidence is through novel experiences and outings. Giving your dog opportunities to explore unfamiliar places, textures, surfaces, sounds and environments can help them learn that new doesn’t have to mean scary.
The key is to allow them to explore at their own pace. Offer encouragement, positive reinforcement and support, but avoid forcing them onto or towards something they are unsure about. Confidence comes from having the opportunity to investigate, make choices and discover that they can safely handle something new.

Recently, I have been exploring this with our adolescent dog, Fox. We visited a different park where he encountered a boardwalk for the first time. The different feel and sound beneath his paws made something as simple as a walk into a completely new learning experience.

Novel experiences don’t need to be complicated or involve busy environments. In fact, quieter locations can be fantastic for confidence-building. You might try:
🐾 Exploring a quiet, unfamiliar local park
🐾 Walking across boardwalks, bridges or different pathways
🐾 Experiencing grass, sand, gravel, concrete, metal or other safe surfaces
🐾 Walking around the perimeter of a new school or community space outside busy times
🐾 Simply taking a different route on your usual walk

Those small moments of “I’ve never done this before… but I can do it” can gradually help build a more confident and adaptable dog.

24/08/2026

While this page has been quiet for the last 12 months, things have been far from quiet in my life and training! Walking With You has grown and built partnerships with a number of Perth vets and veterinary behaviourists including Kalmpets and Animal Sense - Perth Behaviour Veterinarian, meaning we can continue to support even more dogs and their humans navigating complex behavioural challenges. I have continued expanding my skills and knowledge as I work to complete the final modules of the well regarded Aggression In Dogs Master course, as well as attending seminars by amazing trainers like Ken Ramirez and Peta Clarke.

On the personal side (because there is life outside of dog training!) there have also been some exciting updates. Last October my wife and I got married, with our dogs as ring bearers of course. A week later we started fostering puppies through Dogs Refuge Home, with one particularly sickly young pup stealing our hearts and becoming a foster fail. Having fostered him from 5 weeks old and knowing his early life experiences were likely to make him a complex dog, Fox has put us through our paces as we have had to survive the typical puppy chaos and then a particularly challenging start to adolescence (we didn’t get a full night sleep for about 5 months). While he definitely still has his quirks, he is now thriving thanks to the support of Dr Kate at Kalmpets.

I look forward to continuing to keep this page active and growing because I have some other exciting updates to share in the coming weeks.

24/04/2025

Another great term complete with the new therapy dog I’m training. Kuzzie is a natural at the role and with a little bit of support he absolutely flourished in the role 🐾

Our BARK (Building Animal Relationships with Kids) program has wrapped up for Term 1 — and we celebrated in style with a paw-some graduation party!🎉

The kids enjoyed balloon animals from a friendly pirate, received graduation certificates, and got plenty of cuddles from the amazing therapy dog, Kuzzie the Cavoodle 🐶💛

Here’s to more wagging tails, happy hearts, and furry friendships in Term 2! 🌟🐾

[Image: A TV screen with “Welcome to BARK Graduation, Week 8” on it. Infront of the screen is Kuzzie, a golden Cavoodle with a scarf that says therapy dog. Infront of Kuzzie is a graduation certificate, a trophy and a red dog-shaped balloon animal.]

15/04/2025

One happy girl after her morning walk and train session 🐾

08/04/2025

How smooshable is that face 😍 Beautiful Amy is just 9 months old and an absolute delight. She is young and enthusiastic, but has been struggling with some anxiety since getting hit by a slow moving car after she escaped the yard. Thankfully Amy received no physical injuries but we are now focusing on rebuilding her confidence and safety in the world.

06/04/2025

Diesel use to pull like an absolute freight train and there was no way we could walk him around the neighbourhood. Now look at him! He walks like a champ and his reactivity towards other dogs has greatly improved. It’s taken time, patience and consistency, but he is a much happier and calmer dog.

05/04/2025

Saturday vibes with Charlie the Groodle 🐾

04/04/2025

Another day, another Teddy 🐻

I recently met this beautiful boy. Teddy is in the peak of adolescence and his humans wanted some additional support managing some of the challenging behaviours that were popping up. He excelled at training and after just one session showed great progress thanks to his enthusiasm for learning.

03/04/2025

Teddy has been thriving with his regular walk and train sessions. He may be a senior boy but you wouldn’t know it! His mum recently adopted him hoping for a calm companion to add to the home, however Teddy had other plans and doesn’t let his age slow him down. We have been working on his leash manners and selective reactivity towards other dogs, while also giving his mum ways to keep him busy on days she doesn’t feel up to getting him out.

20/01/2025

With a heatwave forecast in Perth this week - maybe it is time to teach your dog a new game that can be played in the airconditioning? Have fun and let us know how you go!