17/02/2026
My weigh in on the 'woke' trainer debate!
As a 'woke' trainer and behaviour professional i can assure you that i say no to dogs all the time! Dogs need boundaries and rules the same as everything else.
It is how you implement a no and a boundary that is important! I don't say no and the wallop my dog, the same as I wouldn't say no to a child and then wallop them!
When you say no it means you want that behaviour to cease and for something else to happen in its place. How would you do that?
For example, no, don't steal my shoes - becomes, no thank you, I will have that, here are your toys you may have them. I make the toys accessible and available to the dog. I remove the item I want back and set the dog up to succeed by providing the alternative.
It is about educating at the level the dog understands. If the dog gets enjoyment from the item it is allowed and not the item it is not allowed then it ends up understanding and wanting the item it is allowed! Education at the level of the animal/child in front of you!
'Woke' is a human concept, it means nothing to dogs!
If a dog is reactive then look at why. Usually it is a coping strategy the dog has employed to deal with an environment they don't like. It isn't to do with being woke at all. There are a lot of factors at play when a dog is reactive, genetics, experiences, practiced behaviour, lack of owner awareness, lack of enrichment and meeting the dogs needs.
Most dog owners miss subtle body language that dogs convey to show they are uncomfortable. They are told to socialise their dogs to avoid reactivity, but with some dogs who are not happy around other dogs it makes them worse. Reading your dog, ensuring they are comfortable in situations and working at a pace which works for them can help avoid reactivity.
Helping the dog to cope, reading your dog, removing them from environments which make them uncomfortable and feeling like they have to react is not woke, it is ethical and in the best interest of the dog!
It isn't about not saying no! Dogs get worried by things, they get nervous, they get scared - they have feelings. As their owner, if you can understand this and support the dog to overcome this then you won't have a reactive dog!
Aggression is rarely something which just happens, all behaviour tells a story. Dogs can't talk and tell you how they feel! So we have to learn to read dog and we need to do better to help them!
If a child is scared of clowns, putting them in a room of clowns and letting them get over it won't make them less scared. It will probably lead to a lifetime of being scared of clowns! Putting your nervous puppy in a puppy party and letting them get on with it will do the same thing! But a dog can't say it is scared so will develop a coping strategy to make other dogs go away!
So if approaching dogs with a view of helping them feel secure and safe is 'woke', then I will choose that every time over making a dog feel so uncomfortable that they feel the need to react!
I love my dogs, I love the dogs i work with and I will not apologise for that - EVER!
I want the best for my dogs and the dogs I work with!
If that means I am woke then I will wear that badge with honour and pride!
