East Coast Dog Training Norfolk & Suffolk

05/09/2026

HOW DO WE TEACH A REACTIVE DOG TO MAKE BETTER CHOICES? 🐾

Meet Nala and her owner, Sophie. 🤍

I first started working with Nala when she was just 4½ months old, beginning with puppy training and building those all-important early foundations.

Nala is now around 9 months old and well into adolescence, so our training has naturally progressed with her. We’re now working on more advanced skills, including engagement, lead control and helping her navigate her responses around other dogs and everyday triggers.

In this session, we’re working in a public environment around other dogs, always starting at a suitable distance where Nala can remain below threshold.

We begin by marking and rewarding calm engagement with a trigger. From there, we capture and reinforce those natural disengagements — the moments where she chooses to look away and reconnect with Sophie.

As Nala becomes more comfortable, we can give her greater freedom on the long line and allow her to make her own choices. You’ll see her notice dogs at a distance before naturally disengaging, as well as practising recalling back to Sophie around distractions.

Throughout the exercise, we’re constantly watching her body language. If we notice tension beginning to build, we can redirect or increase distance before she reaches the point of reacting.

Reactivity training isn’t about stopping a dog from noticing the world around them. It’s about helping them develop a calmer emotional response and giving them the skills and confidence to make better choices.

✨ Capture and reinforce those positive choices — the more we reward the behaviours we want, the more likely they are to be repeated.

It’s been lovely to see Nala progress from those early puppy foundations into adolescence, and we’ll continue adapting her training as she develops. 🐾

If you’re struggling with puppy training, adolescence or reactivity and would like bespoke 1-1 support tailored to you and your dog, please get in touch.

📞 07861 282262
🌐 www.eastcoastdogtraining.org

01/09/2026

🐾 PROGRESSIVE REACTIVITY TRAINING | Building Neutrality Around Other Dogs

Until starting our progressive reactivity sessions, Luna and Atlas had never met before.

I’d previously worked with both dogs and their handlers individually through 1-1 training, building the foundations to help them feel calmer, more confident and more responsive around other dogs.

These progressive sessions allow us to advance and proof those skills in a carefully controlled environment, working alongside another dog at a pace both dogs can cope with.

The focus of this session was very much neutrality. In the past, seeing another dog — particularly within close proximity — would have been enough to send both dogs over threshold and result in a reaction.

We started with both dogs on opposite sides of the fence line, giving them the freedom to notice one another, disengage and make their own choices without any pressure to interact.

We then headed out for a walk together, which was another brilliant opportunity to test their progress. Previously, walking in close proximity to another dog could have resulted in tension on the lead, heightened arousal and a lack of engagement with their handlers.

Instead, we were able to walk calmly alongside one another and introduce different real-life scenarios along the way — including parallel walking, changing distances, one dog remaining stationary while the other passed, and marking and rewarding calm engagement and natural disengagement.

It was such a lovely opportunity to proof everything we’ve been working on so far and show both dogs that another dog can simply exist within their environment without requiring a response.

And this is what progress can look like. 🤍

No corrections. No suppressing behaviour. No forcing interactions. Just ethical, carefully structured training, working at each dog’s pace and helping them develop the skills and confidence to make calmer choices.

So incredibly proud of Luna, Atlas and their handlers. 🐾

If you’re struggling with reactivity and would like to find out how I could offer bespoke 1-1 training for you and your dog, please get in touch.

🐾 East Coast Dog Training
📱 07861 282262
🌐 www.eastcoastdogtraining.org

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01/09/2026

🐾 Jodie & Pigeon’s progress so far! 🐾

When I first started working with Pigeon, walks were a real challenge. He was a very heavy puller, struggled to engage with Jodie and would become easily frustrated by everything happening around him.

Fast forward to our first training session in a public space, where we started putting everything we’ve been working on into practice around real-life distractions — and what a difference! 👏

We’re now seeing:

• Beautiful loose-lead walking on a long training line
• Natural check-ins and much stronger engagement with Jodie
• Calmly noticing people and choosing to disengage
• Recalling away from distractions
• Disengaging from other dogs at a suitable distance
• Much calmer, more structured and enjoyable walks

And we’re not finished yet! We still have a few sessions to go, but I’m incredibly proud of the progress Jodie and Pigeon have made already. ❤️

Lead walking isn’t just about stopping your dog from pulling. It’s about building engagement, improving communication and helping your dog make better choices in the environment.

If walks with your dog feel like a constant battle and you’re struggling with pulling, lack of engagement or overexcitement around distractions, get in touch to find out how my bespoke 1-1 training can help you and your dog.

📞 07861 282262
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.eastcoastdogtraining.org

20/08/2026

A little shoutout for Harmony & Lead 🐾💛

I work closely with Jodie and am always more than happy to recommend her to my clients who are looking for reliable, professional dog walking and pet care across Diss and the surrounding areas.

It’s so important to have someone you can genuinely trust with your dogs, and Jodie offers a fantastic range of services including solo and group walks, enrichment visits, home daycare, home visits and holiday care.

If you’re based in Diss or the surrounding areas and are looking for some extra support with your dog alongside their training, or simply need someone dependable to help with their day-to-day care, definitely give Harmony & Lead a follow. 🐶

13/08/2026

Bertie 🐶💙

05/08/2026

Barley 🐶💙

04/08/2026

From 1:1 Reactivity Training to Their First Group Class 🐾

Luna and Atlas had already completed their individual 1:1 reactivity training programmes before taking the next step into this small group progression class.

This was the very first time they had seen one another.

The aim wasn’t for the dogs to greet or interact. Instead, we focused on helping them notice one another, calmly disengage, and choose to check back in with their handlers. Each successful repetition helps build calmer, more neutral responses around other dogs, creating the foundation for relaxed, confident walks.

This was the first of four progression classes. Over the following sessions, we’ll continue reducing the distance between them and, if both dogs are comfortable and ready, work towards calm interactions up close.

I’m incredibly proud of both dogs and their owners. Progress like this doesn’t happen overnight, but with the right foundations, consistency, and a training plan tailored to each dog, it really is possible. ❤️

If your dog struggles around other dogs, you’re not alone. Whether it’s barking, lunging, pulling, or simply feeling overwhelmed, I’m here to help.

📍 Covering Norfolk & Suffolk
🐾 Certified Dog Trainer & Canine Reactivity Specialist
📞 07861 282 262
🌐 www.eastcoastdogtraining.org

31/07/2026

Monoco’s Reactivity Journey 🐾

Before vs Now

A few sessions into training, and Monoco is already showing just how much progress can be made when we strip things back and work at the dog’s pace. 🐾

Monoco is an adolescent German Shepherd who can become easily overwhelmed and frustrated by the world around her. She struggles with confidence and engagement with her handler, and traffic, people and other dogs can quickly push her over threshold — sometimes before her walk has really even begun.

These are just a few highlights from a trained walk I took Monoco on last week while her owners were away. The focus was on creating distance, keeping her below threshold and giving her the opportunity to calmly observe and process her environment without becoming overwhelmed.

She was able to calmly observe traffic, people and dogs at an appropriate distance, disengage, check back in with me and walk on a much looser lead — all while experiencing the environment at a level she could cope with.

We’re still in the early stages and there’s plenty more to work on, but she’s already making amazing progress. ❤️

By stripping things back, working at a suitable distance and using ethical, force-free training, we can build confidence and engagement without rushing or forcing a dog into situations they aren’t ready for.

Sometimes, stripping things back is exactly what allows us to move forward. 🐾

If you need support with your dog on walks, please get in touch.

Danielle | East Coast Dog Training
🐾 Reactivity Specialist & Certified Dog Trainer
📍 1-to-1 training across Norfolk & Suffolk
📞 07861 282 262

30/07/2026

Meet Ted, an eight-year-old Cockapoo who has always struggled with various household sounds and movements.

Things we might consider completely normal in everyday life — like the hoover — can be a real source of stress or over-arousal for some dogs. Simply exposing them to something repeatedly doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll eventually “get used to it”.

Here I’m working with Ted on changing how he feels about the hoover through gradual desensitisation and positive reinforcement.

We start at a level Ted can comfortably cope with, rewarding calm engagement and giving him the opportunity to process what’s happening without pushing him over threshold. Over time, we can gradually increase the difficulty as his confidence grows.

The aim isn’t simply to stop the barking or reaction — it’s to help Ted feel differently about the trigger in the first place.

This same approach can be used for lots of everyday challenges, from hoovers and doorbells to traffic, visitors, unfamiliar objects and other environmental triggers.

Every dog is different, which is why my training is tailored to the individual dog, their environment and the challenges they’re facing.

I offer 1-to-1 dog training across Norfolk & Suffolk, supporting everything from puppy foundations through to reactivity and more complex behavioural challenges.

📞 07861 282 262
📩 Get in touch to discuss how I can help you and your dog.

East Coast Dog Training
Certified Dog Trainer | Canine Reactivity Specialist