Connect Behaviour Puppy & Dog Training

12/10/2026

🖐️ Hand Targeting: More Than Just a Fun Trick!

Did you know that teaching your dog to touch their nose to your palm is one of the most versatile tricks / skills? 🐕✨

Whether you call it a “Touch” or a hand target, this simple foundation behaviour serves so many real-world purposes:

Gentle Recall: Perfect for bringing your pup back to you and in close - great for adolescent dogs who choose to come so far back, then run off again 😆

Easy Positioning: Effortlessly guide your dog off the sofa, into a heel position, or onto the scales at the vet.

Confidence Builder: Fantastic for nervous dogs who need a safe, positive way to interact with new environments or people.

Focus Reset: Helps redirect your dog’s attention back to you when they start getting distracted on walks!

💡 Quick Step-by-Step to Try at Home:

1. Offer an open palm 2–3 inches away from your dog’s nose and to the side of their head.

2. The second their nose touches your palm, mark it (e.g., click or use your marker word like “YES!”) and reward immediately with a treat from your other hand!

3. Repeat a few times before adding your verbal cue like “Touch”.

💬 Do you want a step by step video on the HOW TO TEACH FROM SCRATCH?? Comment TOUCH below! 👇

11/10/2026

One of our puppy owners and their pup smashing their loose lead walking homework 🥰😍

Did you know loose lead walking & recall are the top 2 things most puppy & adolescent dog owners want / need and these are absolutely the two of main things we teach on our program 😍

09/10/2026

So we flipped it:
✅ No corrections for looking
✅ Taught him he can look AND look away
✅ Reinforced calm choices with play
✅ Lots of praise and enthusiasm from his owner

By the end, his tail was up and he was visibly more relaxed around his triggers. 🙌

Reactivity isn’t disobedience. It’s a dog telling you he’s struggling. We help him feel better, and the behaviour follows.

Struggling with a reactive dog? Send me a DM 📩

Hashtags

07/10/2026

If your dog barks, lunges or spins when they see another dog, a person or a bike, it’s usually fear, frustration or over-excitement, not a “bad dog.”

Swipe through to see why it keeps happening and what helps.

The good news is that reactivity can improve with the right plan and support. Walks can be calm and enjoyable for both of you.

💬 What’s your dog’s biggest trigger? Tell me below.

📩 Send this to a friend who’s struggling on walks.
🔖 Save it for your next walk.

Want help? Visit www.connectbehaviour.co.uk or message us.

05/10/2026

Got a reactive Dachshund? Here’s why—and how to help! 🐾👇

Dachshunds weren’t bred to be couch potatoes or quiet companion dogs. They were originally bred to be fierce, fearless hunters sent down dark holes to go face-to-face with big, aggressive badgers! 

When that intense drive has nowhere to go, it often turns into reactivity, barking, or tension. To help them relax, you need to scratch that genetic itch: 

PLAY! Let them chase, tug, and even destroy toys to channel their predatory drive. 

SCENT WORK: Engage their natural hunting sequence using their powerful nose. 

EXERCISE & REST: Pair solid physical activity with plenty of sleep so their brain can reset. 

Fulfilling these natural instincts leads to a much happier, calmer sausage dog! 🐕✨

Does your Dachshund love a good game of tug, or are they more obsessed with scent games? Let us know below!

01/10/2026

30/09/2026

Open doors shouldn’t equal automatic green lights! 🚪💥

Teaching door manners early is one of the most practical habits you can build with your puppy. Here is puppy Nelly working on her 1-2-1 training and learning that an open door doesn’t mean it’s time to bolt! 

Here is why we start this foundation so young:

1️⃣ Safety First: Preventing door-darting keeps your pup safe from roads, unexpected hazards, or running off into the unknown.

2️⃣ Impulse Control: Learning to wait builds self-regulation skills that transfer directly into every other area of training.

3️⃣ Setting the Tone: Calmness starts before you cross the threshold. Practicing patience at the door sets up a balanced, focused mindset for the entire walk ahead. 
Building reliable impulse control step-by-step makes everyday life so much easier (and safer)! 🐶✨

Has your pup mastered waiting at the door, or is it still a work in progress? Let us know in the comments below! 👇

28/09/2026

A post that saddens me to write—a post that causes me much anger, upset, and pain. Why?

Because I truly, deeply care about every single dog I work with.

I started my career as a dog trainer and behaviourist because I genuinely care about dogs and their well-being. I want owners to build an amazing relationship and connection with their dogs. Our dogs ask so little from us—just food, shelter, exercise, and kindness. Yet, even in this day and age, so many people still subject them to abuse every day.

Working in rescue opened my eyes to the abuse that happens behind closed doors, which is heartbreaking. But what is worse is when it comes from a “professional”—a “trainer” or “behaviourist” whom owners trust blindly, taking their words as gospel, when what is actually happening is clear abuse.

Abuse is a strong word, but no other word fits. Shutting a dog down, causing pain and discomfort to force obedience, and working in very close proximity to something the dog finds aversive refusing to allow them to express their natural instincts in order to demand robotic, military-style compliance is completely beyond me.

Today I had a deeply difficult session—not because we can’t help this dog (we absolutely can), but because a previous “professional” caused him to become far more aggressive and defensive. The moment the lead and equipment was removed today, he immediately went to react and bite. The previous training had suppressed his behavior when the lead was on because there was a bit consequence if he disobey. But the minute those tools were gone, his underlying emotions erupted. Like a volcano 🌋 He was scared, angry, and felt he had to protect himself before he got hurt again.

This is not okay!

Please, do your research before trusting anyone with your family pet. Dogs are not robots meant to blindly obey. They have emotions—big feelings, drives, and natural instincts. They are incredible animals when allowed to fulfill those needs safely. If you suppress them and force a lid onto the pressure cooker, it will eventually explode. 🤯 If something doesn’t sound or feel right, listen to your gut 🐕