Megan Burnett Dog Behaviour & Training

28/09/2026

When is a dog’s behaviour beyond routine training? Learn when to involve a vet or behaviourist, what to tell the client, and how trainers can develop their skills.

06/08/2026

I recently worked on a really interesting case that highlighted the link between gut health and behaviour. Watch this space for the case study coming soon! 👀🐶

We often think about (and treat) pain, behaviour, stress and gastrointestinal health as separate problems. But the more we learn, the more we realise just how closely they're connected.

Just think...

• How many dogs with chronic pain also struggle with poor appetite, nausea, vomiting or unpredictable poo?

• How often does stress lead to diarrhoea or a queasy tummy?

• How difficult can it be to get a dog to take medication when they already feel unwell, even hidden in their favourite treat?

• How many dogs simply can't tolerate certain medications without tummy upsets or behaviour changes?

• And how does pain affect us? It makes us irritable, exhausted, anxious or low. Doesn't pain often feel worse, or harder to cope with. when you're already tired or miserable? Why would we expect our dogs to be any different?

Improving gut health can influence how a dog experiences pain. And pain can influence gut health.

I've seen it first-hand with my own dogs over many years, and Rupert's Tethered Cord Syndrome has pushed that understanding even further. We see these patterns repeatedly with our clients, we hear them echoed by the brilliant vets we work alongside, and the body of research in both dogs and people is becoming increasingly compelling in explaining these connections and how important they are.

Tomorrow evening I'm inviting you to join me for a free webinar exploring what the science tells us, how these systems interact, and how understanding those connections can help you better support your own dog or those you work with.

We're using Tethered Cord Syndrome as an example of a chronic pain condition, but the learning applies much more widely. If your dog lives with chronic pain, recurrent digestive issues, or both, I think you'll find plenty to take away, even if they've never been diagnosed with TCS.

📅 Thursday 6th August, 6.30pm BST

And as we know life is busy, everyone who signs up will also receive access to the recording afterwards.

25/06/2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

We adopted a 7 month old anxious Romanian rescue dog in February and Megan has been a great help providing lots of tips and reassurance while he settles. Her gentle approach has helped us develop a strong bond with him while slowly building up his confidence and resilience! Very understanding of different dogs needs, and uses positive reinforcement methods ensuring Appa's safety and wellbeing 💚

19/06/2026

PREVENTING BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS IN DOGS : THE IMPORTANCE OF GASTRO INTESTINAL HEALTH

A significant number and majority of our behaviour cases have a history of compromised gastro intestinal health or an ongoing, unresolved issue with their digestive health.

Symptoms can include;

💩 Stools that are frequently of a liquid > soft consistency
💩 Eating grass to the extent it appears in faeces or vomit
💩 Consumption of inedible and non food related (wrappers etc) items
💩 Gurgling stomach
💩 Terrible flatulence
💩 Inappetite or 'picky eating'
💩 Excessive appetite
💩 Low body condition score
💩 Tear staining
💩 Copraphagia and excessive gorging of herbivore poo
💩 Excessive scavenging (seeking/searching rather than opportunistic)
💩 Repeated a**l gland issues
💩 Frequent infections (skin, ear, a**l glands)
💩 Frequent licking behaviours
💩 Excessive mouthing and chewing
💩 Restlessness
💩 Conflict behaviours around food such as resource guarding or caching (relocating/moving/burrying/hiding food).
💩 Paying sudden attention (head flick around action) to the back end.
💩 Not wanting dogs to sniff their hind end.
💩 A roached spine / tucked up abdomen
💩 Touch sensitivity > can include avoidance of harnesses (walking equipment)

Some of these symptoms can be labelled as 'behavioural', and a suitably knowledgable and qualified person will know how to pick apart information via in depth assessment and narrow potential causes down.

Too often, symptoms are dismissed or normalised as 'just the way the things are for this dog'. This is quite commonly the case with 'picky eating' or varying stool consistency.

Occassional boughts of loose>liquid stools are often swiftly blamed on 'something the dog must have eaten'.

This is especially the case with puppies. Assumptions can be too quickly made, risking acute issues turning into a chronic problem.

There is now an abundance of research in humans as well as dogs that show the role the gut plays in emotional health.
A 2026 paper found that dogs with chronic enteropathy had compromised emotional health (linked in comments).

Compromised gut health can interfere with neurotransmitter activity. Neurotransmitters are 'chemicals' that are produced in the gut and brain and regulate emotions, arousal, the immune system and digestion.

Additionally, discomfort and pain (stomach cramps/spasms, bloating, inflammation of the gut etc) can all affect behaviour.

Trying to get on top of compromised gastro intestinal health can be challenging and for this reason it is important that people realise the sooner you identify that your dog's gut health is not at optimum and act- the better.

Long-term chronic issues can be harder to address!

Whilst hypo-allergenic food can support some dogs well- it is not uncommon for us to meet dogs who have been put on these these diets as a prilimary intervention who continue to exhibit the same symptoms as before the change of food.

These diets can make training much more challenging due to unpallatable food reducing motivation. The stress of exhibiting /engaging in some behaviour problems can then compomise gut health further.

Whilst it's important to relieve symptoms (and that sometimes involves medication) if the reason for compromised GI health has not been addressed- then the issue very likely won't go away.

Things to consider if your dog has ongoing GI issuees:

👩‍⚕️ Obviously, book them in with your vet!
But unfortunately, for many dogs the standard consultation time of 15-20 minutes is not always enough to understand and successfully treat the issue, including consideration as to what diagnostic tests may be best carried out. If your dog has a chronic issue, I would encourage you to request a double -slot so you and your vet can discuss things thoroughly.

🍖 Consider changing them to a food that has one animal protein and one carbohydrate. Caution if your dog has struggled with diet changes in the past. In some instances, a qualified nutritionist such as Junior @ Heal the Dog can support you and work alongside your vet.

👅 Doing a Nutriscan test for food intollerances

🦠 Running a microbiome screen (we recommend Biome4Pets)

🧠 Consider if your dog is too frequently stressed or too frequently in a heightened state of arousal.

🪱 Run a screen for parasitic infections such as Giardia and Campylobacter. You'd be surprised at how many of our cases test postive despite routine anti-parasitic treatments.
Link to a recent paper on Giardia in dogs and behaviour in the comments.

We recommend wormcount.com but your vet can test also (although there are two different ways to screen for the parasites).

Imagine if you had an upset stomach as often as your dog exhibits symptoms.

Would you just accept it as 'the way things are'?

Let's stop normalising sub optimal gastro intestinal health and increase awareness of how important a health gut is for emotional and behavioural health in dogs.

If your dog has compromised GI health AND behaviour problems, it is paramount you work with someone who works via VET REFERRAL.

This means the vet will send them your medical history and reading this will form part of the assessment process. You'd be amazed at what we can tell from some of our cases medical histories!

Your vet and behaviourist can then work together to support you as a team.

31/05/2026

25/05/2026

This weather really hits our industry hard.

Over the last few days, many of us in the dog industry have had to make the decision to cancel classes, workshops, walks, training sessions, daycare activities and events.

As small businesses, every cancellation has an impact. We lose income, spend hours rearranging schedules, and often absorb costs that can’t be recovered.

But dog welfare will always come first.

No class, walk, workshop or training session is worth putting a dog at risk. When temperatures soar, our responsibility is to keep dogs safe, even when it’s the harder business decision.

So today, I’d love to shine a light on the amazing small businesses who are also putting welfare first. If you know a dog trainer, walker, daycare, groomer, physio, hydrotherapist, pet sitter or any other pet professional who has been affected by the heat, tag them below and give them a follow.

Supporting small businesses costs nothing, but it can make a huge difference.

Let’s show some love to the people who spend every day caring for our dogs. ❤️🐾

22/05/2026

Stay safe in the sun this Bank Holiday weekend 🥵

The weather is really heating up this week! 🥵 Heat stroke can be fatal to dogs so it's really important to recognise the signs ☀️

Here's some tips to help you keep your dog safe and cool in the warmer weather:

☀️ Do NOT walk your dog if the temperature is 23 degrees or above. A missed walk is not the end of the world! Walk your dog in shaded areas away from pavement or at cooler times of the day, i.e., first thing in the morning, or late evening.

☀️ Make sure a supply of fresh water is always available, preferably with multiple water bowls.

☀️ Lay out damp towels or cool mats for resting on top of.

☀️ Encourage them to spend time in shaded areas away from direct sunlight. Have fun with a paddling pool or sprinkler!

☀️ Make up some cool treats by freezing stuffed Kongs or make some ice cube treats using your dog's favourite food.

☀️ If you're staying inside, close the curtains and use a fan if you have one to make the room cooler. Some dogs might prefer to lie on colder kitchen tiles.

Be extra cautious if you have a flat-faced or giant breed, a dog with thick fur or a dog with health conditions.

If you suspect your dog has heat stroke, contact your vet immediately.

21/05/2026

After a much needed refresh, my new website is now LIVE! 🎉

You can now:

🐾 Learn more about the behaviour support and puppy training services I offer, plus read FAQs and reviews from past clients.

🐾 Book a FREE discovery call — a chance for us to chat about your dog, your concerns, and whether I’m the right fit to support you before booking.

🐾 Access a dedicated referral space for vets working with clients who may benefit from behaviour support.

🐾 Get in touch more easily with a new WhatsApp chat option directly through the website.

I wanted to make the whole process feel clearer, simpler, and more supportive from the very first step — making it easier to access the right support for your dog.

Take a look here:
mbdogbehaviour.com 💻🐶

20/05/2026

It's National Rescue Dog Day 🐶❤️

Rescue dogs make up a large part of the dogs I work with, and it's one of my favourite parts of my job. It's so rewarding to see them be loved, learn to trust again, and their quirky personalities come out.

Post a photo of your rescue dog in the comments, and let me know your favourite thing about them!