Chris Taylor-Rea - Dog Training

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Chris Taylor-Rea - Dog Training 🐕 Dog Behaviourist | Trainer | Human Coach
🐾 Behaviour transformation expert
✅ 10+ years’ experience
💻 Online and in person
📧 Let’s connect

16/10/2026

🐕 Want to improve your loose lead walking while having FUN? Try this game! 🎯

This is one of my go-to games for combining fun and learning into one exercise. You get a short burst of loose lead walking, followed by a searching game your dog will LOVE! 🐾

But why does it work so well? 👇

🧠 1. Self-control
Your dog learns to resist the temptation to chase the food as you throw it.

👀 2. Focus & concentration
They need to move away from the food, remember where it landed and maintain their heel position while you walk.

🐕 3. Body awareness
As you turn towards your dog, they need to be aware of their position and keep an eye on you. You can reward eye contact here for a bonus reward!

🎉 4. A rewarding finish
When you're ready, use your release word, such as “SEARCH” or “FREE”, and let your dog hunt for the treat. Watch how much they enjoy using their nose to find it!

🎾 BONUS TIP: Got a dog who loves toys more than food? Swap the treat for a toy and use the same principle!

The beauty of this game is that you're not just practising loose lead walking. You're building focus, self-control and engagement while keeping your dog motivated and having fun.

Because training shouldn't just be about what we want our dogs to learn. It's about making the learning experience enjoyable, too! ❤️

🐾 Save this post and give it a try on your next walk!

15/10/2026

“My dog isn’t food motivated.”

I hear this all the time when I suggest using food rewards on walks.

But here’s the truth:

Most dogs ARE food motivated.
The problem is usually something else.

When I run training assessments, I ask clients to bring 3 types of food:

• High value (chicken, cheese)
• Medium value (training treats)
• Low value (their normal kibble)

Why?

Because what a dog will eat tells me where their head is at.

If a dog happily eats low value food during training, they’re relaxed and able to learn.

But if a normally foody dog suddenly refuses food…

That tells me they’re struggling.

Here are the 3 most common reasons people think their dog “isn’t food motivated”:

1️⃣ Your dog is overwhelmed

Your dog takes treats normally…
but stops when another dog appears, a stranger approaches, or you’re at the vet.

That’s because the fight-or-flight system has kicked in.

When this happens, digestion shuts down and the body focuses on survival.

Think about it —
could you eat right before public speaking or a bungee jump?

That’s stress, not lack of food motivation.

2️⃣ The reward isn’t valuable enough

If you’re offering the same kibble they get in their bowl every day…

That’s like paying minimum wage.

Training rewards should be worth working for.

Better rewards = stronger motivation = faster learning.

3️⃣ Food drive was never built

Some dogs simply haven’t learned that working for food is rewarding.

You can build this by:

• feeding set meals instead of free feeding
• using food to teach easy tricks at home
• tossing treats so your dog chases them
• practising these games on lead
• moving training from home → garden → quiet outdoor spaces

Food motivation isn’t always natural.

Sometimes it’s something we build.

Work with a trainer who knows how to develop food drive, not just abandon it.

Your dog may be more food motivated than you think.

Save this if you have a dog who “isn’t food motivated.” 🐾

14/10/2026

Having your dog stay calm through the front door is an absolute game changer if you’re working on loose lead walking.

If your dog charges through the door like a rocket, they’re already starting the walk in the wrong mindset. That usually means pulling for the first 10 minutes, which reinforces the exact opposite of what you’re trying to teach.

This exercise might take you 10 minutes on day one, but it’s worth every second.

Why?

Because your dog leaves the house calmer, more regulated, and ready to learn from the very first step.

Combine this with my last video on keeping your dog calm when they see the harness, and you’ll be setting your walk up for success before you’ve even hit the pavement.

Save this for your next walk, and go back and watch the harness video if you haven’t seen it yet.

14/10/2026

For dogs who think lead off = FK OFF**, try this 👇

Teach your dog that taking the lead off doesn’t automatically mean they’re free to run.

Lead off → dog checks in with you → “FREE” → go and enjoy the world. 🌎

That verbal release cue is really powerful because you can eventually use “FREE” as the reward for a successful recall.

So instead of calling your dog back, giving them a treat or toy, and then putting the lead back on, you can recall them and say:

“Good! FREE!”

…and let them go straight back to whatever they were doing.

You’re teaching them that coming back to you doesn’t always mean the fun ends.

If your dog shoots off the second they hear the clip, practise with two leads attached so you still have control while teaching the behaviour.

Lead off ≠ freedom. You decide when they’re FREE.

📌 SAVE this for your next off-lead training session — and SHARE it with someone whose dog thinks unclipping the lead means they’ve been released into the wild. 😂

14/10/2026

STOP trying to calm your gundog down with more walks... add these games instead.

Many gundog owners fall into the trap of thinking that if their dog is full of energy, they simply need more exercise. But for most gundogs, endless walks can actually build fitness without meeting the needs they were originally bred for.

What often leaves a gundog feeling truly satisfied is the opportunity to use their brain, work with their handler, and engage in activities that tap into their natural instincts.

In this video, I'm sharing 3 simple games that help channel those natural hunting, retrieving and searching instincts in a productive way. These games can improve focus, build engagement, strengthen your relationship, and help create a calmer dog at home.

Remember: a tired dog isn't always a fulfilled dog. The goal isn't just physical exercise—it's providing the right kind of mental and instinctive outlets that your dog was bred to enjoy.

I'd love to know: what does a typical day look like for your gundog? Do you focus mainly on walks, training, retrieves, scent work, or a mixture of everything?

Drop a comment below 👇

13/10/2026

3 reasons your dog won’t settle in cafés & bars — and how to fix it ☕🐶

Want your dog to relax in a café without barking or struggling to switch off?

Settling in busy environments is a skill your dog needs to learn. Here’s how 👇

1️⃣ Teach them at home first

🛋️ Practise at a naturally calm time.
🪢 Clip the lead on (a different one from your walking lead can help avoid excitement cues).
⭐ Reward calm behaviour and relaxation.

TOP TIP: Pair settling with a specific blanket! 🧺 With practice, it becomes a portable settle cue for your dog — a bit like how your pillow signals bedtime to you.

Practise at home first. Don't expect your puppy to understand it in a busy café straight away!

2️⃣ Reinforce the stages of settling

Don't wait for a full nap. Reward the process of relaxing:

🐾 Lying down
🐾 Resting their head
🐾 Deep sighing
🐾 Rolling onto their side
🐾 Yawning or soft blinking

You're teaching them that calm behaviour pays off. ⭐

3️⃣ Practise doing nothing

Most dogs practise movement all day, but how often do they practise switching off?

📍 Stand still for a minute, gradually building to two.
📍 Sit on a bench and watch the world go by.
📍 Bring their blanket and practise settling in different places.

Don't skip straight to a busy café!

Build up at home, then practise outdoors in quieter places. Try cafés during the week when they're quieter, or sit outside first if suitable.

Small steps now = a better chance of a relaxed dog in public. 🐶

☕ LET'S SETTLE A DEBATE!

Should dogs be allowed INSIDE cafés and bars? 👀

👍 Yes, if they're well behaved
🚫 No, cafés should be dog-free

Tell me what you think in the comments! 👇

🐾 Follow me for more practical, reward-based dog training tips.

12/10/2026

Your dog’s pulling might not be a training problem…

It might be an arousal problem before the walk even begins.

If your dog goes wild the second they see the harness, they’re already starting the walk over-excited. And when a dog leaves the house in that state, they’re much more likely to pull, rush, and drag you around for the first 10 minutes.

Try this pre-walk protocol before your next walk

The goal is simple: help your dog feel regulated before you even step outside.

A calmer dog is less likely to pull, which means pulling doesn’t get accidentally reinforced from the very start of the walk.

Save this for your next walk.

And follow for part two. In a couple of days, I’ll be sharing the next step in the protocol: leaving through the front door calmly.

11/10/2026

For dogs who think lead off = FK OFF, this is a really useful exercise to build some self-control around being released.

The goal is to teach your dog that the lead coming off doesn’t automatically mean “go!” Instead, they learn to check in with you and wait for your release cue.

Start with:

Lead OFF → dog checks in with you → “FREE” → go and enjoy the world. 🌎

“FREE” becomes your verbal release cue that tells your dog they now have access to the environment. You’re making the opportunity to go and run, sniff and explore part of the reward.

And this becomes REALLY useful for recall.

Instead of every recall ending with a food reward, toy reward or — worst of all — the end of the walk, you can recall your dog, reward them for coming back, and then say:

“FREE!”

…and send them straight back to what they were doing.

That teaches your dog that coming back to you doesn’t mean the fun stops.

I’d also practise putting the lead back on multiple times during the walk.

Recall your dog → reward → lead on → walk for a bit → lead off → “FREE!”

Then repeat it again later.

You want your dog to learn that lead on doesn’t always mean the walk is over, just as lead off doesn’t automatically mean they should disappear into the distance.

If your dog goes into overdrive the second they hear the clip, use two leads while practising. One can be removed while you still have control with the second, so your dog doesn’t get to rehearse shooting off the moment they hear that familiar click.

The bigger picture is simple:

Recall doesn’t end the fun.
The lead doesn’t always end the walk.
And “FREE” means you’re released to go and enjoy the world.

📌 SAVE this for your next off-lead training session.

And SHARE it with someone whose dog thinks unclipping the lead is their official invitation to FK OFF into the sunset. 😂

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