01/10/2026
Play is the best tool in our behaviour modification toolbox.
Working with a lot of high drive dogs who react at other dogs on leash, the same things come up time and time again.
One sided games, where the dog sees more value in the toy itself than the game you both play with it.
Difficulty controlling themselves around the toys. Needing to wrestle toys off them, and having to hide them immediately to prevent the dog continuing to push for more.
Really big feelings around the toys, where arousal increases and ears turn off.
And frequently these are the exact some issues we see when we encounter other dogs or other things dogs are reacting to. There isn’t enough value in working with us, there is too much value in the other dog, and there’s a struggle to hear “no” or respond to direction in that context once the arousal escalates.
There’s always a lot of work to be done directly around the other dogs. Dogs need to practice skills in context, a lot.
But never underestimate the value of play. Giving dogs a real healthy outlet for their drives to grab, hold, have conflict & stay in the game, that comes through us - not in spite of us. Using the value they have in that to flex the behavioural muscles we want to strengthen, building a foundation you can draw from in the contexts we need them - like around other dogs on leash.
Boston is such a fun dog who LOVES to bite and possess toys. Perfect example of a dog where we can do so much through adding some clear rules and a shared game into our play to have a big impact on his clarity elsewhere in life. Week 1 and already learning fast. 🙌🏻
