Creature Connections Behavior Alliance

09/04/2026

We are looking for a new Attendant at Creature Connections!

Would you like to begin your career as a dog professional? This is the perfect starting point!

Now accepting resumes! Message, text, or call for more details.

[email protected]
978-804-2498

265 Boston Rd.
Billerica, MA 01821

09/01/2026

Summer's end is a great time for some new learning, for both humans and pups!

Come join our group classes and learn alongside your pup.

Saturday, September 12th, 2026
🕰️10:30AM - Calm the Storm (reactive / barky dog class)
🕰️2PM - puppy / small dog basic manners
🕰️3:15PM - adult / large dogs basic manners

Our classes are family friendly and all ages are welcome. Everyone should learn how to speak dog!

Reach out to learn more: www.creatureconnections.net

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

08/18/2026

Fun information!

08/15/2026

08/14/2026

I absolutely agree with this! My client and their dog is the priority. Especially when I’m trying to help them in person. It’s very different to film when you are alone one on one with the dog doing day training.

🗣️ WHERE ARE THE VIDEOS OF YOU WORKING WITH REALLY AGGRESSIVE DOGS?

Around 40% of my behaviour case load are bite cases, most having bitten people. There’s multiple reasons they don’t feature or are no longer described as bite cases on here.

❌ Most owners whose dogs have bitten themselves or other people are embarrassed and/or in current state of emotional and motivational conflict about their dog.

My priority is supporting my clients, not bragging about bite cases on social media for kudos.

❌ Most of these cases are assessed in their homes, which for most cases is the environment and context where the problem behaviour occurs.

It would be completely inappropriate and an invasion of my client’s privacy for me to film in someone’s home for the benefit of gaining social media content.

❌ I am too busy assessing the dog, coaching the client and staying safe to film.

Whilst I’ve developed a knack of filming while coaching- not even looking at my camera - this is the problem behaviour context where everything I do with my body matters.

Dogs exhibiting aggressive behaviour towards humans dogs can be very sensitive to people standing facing them and even to people acting differently - stood holding a phone to face the dog would potentially interfere with body language that says ‘I’m not a threat’.


Historically, a couple of times I’ve mentioned dogs having bitten and I’ve always felt really uncomfortable about it after and decided to no longer mention it.

Even when I have featured dogs reacting (barking and lunging) strongly - it left a bitter taste in my mouth.

I worried about how my clients felt about their dog’s worst behaviour being displayed online and subjected to judgement- some good, some bad. I’ve also felt more sensitive to the possibility of my clients feeling responsible or upset that a video of their dog generated strong opinions than I’ve felt upset by any unflattering comments directed towards me.

On the rare occassion I’ve featured human aggressive dogs before- it’s been on outdoor sessions after their initial assessment. After I’ve got to know the client.

They’re always asked if it’s ok for me to film - with the primary reason being for educational webinars. They’re always told more than once that there is no pressure to say ‘yes’ because it’s their session and their privacy.

🤔 Imagine these scenarios from a client’s perspective.

🚪 You book a professional to support you with your dog and as you open the door to let the professional in or within minutes of entering or meeting you - they start filming.

🎥 Or you go to your first assessment at a training facility and along with the trainer there’s another person filming you.

Plus, you know your dog struggles with people and there’s multiple present in an enclosed space. Most people with dogs displaying human directed aggression are worried about how their dog will respond to the professional, let alone more people.

📝 Or you’re being asked questions about your dog on your assessment - knowing you’re being filmed and your responses are going to go online.

✋ You’re already self conscious you’re doing a bad job of handling or training and that you may have contributed to the problem - and now your mistakes may be published on social media.

🎥 A professional sets up a camera soon after the session starts - before starting working with your dog.

Just think about that logistically.

What is the client doing and thinking as they see the professional setting things up and checking the camera angle? Some must surely feel like a spare part or after thought!


I do not want my clients to feel uncomfortable nor to question my motives as to why I am helping them!

The reason any of my clients feature online is because;

✅ We’ve built up a good rapport.

✅ They feel happy about how they and their dog are doing and comfortable about others seeing them train.

✅ Most have seen how I talk about my clients in my posts and know that content is designed to motivate, celebrate and empathise rather than to highlight everything they’ve done wrong in the past or brag about me working with their dangerous dog.


So, if you’ve found yourself engaging in debates about training methods and demanding professionals show you videos of them working with dangerous, powerful dogs - perhaps you should consider the client’s perspective.

I appreciate why people request ‘evidence’ of efficacy- but obtaining evidence to meet your curiosity is absolutely never my priority, not professional nor is it respectful to my clients.

My job is to support them, not to try and impress random people on social media.

People appear to be forgetting that behind every dog they see on social media, there’s a person or family who are often carrying a lot of emotional baggage about their dog’s behaviour.

08/13/2026

So excited to read more about this!

08/10/2026

This is a great tip not just for herding dogs but for all dogs. All kinds of unwanted Behavior can begin to take hold during this time.

Ever wonder why a Border Collie puppy seems totally fine with cars, cats, or lawnmowers at 8 weeks… but suddenly starts locking eyes and chasing them a few months later?

Here's a brief guide to when herding instinct switches on:

8 WEEKS (The Safe Zone)
At this stage, the full drive engine hasn't kicked in yet. They’re curious, but the biological drive to control movement isn't fully switched on.

4–6 MONTHS (The Critical Window)
This is where the lightbulb goes off. You’ll notice them start to stare, lock up, or crouch at fast-moving targets. Whatever target "switches" them on during this window becomes their focus. If they aren't given structured herding games, this drive locks onto inappropriate targets like cars, toddlers, cats, or lawnmowers.

1 YEAR & BEYOND
If managed properly and their working needs are fulfilled through purpose-built herding games, they won't feel the need to seek out dangerous movement to fixate on. Border Collies MUST be given a job, or they will assign themselves one.

Preventing movement reactivity isn't about suppressing their drive, it's about channeling it into structured herding games that satisfy their biological instincts safely.

Ready to turn that intense drive into controlled focus with structured herding games? 🔗 Head to collieswithyen.com/better-than-fetch to get started

08/05/2026

To me this will not “FIX” the problem behavior. However in a short term while working with veterinary behaviorist and a behavior trainer. This may be a temporary solution. But it’s dog and context dependent. I don’t recommend as a first attempt solution.