Debbie Thomas CPDT

13/05/2026

Many dog bites can be prevented if people learn how to read a dog's body language. For more information about dog bite prevention education resources, please visit:
https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/programs/doggone-safe/

13/05/2026

What’s your dog’s “thing”?
Because it might not be the $70 enrichment toy sitting untouched in the corner.

Enrichment has become a massive buzz word lately.
Every second product promises mental stimulation, calmness and fulfilment.

But real enrichment?
It’s much simpler .

Some dogs would choose shredding cardboard over a puzzle toy every single time.
Some want to sniff every blade of grass.
Some thrive on running, jumping and movement.
Some love chewing and licking.
Some enjoy solving problems.
Some just want to quietly watch the world go by.

That’s the bit we can miss.

We start choosing enrichment based on trends, marketing or what other dogs enjoy instead of observing our own dogs and what brings them joy.

A dog walking away from a puzzle toy is not “failing enrichment”.
They may simply be telling you
“This isn’t my thing.”

So what is?💭

06/05/2026

06/05/2026

If you take it away, what have you got?

We have this weird relationship with “sit”.
It’s become an “everything” request and if we have to rely on it so much, we’re missing the point.

What if, instead of a sit when they’re frustrated, we worked on the frustration? Actually work on the issue rather than repeatedly asking for a sit when clearly they are struggling in that moment.

Can we please just have a dog standing beside us or having a sniff on the grass when we stop to chat to someone, rather than insist on sitting?

This next one may sting a bit, but do we need to constantly insist on a sit to prove we have some sort of “control” over our dogs?

Sit is just a position. Not a solution
It’s often the first thing taught and relatively easy to do.
So we use it and boy do we over use it.

I often see rehoming posts for young dogs, in that difficult “teenage” phase. Heavy commissure grin in the photos and then the description.
“He loves running in his yard, comes with his bed and bowl and knows sit”.

What if we concentrated on engagement before we taught a sit.
Could we work on settling skills first?
Maybe checking in?

Imagine the possibilities if we delegated it to be taught further down the road.

Imagine if sit wasn’t first.

06/05/2026

Please help!
Spread the word that putting hands in food bowls and pulling food away from dogs INCREASES aggressive behavior.
Dropping food in the bowl as you walk by DECREASES aggressive behavior. Now we even have research to support this. Please help get the word out.
Ref: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167587717301241

06/05/2026

Think all petting feels good to your dog? Not even close. Science shows a lot of what we call affection is actually overstimulation. Slow it down. Your dog doesn’t want a drum solo on their head. Slow strokes equal calm, fast pats equal stress.

A new peer-revied study surveying dog and cat owners looked at how touch relates to pet wellbeing and found clear differences between species. For dogs, gentle petting had the biggest positive impact, especially slow, calm stroking along the chest, shoulders, and sides. The more time and physical contact, the better, with added benefits when dogs lean on their owners or sleep close by. This type of touch mimics natural social grooming and helps reduce stress while promoting relaxation. In contrast, owner-initiated petting didn’t have the same effect in cats. What mattered more was cat-initiated contact, particularly head rubbing, also known as bunting. Gentle touch can improve wellbeing, but only when it aligns with the animal’s natural behavior and comfort level. Takeaway: If your dog leans into you, relaxes, or closes their eyes, you’re doing it right, if they pull away or get restless, adjust pressure or location.

06/05/2026

06/05/2026

Thank you for coming out this past weekend to celebrate our One Year Anniversary in Bellevue. We are so appreciative and grateful for your support and we're looking forward to serving you for years to come.

Special thanks to , , , , The Simple Food Project . , , , , Affordable Pet Supply, and for their support.

06/05/2026

REDEFINING REACTIVITY

Reactivity is a complex topic that requires an individual approach for each dog and their specific circumstances. But the underlying driver is often the same — it’s an emotional response.

Trying to “fix” it through obedience training, corrections, or punishment-based methods focuses on what a dog does, instead of how a dog feels. It doesn’t address the root of the problem—and often creates new ones.

Reactivity can quickly become self-reinforcing because it works. When the trigger moves away, the dog experiences relief—and that emotional shift strengthens the response. The more it’s repeated, the more it becomes a default or a habitual behaviour.

Changing an emotional response is not a quick fix. Real change takes time, patience, understanding, and consistent practice.

Behaviour is the symptom. Emotion is the cause. Work on changing that emotion and the behaviour will follow.

Understanding that behaviour is driven by emotion, should change how we respond to our dogs. They’re not being difficult—they’re struggling.

Looking at reactivity from this perspective should encourage us to be more empathetic and understand that we need to support them rather than control them.

28/04/2026

💥 Puzzle Dog is closing its doors ánd it is my birthday April 30st, so we are ending this chapter with a bang 💥

Starting now: 56% OFF EVERYTHING
No code needed

Is it hard to make a choice?
A bundle of ALL COURSES for dog owners is now available with 60% discount.
A bundle of all patterns is also available with 60% off

IMPORTANT:
- We have transitioned to a download-only format, there is no long-term hosting.
- Download your courses immediately after purchase, once May 1st hits, these resources will be gone for good.

Courses:www.puzzledogacademy.ca
Patterns: www.puzzledog.ca/shop

27/04/2026

There IS a missing link here ➡️Frustration

Yet we’re still so laser focused on the actual reaction.
The barks, the lunges, the spins.
The behaviour that makes us wish the earth would just open and swallow us up when others are around.

Frustrated dogs can tumble into reacting very, very quickly.
Frustration IS a major driver of unwanted behaviour.

Imagine it for a minute.

You want to get somewhere and you’re prevented.
You want to get closer to something interesting, but can’t.
You’re trying to have some fun, and you’re stopped.

Look, I do get it.
Some dogs are an absolute challenge, especially reactive dogs.

But what if that frustration is the actual starting point?

Can you trust them more in certain areas?
Give them more choice and agency?

Frustration is often reduced by giving them more appropriate choices.
Yet we hold on tighter because we feel we have to.

Living with a reactive dog can be scary.
So we add safety. We add rules.
But are we taking away too much and causing more of what tips them into reacting?

What if that behaviour is, at least in part, shaped by how much control we’re actually trying to grasp onto?