06/19/2026
These are great key lessons for life with dogs 😎
I learned so much from Kathy Kawalec when I started training professionally. We all need great teachers that align with our vision.
I want to be that coach for you and your dog!
🌐www.thepetimpact.com
🐾 Behavior is communication. Always.
🐾 When something changes, there’s a reason. Always.
🐾 If I assume my dog is being “stubborn” or “difficult,” I’m missing the real message. Always.
There was a time when I might have thought, "Ugh, why won’t she just listen to me?"
Or, "She used to do this perfectly—why is she suddenly refusing?"
But over the years, I’ve learned something that has completely changed my relationship with my dogs:
🐾 Behavior is communication. Always.
🐾 When something changes, there’s a reason. Always.
🐾 If I assume my dog is being “stubborn” or “difficult,” I’m missing the real message. Always.
I want to tell you a quick story about Raven, when she was a pup, and how flipping my perspective helped her through a tricky phase.
🍿🍿🍿
When Raven was about six months old, she suddenly stopped loading into the van when we were on the road.
She used to hop right in with the other dogs—no hesitation. But suddenly, when it was time to load up, she’d hide behind a tree or a fence post, p*eking out but not wanting to come over.
At first, I thought, “Oh boy, here comes that pre-teen independence.”
But I paused. I got curious. And I flipped the script.
Instead of assuming she was “testing me” or “being difficult,” I started asking:
🧩 What’s really going on here?
🧩 Why did this behavior change?
🧩 What does she need from me right now?
That helped me to realizie there were two things happening:
✨ She was working. Raven didn’t want to jump in until she saw all the other dogs loaded up first. She wanted to make sure everyone was inside.
✨ She was uncomfortable. She had to jump past me in the doorway, into a van filled with adult dogs staring out at her. That was a lot of pressure for a young pup.
🐾 Flipping the Script = Setting Her Up for Success
So, instead of calling her and creating more pressure, I tried something different:
✔️ I stopped calling her altogether. If I called and she didn't come, I’d be setting her up for failure.
✔️ I waited. Once all the dogs were in, I stepped away from the van. And guess what? She ran right over to me.
✔️ I made it easy. Instead of facing her or standing in the doorway, I turned toward the van, looking in, but off to the side, and invited her in—but let her choose.
✔️ I celebrated her choice. When she loaded up on her own, I smiled, and then handed out ‘load up cookies’ to everyone.
The result? Understanding and trust.
And from that day forward? No more hesitation. And of course, I repeated the successful strategy that worked for us.
🧠 What Happens When We Flip the Script?
It can be so easy to assume our dogs are being “difficult” when something changes. But often, the real issue is that they’re struggling with something we haven’t noticed yet.
When we pause and look at the situation differently, we shift from:
❌ "She won’t listen!" → ✅ "She needs something different to feel safe."
❌ "He’s so stubborn!" → ✅ "He’s unsure and needs more support."
❌ "She’s just blowing me off!" → ✅ "She’s unsure, and I can help her feel more confident."
And when we do that? Our dogs respond.
🐶 Try This With Your Dog This Week
Experiment with Flipping the Script this week:
✨ Notice a moment when your dog doesn’t do what you expect.
✨ Pause and ask yourself—what might be happening beneath the surface?
✨ Try responding differently.
I’d love to hear what you discover! Reply and tell me about it! 🐾
Have a brilliant week!
With love,
Kathy xo
PS: 😍 For your viewing pleasure ... Raven (who LOVES to load up and go on any adventure!)
📷 Kathy's Raven
✍️ ©Kathy Kawalec | Dancing Hearts Dog Academy
