MAD DOG
Author: Erin Dixon
THRESHOLDS&TRIGGERS
If you’ve ever been walking your dog and watch them go from calm and sniffing to lunging, barking or shutting down in what feels like a split second you’ve seen what happenswhenadoggoesoverathreshold.
understandingthresholdsandtriggersisone of the most important skills a dog owner can learn, because it helps you prevent meltdowns, improve training, and support yourdogwhenlifefeelsoverwhelming.
other dogs strangers loud noises unfamiliar environments handling, grooming or vet visits
every dog is different. A calm Labrador might barely glance at another dog across the street, while a nervous collie might start barking at the same sight.
Training works best when your dog is calm enough to learn. If they’re barking, lunging, or trying to escape, their brain isn’t in learning mode, it’s in survival mode.
Athresholdistheinvisiblelinebetween manageablestressandtoomuchstress. Belowthreshold,yourdogcanstillthink,learn, andrespondtoyou.Abovethreshold,survival instinctstakeover–fight,flight,orfreezeand trainingshutsdown.
Thinkofitlikeabucketfillingwithwater.Every littlestressthataddstothebucket.Onceit overflows,yourdogisoverthreshold.
Working below threshold means you set up situations where your dog notices the trigger but doesn’t feel overwhelmed. That’s where you can reward calm behaviour, teach alternative responses, and build positive associations.
when you learn to recognise thresholds and triggers, you gain the power to prevent meltdowns and set your dog up for success. Instead of waiting for big reactions, you’ll start noticing the little cues and helping your dogs stay calm, confident, and capable of learning.
Triggersarethethingsthatcauseyourdogs stressbuckettofill.Commonexamples include:
OurAnnual SPORTS DAY
On Sunday 21 September, we held out annual sports day, a day filled with fun games, building connections and a relaxed atmosphere to hang out with your dog and like-minded people. st
We had a lovely bunch of dogs and their owners try out the games based dog show, these consisted of some very entertaining games that were pulled from Laura’s brain.
These included, best ball catcher, best get dressed, accumulator, best trick and much more!
We had so much fun and it was lovely to see all of the dogs doing their best!
Why do we keep this event as a club dog only event?
Basically, we want you guys to have a day where your dogs are comfortable, know the other dogs relatively well, and even if you don’t, you know that their standards are the same as yours. There is no anticipation of rude dogs or the feeling of anxiety throughout the day. Instead, you and your dog can relax, have fun in a setting that you are familiar with and you know that you can do it, without fear of judgement, or fear that a stranger dog is going to undo months of your training!
It is an opportunity for us to provide a fun day to give back to our amazing community for all of the effort you put into classes over the year, and of course your amazing support and loyalty.
We also had areas for photos such as the Instagram frame and a PDAT cut-out and the scurry area where you could practice your bale jumping.
We hope everyone who attended had a lovely day, we were very lucky with the sunshine! And for those who couldn’t attend, we hope to see you at the end of next summer! Where we can host another brilliant, fun-filled day!
If you’ve ever wondered why some dogs seem calm and confident when their owner steps out of the room, while others whine, panic, or withdraw, the answer lies in attachment styles. Just like humans, dogs form emotional bonds that shape how they cope with the world. Understanding these attachment styles can help us support our dogs and strengthen the bond we share with them.
Attachment refers to the emotional relationship a dog forms with their primary caregiver. This bond determines how safe, secure, and supported the dog feels in daily life. The concept comes from human psychology, but research has shown that dogs display very similar attachment patterns to children.
The securely attached dog:
Feels confident exploring their environment. Checks in with their person but isn’t clingy. Can cope with short periods of separation. Recovers quickly when reunited.
These dogs see their owner as a “safe base”—a trusted figure who provides comfort and guidance. Training tends to be easier with securely attached dogs because they feel relaxed and open to learning.
The insecurely attached dog:
Not all dogs develop a secure attachment. Insecurity can show up in different ways:
1 Anxious Attachment
The dog is hyper-attached and struggles when their person leaves. They may whine, bark, or destroy things when left alone.
Even in the owner’s presence, they may cling, paw, or constantly seek reassurance.
2 Avoidant Attachment
The dog appears very independent. They may ignore or avoid their owner, especially in stressful moments. These dogs don’t always come for comfort, even when frightened.
3.Disorganized Attachment (less common but possible)
Dogs show mixed signals, seeking comfort one moment, avoiding the next. This can develop in dogs who have experienced trauma, neglect or inconsistent care. Every dog-owner relationship is unique, but building secure attachment should be the goal. A securely attached dog feels safe to explore, confident to learn, and comforted by your presence. By providing consistency, kindness, and trust, you give your dog the foundation for a happy, resilient life.
teachingachinrestyourdog
Sometimes the simplest behaviours can be the most useful. One of these is the chin rest. Teaching your dog to calmly place their chin on your hand, lap or another surface. It may sound like a cute trick, but in reality it is an incredibly powerful skill that can make everyday life and training much smoother.
A chin rest is when your dog gently places the weight of their chin on your hand, lap or designated object. It looks adorable, but it is much more than that; it is a behaviour that communicates ‘I am comfortable and ready’ while giving your dog a clear job to do.
Why Teach It?
Everyday Care: Nail clipping, ear cleaning, eye drops, brushing - a chin rest can give your dog a way to stay still while telling you they are okay with what is happening.
Veterinary Visits: Teaching your dog to offer a chin rest helps with calm handling and creates a cooperative care routine.
Training Sports: In gundog training, a chin rest can help build steadiness during retrives, gives your dog an ‘off-switch’ between tasks or encourage calm focus before heelwork etc.
Scentwork & Detection: A chin rest can be used as part of indication training to encourage stillness.
How To Teach It:
1.Start with your hand: hold out your palm flat, close to your dogs nose.
2.Mark any interaction: use a marker word ‘yes’ to reward your dog for investigating.
3.Shape the behaviour: Gradually wait for a little more pressure, the moment your dog rests their chin, mark and reward.
4.Build duration: slowly extend the time before rewarding, starting with half a second and building up.
5.Add cues and surfaces: once your dog understands, you can put the chin rest on cue and practice on different surfaces, such as your lap, a chair or a cushion.
In gundog or sports training, the chin rest becomes more than just stillness, it is a reset button. For excitable dogs, a brief chinrest between retrieves or runs helps bring their arousal levels down. In heelwork or other obedience based activities, it can act as a calm pre-cue before action, like a deep breath before a performance.
What makes this behaviour so special is that it is cooperative. Your dog chooses to place their chin and they can just as easily life it away. That two way communication builds trust, making the chin rest not only practical, but also a wonderful bonding exercise.
Pharaoh Hound
If you’ve ever wanted a dog that looks like it stepped straight out of ancient art, the PharaohHoundmightbeit Sleek,statuesque and with an incredible party trick (they blush when excited!), these dogs are rare, striking andfullofcharacter.
Despite their Egyptian look, Pharaoh Hounds actually hail from Malta, where they are known as the Kelb tal-Fenek (rabbit dog). For centuries, they were used to hunt rabbits acrossrockyterrain.Theirresemblancetothe dogspaintedonthewallsofancientEgyptian tombshasearnedthemtheirmodernname.
They are tall, slim and elegant with big pricked ears and amber eyes. They come in shades of rich tan to chestnut. They are famousfor‘blushing’whentheyareexcitedor happy.Theirnoseandearsflusharosypink.
They are light on their feet with the effortless, springystrideofatruesighthound.
They are affectionate with their families but canbeindependentandaloofwithstrangers. They are intelligent, sensitive and have a senseofhumour,ownersoftendescribethem smischievousclownswholovetoentertain.
Like most sighthounds, they have a strong chase instinct, but they also enjoy curling up foracuddleoncethezoomiesareoutoftheir system.
They need plenty of space to run safely, they are sprinters not marathon runners, but they doneeddailyactivity.
Positive, fun-based training works best. They canbestubbornifpushedtoohardbutthey
do thrive when learning games that engagetheirbrains.
Best suited to active homes that understandsighthounds
LivingwithaPharaohHoundoftenmeans learning to appreciate their unique sense of humour They are known for being great problem solvers and will happily open cupboards, sneak food or invent their own games if left to their own devices. Many owners describe them as part-time comedians who love to make theirhumanslaugh.
Another charming quirk is their vocal range. While they aren’t typically noisy dogs, they can produce an amusing variety of sounds , from chatty whines to what some owners swear is actually giggling.
Sheepdogs
Sheepdogs are masters of teamwork, bred for centuries to help humans move and manage livestock. The Border Collie is the most famous example, known for its intense eye and lightening fast responses to whistles and cues.
Key Skills:
Gathering - bringing sheep towards the handler.
Driving - pushing them forward in line.
Flanking - moving left or right around the flock.
Balancing - keeping the sheep under control.
Sheepdog trials, first held in the 1800’s, still celebrate this incredible partnership today. Watching a dog guide sheep across fields with just a whistle is a lesson in trust and communication.
Clarity, consistency and cooperation matter more than control. Just like sheepdogs, all dogs thrive when their instincts are understood and channeled into teamwork with their humans.
Did you know? A well trained sheepdog can respond to more than 20 different whistle commands, each with its own meaning. Some can even work up to 800 yards away from their handler, reading subtle changes in pitch to know whether to turn left, right, speed up or stop completely.