Blog
When You Listen to Your Dog, Your Dog Listens to You
When you listen to your dog, your dog learns to listen to you. But what does that actually mean? It goes deeper than obedience. It’s not about commands—it’s about connection. Your dog is incredibly attuned to your internal state. In many ways, they reflect your nervous system back to you. When you’re tense, rushed, or overwhelmed, your dog feels it. When you’re grounded, present, and calm, your dog feels that too. So the relationship starts with you. When you learn to listen to your own body—when you slow down, regulate your breathing, and create habits that support your well-being—you send...
Somatic Hound Podcast: Allegra Kaough, The Naked Dog
I had the pleasure of interviewing my new friend, Allegra Kaough from The Naked Dog, where we dive head first into Canine Body Language. We then dig into what it means to truly "love" a dog, how to recognize signs of distress in your dog, and why it's so important to create safety for your dog. This is one of my favorite conversations on the podcast to date, so I hope you will check it out! You can also watch the interview on YouTube here:
Our Training Methods
Our Training Methods and Philosophy on Dogs Instead of suppressing behavior, we work with what’s already built into your dog—his natural instincts, his drive, his desire to engage with the world. Training becomes less about control, and more about channeling energy in the right direction—toward you. This is whole-dog training. We don’t just look at behavior in isolation. We consider the dog’s nervous system, physical health, and emotional state—because behavior is simply an expression of what’s happening internally. When the nervous system is supported, the behavior begins to shift naturally. At the core of this approach is a simple truth:...
Your Dog Is Your Mirror
It’s completely normal to feel frustrated, irritated, or even disappointed at times when working with your dog. After all, dogs don’t speak our language, and communication can be challenging. On top of that, most dogs come with their own quirks—and some come with deeper emotional struggles like fear, reactivity, or anxiety. But here’s an important question to sit with: Can you love your dog exactly as they are, right now? Can you accept them with their flaws, their fears, and their imperfections—without immediately trying to fix or change them? This doesn’t mean you don’t train or set boundaries. It means...
Your Dog is Talking Smack and You're Not Doing Anything About It
The Problem Your dog starts “talking smack” at another dog. My dog reacts. Your dog escalates. Then the neighbor’s dog joins in—and suddenly we’ve got lunging, barking, and a full-blown neighborhood bark party. Sound familiar? The real question is: why does it escalate so quickly—and how do we stop it? What We Need to Understand 1. Dogs read body language instantly Long before dogs get close to each other, they’ve already assessed posture, tension, movement, and intent. This happens in a split second. 2. Dogs are better at this than we are Body language is their primary language. Their survival...