Over excitement on walks

3 August 2023

Your dog’s arousal level may be just too high to be able to focus on training. Here are some things to consider.

Have they had a walk today yet? They may have had a lot of pent up energy and are releasing it on their first walk of the day.


Think about the stress in daily life and try and minimise these. Integrate chews that they can enjoy, sleep time, changes to noises that they experience such as alarms going off or noisy doorbells.


If you are working on disengagement away from something then move further away from it. Don’t completely remove the trigger because that could reinforce barking behaviour from your dog but make sure they are further away.


If you are using treats on walks and your dog is seeking them out, then think about using some that are less exciting as they may be too enticing for your dog.


How to hold a long lead


A long lead can be a great tool to prevent frustration on walks and allow more freedom of movement. Loop the lead into sections and let it out as needed. Keep it over your wrist and inbetween your thumb and forefinger -this will keep your hand safe if they see something very enticing such as a squirrel!


Rewarding them for being in your magic circle

Reward your dog for being beside you and in the area that you are walking in so they are being reinforced for staying closer to you.

Living with a reactive dog: how to look after yourself

by Lisa Sinnott • 21 April 2026
Having a dog who shows reactive behaviour can leave you feeling tired, on edge and emotionally exhausting experience at times. It is really important to look after yourself. I hope these ideas help you.

Dogs who are nervous of sounds

by Lisa Sinnott • 18 April 2026
Helping dogs who are nervous of sounds It can be really tricky and feel hard when your dog is feeling nervous of sounds that you do not have control over. They may freeze, startle, growl, try to flee, shake, drool or more. Here are some considerations if your dog is nervous of sounds. As well as the noise, there is the physical vibration too.

Fight behaviours

by Lisa Sinnott • 15 April 2026
Have you ever wondered that even if scared why a dog will run towards something? If a dog is barking and lunging at something that they are scared of then surely they would avoid it... right? This isn't always the case!

Emotions and the vet clinic

by Lisa Sinnott • 6 April 2026
Why Emotional Wellbeing Matters at the Vet When it comes to veterinary care, the focus is often on physical health—but a pet’s emotional experiences important If stress and fear are overlooked, it can shape how an animal feels about vet visits in the future. Negative experiences may lead to increased anxiety, defensive behaviour, or even the need for sedation during routine examinations. By considering how our pets feel, we can help create calmer, safer, and more positive veterinary visits. Chat to your vets about how they can support your dog.

Dog play what's ok?

by Lisa Sinnott • 1 April 2026
Dog play what’s okay? You may have heard that you can be over zealous and you should leave dogs to work it out themselves but this is poor advice. Sometimes play can turn into something else so it’s important to be mindful of play signals. When a dog goes rushing over to another head on it can feel threatening – even if the intention is play. It can be hard to assess intention as the dog is likely to be moving very fast.

Children and Dogs

by Lisa Sinnott • 4 March 2026
I know of many family members who have small children and dog and they live in harmony.

Mounting and humping behaviour

by Lisa Sinnott • 30 January 2026
Some dogs do it for hormonal reasons others due to behavioural. Reasons behind humping can include hormones, anxiety, tension attention seeking, frustration, eliciting play or displacement behaviour when stressed. Filling out the diary can help pinpoint more triggers and look at what is happening.

Children and dogs - harmony at home

by Lisa Sinnott • 30 January 2026
Children and Dogs: A Guide to Safe and Happy Relationships Having a dog in your family is exciting and fun, but it’s important to teach children how to interact safely and kindly with their furry friend. Puppies and young dogs are still learning, and we need to help them grow into happy, well-behaved companions.

Pica and dogs - eating non- food items

by Lisa Sinnott • 30 January 2026
Understanding Pica in Dogs: Why They Eat Non-Food Items

Sound Sensitivities in Dogs

by Lisa Sinnott • 29 January 2026
Sound sensitivities can be distressing for us to watch.