This week’s podcast explores why trust isn’t an insult, what building trust really looks like, and why listening to communication matters more than obedience ever will. 🩵🐾

But what if that quietness isn’t calmness…but coping?

In this episode of The Feral Behaviourist, we explore the difference between:

* Safety vs suppression

* Calmness vs inhibition

* Behaviour vs emotional state

And why some of the “goodest” dogs are the ones we need to look at more closely.

This episode introduces the concept of the performance of safety, and how shifting our perspective can transform how we support our dogs.

This episode explores the emotional bucket —how stress, excitement, and daily experiences build up in the nervous system.

Because behaviour isn’t random.And it isn’t isolated.

It’s cumulative.

Inside this episode:• What the emotional bucket really is• Why reactions feel unpredictable• How trigger stacking works• What actually helps dogs cope

🧠 Regulation first.🐾 Training second.

Mutts and Mischief - Fun Not Formality is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Not in the loud, chaotic way—but in the honest, emotional, slightly unfiltered way.

We’re talking about the side of dog guardianship that doesn’t always get said:

The frustration.The guilt.The grief.The exhaustion of holding everything together for a dog who needs more.

I didn’t polish this one too much.

I just spoke.

And afterwards… I actually felt pretty drained.

Which I think says a lot about how much this part of the journey holds.

So if this episode feels a bit heavier…

That’s okay.

Take it slowly.Pause it if you need to.Come back to it.

You’re allowed to feel this too 🩵

🎧 Listen now📖 Blog coming tomorrow morning

We look at:• What regulation actually means• Why arousal is often misunderstood• How “stubbornness” is frequently stress• Why training only sticks when the nervous system feels safe

When we shift from control to co-regulation, everything changes.

Training becomes clearer.Progress becomes steadier.And dogs feel understood, not managed.

If this resonates, you’ll love the deeper nervous system work inside my memberships and resources.

Regulation first. Always.

Mutts and Mischief is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Specifically, why I, and many others in the welfare-first community, are moving away from the word “reactive” and instead using “emotionally challenged.”

Now, I know what you might be thinking — “It’s just a word, right?”But actually, the words we use carry huge weight. They shape how we perceive behaviour, how we talk about our dogs, and even how we feel about them in those difficult moments.

“Reactive” has become a bit of a blanket label. We use it to describe dogs who bark, lunge, growl, snap, or show big emotional displays towards people, dogs, or certain triggers. But over time, it’s also become a label that defines the dog, rather than describing what they’re going through.

And that’s where I feel we can do better.

When we say a dog is reactive, it tends to frame the dog as the problem — as if they’re choosing to “overreact.”But when we say a dog is emotionally challenged, we’re acknowledging that what we’re really seeing is a dog who’s struggling to cope with an emotion — fear, frustration, anxiety, or even excitement — in that particular moment.

It reframes the behaviour from being a fault to being a form of communication.

Think about it this way: if a child was overwhelmed, frightened, or anxious, we wouldn’t call them “reactive.”We’d probably say they were finding something difficult or that they were emotionally dysregulated. We’d look for the why — not just the what.

Dogs deserve that same compassion.

They don’t wake up in the morning thinking, “I can’t wait to bark at that Labrador today.”They’re responding from emotion, not intention.And when we recognise that, it completely changes how we approach helping them.

Using the term emotionally challenged helps guardians see their dog through a trauma-informed lens.It encourages empathy. It invites curiosity instead of frustration.

When a guardian hears “reactive,” they often feel embarrassed, ashamed, or even defensive — like they’ve failed.But when they hear “emotionally challenged,” they can start to think:“Okay, my dog is struggling emotionally. What can I do to help them feel safe?”

That’s a much healthier starting point for both the dog and the guardian.

And from a behaviourist’s point of view, it also helps us guide training in a more holistic, relationship-based way.Because we’re no longer focusing on suppressing a reaction — we’re focusing on supporting an emotion.

That means meeting needs, adjusting environments, using enrichment, collaborative care, and gradual exposure — not punishment or pressure.

It also ties into neuroscience — when dogs are emotionally flooded, the thinking brain, the neocortex, simply goes offline.What we’re left with is the limbic system — fight, flight, freeze, fawn.By addressing the emotion, we help the brain re-regulate and reduce the intensity of those responses over time.

So, the change in language isn’t just about being politically correct — it’s about being scientifically and emotionally accurate.

It’s about reminding everyone that behind every bark, growl, or lunge is a feeling.And behind every feeling, there’s a story — of fear, pain, confusion, or unmet need.

When we call a dog emotionally challenged, we leave room for that story to be heard.

So, next time you see a dog struggling on a walk, or your own dog reacts to something that feels “too much” — try to reframe it.Instead of saying “My dog is reactive,” try saying “My dog is emotionally challenged right now.”

You might be surprised at how that small shift in language changes your mindset — and your compassion.

Thanks for joining me for this short but important episode.If this resonated with you, you can find more about this topic in my Zero to Hero Volume 2 – Emotionally Challenged Dogs ebook, where I dive deeper into emotions, neuroscience, and practical strategies to help your dog feel safe again.

Until next time — stay kind, stay curious, and remember: it’s never about control — it’s about connection

.

I’m Tasha Attwood — a canine behaviourist, author, and educator — and I wanted to create a space where we can have real conversations about dogs. Not the Instagram-perfect, polished kind of training you often see online, but the messy, complex, and sometimes uncomfortable truths about living a…

I often hear the argument that dogs with a strong prey drive must be managed with shock collars to prevent them from chasing wildlife or livestock. But that simply isn’t true. In the videos I’m sharing, you’ll see my dogs in close proximity to a herd of deer, cows, and even a horse. The fencing and hedging separating them is only 4ft—something they could easily clear if they wanted to. Yet, they choose not to. They watch, they observe, and they disengage without issue.

This isn’t because I’ve punished them into submission. It’s because I’ve built a foundation of trust, engagement, and choice. They don’t need force to make the right decision—they need guidance, reinforcement, and an understanding of expectations.

As a wheelchair user, I can’t rely on physically intervening if my dogs make a sudden movement. Instead, I focus on long-distance handling, reinforcing communication and connection so my dogs actively choose to disengage. This proves that mobility challenges don’t mean you need harsher tools—just smarter training.

If you have a dog with strong prey drive, punishment isn’t the answer. Instead, focus on:

🦌Management – Secure areas, long lines, and controlled environments.

🦌 Training – Teaching disengagement, recall, and alternative behaviors.

🦌 Fulfillment – Satisfying their needs through appropriate outlets like scent work, flirt poles, or structured play.

A dog’s instincts should never be a reason to resort to pain or fear. With the right approach, we can work with their natural drives, not against them.

Mutts and Mischief is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

In this video, I explain the concept of observational learning—where dogs pick up new skills and behaviours by watching their guardians or other dogs. Whether you’re curious about enhancing your training techniques or just want to see some fun doggo teamwork in action, this is for you!

Check out the full explanation and see how my dogs got involved with their Mutt Muffs in tow! 🎧👆

Mutts and Mischief is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.