The Frustration Masterclass for Canine Professionals
starts 4 September 2023
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Equipping dogs with the skills to thrive
Happy dogs and gorgeous humans living their best lives… Is that too much to ask for?
If you have a dog with ALL the BIG feelings, you’re in the right place.
This compassionate and cutting-edge approach is designed to address the unique challenges faced by dogs who have strong feelings about the world. Whether you live or work with anxious, fearful, frustrated or impulsive dogs, you’ll find convenient and accessible training events and courses to help you make a positive difference to your world.
The world is changing. Research opens up whole new realms of possibility, but putting theory into practice can be tough. It’s exciting to be at the forefront of innovative, systematic, dynamic and effective training approaches that make a real difference for the dogs in our lives. With a focus on rewards-based methods and a client-centred approach, Lighten Up is tailored to suit the individual needs of each dog and their delicious human.
Come join us on this epic journey towards a joyful and harmonious life!
Emotions & Behaviour
For anxious or fearful dogs, the world can be a stressful place. While we can ensure their safety, only the dog decides that they feel safe. There are many things we can do, however, to facilitate and smooth that journey as the world opens up with potential before them.
Reactive behaviour requires understanding and accurate diagnosis. That means we truly need to understand what’s driving it for our individual dog.Dog training is evolving
What we know about learning and memory has evolved from the days of Pavlov and Skinner. We need to make sure we are doing the same.
When our methods are ineffective, we make it harder for dogs to overcome their fears. We also adds months or years to their recovery. We owe our dogs the best.
Lighten Up methods do not include coercion, punishment, pressure or force. At the same time, they should not take months to implement. We need to be precise and efficient for the sake of our dogs.
Lighten Up courses
Whether you’re looking for fun-sized or feast, there’s something for you. All the Lighten Up courses include a mix of theory and practice, helping you understand what you’re doing and – more importantly! – WHY.
Paws-itive Choices
DECISION-MAKING CAN BE HARD FOR OUR DOGS
If your dog struggles with decision-making or impulsivity, this course is for you. We explore the kinds of choices dogs make on a daily basis, and consider the different aspects of impulsivity that can interfere with the process.
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Frustration Masterclass
EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT FRUSTRATION… and some stuff you probably didn’t.
This course is designed for professionals and owners who want to know everything there is to know about frustration and how it underpins maladaptive behaviour.
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The Resilience Roadmap
UNDERSTANDING HOW RESILIENCE IS CREATED CHANGES EVERYTHING
When we know how to equip our dogs with the skills to manage their own bodies, behaviour, attention and interactions, the world opens up for them like an oyster as we build competencies for the future.
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SUPPORT
FOR GUARDIANS
TRAINING
FOR EXPERTS
COMMUNITY
AT WORK
ARTICLES IN PRESS
Our blog is where we share our work. Each week, you’ll get first-class content that explains how to implement specific behaviour modification protocols. You’ll find step-by-step guides to help you deal with common behaviour problems. You’ll also find our stories as we make the journey from reactive to adaptive. Sign up to get emails to your inbox.
Why impulse control is important for reactive dog training
Ruling out frustration and impulsivity when working with dogs who bark and lunge is vital. Many dogs in the Western world have been selected for responsiveness and trainability. When we[…]
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Knowing when to medicate: anxiety and your dog
Knowing when to visit the vet with your reactive dog is important. There can be many reasons behind barking and lunging. Those reasons can be a direct result of health[…]
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Getting a vet check-up for your reactive dog
If you have a dog who barks and lunges, you may be surprised if a behaviour consultant asks you to stop by the vet. Surely there aren’t medical conditions that[…]
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