Teaching Dogs Life Skills Not Just Commands

Jess Jones and the REGAIN Method

In this episode of Rewriting The Rules, I sit down with Jess Jones to discuss the REGAIN Method, a compassionate and relationship-focused approach to supporting dogs and the people who love them. We explore some of the challenges facing dog guardians today, the importance of understanding behaviour through a wider lens, and how approaches rooted in empathy, connection, and emotional well-being can help create lasting change. Whether you're living with a dog who struggles with confidence, big emotions, reactivity, or simply want to deepen your understanding of your dog, this conversation offers plenty of food for thought. We discuss: • The principles behind the REGAIN Method • Looking beyond surface behaviour • The role of emotions, relationships, and trust • Supporting both dogs and their humans • Why understanding matters more than labels • Creating meaningful and sustainable change Find out more about Jess Jones, the REGAIN Method, funding opportunities, and the free support group: https://www.facebook.com/share/1EL8kbbXNs/?mibextid=wwXIfr [https://www.facebook.com/share/1EL8kbbXNs/?mibextid=wwXIfr] Find out more about Jess's work: Website: https://reactivityspecialist.co.uk [https://reactivityspecialist.co.uk/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/14g35uo7TKN/?mibextid=wwXIfr [https://www.facebook.com/share/14g35uo7TKN/?mibextid=wwXIfr] If you enjoy this episode, please consider liking, subscribing, following the podcast, and sharing it with someone who may find it helpful. #Dogs #DogBehaviour #Reactivity #CanineDialogueDynamics #CDDMethod #REGAINMethod #JessJones #DogPodcast #EthicalDogTraining #DogBehaviourist #RewritingTheRules

Are We Truly Present With Our Dogs?

Are we truly living with our dogs, or are they quietly living around us? In this thought-provoking episode of Rewriting the Rules, Bethany Bell explores the difference between simply owning a dog and truly sharing life with one. Modern life is busy, distracting, and often focused on managing behaviour, schedules, and responsibilities. Without realising it, many dogs slowly become part of the background of our lives rather than active companions in it. This episode invites you to pause and reflect on your relationship with your dog. Together we explore: • How dogs can slowly become “background noise” in busy human lives • Why behaviour correction can sometimes replace real connection • The difference between dog ownership and a genuine relationship • How modern distractions reduce our presence with our dogs • What dogs actually want from us beyond training and stimulation • Small everyday changes that deepen connection and understanding • How shared moments and true presence transform the human-dog relationship   Dogs live fully in the present moment. They notice the world, experience life deeply, and repeatedly invite us to share those moments with them. But are we noticing? This episode is a gentle but powerful reflection on what it really means to live alongside a dog, and how a shift in attention, curiosity, and presence can transform everyday life together. If you care deeply about your dog and want a richer, more meaningful relationship with them, this conversation will give you plenty to reflect on. Further resources  Free Learning: Patreon Page  [https://www.patreon.com/cw/BethanyBell_TheCDDMethod] What is the CDD method? [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/the-cdd-method/] Our Free Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1005236807964033] Our YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@CanineEthicalAssociates] Facebook Page [https://www.facebook.com/CanineDialogueDynamics/] Bethany’s Facebook Page  [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100081199626400] Our Blog [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/blog/] Website [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/] Free Rescue Course [https://canineethicalassociates.thinkific.com/courses/embracing-a-new-life-for-rescue-dogs] Take The Next Step Patreon Page [https://www.patreon.com/cw/BethanyBell_TheCDDMethod] Our Programmes  –  Work With Bethany One To One  [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/programmes/] Our Online Courses [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/courses/] Bethany’s Books  [https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Bethany-Bell/author/B0D6VJJ1TM?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true] Rewriting the Rules: The CDD Mentorship [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/rewriting-the-rules-the-cdd-mentorship/] Online Programmes [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/elementor-page-1949/] Surrey & Surrounding Areas- Programmes [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/surrey-hampshire-programmes/] Student Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/597851294867511] If you’re ready to step into something different - something kinder, wiser, and more meaningful - you’re in the right place. Let’s raise dogs with dignity. Let’s teach through connection. Let’s begin the conversation.

When Dogs Grieve.

Do dogs grieve? What does dog grief actually look like? And how can you support a dog after the loss of another dog, a person, or an animal companion? In this episode of Rewriting the Rules, we explore canine grief in depth. When a dog loses a companion, whether that is another dog in the home or a beloved human, their world changes in ways that are often misunderstood. Grief in dogs can show up as anxiety, clinginess, withdrawal, separation distress, appetite changes, reactivity, confidence loss, or even trauma-like behaviours. We discuss: * Do dogs really experience grief? * How attachment and co-regulation shape canine behaviour * Why behaviour changes after loss are often nervous system responses * What happens when two dogs become one * Why alone time can suddenly feel frightening * How grief can sometimes resemble PTSD or trauma * Practical, compassionate ways to support a grieving dog * How long dog grief may last * How to rebuild safety, confidence, and emotional stability This episode also gently acknowledges your own grief as a guardian, and how your emotional state interacts with your dog’s adjustment without placing pressure on you to suppress your feelings. If your dog is showing behavioural changes after losing a companion, this episode will help you understand what may be happening beneath the surface and how to support them in a calm, steady, and emotionally intelligent way. Grief is not a behaviour problem. It is an attachment response. Listen now to learn how to walk alongside your dog through loss with compassion and clarity.   Further resources  Free Learning: Patreon Page  [https://www.patreon.com/cw/BethanyBell_TheCDDMethod] What is the CDD method? [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/the-cdd-method/] Our Free Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1005236807964033] Our YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@CanineEthicalAssociates] Facebook Page [https://www.facebook.com/CanineDialogueDynamics/] Bethany’s Facebook Page  [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100081199626400] Our Blog [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/blog/] Website [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/] Free Rescue Course [https://canineethicalassociates.thinkific.com/courses/embracing-a-new-life-for-rescue-dogs] Take The Next Step Patreon Page [https://www.patreon.com/cw/BethanyBell_TheCDDMethod] Our Programmes  –  Work With Bethany One To One  [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/programmes/] Our Online Courses [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/courses/] Bethany’s Books  [https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Bethany-Bell/author/B0D6VJJ1TM?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true] Rewriting the Rules: The CDD Mentorship [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/rewriting-the-rules-the-cdd-mentorship/] Online Programmes [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/elementor-page-1949/] Surrey & Surrounding Areas- Programmes [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/surrey-hampshire-programmes/] Student Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/597851294867511] If you’re ready to step into something different - something kinder, wiser, and more meaningful - you’re in the right place. Let’s raise dogs with dignity. Let’s teach through connection. Let’s begin the conversation.

Teaching Dogs Life Skills Not Just Commands

In this episode of Rewriting the Rules, we explore what it really means to build a meaningful relationship with a dog, and why obedience is not the same as understanding. Rather than focusing on commands like sit, stay, or down, this conversation looks at life skills that help dogs live safely and confidently in the real world. We explore the difference between training behaviours and teaching concepts, and why blind obedience can limit a dog’s ability to think, adapt, and make safe decisions on their own. Using real-life examples such as waiting at doors, loose lead walking, and everyday boundaries, this episode shows how dogs can learn safety and self-regulation without rigid positions, constant management, or repetitive training routines. We discuss why teaching concepts like waiting, pacing, and awareness creates more reliable behaviour than obedience alone, and how this approach supports emotional wellbeing and trust. This episode is for anyone who wants to move beyond control-based thinking and build a deeper, more ethical, and more effective way of living with dogs. If you care about safety, behaviour, and genuine connection, this episode will help you rethink what dogs really need to learn.   Further resources  Free Learning: Patreon Page  [https://www.patreon.com/cw/BethanyBell_TheCDDMethod] What is the CDD method? [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/the-cdd-method/] Our Free Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1005236807964033] Our YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@CanineEthicalAssociates] Facebook Page [https://www.facebook.com/CanineDialogueDynamics/] Bethany’s Facebook Page  [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100081199626400] Our Blog [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/blog/] Website [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/] Free Rescue Course [https://canineethicalassociates.thinkific.com/courses/embracing-a-new-life-for-rescue-dogs] Take The Next Step Patreon Page [https://www.patreon.com/cw/BethanyBell_TheCDDMethod] Our Programmes  –  Work With Bethany One To One  [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/programmes/] Our Online Courses [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/courses/] Bethany’s Books  [https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Bethany-Bell/author/B0D6VJJ1TM?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true] Rewriting the Rules: The CDD Mentorship [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/rewriting-the-rules-the-cdd-mentorship/] Online Programmes [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/elementor-page-1949/] Surrey & Surrounding Areas- Programmes [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/surrey-hampshire-programmes/] Student Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/597851294867511] If you’re ready to step into something different - something kinder, wiser, and more meaningful - you’re in the right place. Let’s raise dogs with dignity. Let’s teach through connection. Let’s begin the conversation.

Dog Play: What’s Healthy, What Isn’t, and Why It Matters More Than You Think

Dog Play: What’s Healthy, What Isn’t, and Why It Matters More Than You Think   Dog play is one of the most misunderstood topics in the dog world. In this episode, we explore what healthy dog play actually looks like, what is commonly mistaken for play, and why getting this wrong can quietly contribute to stress, over-arousal, and behaviour struggles. We talk about the emotional state behind play, the importance of consent, pauses, self-limiting behaviour, and choice, and why intensity does not automatically mean enjoyment. You’ll learn how to recognise when play is genuinely regulating, and when it is driven by over-arousal, frustration, social pressure, or stress release.   This episode also explores the difference between dog-to-dog play and human-led games such as fetch or tug, why not all dogs enjoy play, and why forcing play or using it as an “outlet” can backfire for sensitive or reactive dogs. Rather than focusing on rules or management, this conversation invites you to slow down, observe more closely, and rethink play through a relationship-led, emotionally informed lens. If you want to support calmer behaviour, emotional regulation, and genuine wellbeing, this episode will change how you see play forever.   Further resources  Free Learning: Patreon Page  [https://www.patreon.com/cw/BethanyBell_TheCDDMethod] What is the CDD method? [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/the-cdd-method/] Our Free Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1005236807964033] Our YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@CanineEthicalAssociates] Facebook Page [https://www.facebook.com/CanineDialogueDynamics/] Bethany’s Facebook Page  [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100081199626400] Our Blog [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/blog/] Website [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/] Free Rescue Course [https://canineethicalassociates.thinkific.com/courses/embracing-a-new-life-for-rescue-dogs] Take The Next Step Patreon Page [https://www.patreon.com/cw/BethanyBell_TheCDDMethod] Our Programmes  –  Work With Bethany One To One  [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/programmes/] Our Online Courses [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/courses/] Bethany’s Books  [https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Bethany-Bell/author/B0D6VJJ1TM?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true] Rewriting the Rules: The CDD Mentorship [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/rewriting-the-rules-the-cdd-mentorship/] Online Programmes [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/elementor-page-1949/] Surrey & Surrounding Areas- Programmes [https://canine-dialogue-dynamics.com/surrey-hampshire-programmes/] Student Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/597851294867511] If you’re ready to step into something different - something kinder, wiser, and more meaningful - you’re in the right place. Let’s raise dogs with dignity. Let’s teach through connection. Let’s begin the conversation.