top of page
Comic Gallery
Please give credit when sharing these graphics and leave the logo on. Please do not make money with these images. Please do not modify, crop or edit.
If you plan to print and distribute multiple copies, please consider making a donation. Any amount would be gratefully received and helps me continue my work. Thank you for your support!
Who's walking who?
A tail wag does not always equal a happy dog
Be kind to yourself too
Freedom to enjoy walks without fear
Just overwhelmed
Smell you a mile away
You're doing great!
Nothing days
The most intelligent species?
To those working on separation anxiety
I'm just going to focus on you
Behaviour is not your fault
Thank you for reminding me to slow down
Setting your puppy up for success
Just because it's hard, doesn't mean you're doing it wrong.
Our dogs probably think the same thing about us in many situations
The importance of sniffing
Mistakes are okay
In order for our dogs to get it right, we need to allow them to be confident enough to try, offer and progress. This all comes more naturally when we allow them to confidently make mistakes.
The same goes for us. You wouldn’t be able to look back and say ‘I wish I’d done it differently’, if you hadn’t made those mistakes in the first place. Mistakes are what progresses us, keeps us unstuck and helps us grow. Mistakes are never really mistakes at all.
The same goes for us. You wouldn’t be able to look back and say ‘I wish I’d done it differently’, if you hadn’t made those mistakes in the first place. Mistakes are what progresses us, keeps us unstuck and helps us grow. Mistakes are never really mistakes at all.
Never force
We all have some in built survival instincts, that can become so strong they are overwhelming. Sometimes they keep us safe and sometimes they are extreme and turn into phobias where we feel like we are in serious danger.
It makes sense for animals to exhibit more caution. They have had more predators and dangers for longer. They go through fear periods to support their independent periods in order to keep them safe.
To be attached to something and loosing choice can already create panic. Then to add something they are unsure of must just be overwhelming.
It might feel like we can help a fear by showing them everything is okay, by applying pressure. But this can damage the relationship and leave your dog or puppy no choice but to lash out.
Instead offer space, choice and an escape route. As if the lead were never there. For choice and control builds confidence, as well as having our support when they need it.
It makes sense for animals to exhibit more caution. They have had more predators and dangers for longer. They go through fear periods to support their independent periods in order to keep them safe.
To be attached to something and loosing choice can already create panic. Then to add something they are unsure of must just be overwhelming.
It might feel like we can help a fear by showing them everything is okay, by applying pressure. But this can damage the relationship and leave your dog or puppy no choice but to lash out.
Instead offer space, choice and an escape route. As if the lead were never there. For choice and control builds confidence, as well as having our support when they need it.
No relationship should be based on fear
We don't learn good behaviours through fear, we simply learn how to avoid consequences and to appease.
Teens
When everything goes out the window during adolescence or other challenging times throughout your dogs life, it can be easy to feel what you've put in was a waste of time.
But all that work is still there, and may be the very thing that makes the difference between those that get through those challenges and those that don't.
Everything you put into your dog is worth it.
But all that work is still there, and may be the very thing that makes the difference between those that get through those challenges and those that don't.
Everything you put into your dog is worth it.
What are you going to teach me?
We can learn so much from good resources and trainers but it's our dogs that teach us the most. When we enter into a training session, we are both learning something new each time.
No matter how many dogs we've trained, how many times we've done it, we are always students as much as we are the teacher.
No matter how many dogs we've trained, how many times we've done it, we are always students as much as we are the teacher.
Our support is all they need
It’s natural to want to wrap our dogs up in cotton wool. But we can’t protect them from all stress, fear or pain and we aren’t supposed to.
If our dogs aren’t exposed to stress or frustration then they don’t learn how to cope with it. We all need to learn how to handle small amounts of negative emotions and hormonal responses in order to be able to fight them, respond to them and act on them in the future.
For not all stress is bad and not all stress responses in the body equal a negative experience.
Our job is not to completely stop anything bad happening to our dogs, but to support them through it when it does.
If our dogs aren’t exposed to stress or frustration then they don’t learn how to cope with it. We all need to learn how to handle small amounts of negative emotions and hormonal responses in order to be able to fight them, respond to them and act on them in the future.
For not all stress is bad and not all stress responses in the body equal a negative experience.
Our job is not to completely stop anything bad happening to our dogs, but to support them through it when it does.
Unwanted advice
One of the hardest parts of challenging behaviours is having to listen to the advice we never asked for.
It comes from a good place but sometimes the best thing we can hear or the best thing we can say is “I’m listening,” or “I respect that”.
If someone is struggling, it’s not your advice they are looking for. It’s your sympathy and space to let them do it their way. And that can make all the difference.
It comes from a good place but sometimes the best thing we can hear or the best thing we can say is “I’m listening,” or “I respect that”.
If someone is struggling, it’s not your advice they are looking for. It’s your sympathy and space to let them do it their way. And that can make all the difference.
Weird
We can't always say why we feel off, or our dogs do. But we can embrace it, know it's normal, know our dogs love us anyway. Tomorrow is another day.
bottom of page