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Hey, dog lover! 🐾

You love your dog—probably more than most people, right? So why does it still feel like your dog isn’t listening? Why do they ignore your call, run the other way, or tune you out when it really matters?

In this episode, we’re busting the big myth that love = relevance. (Spoiler alert: it doesn’t.) We’ll explore why your love does matter deeply—but why it isn’t the currency your dog uses to decide who to follow, trust, or prioritize.

We’ll talk about how dogs view the world through a survival-based lens, why emotional closeness doesn’t automatically equal relationship strength, and how to become more relevant in your dog’s life through shared experiences, not just snuggles.

This is one of those episodes that can totally shift how you see your dog’s behaviour—and help you stop taking it so personally.

Hope you enjoy this one,
Tracy

🐾👣 Next Steps:

✅ Wanna hang out and learn more with me?

Join the Fearless Framework, my 12-month online program designed to help you create an unshakable bond with your dog. You’ll build trust, relevance, and fulfillment in a way that makes living with your dog easier—no treat pouch required.
👉 beyondobedience.ca/fearless

✅ Join our free community on Facebook

Come connect with other dog lovers inside Living Beyond Obedience—share stories, post pics, ask questions, and celebrate your wins. It’s full of heart and full of hope.
👉 Join here

✅ Want to know your dog’s unique Dogonality™?

Take the free Dogonality™ Quiz and discover tips, insights, and ways to better connect with your one-of-a-kind dog.
👉 beyondobedience.ca/quiz

🎵 Music credit: Shawn Trotter – shawntrotter.com

Hey, Dog Lover! 🐾

Ever find yourself wondering how much time your dog really needs from you each day? Is it about hours spent playing fetch—or is there something deeper that actually fills their cup?

In this episode, we dive into a voice message from a listener (hi, Rachel!) who asks a question every dog lover has wrestled with: What’s a fair amount of time to spend with your dog? The answer? It’s not about time—it’s about quality, fulfillment, leadership, and rhythm.

We explore what true dog fulfillment looks like (hint: it’s not just tiring them out), how to avoid being accidentally manipulated by your clever pup, and how to build a life where your dog understands the natural rhythms of the day. You’ll also get a crash course in my Leadership Scorecard and how it helps you become someone your dog truly trusts and chooses to follow—without needing a treat pouch in your pocket.

Whether you’ve got a couch potato or a squirrel-chasing explorer, this episode will help you feel confident in how you're showing up for your dog.

Hope you enjoy this one,
Tracy

🐾👣 Next Steps:

✅ Wanna hang out and learn more with me?

Join the Fearless Framework, my 12-month online program designed to help you create an unshakable bond with your dog. You’ll build trust, relevance, and fulfillment in a way that makes living with your dog easier—no treat pouch required.
👉 beyondobedience.ca/fearless

✅ Join our free community on Facebook

Come connect with other dog lovers inside Living Beyond Obedience—share stories, post pics, ask questions, and celebrate your wins. It’s full of heart and full of hope.
👉 Join here

✅ Want to know your dog’s unique Dogonality™?

Take the free Dogonality™ Quiz and discover tips, insights, and ways to better connect with your one-of-a-kind dog.
👉 beyondobedience.ca/quiz

🎵 Music credit: Shawn Trotter – shawntrotter.com

Hey, Dog Lover! 🐾

In today’s myth-busting episode, we’re unpacking one of the most common misconceptions in dog training: that obedience equals leadership.

You’ll learn why being able to get your dog to “sit” or “heel” on cue doesn’t necessarily mean you’re the one they trust to lead. We’ll talk about what real leadership looks like to your dog—from the power of calm and predictability, to understanding how dogs use space, movement, and presence to communicate.

I’ll also share my Leadership Scorecard concept and why training eye contact isn’t the same as earning it. This episode is all about helping you shift from a transactional dynamic to a trust-based relationship that makes everything easier—from daily walks to big life transitions.

Whether you’re new to dog behaviour or a seasoned trainer rethinking your approach, this one is for you.

Hope you enjoy this episode,

Tracy

Next Steps 👣🐾:

• Want to take your relationship to the next level?
  Jump into the Fearless Framework, my 12-month online program built for dog lovers who want to create an unshakable bond with their dog and make everyday life easier through trust, leadership, and confidence—not constant training.
  👉 beyondobedience.ca/fearless

• Join our free community!
  Come hang out with other like-minded dog lovers in the Living Beyond Obedience Facebook group for support, laughs, and lots of “How interesting!” moments.
  👉 Join the group here

• Got a question or want to leave a voice review?
  I love hearing from you! Head to beyondobedience.ca/contact 

  and click the orange mic to drop me a message.

• Take the Doginality™ Quiz
  Discover your dog’s unique Dogonality™ and get personalized tips on how to connect and communicate more effectively with the dog you actually have.
  👉beyondobedience.ca/quiz

🎵 Special thanks and music credit: Shawn Trotter – shawntrotter.com

Hey Dog Lover 🐾

If your dog flinches when you reach out… freezes when you get too close… or simply tolerates affection without really softening into it—this episode is for you.

We’re a touchy-feely species. Dogs are not.
Especially dogs who are fearful, anxious, or still learning to feel safe in the world.

In this episode of the Fearless Dog Lover Podcast, I’m sharing three powerful, connection-deepening ways to bond with your dog—that don’t involve touch at all.

You’ll learn:

• Why closeness isn’t the same as consent (and how to honor that difference)

• The subtle ways we accidentally add pressure to already-sensitive dogs

• How to create safety, trust, and relevance through orientation, rhythm, and presence

• Why the calmest moments—not the cuddliest ones—often leave the biggest mark

Whether you're working with a newly adopted dog, a lifelong worrier, or just want to strengthen your relationship beyond obedience, this episode will help you stop chasing connection and start creating the space for it.

Because your dog doesn’t need constant reassurance.
They need you to be someone they can trust—even in the quiet.

Hope you enjoy!

Tracy xoxo

Next Steps 👣🐾

Ready to take this work deeper and truly become the calm, confident leader your dog longs to follow?

Join the Fearless Framework—my 12-month online program for dog lovers navigating fear, reactivity, and unconfidence
(and yes—we help the dogs too)
👉 www.beyondobedience.ca/fearless

Curious about your dog’s unique Dogonality™?
Take the free quiz and start understanding your dog’s needs, preferences, and patterns.
👉 www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz

Want community support and real talk from folks on the same path?
Join us in the free Facebook group: Living Beyond Obedience
👉 facebook.com/groups/livingbeyondobedience

Want your question featured on a future episode?
Head to beyondobedience.ca/contact, tap the orange mic, and leave me a message!

🎶 Music Credit:
Shawn Trotter – www.shawntrotter.com

Hey Dog Lover 🐾

In this week’s episode of Beyond Obedience, I sat down with the ever-insightful Paisley for a "Questions You Didn't Know You Asked" Q&A—and wow, did we cover some surprisingly helpful stuff.

We unpacked:
✔ What to actually focus on when bringing home a new dog or puppy
✔ What’s really going on when your dog is humping at the dog park 😳
✔ How curiosity (not control) helps you become someone worth following

You’ll hear real talk, surprising insights, and plenty of “How interesting!” moments as we look at your dog’s behavior through a fresh lens—one rooted in relationship, not rules.

Hope you enjoy!

Tracy and Paisley

NEXT STEPS 👣🐾

Got a question for the show?
I’d love to hear it! Leave me a voice memo at 👉 www.beyondobedience.ca/contact

Come hang out!
Join the Living Beyond Obedience community on Facebook:
➡ www.facebook.com/groups/LivingBeyondObedience

Wanna work with me?

Join the online Program The Fearless Framework

Learn more about being someone worth following (to a dog) and watch everything else just get easier.

🎶 Special thanks to Shawn Trotter of www.shawntrotter.com for the music that makes this podcast feel like home.

Hey Dog Lover 🐾

What if leadership with your dog had nothing to do with being the boss… and everything to do with being worth following?

In this episode, we’re rewriting the rules on what it means to lead your dog—and spoiler alert: it’s not about dominance, micromanaging, or having the tightest leash grip on the block.

Instead, we’ll dive into what true, trust-based leadership looks like:

• How to become your dog’s anchor, not their overlord

• Why your leash should be a form of communication, not control

• The six core qualities of someone a dog chooses to follow

• How to shift from reactive managing to intentional guiding—even in real-world chaos

And yes—we’re also talking about the one leadership quality most people miss:
👉 Don’t take it personally.
Your dog’s behavior isn’t about your worth—it’s about their safety. And they’re just waiting to know they can lean on you.

Whether your dog is leash reactive, fearful, or just seems to “tune you out,” this episode will help you move from trying to fix your dog… to becoming the steady, calm leader they’ve been searching for all along.

Hope you enjoy

Tracy xoxox

NEXT STEPS 👣🐾

Ready to take this to the next step?

Join the Fearless Framework
A 12-month online program for dog lovers navigating fear, reactivity, and unconfidence
(and yep—we help the dogs too 😉)
👉 www.beyondobedience.ca/fearless

Want to know your dog’s unique Dogonality™?
Take the free quiz here:
👉 www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz

Come connect in the free FB group, Living Beyond Obedience:
👉 Join here

Music Credit 🎶
Shawn Trotter – www.shawntrotter.com

Hey Dog Lover 🐾

If you’ve ever found yourself obsessively watching your dog’s every lip lick, whale eye, or tail twitch… this episode is for you.

Today, we’re pulling back the curtain on why hyper-focusing on stress signals might actually be causing you to miss the bigger picture in your relationship.

Yes—your dog’s body language matters. But when you slip into stress-monitor mode, you lose your most powerful role: being their leader, their anchor, their source of calm confidence.

In this episode, I’ll help you:

• Reframe stress as feedback, not failure

• Understand why watching your dog too closely can break trust

• Learn how to respond to the world instead of reacting to the dog

• Shift from anxious analyzing into grounded leadership and connection

Because here’s the truth: your dog isn’t looking for you to spot danger.
They’re looking to you to say, “I see it—and we’re okay.”

You’ll walk away from this one with some super practical mindset shifts, a few “How interesting!” moments… and a deeper understanding of what your dog is really asking for when they look to you.

Hope you enjoy

Tracy xoxox

NEXT STEPS 👣🐾

Ready to get to know your dog even better?

Join the Fearless Framework
The 12-month online program for dog lovers navigating fear, unconfidence, and excitability.
(And yep—we help the dogs too 😉)
👉 www.beyondobedience.ca/fearless

Want to know your dog’s unique Dogonality™?
Take the free quiz here:
👉 www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz

Come hang with us in the free FB group, Living Beyond Obedience:
👉 Join here

Music Credit 🎶
Shawn Trotter – www.shawntrotter.com

Hey Dog Lover 🐾

It’s 2026, and if you’re already feeling a little overwhelmed—guess what? You’re not alone. Leadership doesn’t always look like calm walks and quiet mornings. Sometimes it looks like showing up tired, unsure, and still choosing to lead anyway.

In this episode, we’re digging into what it really means to be a leader your dog trusts—especially when life feels loud, messy, or just plain hard.

Forget “alpha.” Forget control.
Real dog training in 2026 starts with calm energy, emotional awareness, and choosing connection over correction.

Whether you're raising a reactive dog, living with a scared dog, or just trying to be the calm in your chaotic household, this episode will help you step into a version of leadership that’s grounded, accessible, and human.

Inside this episode:

• Why your dog’s behaviour often reflects your internal state

• What calm leadership looks like when you’re not feeling calm

• How to be the person your reactive or anxious dog can trust

• What we can learn from naturally grounded dogs

• Simple shifts when life gets hard, and your leadership is tanking.

This is your reminder: you don’t have to be perfect to be powerful.
And you don’t need to shout to be heard—especially by your dog.

Hope you enjoy!
Tracy xoxox

NEXT STEPS 🐾👣

Ready to lead your dog with calm, clarity, and confidence—no matter what life throws at you?

💛 Inside the Fearless Framework, we go beyond basic dog training and dive deep into leadership, trust, and real behaviour change for reactive, fearful, anxious, and sensitive dogs.
Start your journey here: 👉 beyondobedience.ca/fearless

💬 Not sure it’s a fit? Send me a voice memo or message at beyondobedience.ca/contact, and let’s figure it out together.

Your dog is watching. Not for perfection—but for presence.
Let’s lead from there. 🐾

Hey Dog Lover 🐾

“New Year, New You!”
We hear it every January… but let’s be honest: do you really need a “new” you?

What if this year isn’t about fixing what’s broken, but believing in who you already are? What if the best thing you could do for your dog is to stop chasing perfection—and start showing up with calm, clarity, and confidence?

In this episode, we’re ditching the resolutions and talking about something more powerful: choosing a Word of the Year. This simple practice can shift everything—your mindset, your energy, and your relationship with your dog.

You’ll hear how focusing on intention (instead of instruction) helps build trust, connection, and a deeper sense of leadership—especially if you're navigating life with a reactive dog, a scared dog, or a rescue dog still learning the world is safe.

Inside this episode:

• Why most resolutions fail—and how to build real change through relationship

• How your energy impacts dog behavior (especially anxiety and reactivity)

• What it really means to lead with calm when your life is anything but calm

• Why trust-based leadership works better than obedience training for the long haul

Whether you’re working with a fearful dog, hoping to raise a confident dog, or just craving a more connected, peaceful home—this episode is your invitation to lead differently this year.

Hope you enjoy!
Tracy xoxox

NEXT STEPS 🐾👣

This year, don’t train harder. Connect deeper.

💛 Join the Fearless Framework, my signature program that helps you rebuild trust, reduce reactivity, and guide your dog with calm, confidence, and leadership—no matter where you’re starting from.
👉 beyondobedience.ca/fearless

💬 Got questions? Not sure if your dog is “fearful enough” for the program? (Hint: they don’t have to be.)
Send me a voice memo or message at beyondobedience.ca/contact and let’s figure it out together.

This is the year we stop performing and start partnering.
Let’s do this—one intentional step at a time.