Brain and Behaviour

Daniel is joined by Lynn Hewison and Chirag Patel to question a word we all use and rarely define, reactivity. They look at why it means something different to almost everyone who says it, and what a more useful approach looks like when the dog is in front of you.

Lynn Hewison is a Clinical Animal Behaviourist who led the MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour at the University of Lincoln. Chirag Patel is an internationally recognised behaviour and training consultant.

Links from this episode:

• Lynn Hewison, The Pet Behaviour Company, for her reactivity webinars and courses: https://www.petbehaviourcompany.co.uk/the-team
• Lynn and Chirag's coaching for professionals, BYS Coaching: https://www.byscoaching.com/
• The B.F. Skinner Foundation, recommended by Chirag for its free resources and quarterly magazine: https://www.bfskinner.org/

Find more from Brain and Behaviour Academy at https://www.brainandbehaviouracademy.co.uk. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a colleague.

In this episode Daniel is joined by Victoria Stilwell to discuss her new Reactivity Zones Approach as well as her journey into dog training, her early experience as a dog trainer in New York City, and her projects and collaborations with incredible trainers all over the world.

Victoria will be involved in a number of events in 2026 including the Emotional Wellbeing in Animals Conference, a UK seminar on the Reactivity Zones in June (link below), as well offering lots of great courses via her platforms Positively and the Victoria Stilwell Academy.

https://standishdogtrainer.co.uk/seminars-conferences/

https://positively.com/

https://www.vsdogtrainingacademy.com/

Want to learn more? Explore science-backed courses, webinars, and resources for dog behaviour professionals at our online platform: www.brainandbehaviouracademy.co.uk

Episode Summary

In this conversation, Suzanne Clothier explores why behaviour work must begin with the individual animal rather than rigid training formulas or one-size-fits-all methods. She reflects on her evolution as a trainer, her concerns about overly transactional models, and why relationship, context, and the animal’s lived experience are central to meaningful behaviour change.

Suzanne introduces her six elemental questions as a practical framework for understanding animals, including interest in interaction, individual differences, present-moment experience, capability, permission, and what is possible together. She explains how these questions help trainers and guardians move beyond assumptions and better interpret what the animal is actually communicating.

The episode also covers Suzanne’s assessment tools and her emphasis on function, including physiological, cognitive, and social wellbeing. She discusses why details such as sleep, pain, mobility, and everyday functioning are often missed in behaviour cases, and how these factors can fundamentally shape behaviour outcomes.

The conversation then turns to reactivity, where Suzanne challenges the broad use of the term and advocates for a more nuanced, individualised approach. She discusses handler skill, leash handling, self-regulation, relationship dynamics, and decision points in training, highlighting the importance of helping both dog and human stay in the “think and learn zone” rather than relying on generic recipes.

Want to learn more? Explore science-backed courses, webinars, and resources for dog behaviour professionals at our online platform: www.brainandbehaviouracademy.co.uk

Guest Bio

Dr Helen Howell is a forensic behaviourist and expert witness. Helen spent 16 years as a police detective, much of which was spent working on a child protection unit. Following retirement through injury Helen became a clinical animal behaviourist. Helen has worked with dogs all over the world including street dogs in India and Sri Lanka and game bred American Pit Bull terriers from dog fighting cases in the United States. Helen now works predominantly as an expert witness for Dangerous Dog cases involving injury or fatality and has recently completed a PhD at the University of Lincoln. For her doctoral thesis Helen has developed evidence based dog bite risk assessment guidance. This new approach to the assessment of dog bite risk is a holistic and more ethical approach than many current methods with the intention of better prediction and prevention of dog bites.

Episode Summary

Helen explains why traditional, stimulus-provocation style “temperament tests” are poor predictors of real-world risk and outlines a new, evidence-based approach using structured professional judgment. She introduces two tools under development, the DBR24 for comprehensive expert assessments and the DBRT triage tool for frontline professionals, both designed to shift focus from a dog’s appearance to the factors that actually drive bite risk: environment, management, owner understanding, predictability, and safeguarding. The conversation contrasts this with breed-specific legislation in the UK, highlighting subjectivity in type identification, why breed is a weak proxy for risk, and how better home-context assessments, owner capability, and practical management plans more effectively protect public safety.

Want to learn more? Explore science-backed courses, webinars, and resources for dog behaviour professionals at our online platform: ⁠www.brainandbehaviouracademy.co.uk

Episode Summary

In this episode, Sonia Fetherling joins Daniel to unpack the complexity and nuance of resource guarding. Sonia explains why typical protocols often fall apart in real homes, particularly with dogs who steal items, escalate quickly, or have developed poisoned cues around trading and food delivery. Drawing from her work with severe cases Sonia outlines why resource guarding is rarely just about “the item”.

Want to learn more? Explore science-backed courses, webinars, and resources for dog behaviour professionals at our online platform: ⁠www.brainandbehaviouracademy.co.uk

In this episode Daniel talks to the incredible Malena DeMartini about all things separation anxiety in dogs. Malena dives into some fascinating topics including the dog–caregiver relationship in the context of separation anxiety protocols, tracking data in separation cases, and the practical considerations for supporting dogs with separation anxiety.

To find out more, visit Malena’s website https://malenademartini.com/

Want to learn more? Explore science-backed courses, webinars, and resources for dog behaviour professionals at our online platform: ⁠www.brainandbehaviouracademy.co.uk

Episode Summary

Alyssa joins Daniel to explore the critical intersection of nutrition and behaviour. She shares her journey from zoo animal welfare to canine nutrition, inspired by both professional experience and personal health challenges. The conversation covers the science of the microbiome, the similarities between human and canine nutrition, and how diet can exacerbate or alleviate behaviour issues.

Want to learn more? Explore science-backed courses, webinars, and resources for dog behaviour professionals at our online platform: ⁠www.brainandbehaviouracademy.co.uk

Guest Bio:

Dr. Cook is an International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, a longstanding professional member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), and was one of the first trainers nationally to become a Certified Professional Dog Trainer through independent evaluation. Dr. Cook received her Ph.D. in Psychology from UC Berkeley, with her research focusing on the dog-human relationship and its effect on the problem solving strategies dogs employ. Dr. Cook is the founder and creator of the Play Way and a popular instructor for the online school, The Fenzi Dog Sports Academy. She has been training dogs for nearly 30 years, and has specialized in the rehabilitation of shy and fearful dogs for over 20 years

Episode Summary:

Amy and Daniel explore the origins and applications of The Play Way. Amy explains how she combined insights from child play therapy, human psychology, and dog training to create a system that helps fearful and anxious dogs feel safe and connected. They discuss the role of social buffering, laughter, and expectation-free play in building resilience, and why traditional conditioning methods often leave underlying fear untouched. The conversation is full of practical insights into how play can transform the dog-human relationship.

Amy's signature Play Way class starting in December looking at using the Play Way to support fearful and reactive dogs: https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/courses/84

Want to learn more? Explore science-backed courses, webinars, and resources for dog behaviour professionals at our online platform: ⁠www.brainandbehaviouracademy.co.uk

Episode Summary:

Hannah and Daniel discuss the role of campaigning, policy, and communication in advancing dog welfare. Hannah shares her journey from hands-on training to TV, authorship, and policy work, and explains how being able to connect with different stakeholders —from dog owners to vets to MPs—is a critical skill. They explore the successes of APPG for Dog Welfare, grassroots campaigning, and how public opinion and expert advocacy can combine to make lasting change for dogs.

Relevant Links

APPG for Dog Welfare (APDAWG): https://apdawg.co.uk

Book What’s My Dog Thinking?: https://www.dk.com/uk/book/9780241419832-whats-my-dog-thinking

The Future of Dogs Podcast: https://futureofdogs.buzzsprout.com/

Want to learn more? Explore science-backed courses, webinars, and resources for dog behaviour professionals at our online platform: ⁠www.brainandbehaviouracademy.co.uk.⁠

Episode Summary:

Melissa joins Daniel to compare the behavioural challenges of dogs in urban and rural settings. She explains how city dogs are constantly bombarded by sensory overload—sounds, smells, confined spaces, and straight-line encounters on sidewalks—that create frustration, reactivity, and stress. In contrast, rural dogs often face challenges like predation and lack of recall training. Melissa also shares her work in an exciting new research project!

Relevant Links

• ​Book: Considerations for the City Dog: https://considerationsforthecitydog.com
• ​PACT Conference (mentioned): https://www.pact-dogs.com

Want to learn more? Explore science-backed courses, webinars, and resources for dog behaviour professionals at our online platform: ⁠www.brainandbehaviouracademy.co.uk.⁠