September is (almost) here, routines are shifting, and both you and your dog are feeling the change. The kids are heading back to school, work ramps up, and suddenly the calm of summer is replaced with earlier alarms, busy mornings, and less free time.

And here’s the thing: your dog notices. They thrive on predictability, so when life suddenly speeds up, it can leave them unsettled, and leave you feeling guilty, frazzled, and overwhelmed.

In this episode of The Mindful Dog Parent, I’m talking about how those changes affect both you and your dog emotionally, why “back-to-school stress” impacts behaviour, and three simple ways you can bring more calm and connection into your September routine.

• Why routine changes hit both dogs and humans harder than we expect.
• How guilt shows up for dog parents this time of year, and how to lighten the load.
• Three ways to bring calm back into your daily rhythm:

1. Keep one anchor routine — a predictable moment each day your dog can count on.
2. Build in reset points — short breaks that regulate you and your dog’s nervous systems.
3. Simplify your training focus — choose one clear priority instead of juggling everything at once.

• A 7-day mini challenge to help you reset with your dog this week.

Try this rhythm to bring more calm into your September:

1️⃣ Choose one anchor routine to keep steady this month (morning sniffy walk, bedtime cuddle, etc.).

2️⃣ Create one reset point each day (chew, sniff walk, calm play, or just sitting together quietly).

3️⃣ Notice and write down one micro win each day (quicker settling, softer energy, more check-ins).

Small, steady shifts add up. And they’re what will help you and your dog find balance again during busy times.

If this episode landed with you, please share it with a fellow dog parent who’s feeling the “back-to-school” chaos. And if you’re craving more structured support, don’t forget to join my Calm Connection Challenge at the end of September, a free 4-day reset designed to help you and your dog rebuild calm, confidence, and connection.

Links mentioned in the show:

• My free Calm Connection Challenge: lavendergardenanimalservices.co.uk/calm-connection-challenge
• Find out more about what I do, and how you can work with me: lavendergardenanimalservices.co.uk
• Send me a DM or connect with me: @lavendergardenanimalservices on Instagram

Are you drowning in dog training tips? Every scroll brings another “must try” hack, recall games, loose lead walking tricks, reactivity fixes, and somehow, none of it seems to stick.

In Episode 7, we explored what to do when the hacks you’ve already tried aren’t working. Today, we’re taking it deeper. This episode is about cutting through the noise, filtering advice that actually fits you and your dog, and building a calmer, more focused training plan.

You’ll learn:

• Why so much dog training advice feels contradictory.
• The hidden costs of advice overload (and how it impacts your dog’s behaviour).
• A simple four-step filter you can use to decide what advice to keep, and what to ignore.
• My Focus Five framework for creating a training plan that actually works.
• A 7-day challenge you can follow this week to build momentum and confidence.

Use these questions to decide if a tip belongs in your plan:

1. Values Filter: Does it align with kindness, ethics, and your dog’s wellbeing?
2. Suitability Filter: Is it right for your dog’s temperament and stage of learning?
3. Feasibility Filter: Can you realistically apply it in your life right now?
4. Consistency Filter: Can you commit to it for at least 14 days?

Choose one clear outcome for two weeks, and keep everything simple:

• One goal → e.g., calmer door greetings.
• One cue → e.g., “go to mat.”
• One context → practice in one predictable setting.
• One metric → seconds to settle, steps before pulling, etc.
• One review day → check in weekly and adjust gently.

Try this rhythm for the week ahead:

• Day 1: Choose your Focus Five.
• Day 2: 5 minutes of practice in your chosen context.
• Day 3: Repeat, note one micro win.
• Day 4: Rest + decompression (sniff walk, play, no pressure).
• Day 5: Practice again for 5 minutes.
• Day 6: Repeat, note one micro win.
• Day 7: Review your notes. Decide to repeat or add one small step.

If this feels like the fresh start you’ve been waiting for, join me in the Calm Connection Challenge coming up at the end of September. Together we’ll go deeper into the routines and mindset shifts that make dog training easier, calmer, and more connected.

Links & Resources:

• Join the Calm Connection Challenge: https://lavendergardenanimalservices.myflodesk.com/calm-connection-challenge-free
• Free guide: Practical Strategies for Overwhelmed Dog Parents: https://lavendergardenanimalservices.myflodesk.com/strategies-for-overwhelmed-dog-parents
• Follow me and send me a DM on Instagram @lavendergardenanimalservices

Mentioned in this episode:

Something New Is Coming: The Calm Connection Challenge

Ready to feel calmer and more connected with your dog — and yourself?

Why Your Dog’s Behaviour Isn’t Changing (and How to Turn It Around)

You’ve read the books. You’ve saved the Instagram reels. You’ve tried every recall trick, loose lead hack, and reactivity tip you can find.

But nothing seems to work, at least not for long. And the more you try, the more stuck you feel.

If that’s you, this episode of The Mindful Dog Parent is here to give you relief. Because it’s not that you’re a bad dog parent, and it’s not that your dog can’t learn. There are deeper reasons why the right advice still isn’t bringing the results you hoped for, and we’re going to unpack them together.

You’ll learn:

• The pattern loops that keep you and your dog stuck in the same behaviour cycle
• Why training fatigue makes it harder to be consistent
• The invisible wins you might be missing
• How to use the Reset Point method to break the cycle and make progress faster
• A practical 7-day challenge to create more calm and connection with your dog

If you’ve been running on frustration, doubt, or emotional exhaustion, this episode will help you slow things down, reset, and start seeing the small wins that lead to big change.

Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode:

Join the Calm Connection Challenge (September 2025) → https://lavendergardenanimalservices.co.uk/calm-connection-challenge

Learn more about ethical, science-based dog training → lavendergardenanimalservices.co.uk

Subscribe & Follow:

Don’t miss future episodes that combine practical training advice with the emotional support you need as a dedicated dog parent. Hit follow on your favourite podcast app, or subscribe on YouTube to watch the face-to-camera versions.

Mentioned in this episode:

Something New Is Coming: The Calm Connection Challenge

Ready to feel calmer and more connected with your dog — and yourself?

Have you ever felt like your dog’s behaviour is aimed directly at you?

Maybe they pull on the lead, bark at another dog, ignore your recall - and suddenly you feel embarrassed, frustrated, or even hurt.

You know logically they’re not trying to make your life harder, but it still feels personal.

You’re not alone.

In this episode of The Mindful Dog Parent, we’re unpacking why so many dog owners internalise their dog’s behaviour - and how to break free from the guilt and shame that follows.

You’ll learn:

• Why we take our dog’s behaviour personally (and the emotional patterns behind it)
• What’s actually going on in your dog’s nervous system when they “don’t listen”
• How to stop blaming yourself and start building calm, trust, and connection
• A gentle mindset shift to help you feel more confident on walks and at home
• A weekly challenge to interrupt the self-blame spiral and see your dog’s behaviour in a new light

If you’ve been dealing with reactivity, pulling, barking, or unpredictable behaviour, this conversation will help you approach training and everyday life with more compassion - for yourself and your dog.

Because here’s the truth: your dog’s behaviour isn’t a reflection of your worth as a dog parent. But how you respond can change everything.

Links and Resources:

• Free Guide: Practical Strategies for Overwhelmed Dog Parents - gentle tools to help you and your dog regulate, reset, and reconnect.
• Connect with me on Instagram: @lavendergardenanimals
• Watch this episode on YouTube: COMING SOON

Mentioned in this episode:

Something New Is Coming: The Calm Connection Challenge

Ready to feel calmer and more connected with your dog — and yourself?

Tried every training hack online and nothing sticks? It’s not you. And it’s not your dog. In this episode, we explore the deeper reason tips don’t work, and the simple shift that changes everything.

You’ve scrolled Instagram, saved all the reels, watched the YouTube tutorials, and tried the “5 best recall tips”… only to feel like nothing is working.

That sinking feeling of, “Why isn’t this working? Am I just bad at this? Is my dog broken?” hits hard. And it’s exhausting.

This episode of The Mindful Dog Parent is here to tell you the truth:

It’s not because you’re failing. It’s not because your dog is stubborn. There’s a deeper reason those tips aren’t sticking, and once you understand it, things starts to shift.

• The “tip trap” cycle: Why so many dog parents end up overwhelmed and burnt out.
• Why tips don’t work on their own: The nervous system science behind behaviour and learning.
• The missing link: How calm connection changes the way tips actually work.
• A practical challenge for the week: A 60-second reset to use before any training exercise.
• A real-life story: How one client’s recall transformed when we focused on safety and calm first.

• Dog parents who feel stuck despite “trying everything”
• Anyone whose dog struggles with recall, reactivity, or loose lead walking
• Overwhelmed dog owners craving a calmer, more connected approach

Because you don’t need more tips. You need a foundation that makes those tips actually work. When you can pause, regulate, and create calm connection first, you unlock a new level of learning and trust with your dog.

Before you try any training tip, pause for 60 seconds and:

1️⃣ Ground yourself - breathe slowly, feel your feet on the ground

2️⃣ Check your dog’s state - buzzing? anxious? tuned out?

3️⃣ Connect softly - gentle name, calm touch, or let them sniff.

4️⃣ Then try the tip.

Commit to this for a week and notice the difference. Calm connection first changes how you show up and work on training with your dog.

• Free guide: Practical Strategies for Overwhelmed Dog Parents
• Connect on Instagram @lavendergardenanimalservices
• Learn more about how you can work with me: lavendergardenanimalservices.co.uk

You are not failing. You are learning.

And your dog doesn’t need you to be perfect, just present.

Mentioned in this episode:

Something New Is Coming: The Calm Connection Challenge

Ready to feel calmer and more connected with your dog — and yourself?

The One-Minute Reset: How to Build Calm With Your Dog in Everyday Moments

Wish you had a reset button after your dog reacts or a walk goes sideways? In this episode, I share my go-to One-Minute Reset - a simple, powerful tool to help you and your dog regulate and reconnect in under 60 seconds.

Maybe it’s the barking at the window. The lunge on a walk. The way your own heart pounds in your chest afterwards.

Those moments can leave both you and your dog dysregulated long after they’re over. And here’s the thing: moving on without resetting doesn’t actually bring you back to calm.

In this episode of The Mindful Dog Parent, I’m sharing my go-to tool for those moments: The One-Minute Reset. It’s simple, practical, and can change the way you and your dog recover from stress — together.

• Why regulation after a reaction matters: The nervous system science behind recovery.
• How sniffing helps your dog self-soothe: And why it’s one of the most powerful calming tools you have.
• The exact steps of The One-Minute Reset: A gentle, repeatable process to bring you both back to baseline.
• How this small practice builds trust: And why it works even if the moment didn’t go perfectly.
• A personal story: How a past reactive walk with my dog Maisy taught me the power of this pause.

• Dog parents of reactive or sensitive dogs
• Anyone who feels triggered or guilty after their dog struggles
• People craving simple, doable tools to create more calm connection

Because behaviour change isn’t just about prevention — it’s about recovery. The way you and your dog come back to baseline after stress is just as important as what you do before it.

1️⃣ Pause when the moment allows.

2️⃣ Invite your dog to sniff — no cues, no pressure.

3️⃣ Take one slow breath.

4️⃣ Stay present and observe.

5️⃣ Move on gently when you both feel calmer.

Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs start with the smallest pauses.

📥 Free guide: Practical Strategies for Overwhelmed Dog Parents

Your dog doesn’t need you to get it right every time. They need you to recover, reconnect, and keep showing up, together.

Mentioned in this episode:

Something New Is Coming: The Calm Connection Challenge

Ready to feel calmer and more connected with your dog — and yourself?

Burnout, Guilt & the Pressure to Keep Going (When You’re Already Tired)

Burnout as a dog parent is real. In this guest episode with Dr. Amber Parks, we explore what burnout actually is, how it shows up in your relationship with your dog, and gentle, realistic steps to begin recovering.

You’re not alone. Burnout as a dog parent is real, and it can sneak up on even the most dedicated, loving people.

In this guest episode of The Mindful Dog Parent, I’m joined by Dr. Amber Parks, a veterinarian-turned burnout and stress coach who knows firsthand what it’s like to feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and stuck in something you once loved. Together, we unpack the hidden emotional toll of caring so deeply for your dog and why recovering your own wellbeing is the most important thing you can do for both of you.

• What burnout really is: And why it’s different to everyday stress.
• The signs of burnout in dog parents: Emotional, physical, and behavioural red flags to look out for.
• How burnout affects your connection with your dog: From patience levels to nervous system signals.
• Why loving your dog isn’t enough to avoid burnout: And why this has nothing to do with failing them.
• Gentle ways to start recovering: Small, doable steps to refill your cup without quitting everything.

Dr. Amber Parks, DVM, DABVP is a veterinarian-turned burnout and stress coach who helps high-achieving professionals reclaim energy, confidence, and joy without needing to quit their jobs. She specializes in helping clients overcome imposter syndrome, stop people-pleasing, and build sustainable lives that feel fulfilling, not draining.

• Dog parents who feel emotionally or physically exhausted
• Anyone who loves their dog deeply but feels they’re running on empty
• People craving gentle, realistic ways to recover calm and joy

Because being a good dog parent should never mean losing yourself in the process. Burnout isn’t about how much you love your dog, it’s about how much you’ve been pouring out without refilling.

You can’t pour calm into your dog if you’re running on empty. Taking care of yourself is taking care of them.

📥 Free guide: Practical Strategies for Overwhelmed Dog Parents

Your dog needs you well, not worn down. Prioritising your mental health is one of the most loving things you can do for both of you.

The Myth of the Perfect Dog: Letting Go of Unrealistic Expectations

If you’ve ever compared your dog to the “perfect” dogs you see online and felt like you’re failing, this episode will help you release those expectations and embrace the imperfect, beautiful dog right in front of you.

It might be the calm café dog lying under the table, the off-lead recall videos on Instagram, or even the well-behaved pup at the park who seems to do everything right.

And then you look at your own dog, barking at the window, bouncing off the walls, struggling to focus, and the weight of comparison hits.

That’s what we’re unpacking in this episode: the myth of the “perfect dog,” how it sneaks into our relationship, and why letting go of it is one of the kindest things you can do for yourself and your dog.

• Where the perfect dog myth comes from: Social media, training culture, and unrealistic expectations.
• How comparison quietly fuels guilt and burnout: And why it hits so hard for sensitive, caring dog parents.
• Why your dog doesn’t need to be perfect: The difference between behaviour goals and emotional connection.
• A mindset shift: How to start celebrating progress over perfection.
• A gentle reminder: The dog who loves you? They’re already the perfect dog for you.

• Dog parents caught in the comparison trap
• Anyone feeling “behind” in their dog training
• People struggling with guilt or shame about their dog’s behaviour

Because chasing perfection doesn’t build connection. Letting go of unrealistic expectations creates space for joy, progress, and a deeper bond with the dog you actually have — not the one you think you should.

The perfect dog doesn’t exist. But the perfect dog for you? They’re already right there, wagging their tail, doing their best.

Free guide: Practical Strategies for Overwhelmed Dog Parents

Your dog isn’t a test you have to pass. They’re a relationship you get to nurture.

Why Your Dog’s Behaviour Feels So Triggering (And What to Do About It)

When your dog’s behaviour feels triggering, it’s not because you’re a bad dog parent. In this episode, I explore why reactivity hits so hard, the emotional layers behind it, and gentle ways to reset with calm connection.

Maybe it’s the barking at the window again, the sudden lunge on a walk, or the recall that falls apart no matter what you do.

And the reaction inside you is instant: a knot in your stomach, heat in your face, maybe even shame creeping in with the thought, “Why can’t I handle this? What’s wrong with me?”

You are not broken. And neither is your dog.

In this episode of The Mindful Dog Parent, we’re unpacking why our dogs’ behaviour can feel so triggering — and what to do about it when those emotions surge.

• Why dog behaviour can feel so personal: The emotional mirror our dogs hold up to us.
• The role of the nervous system: How stress in you and your dog feeds into each other.
• Old emotional patterns: How past experiences, perfectionism, and fear of failing resurface in dog parenting moments.
• Gentle regulation tools: How to pause, reset, and find calm connection in the middle of the mess.
• A small, practical takeaway: One grounding step to use when you feel triggered in real-time.

• Dog parents of reactive or sensitive dogs
• Anyone who feels anxious, guilty, or ashamed after their dog struggles
• People who want to build a calmer, more connected relationship with their dog

Because feeling triggered by your dog’s behaviour doesn’t make you a bad dog parent. It makes you human. Learning to regulate yourself first is one of the most powerful things you can do, for both ends of the lead.

The next time your dog reacts, pause for 30 seconds.

Breathe slowly.

Notice what’s happening in your body.

Then meet your dog with calm eyes, not more training cues.

This one small shift can change everything.

📥 Free guide: Practical Strategies for Overwhelmed Dog Parents

Your dog’s behaviour is not a reflection of your worth. You are learning. They are learning. And you are in this together.

The Weight of Dog Mum Guilt: Why You’re Not a Bad Dog Parent

Dog mum guilt is heavy, quiet, and constant. In this episode, I explore where it comes from, why so many dog parents blame themselves, and gentle ways to release it so you and your dog can thrive.

It’s the quiet voice that creeps in after a walk goes wrong. The knot in your stomach when your dog barks at the neighbour’s dog. The wave of shame when you lose patience or cancel that playdate.

That heavy, lingering feeling? That’s dog mum guilt.

And here’s what I want you to know: dog mum guilt doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you care.

In this episode of The Mindful Dog Parent, we’re diving deep into the emotional weight so many of us carry as dog parents — and how to start putting it down.

• The moment guilt hit me hardest: A personal story of a walk gone wrong and the voice that said, “You’re failing her.”
• Where dog mum guilt really comes from: How unrealistic expectations, comparison culture, and old emotional patterns feed it.
• When love and guilt collide: Why the more we care, the heavier guilt can feel.
• Reframing guilt: Understanding the difference between helpful and harmful guilt.
• A practical tool — The Guilt Pause: A gentle, repeatable way to meet guilt with compassion instead of shame.

• Dog parents carrying the weight of guilt, shame, or self-blame
• Anyone who loves their dog deeply but still finds it hard sometimes
• People navigating reactivity, puppy chaos, or emotional burnout

You can love your dog with your whole heart and still find this hard. That doesn’t make you a bad dog parent — it makes you human.

The next time guilt creeps in, pause and ask yourself:

• Is this guilt helping me honour a value, or is it shaming me for being human?
• What would I say to a friend feeling this way?
• What’s one small way I can show care for me and my dog right now?

Free guide for overwhelmed dog parents: Practical Strategies for Overwhelmed Dog Parents

Your dog doesn’t need perfect. They need you, showing up, learning, and loving them through the messiness.