So, moving on from yesterday’s video, how did I bring Dot back from the reactivity?

From lunging at statues… barking at strangers and living like the whole world was out to get her?

I focused on three key skills, not to control her, but to help her feel safe again.

1️⃣ LAT and check-in training… with play.

I taught Dot to notice a trigger,

and look back to me instead.

Not for pressure—but for play.

Because a dog can’t be in fear and play at the same time.

2️⃣ Scent work.

When you’re overwhelmed, sniffing brings you back into your body.

It grounded her.

It gave her something to do instead of react.

3️⃣ Desensitisation and counter conditioning.

Step by step, I rebuilt her emotional response from ‘threat’ to ‘safe’.

I didn’t just show her what not to do.

I showed her how to feel okay and what to do instead.

And the moment Dot learned that she didn’t have to fight her way through the world anymore…everything changed.

This moment didn’t define her.

It was where her healing started.