Beyond Obedience | Dog Training, Dog Body Language, Anxious Dogs, Scared Dogs, Reactive Dogs

Tracy Franken- Dog Trainer, Vet Tech, Dog Lover, 🐾
  • 4.7 (31)
  • Pets & Animals
  • Updated Weekly

Do you wish you could enjoy life with your dog again? Are you struggling with a reactive, fearful, anxious, or misunderstood dog? Do walks, visitors, or everyday situations leave you feeling stressed, frustrated, or embarrassed? I'm Tracy Franken, a retired vet tech turned dog trainer. I discovered the secret to a life of ease with my dogs; Through trust-based training, and a deeper understanding of dog behaviour, I'll help you build confidence, strengthen your relationship, and create a dog you can trust in the real world. Because lasting change starts with understanding the dog you love.

  1. 2d ago

    225 | The Conversation You're Not Having With Your Dog

    Hey Dog Lover 🐾 Have you ever stopped to wonder what you're actually communicating to your dog... before you ever say a word? Do you find yourself relying on commands, leash pressure, or constant reminders, yet still feel disconnected? What if the most important conversation with your dog isn't happening through your words at all? In this episode, we're exploring one of the biggest shifts you can make in your relationship with your dog: understanding the silent conversations that happen every single day. Because dogs aren't just listening to what we say. They're reading how we move. How we breathe. How we approach. How we invite. And by the time we say the word... The conversation has already begun. We'll talk about: 🐾 Why dogs communicate differently than humans 🐾 How body language, movement, and timing shape every interaction 🐾 Why the leash shouldn't be your primary conversation 🐾 What it really means to "ask" your dog 🐾 How relationships become more fluent over time 🐾 Why the deepest relationships are often the quietest We'll also explore: communication leadership trust connection clarity body language and why the goal isn't to become louder... It's to become more fluent. Because the deeper the relationship... The quieter the conversation becomes. Hope you enjoy this one! Tracy xoxox RESOURCES 🐾 Join the Online Program Fearless Framework!⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless⁠ 🐾 Take the Quiz!⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠ 🐾 Read the blog!⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/blog⁠ CONNECT WITH ME! Contact → ⁠info@beyondobedience.ca⁠ Podcast → ⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/podcast⁠ Connect → ⁠https://facebook.com/groups/LivingBeyondObedience⁠ Resources → ⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠ Merch → ⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/store⁠ 🐾 NEXT STEPS 👣 Step 1: Join a supportive community of dog owners learning how to build trust, clarity, and healthier partnerships with their dogs inside the free Facebook group Living Beyond Obedience. Step 2: Take the Dogonality Quiz to better understand how your dog naturally responds to stress, pressure, and relationship dynamics. 👉 ⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠ Step 3: Learn how to navigate fearful, reactive, and emotionally complex behaviour with more confidence and clarity inside The Fearless Framework. 👉 ⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless⁠ Music Credit 🎶: Shawn Trotter⁠www.shawntrotter.com⁠

  2. 5d ago

    224 | The Most Overlooked Reward in Dog Training (It's Not Treats)

    Hey Dog Lover 🐾 Have you ever wondered if treats are really the most powerful reward you can give your dog? Do you find yourself reaching for food every time you want to reinforce good behaviour? What if one of the most meaningful rewards your dog experiences isn't something you carry in your pocket... But something you feel? In this episode, we're talking about one of the most overlooked rewards in relationship-based dog training: your genuine delight. Because there is a big difference between saying, "Good dog," and laughing because your dog made you smile. We'll talk about: 🐾 Why genuine joy creates deeper connection than we often realize 🐾 The difference between transactional rewards and relational rewards 🐾 How laughter strengthens trust and relevance 🐾 Why dogs notice our emotional state long before our words 🐾 The science behind feel-good hormones and social bonding 🐾 How delight can become one of the most powerful reinforcers in your relationship We'll also explore: trust connection leadership relevance joy fulfillment and why sometimes the greatest reward you can give your dog isn't a treat... It's the feeling that being with you is genuinely fun. Because when your dog becomes the reason you smile... And your dog experiences your delight... You're building something much bigger than obedience. You're building relationship. Hope you enjoy this one! Tracy xoxox RESOURCES 🐾 Join the Online Program Fearless Framework!⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless⁠ 🐾 Take the Quiz!⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠ 🐾 Read the blog!⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/blog⁠ CONNECT WITH ME! Contact → ⁠info@beyondobedience.ca⁠ Podcast → ⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/podcast⁠ Connect → ⁠https://facebook.com/groups/LivingBeyondObedience⁠ Resources → ⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠ Merch → ⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/store⁠ 🐾 NEXT STEPS 👣 Step 1: Join a supportive community of dog owners learning how to build trust, clarity, and healthier partnerships with their dogs inside the free Facebook group Living Beyond Obedience. Step 2: Take the Dogonality Quiz to better understand how your dog naturally responds to stress, pressure, and relationship dynamics. 👉 ⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠ Step 3: Learn how to navigate fearful, reactive, and emotionally complex behaviour with more confidence and clarity inside The Fearless Framework. 👉 ⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless⁠ Music Credit 🎶: Shawn Trotter⁠www.shawntrotter.com⁠

  3. Jul 20

    223 | What Does It Mean To Ask Your Dog?

    Hey Dog Lover 🐾 Have you ever noticed how often we tell our dogs what to do? Sit. Stay. Come. Leave it. Wait. Move. Off. But have you ever stopped to ask yourself: What does it actually mean to ask my dog? And why does that matter? In this episode, we're exploring one of the biggest shifts that happens when we move beyond obedience and start focusing on relationship-based leadership. Because communication isn't just about telling our dogs what to do. It's about creating opportunities for connection, participation, and trust. We'll talk about: 🐾 Why most of us were taught to tell rather than ask 🐾 The difference between directing and inviting 🐾 How the "Be With" teaches dogs to choose connection 🐾 Why participation is different than compliance 🐾 What happens when dogs have room to think and choose 🐾 How asking strengthens trust and confidence We'll also explore: leadership communication trust relevance partnership choice and why one of the most powerful things we can do for our dogs is create opportunities for them to participate instead of simply comply. Because asking isn't about giving up leadership. It's about becoming someone your dog wants to join. And every time your dog says "yes" to that invitation, the relationship grows a little stronger. Hope you enjoy this one! Tracy xoxox RESOURCES 🐾 Join the Fearless Framework: ⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless⁠ 🐾 Take the Quiz! ⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠ 🐾 Read the blog! ⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/blog⁠ Connect with ME! Contact → ⁠info@beyondobedience.ca⁠ Podcast → ⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/podcast⁠ Connect → ⁠https://facebook.com/groups/LivingBeyondObedience⁠ Resources → ⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠ Merch → ⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/store⁠ 👣 NEXT STEPS 🐾 Step 1: Join a supportive community of dog owners learning how to build trust, clarity, and healthier partnerships with their dogs inside the free Facebook group Living Beyond Obedience. Step 2: Take the Dogonality Quiz to better understand how your dog naturally responds to stress, pressure, and relationship dynamics. 👉 ⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠ Step 3: Learn how to navigate fearful, reactive, and emotionally complex behaviour with more confidence and clarity inside The Fearless Framework. 👉 ⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless⁠ Music Credit 🎶: Shawn Trotter ⁠www.shawntrotter.com⁠

  4. Jul 16

    222 | Training Harder Isn't Working... Here's Why

    Hey Dog Lover 🐾 Have you ever felt like you're doing all the right things... but somehow things still aren't getting better? Do you find yourself constantly searching for the next training tip, tool, strategy, or solution? Have you ever wondered if trying harder might actually be making things more difficult? In this episode, we're talking about something many dog owners experience but rarely recognize: The pressure that comes from constantly trying to fix everything. Because when our dogs struggle, our natural response is often to do more. More training. More management. More research. More effort. But what if the answer isn't always more? What if the answer is understanding? We'll talk about: 🐾 Why trying harder is our natural human response 🐾 How pressure can unintentionally affect our dogs 🐾 The connection between uncertainty and control 🐾 Why every interaction doesn't need to become a training session 🐾 What Levi taught me about removing pressure 🐾 How curiosity creates opportunities for growth and why sometimes the biggest breakthroughs happen when we stop asking: "What else do I need to do?" and start asking: "What am I not understanding yet?" Because dog ownership isn't supposed to feel like a never-ending problem to solve. It's supposed to be a relationship to experience. Hope you enjoy this one! Tracy xoxox RESOURCES 🐾 Join the Fearless Framework: ⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless⁠ 🐾 Take the Quiz! ⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠ 🐾 Read the blog! ⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/blog⁠ Connect with ME! Contact → ⁠info@beyondobedience.ca⁠ Podcast → ⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/podcast⁠ Connect → ⁠https://facebook.com/groups/LivingBeyondObedience⁠ Resources → ⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠ Merch → ⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/store⁠ 👣 NEXT STEPS 🐾 Step 1: Join a supportive community of dog owners learning how to build trust, clarity, and healthier partnerships with their dogs inside the free Facebook group Living Beyond Obedience. Step 2: Take the Dogonality Quiz to better understand how your dog naturally responds to stress, pressure, and relationship dynamics. 👉 ⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠ Step 3: Learn how to navigate fearful, reactive, and emotionally complex behaviour with more confidence and clarity inside The Fearless Framework. 👉 ⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless⁠ Music Credit 🎶: Shawn Trotter ⁠www.shawntrotter.com⁠

  5. Jul 13

    221 | Why Obedience Isn't Building The Relationship You Want

    Hey Dog Lover 🐾 Have you ever looked at your dog and thought: "They know all of this... so why does it still feel like we're disconnected?" Does your dog listen perfectly in some situations but completely forget you exist when life gets interesting? Have you ever wondered why obedience doesn't always create the relationship you're hoping for? In this episode, we're exploring one of the biggest misconceptions in the dog world: The idea that obedience and connection are the same thing. Because while obedience is a skill, leadership is a relationship. And those two things aren't always built the same way. We'll talk about: 🐾 Why obedience and connection are not the same thing 🐾 The difference between compliance and relationship 🐾 Why some dogs obey everyone 🐾 What obedience can teach us—and what it can't 🐾 Why leadership isn't about control 🐾 How trust and relevance influence your dog's choices We'll also explore: trust leadership relevance communication partnership connection and why a dog can know every cue in the world and still struggle to look to you when life gets hard. Because obedience may teach a behaviour. But relationship is what makes your dog want to stay connected when it matters most. And that is where true leadership begins. Hope you enjoy this one! Tracy xoxox RESOURCES 🐾 Join the Online Program Fearless Framework! ⁠⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless⁠⁠ 🐾 Take the quiz! ⁠⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠⁠ 🐾 Read the blog! ⁠⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/blog⁠⁠ CONNECT WITH ME! Contact → ⁠⁠info@beyondobedience.ca⁠⁠ Podcast → ⁠⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/podcast⁠⁠ Connect → ⁠⁠https://facebook.com/groups/LivingBeyondObedience⁠⁠ Resources → ⁠⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠⁠ Merch → ⁠⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/store⁠⁠ 🐾 NEXT STEPS 👣 Step 1: Join a supportive community of dog owners learning how to build trust, clarity, and healthier partnerships with their dogs inside the free Facebook group Living Beyond Obedience. Step 2: Take the Dogonality Quiz to better understand how your dog naturally responds to stress, pressure, and relationship dynamics. 👉 ⁠⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠⁠ Step 3: Learn how to navigate fearful, reactive, and emotionally complex behaviour with more confidence and clarity inside The Fearless Framework. 👉 ⁠⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless⁠⁠ Music Credit 🎶: Shawn Trotter ⁠⁠www.shawntrotter.com⁠⁠

  6. Jul 9

    220 | Why Did I Get This Dog? The Thought Nobody Wants to Admit

    Hey Dog Lover 🐾 Have you ever looked at your dog and thought: "Why did I get this dog?" Have you ever felt guilty for even having that thought? Do you sometimes wonder if you're the problem... if you're failing... or if you've simply taken on more than you can handle? In this episode, we're talking about one of the most common thoughts struggling dog owners have—and one of the least talked about. Because when you're living with a fearful dog, a reactive dog, or a dog that constantly keeps you on edge, it's easy to start questioning everything. Your decisions. Your abilities. Your relationship. And even yourself. We'll talk about: 🐾 Why so many dog owners secretly regret their decision at some point 🐾 The emotional weight of constantly managing your dog's behaviour 🐾 Hypervigilance and the feeling that one mistake could ruin everything 🐾 Why overwhelm is not the same thing as failure 🐾 The difference between being stuck and being hopeless 🐾 How to find your way back to the good moments We'll also explore: trust leadership partnership anxiety hypervigilance resilience and why the thought: "Why did I get this dog?" is often hiding a much deeper question underneath: "I don't know if I can carry all of this anymore." Because the reality is, most people don't keep going because everything is terrible. They keep going because there is still so much good. The quiet moments. The funny moments. The moments where it's just you and your dog and everything else fades away. And sometimes, that's enough to remind us why we started. Hope you enjoy this one! Tracy xoxox RESOURCES 🐾 Join the Online Program Fearless Framework!⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless⁠ 🐾 Take the quiz!⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠ 🐾 Read the blog!⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/blog⁠ CONNECT WITH ME! Contact → ⁠info@beyondobedience.ca⁠ Podcast → ⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/podcast⁠ Connect → ⁠https://facebook.com/groups/LivingBeyondObedience⁠ Resources → ⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠ Merch → ⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/store⁠ 🐾 NEXT STEPS 👣 Step 1: Join a supportive community of dog owners learning how to build trust, clarity, and healthier partnerships with their dogs inside the free Facebook group Living Beyond Obedience. Step 2: Take the Dogonality Quiz to better understand how your dog naturally responds to stress, pressure, and relationship dynamics. 👉 ⁠https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠ Step 3: Learn how to navigate fearful, reactive, and emotionally complex behaviour with more confidence and clarity inside The Fearless Framework. 👉 ⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless⁠ Music Credit 🎶: Shawn Trotter⁠www.shawntrotter.com⁠

  7. Jul 6

    219 | The Pack of Two: The Relationship Your Dog Actually Wants

    Hey Dog Lover 🐾 Have you ever worried that your dog doesn't have enough dog friends? Do you feel guilty when your dog isn't interested in greeting every person or playing with every dog they meet? Have you ever wondered if we've misunderstood what socialization is really supposed to accomplish? In this episode, we're exploring a simple but powerful idea: The Pack of Two. Because humans and dogs experience relationships very differently. As humans, we spend a lot of time thinking about belonging, fitting in, and being accepted by the larger group. Dogs? Not so much. While dogs absolutely need social connection, many dogs are far more concerned with the quality of their relationships than the quantity of them. We'll talk about: 🐾 Why humans and dogs experience social relationships differently 🐾 The surprising reason your dog doesn't care what everyone thinks 🐾 Why socialization isn't the same as social interaction 🐾 The myth that every dog should love everybody 🐾 How trust and partnership help dogs navigate the world 🐾 Why some dogs need deeper relationships, not more relationships We'll also explore: trust leadership connection socialization partnership and why the strongest relationship in your dog's life might be the one they're building with you. Because the goal has never been to create a dog who wants to be friends with everyone. The goal is to create a dog who can move through the world with confidence. And for many dogs, that confidence starts with a strong pack of two. Hope you enjoy this one! Tracy xoxox Resources Fearless Framework Online Program for Dog Lovers 🐾 ⁠⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless⁠⁠ Why Does My Dog Act Like This? Take the quiz! 🐾 ⁠⁠www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠⁠ Check out the Beyond Obedience Blog 🐾 ⁠⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/blog⁠⁠ Connect with Me! Contact -> ⁠⁠info@beyondobedience.ca⁠⁠ Podcast -> ⁠⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/podcast⁠⁠ Connect -> ⁠⁠https://facebook.com/groups/LivingBeyondObedience⁠⁠ Resources -> ⁠www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠ Merch -> Get your Beyond Obedience merch! ⁠⁠www.beyondobedience.ca/store⁠⁠ 🐾 Next Steps 👣 Step 1: Join a supportive community of dog owners learning how to build trust, clarity, and healthier partnerships with their dogs inside the free Facebook group ⁠⁠Living Beyond Obedience⁠⁠ Step 2: Take the Dogonality Quiz to better understand how your dog naturally responds to stress, pressure, and relationship dynamics 👉 ⁠⁠www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠⁠ Step 3: Learn how to navigate fearful, reactive, and emotionally complex behaviour with more confidence and clarity inside The Fearless Framework 👉 ⁠⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless⁠⁠ Music Credit 🎶: Shawn Trotter. ⁠⁠www.shawntrotter.com⁠⁠

  8. Jul 2

    218 | My Dog Knows Better Than This: The Dog Training Trap Nobody Talks About

    Hey Dog Lover 🐾 Have you ever found yourself saying: "But my dog knows this." Do you feel frustrated when your dog suddenly struggles with something they've done successfully dozens of times before? Have you ever wondered if your dog is really choosing not to listen... or if something else might be going on? In this episode, we're exploring one of the most common phrases in dog training: "My dog should know better." But what if that's the wrong question? Because knowing something and being able to do it are not always the same thing. Just because your dog has learned a skill doesn't mean they'll always be able to access it when they're stressed, excited, overwhelmed, uncertain, or distracted. We'll talk about: 🐾 Why knowing and doing are two very different things 🐾 How stress, pressure, and emotions impact performance 🐾 Why dogs don't simply "forget" their training 🐾 What I observed with Gunther at the WCERA Games 🐾 Why mistakes and setbacks are valuable information 🐾 How curiosity creates better solutions than judgment We'll also explore: trust understanding awareness emotional capacity problem-solving and why asking "What changed?" is often more helpful than saying "My dog should know better." Because the moment we assume our dogs are being stubborn, difficult, or choosing to ignore us, we stop being curious. And curiosity is often where understanding begins. The goal isn't to prove your dog knows better. The goal is to understand why they couldn't access what they knew in that moment. And that's often where real progress starts. Hope you enjoy this one! Tracy xoxox Resources Fearless Framework Online Program for Dog Lovers 🐾 ⁠⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless⁠⁠ Why Does My Dog Act Like This? Take the quiz! 🐾 ⁠⁠www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠⁠ Check out the Beyond Obedience Blog 🐾 ⁠⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/blog⁠⁠ Connect with Me! Contact -> ⁠⁠info@beyondobedience.ca⁠⁠ Podcast -> ⁠⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/podcast⁠⁠ Connect -> ⁠⁠https://facebook.com/groups/LivingBeyondObedience⁠⁠ Resources -> ⁠www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠ Merch -> Get your Beyond Obedience merch! ⁠⁠www.beyondobedience.ca/store⁠⁠ 🐾 Next Steps 👣 Step 1: Join a supportive community of dog owners learning how to build trust, clarity, and healthier partnerships with their dogs inside the free Facebook group ⁠⁠Living Beyond Obedience⁠⁠ Step 2: Take the Dogonality Quiz to better understand how your dog naturally responds to stress, pressure, and relationship dynamics 👉 ⁠⁠www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz⁠⁠ Step 3: Learn how to navigate fearful, reactive, and emotionally complex behaviour with more confidence and clarity inside The Fearless Framework 👉 ⁠⁠https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless⁠⁠ Music Credit 🎶: Shawn Trotter. ⁠⁠www.shawntrotter.com⁠⁠

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4.7
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About

Do you wish you could enjoy life with your dog again? Are you struggling with a reactive, fearful, anxious, or misunderstood dog? Do walks, visitors, or everyday situations leave you feeling stressed, frustrated, or embarrassed? I'm Tracy Franken, a retired vet tech turned dog trainer. I discovered the secret to a life of ease with my dogs; Through trust-based training, and a deeper understanding of dog behaviour, I'll help you build confidence, strengthen your relationship, and create a dog you can trust in the real world. Because lasting change starts with understanding the dog you love.

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