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

Tracy Franken- Dog Trainer, Vet Tech, Dog Lover, 🐾
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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. 1d ago

    236 | Are You Training Your Dog… or Just Performing Dog Training?

    Hey Dog Lover 🐾 Have you ever learned a dog training technique, tried it with your dog exactly the way you were taught... and it didn't work? Maybe the problem isn't the technique. Maybe somewhere along the way, we've become so focused on doing dog training correctly that we've forgotten to pay attention to the dog standing in front of us. Where should my hands be? When do I say the word? When do I reward? What am I supposed to do next? And while we're busy trying to remember all the steps, our dog may be communicating an enormous amount of information that we're completely missing. So here's a question worth asking: Are you actually communicating with your dog... or are you performing dog training? In this episode, we're talking about what happens when we become so focused on techniques, protocols and doing things “right” that we lose the conversation we're supposed to be having with our dogs. We'll talk about: 🐾 What I mean by “performing dog training” 🐾 Why doing all the right steps doesn't necessarily mean you're communicating 🐾 How easy it is to become focused on the technique instead of the dog 🐾 Why understanding the WHY behind an exercise matters more than simply following the steps 🐾 How going through the motions can completely change the meaning of an interaction 🐾 Why protocols should help you understand the conversation, not replace it 🐾 What your dog may be communicating while you're busy trying to do everything correctly 🐾 Why good dog training may eventually start looking a whole lot less like dog training Because I don't want you memorizing what I would do. I want you to understand why you're doing it. The goal isn't for you to spend the rest of your dog's life wondering: “What would Tracy do?” It's for you to understand your dog well enough to know: “What does my dog need from me right now?” That's the difference between performing a technique and actually participating in the conversation. 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.caPodcast → https://beyondobedience.ca/podcastConnect → https://facebook.com/groups/LivingBeyondObedienceResources → https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quizMerch → https://www.beyondobedience.ca/store 🐾 NEXT STEPS 👣 Step 1: Join the free Living Beyond Obedience community and connect with other dog owners who are learning to lead through trust, relevance, and understanding. https://facebook.com/groups/LivingBeyondObedience Step 2: Why is my dog behaving that way?? Take the Dogonality Quiz to discover how your dog's unique personality shapes the way they learn, communicate, and respond to leadership. 👉 https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz Step 3: Ready to stop second-guessing yourself and start understanding what your dog actually needs from you? Join the Fearless Framework. 👉 https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless Music Credit 🎶: Shawn Trotterwww.shawntrotter.com

  2. 4d ago

    235 | Stop Telling Your Dog “No” Until You’ve Done This

    Hey Dog Lover 🐾 How often do you find yourself telling your dog: “No barking.” “No.” “Stop.” “Enough.” And then getting frustrated when they keep doing exactly what you just told them not to do? Here’s the question I want you to ask: Before you told your dog “no,” did you actually tell them what you wanted them to do instead? This came up during one of our recent Fearless Framework coaching calls, and it sparked a really interesting conversation about what communication with our dogs actually looks like. Because when your dog suddenly starts barking, they’re responding to something. They heard something. They saw something. They smelled something. And just because you don’t see anything doesn’t mean there’s nothing there. So rather than immediately trying to shut down the behaviour, what happens if we first acknowledge what our dog is telling us and then give them some direction about what we’d like them to do next? In this episode, we’re talking about why “no” means very little without communication and how to turn those frustrating moments into an actual conversation with your dog. We'll talk about: 🐾 Why “no” by itself doesn’t tell your dog what you want them to do 🐾 Why your dog may be completely right when they alert you to something you can’t see 🐾 The difference between acknowledging your dog and agreeing that something is a problem 🐾 Why saying “thank you” isn’t simply another technique for stopping barking 🐾 What needs to happen before “no” becomes meaningful 🐾 Why you need to ask for something your dog already understands 🐾 The difference between correcting behaviour and having a conversation 🐾 How clear communication can change the way you respond when your dog gets something wrong Because communication isn't just about telling your dog what not to do. It's about listening to what they're telling you and then helping them understand what you want them to do next. So before you tell your dog: “No.” Ask yourself: “Have I actually told them what I want instead?” That’s when it becomes a conversation. 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.caPodcast → https://beyondobedience.ca/podcastConnect → https://facebook.com/groups/LivingBeyondObedienceResources → https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quizMerch → https://www.beyondobedience.ca/store 🐾 NEXT STEPS 👣 Step 1: Join the free Living Beyond Obedience community and connect with other dog owners who are learning to lead through trust, relevance, and understanding. https://facebook.com/groups/LivingBeyondObedience Step 2: Why is my dog behaving that way?? Take the Dogonality Quiz to discover how your dog's unique personality shapes the way they learn, communicate, and respond to leadership. 👉 https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz Step 3: Ready to stop second-guessing yourself and start understanding what your dog actually needs from you? Join the Fearless Framework. 👉 https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless Music Credit 🎶: Shawn Trotterwww.shawntrotter.com

  3. Aug 27

    234 | Why Should Your Dog Trust Your Decisions? What Leadership Actually Means

    Hey Dog Lover 🐾 We ask our dogs to trust our decisions all the time. Come with me. Leave that. Don’t go over there. Walk past this dog. Stay here. I’ve got it. But have you ever stopped to ask: Why should they? Not because we’re the human. Not because we own them. And not simply because we’re holding the leash. In this episode, we’re talking about Leadership, the final piece of my Foundation of Relationship. And not leadership as dominance, control, or “because I said so.” Leadership as something built through a history of experiences that gives your dog a reason to believe your decisions are worth following. We’ll talk about: 🐾 Why you don’t get to simply declare yourself your dog’s leader🐾 How dogs build trust through their everyday experiences with us🐾 Why healthy relationships include both agreement AND disagreement🐾 How saying yes to your dog can give more meaning to your no🐾 What “he who moves whose feet” can teach us about influence and awareness🐾 The importance of pausing before automatically responding to your dog🐾 Why leadership is about controlling yourself and influencing your dog, not controlling your dog🐾 Why getting a decision wrong doesn’t mean you’ve failed your dog🐾 How Leadership, Relevance, and Fulfillment work together to build a stronger relationship Because leadership isn’t: “My dog has to follow me.” It’s becoming: Someone worth following. So instead of asking: “How do I get my dog to follow me?” Maybe the better question is: “Who do I need to become so that following me makes sense?” 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.caPodcast → https://beyondobedience.ca/podcastConnect → https://facebook.com/groups/LivingBeyondObedienceResources → https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quizMerch → https://www.beyondobedience.ca/store 🐾 NEXT STEPS 👣 Step 1: Join the free Living Beyond Obedience community and connect with other dog owners who are learning to lead through trust, relevance, and understanding. Step 2: Take the Dogonality Quiz to discover how your dog's unique personality shapes the way they learn, communicate, and respond to leadership. 👉 https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz Step 3: Ready to stop second-guessing yourself and start understanding what your dog actually needs from you? Join the Fearless Framework. 👉 https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless Music Credit 🎶: Shawn Trotterwww.shawntrotter.com

  4. Aug 24

    233 | Want to Matter More to Your Dog? Step Into Their World

    Hey Dog Lover 🐾 We spend a LOT of time trying to get our dogs to pay attention to us. Look at me. Come with me. Leave that. Let’s go. But how much attention are we paying to them? In this episode, we’re talking about Relevance, one of the three pieces of my Foundation of Relationship, and what it actually means to become relevant to your dog. Because relevance isn’t simply about getting your dog’s attention. It’s about whether you matter to your dog’s experience of the world. And maybe if we want our dogs to care about what matters to us, we need to start by genuinely caring about some of the things that matter to them. We’ll talk about: 🐾 What it actually means to become relevant to your dog🐾 Why attention and relevance aren’t necessarily the same thing🐾 Why understanding your dog starts with seeing the world from their point of view🐾 What a walk in the woods taught me about entering a dog’s world🐾 Why the “same walk” may be completely different to your dog every single day🐾 How slowing down and getting curious can change the way you experience walks together🐾 Why relevance isn’t about becoming more exciting than the environment🐾 How shared experiences can help build connection, trust, and a stronger relationship with your dog Because relationship can’t always be: “Come into my world.” Sometimes we need to say: “Show me yours.” The next time your dog becomes fascinated by something, and it’s safe to do so, stop for a second. Look. Get curious. What are they experiencing that you’re missing? 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.caPodcast → https://beyondobedience.ca/podcastConnect → https://facebook.com/groups/LivingBeyondObedienceResources → https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quizMerch → https://www.beyondobedience.ca/store 🐾 NEXT STEPS 👣 Step 1: Join the free Living Beyond Obedience community and connect with other dog owners who are learning to lead through trust, relevance, and understanding. Step 2: Why is my dog acting like this? Take the Dogonality Quiz to discover how your dog's unique personality shapes the way they learn, communicate, and respond to leadership. 👉 https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz Step 3: Ready to stop second-guessing yourself and start understanding what your dog actually needs from you? Join the Fearless Framework. 👉 https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless Music Credit 🎶: Shawn Trotterwww.shawntrotter.com

  5. Aug 20

    232 | Are You Doing Too Much for Your Dog? When Enrichment Becomes Another Job

    Hey Dog Lover 🐾 Does your dog need more enrichment? More mental stimulation? More exercise? More games? More training? If you've ever worried that you're not doing enough to meet your dog's needs, this episode is for you. Somewhere along the way, I think we've started confusing enrichment with fulfillment. And they're not necessarily the same thing. We've been told our dogs need puzzle toys, scent games, training games, lick mats, snuffle mats and endless mental stimulation. But those are simply tools we've created to give dogs opportunities to engage in behaviours that may matter to them. So instead of asking: "What else should I be doing for my dog?" Maybe we need to ask: "What actually fulfills the dog standing in front of me?" In this episode, we're talking about what fulfillment really means and why meeting your dog's needs may be much simpler than we've made it. We'll talk about: 🐾 The difference between enrichment and fulfillment🐾 Why keeping your dog busy doesn't necessarily mean they're fulfilled🐾 How dog enrichment became another giant list of things we're supposed to do🐾 Why breed and natural behaviour can give us clues about what our dogs actually need🐾 Why nature may provide more mental stimulation than any puzzle toy ever could🐾 How to notice what your dog already finds meaningful🐾 Why fulfillment doesn't mean making your entire life about your dog🐾 How to become part of the things your dog naturally loves to do Because fulfillment isn't about how much you do. It's about understanding the dog in front of you. 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.caPodcast → https://beyondobedience.ca/podcastConnect → https://facebook.com/groups/LivingBeyondObedienceResources → https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quizMerch → https://www.beyondobedience.ca/store 🐾 NEXT STEPS 👣 Step 1: Join the free Living Beyond Obedience community and connect with other dog owners who are learning to lead through trust, relevance, and understanding. Step 2: Why is my dog behaving that way?? Take the Dogonality Quiz to discover how your dog's unique personality shapes the way they learn, communicate, and respond to leadership. 👉 https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz Step 3: Ready to stop second-guessing yourself and start understanding what your dog actually needs from you? Join the Fearless Framework. 👉 https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless Music Credit 🎶: Shawn Trotterwww.shawntrotter.com

  6. Aug 17

    231 | Is Your Dog Mirroring YOU? What Their Behaviour Might Be Trying to Tell You

    Hey Dog Lover 🐾 What if some of the behaviour that's driving you crazy isn't just about your dog? What if your dog is actually reflecting something back to you? Maybe they're suddenly more reactive. Maybe they're barking more. Maybe they can't seem to settle. Maybe something that was getting better suddenly feels worse again. And you're looking at your dog thinking... What is going on with you?! But what if there's another question worth asking? What's going on with ME? Our dogs don't live in a vacuum. They live in relationship with us, and they're incredibly sensitive to the changes happening in the humans around them. They don't need to understand WHY you're stressed, frustrated, overwhelmed, angry, or going through a difficult time. They simply know something has changed. And sometimes their behaviour reflects that change right back to us. In this episode, we're talking about what happens when your dog's behaviour becomes a mirror and why looking at the whole picture can completely change the way you understand what's happening. We'll talk about: 🐾 Why your dog's behaviour isn't always just about your dog🐾 How dogs detect changes happening in the humans around them🐾 What I mean when I say dogs can "smell our thoughts"🐾 How incongruence in us can create uncertainty for our dogs🐾 The feedback loop that can develop between a struggling dog and a frustrated human🐾 A pattern I've seen repeatedly over the years while working with dogs and their people🐾 Why this conversation is NOT about blaming yourself for your dog's behaviour🐾 Why being emotionally stable doesn't mean never having emotions🐾 Three questions to ask when your dog's behaviour suddenly changes Because being part of the picture doesn't make you the problem. It means you have influence. And sometimes we're waiting for our dog to change so WE can feel better... while our dog may be waiting for something to change in US so they can feel better. So before you immediately ask: "How do I stop this behaviour?" Get curious. What's happening with my dog? What's happening with me? What's happening between us? No judgment. No blame. Just... How interesting. 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.caPodcast → https://beyondobedience.ca/podcastConnect → https://facebook.com/groups/LivingBeyondObedienceResources → https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quizMerch → https://www.beyondobedience.ca/store 🐾 NEXT STEPS 👣 Step 1: Join the free Living Beyond Obedience community and connect with other dog owners who are learning to lead through trust, relevance, and understanding. Step 2: Take the Dogonality Quiz to discover how your dog's unique personality shapes the way they learn, communicate, and respond to leadership. 👉 https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz Step 3: Ready to understand what's happening underneath your dog's behaviour and become the partner they can actually trust? Join The Fearless Framework at the beta price of $297 before beta pricing ends August 18th. 👉 https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless Music Credit 🎶: Shawn Trotterwww.shawntrotter.com

  7. Aug 13

    230 | Too Much Dog Training Advice? Why It's Making You Second-Guess Yourself

    Hey Dog Lover 🐾 Have you ever found yourself wondering... Am I doing this wrong? Should I let my dog approach? Should I create more space? Should I say something? Should I let them figure it out? Did I wait too long? Am I making this worse? And before you know it, you're having an entire committee meeting inside your head while your dog is standing there waiting for you to make a decision. If that sounds familiar, you're not alone. The dog training world is FULL of advice about what you should—and absolutely should NOT—do with your dog. Do this. Never do that. Give them more choice. Give them more structure. Use this tool. Never use that tool. And somewhere in all that noise, we've become so afraid of getting it wrong that we've stopped paying attention to the most important source of information we have: The dog standing right in front of us. In this episode, we're talking about analysis paralysis, second-guessing yourself, and what good leadership actually looks like when you genuinely don't know what to do. We'll talk about: 🐾 Why so much dog training advice can leave you afraid of making the "wrong" decision🐾 How trying to follow all the rules can stop you from actually listening to your dog🐾 Why good leadership doesn't require you to have all the answers🐾 The power of saying, "I don't know YET"🐾 My simple Notice → Decide → Observe → Adjust process🐾 How "How Interesting!" can help you stop judging yourself when something doesn't work🐾 Why getting it wrong sometimes is actually part of figuring out what your dog needs🐾 The difference between knowing what to do and trusting yourself to figure out what to do next Because confidence isn't: "I always know what to do." It's: "I trust myself to figure out what to do next." Your dog doesn't need you to be perfect. They need you to pay attention, make a decision, notice what happens, and be willing to change course when something isn't working. So the next time you catch yourself thinking... "I don't know what I'm supposed to do!" Try asking yourself: "What do I know right now?" Start there. 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.caPodcast → https://beyondobedience.ca/podcastConnect → https://facebook.com/groups/LivingBeyondObedienceResources → https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quizMerch → https://www.beyondobedience.ca/store 🐾 NEXT STEPS 👣 Step 1: Join the free Living Beyond Obedience community and connect with other dog owners who are learning to lead through trust, relevance, and understanding. Step 2: Take the Dogonality Quiz to discover how your dog's unique personality shapes the way they learn, communicate, and respond to leadership. 👉 https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz Step 3: Ready to stop second-guessing yourself and start understanding what your dog actually needs from you? Join The Fearless Framework at the beta price of $297 before beta pricing ends August 18th. 👉 https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless Music Credit 🎶: Shawn Trotterwww.shawntrotter.com

  8. Aug 10

    229 | What Is Your Dog Learning About YOU? The Tiny Moments That Build (or Break) Trust

    Hey Dog Lover 🐾 Every single day, your dog is learning something about you. Not because you're training them. Not because you've set aside ten minutes to work on your relationship. They're learning about you in hundreds of tiny moments throughout the day. When something unexpected happens, what happens when they're with you? When they're unsure? When they're excited, frustrated, or overwhelmed? Because over time, all of those little experiences start answering a much bigger question for your dog: What can I expect from this person when I don't know what to do? In this episode, we're continuing our conversation about leadership and looking at what it actually means to become someone your dog can rely on. Because your dog isn't the only one you're learning about. Your dog is learning YOU, too. We'll talk about: 🐾 Why your relationship is being built in hundreds of tiny everyday moments🐾 What your dog may be learning from you when something unexpected happens🐾 How our own reactions can become part of what our dogs learn to expect🐾 Why predictable doesn't mean you have to respond the same way every time🐾 Why being calm ALL the time isn't the goal🐾 The importance of contrast and my "I-mean-it voice"🐾 Why clarity matters more than perfection🐾 One simple question you can ask when your dog isn't sure what to do Because leadership isn't something you declare. It's something your dog experiences. And every interaction gives you another opportunity to show your dog: You don't have to figure everything out alone. I'm here. We'll figure it out together. 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.caPodcast → https://beyondobedience.ca/podcastConnect → https://facebook.com/groups/LivingBeyondObedienceResources → https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quizMerch → https://www.beyondobedience.ca/store 🐾 NEXT STEPS 👣 Step 1: Join the free Living Beyond Obedience community and connect with other dog owners who are learning to lead through trust, relevance, and understanding. Step 2: Take the Dogonality Quiz to discover how your dog's unique personality shapes the way they learn, communicate, and respond to leadership. 👉 https://www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz Step 3: Ready to stop guessing what your dog needs and start becoming the partner they can actually trust? Join The Fearless Framework at the beta price of $297 before beta pricing ends August 18th. 👉 https://beyondobedience.ca/fearless Music Credit 🎶: Shawn Trotterwww.shawntrotter.com

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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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