When my first dog came home, a Yorkshire Terrier puppy named Thor, I thought I had a cute little lap dog.
What I got instead was a tiny tornado — the personality of a lion, the observation skills of a detective.
If I could go back and give myself one piece of advice, it wouldn’t be about commands or equipment — it would be this: understand the story of your dog's breed first.
The Years I Spent Fighting Who He Was
I’ll be honest — I didn’t have the sense of humour that terriers apparently require.
I spent years frustrated, embarrassed, and exhausted, trying method after method to “fix” Thor’s behaviour.
I labelled him reactive, stubborn, overly protective. I tried to suppress every growl, bark, and instinct that made him… him.
Then I discovered Kim Brophey, an applied ethologist and canine behaviour consultant. Her groundbreaking work developing the concept of L.E.G.S (Learning, Environment, Genetics, and Self) completely shifted my perspective. For me, the biggest “aha” moment was when she explained the “G” — Genetics — and breed tendencies. Suddenly, everything clicked.
Working With His Natural Instincts
Instead of trying to suppress his instincts, I started working with them.
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His protective instincts weren’t aggression — they were normal terrier behaviour.
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His quick decision-making wasn’t defiance — it was exactly what terriers were designed for.
I used his default behaviours — like sitting or looking at me — to guide him.
The change was magical. When I stopped fighting against who Thor was and started honoring what he was designed to be, he became more confident, less anxious, and more responsive to training.
Why Breed Matters
Your dog’s genetics don’t guarantee exact behaviours, but they give you a roadmap to their inner world.
Think about it: we spend hours researching cars for performance and safety… yet, we often choose dogs based only on looks or size.
Every breed group comes with its own built-in operating system — instincts, drives, and tendencies that shape how they see and interact with the world.
Quick Breed Insights
Here’s a taste of what we’ll explore in detail over the coming weeks:
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Terriers – Independent decision-makers, quick to act, bred for pest control.
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Toy Breeds – Velcro companions, happiest close to their people.
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Guardian Breeds – Natural protectors, born to assess threats.
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Retrievers – Social optimists, eager to please.
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Herding Breeds – Alert organisers, need a “job” to feel content.
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Sighthounds – Gentle athletes, thrive with bursts of speed and open space.
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Scent Hounds – Persistent trackers, ruled by their nose.
Understanding Your Dog’s Core Needs
Breed tendencies reflect core needs. When those needs aren’t met, dogs can become frustrated, anxious, or reactive.
Understanding these needs is the first step towards harmony.
Your Next Step: Get Curious
If your dog’s behaviour feels challenging, try shifting your perspective:
Instead of asking, “How do I stop this?”
Ask, “What is this behaviour telling me about my dog’s needs?”
Your dog’s breed story is a guide to understanding them better. Explore it with curiosity, and you’ll discover just how amazing and capable your dog truly is.
What’s Coming Next
Over the next few weeks, we’ll dive deeper into each breed group:
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Retrievers – loveable optimists who struggle with mouthiness, jumping, and enthusiasm.
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Toy Breeds – bred to be your shadow.
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Guardians, terriers, herders, sighthounds, and scent hounds — each with their own unique drives.
You’ll get practical insights into what makes your dog tick, why they do what they do, and how to work with their instincts rather than against them.
Want Personalised Help?
Whether you're navigating life with a new puppy, thinking about getting your first dog, or working through challenges with your current companion, I'd love to help you build that special bond.
I offer one-to-one online consultations tailored specifically to your dog (or future dog!) — always focused on curiosity, understanding, and building trust between you and your four-legged family member.
Hi, I have a 6 Year old German Shepherd who is my world. He is well trained and my sixth German Shepherd but my first male. Last year after being in hospital for quite a long time, I became housebound and when I got home it became obvious over the next few months that Harvey was now a nervous, anxious boy who is frightened by many things like wind, noises, doors closing and fireworks. None of this was an issue for his previous 6 years. When he is having an episode he is beside himself and I don’t know how to help him. He is 50kg and tries to climb on me, scratching me and shows all the usual signs of distress. I would be very interested in finding out how much it would cost me to have a one to one with you to see if you have some insight into what I can do to help him. He is such a well behaved boy and had a lot of training but I have no experience on how to help him with this. He is now on tablets for the anxiety and he also has Crohn’s disease so when he is anxious it affects him in many ways, when the episode is bad even the tablets don’t help and I’m dreading the next few months, as it will be firework time soon. I would be so grateful if you could let me know what your help would entail and cost. Many thanks. Louise Hill.
ReplyDeleteHi Louise,
DeleteThank you so much for sharing Harvey’s story with me — it’s clear how much he means to you. I can only imagine how hard it must be to see him suddenly struggling after so many years of confidence. German Shepherds are such loyal souls, and changes in our lives can sometimes affect them more than we expect.
Anxiety that develops later in life can be confusing, but it’s not uncommon. The behaviours you describe — reacting strongly to noises, wind, and especially fireworks — are fear responses, and with Harvey’s Crohn’s, the stress understandably affects him on multiple levels. You’re right that he needs support that goes beyond training alone.
In a one-to-one consultation, I would:
-Take time to understand Harvey’s full history — his behaviour, health, and daily routines.
-Explore the connection between his environment, his emotional state, and his physical wellbeing.
-Share practical strategies to ease his stress in daily life and help him cope better with triggers like fireworks.
-Support you in building coping mechanisms for Harvey that don’t rely only on medication.
Since you’ve already given me such a helpful picture of Harvey, the simplest next step is for you to send me a quick email at llestinge@gmail.com I’ll then share details of how I work and the cost of a one-to-one session, so you have everything you need to decide.
You’ve clearly given Harvey so much love and security, and with the right support, there’s plenty we can do to help him feel calmer and safer again.
Luciana