This picture is of a student's young Pomeranian, Mable. Mable LOVES me, the neighbours, that person on the street, any dog who happens to be in eye sight.. and probably those that aren't.

Mable is a very social dog.

But how do I know? How do I know that she enjoys contact, isn't just coming to me for treats or for safety?

How do I know when I find a stray dog on the side of the street if it is safe for me to put my hand in their collar?

I look for affiliative behaviours - social cues that tell me the dog wants to be friends. Does she curve her body as she approaches and wag her tail? Does she come at me straight on and sniff me without making eye contact?

What about a dog who rolls over when they meet someone? Is that an affiliative behaviour? Is this a dog wanting interaction and belly rubs or a dog who is anxious about interacting and offering appeasement behaviours so they feel safe?

We look for these cues between dogs as well. Does a dog run straight at another dog, hackles up, and put their head over the other dog's shoulders? Do they curve as they approach and sniff bums? Does a dog completely ignore the other dog and choose to sniff a very interesting patch of grass instead?

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Affiliative behaviours can be subtle or pronounced and vary a lot between breeds.

Some dogs are social and love to make new friends. Some dogs prefer to be left alone. Most dogs are somewhere in the middle. Particularly after they mature - around 3-4 years, many dogs become less social.

This isn't a training or socialization failure, it's normal dog development.

Pay attention to your dog and choose interactions that respect their needs. Not every dog wants pets from strangers or to meet the neighbor’s new puppy—but some dogs do!

"GOOD BOY!" e

3 Steps to Helping Dogs with Big Feelings

⏰ Jan 14th 2026 at 6PM PST

Can’t join live? Don’t worry, you’ll get the recording!

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If your dog is struggling, it's not your fault. The dogs of today are often unlike dogs from years ago who would just seamlessly fit into a family's daily life as long as they got regular walks.

In this webinar, we will talk about why some dogs need... different. Not necessarily more, but different things than you might think they need.

🤔 Understand why your dog struggles so much to do 'normal dog' stuff.

💡 Learn what your dog needs in order to succeed

Come with your questions, or email me your questions ahead of time if you are not able to make it live.

✅ Perfect for puppies, adult dogs, and reactive dogs

✅ Short, fun games you can weave into daily life

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P.S. If you’re looking for deeper support and training with a clear plan after the webinar, enrollment for my brand new Dream Dog program will open during the webinar.