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Positive Dog

❓Is your dog spoiled

Published about 8 hours ago • 1 min read

I don’t know whether there’s more of it lately, or whether the algorithms have simply decided this is what I should see—but my feed is flooded with videos of trainers being harsh with dogs. Dogs being heavily corrected (punished), intimidated, told they “just need to hear no.”

Then the camera pans to a dog who is afraid and shut down… and that state is labeled submissive, calm submissive, or who has clarity.

Kindness is not spoiling your dog.
Compassion is not ruining your dog.
Cuddling with your dog on the couch is not damaging your dog.
Your dog is not struggling because they lack punishment.

Dogs struggle for many reasons—we’ll talk about those in detail in the webinar on January 14th. But choosing not to use pain, fear, or dominance-based methods is not one of the reasons your dog is struggling.

You can set boundaries.
You can even say “no,” if you choose.
You can absolutely have a happy, well behaved dog.
And you can do both without intimidation, force, or fear.

Reactivity can absolutely be addressed with kindness, clarity, and solid learning theory.

Calling humane training “spoiling” isn’t advice—it’s a shortcut to doubt, guilt, and worse outcomes for the dogs who need support the most.

There aren’t countless professionals working full-time with serious behaviour cases because people are too kind or have too much empathy.

Remember that.

Hug your dog (if they’re into it).
Let them curl up in your bed.
Dress them in cute outfits or celebrate their birthday if that makes you happy.

Love your dog and treat them like the brilliant, sentient being they are.

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"GOOD BOY!"

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.

2738 Holden Corso Rd, Nanaimo, BC v9x 1n5
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Positive Dog

Christina Young, BSc, CDBC, PCBC-A

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