Private, one-on-one support for reactive dogs
Private Reactive Dog Training in Coffs Harbour.
Tailored one-on-one training for dogs who bark, lunge,
freeze, scan, fixate or become overwhelmed around other
dogs, people, movement or busy environments.
We look beyond the reaction itself to understand what is
happening around it, then build communication, handling
skills and achievable training around the dog in front of us.
Help your dog cope better, recover faster and stay more
connected when real life gets difficult.
Reactivity can look like
- Barking or lunging
- Freezing or scanning
- Fixating on triggers
- Struggling to recover
Then build practical skills one step at a time.
Pocket Trainer Support
Free Initial Assessment Process
Reinforcement-Based
Is this the right fit for your dog?
Support for dogs who find the world
too much, too quickly.
This support is designed for dogs who:
- Bark or lunge at other dogs on walks.
- React to people, movement, bikes, cars or busy environments.
- Struggle to disengage once they notice a trigger.
- Become overwhelmed, frustrated or highly aroused quickly.
- Need more space than a group class can currently provide.
Reactivity is more than obedience
The problem is not that your dog is
being stubborn.
Many reactive dogs can sit, drop, stay and respond beautifully
at home or in quiet places.
The problem is that the environment can become too much,
too quickly.
Reactivity Support focuses on helping your dog think, recover
and respond more effectively when real life happens.
The goal is not simply to stop the visible behaviour. It is to
understand what is driving it and build more useful responses
for both ends of the lead.
What we focus on
Skills that make everyday situations
more manageable.
This is not about demanding perfect obedience around triggers.
It is about reducing overwhelm, improving communication and
helping your dog make safer, more useful choices.
Reduce overwhelm
Reduce stress, frustration and overall arousal so your
dog is in a better position to learn.
Build engagement
Help your dog orient back to you instead of becoming
completely consumed by the environment.
Improve recovery
Help your dog reconnect and settle more quickly after
noticing or reacting to a trigger.
Clear communication
Build a consistent training language your dog understands,
even when the environment becomes difficult.
Practical handling
Know when to train, manage, move, create distance or give
your dog more support.
Controlled exposure
Work around triggers at a level your dog can actually
handle instead of repeatedly pushing them beyond their limit.
How support works
A plan built around
the dog in front of us.
We do not sell every reactive dog the same package before
we have even met them. The assessment process lets us
understand what is happening first, then recommend the
level of support that actually makes sense.
We start where your dog can succeed and build from there.
Wild concept, apparently dogs learn better when they are
not completely losing their minds.
30-minute Reactivity Call
We talk through what has been happening, what you need
help with and whether Reactivity Support looks like the
right starting point.
In-Person Assessment
We meet and look at the whole dog: health, diet, sleep,
routines, environment, trigger history, current handling
and the layers of stress affecting their behaviour.
Tailored Support Plan
After the assessment, I recommend a block of sessions
based on your dog, the behaviour we are working with and
the level of support required. Sessions are booked as a
block because meaningful behaviour change takes
consistency, practice and follow-through, not a series
of disconnected appointments.
Real-World Training
Sessions happen in or around your home, in a suitable
shared area or around the real trigger your dog needs help
learning to handle.
Support between sessions
The block is a commitment from both sides.
$180 per session:
Sessions are $180 each and booked
as part of the recommended support block. The number of
sessions depends on the dog and the work ahead.
Pocket Trainer Support:
Send questions and short training videos via WhatsApp
between sessions so I can see what is happening and help
you adjust.
Your commitment:
You commit to practising between sessions, completing the
agreed homework and sending through videos so we can see
what is actually happening.
My commitment:
I commit to coaching you through the process, reviewing
your homework, answering questions and adjusting the plan
as we learn more about your dog.
What this can look like in practice
Meet Nova.
Progress built one step at a time.
Progress with reactivity is rarely one dramatic moment.
Nova’s story shows what can happen when we work from
where the dog actually is and build from there.
Nova was a young rescue when she found herself in an
amazing new home. Her new family already knew she was
reactive around other dogs and reached out for help
integrating her into their lives and building the
skills she would need to cope around dogs.
Initially, simply seeing another dog was too much for
Nova. Before we could think about working around dogs,
she needed enough space to stay able to think, take
reinforcement and work with her people.
We built engagement, reinforcement, movement and
clearer options when another dog entered the
environment. Rather than measuring success by how
close Nova could get, we worked from distances where
she could still learn and gradually made the picture
harder as she was ready.
Nova has progressed from struggling with the sight of
another dog to working around dogs in a Life Skills
group class. She can now learn in an environment that
simply was not accessible to her when we started, and
she continues to progress.
Nova is not “finished”, and that is rather the
point. She continues to learn, her people continue to build
their skills, and together they continue to make progress.
The long-term goal
More possibilities
in everyday life.
The aim is to help your dog function more comfortably and
safely in the environments that matter to you.
Progress might mean calmer walks, faster recovery, being able
to pass another dog with more space, having clearer strategies
when things go wrong, or simply feeling more confident about
what to do next.
For some dogs, progress eventually opens doors that were not
available when we started. Like Nova, that may include becoming
ready to learn around other dogs in a group environment.
Good to know
Before we
get started.
A few of the questions that commonly come up before starting
one-on-one Reactivity Support.
Do you offer private dog training in Coffs Harbour?
Yes. Reactivity Support provides private, one-on-one
dog training for dogs who bark, lunge, freeze, fixate
or become overwhelmed around particular triggers.
Sessions take place at home, in a suitable shared
location or around the real-life situations your dog
needs help handling.
What does it mean when a dog is reactive?
Reactivity describes a dog responding strongly to
something in the environment. It can include barking,
lunging, freezing, scanning, fixating, avoiding or
struggling to recover. The behaviour may involve fear,
frustration, excitement, overwhelm or a combination of
factors.
Is reactivity the same as aggression?
No. Reactive behaviour can look intense, but reactivity
and aggression are not interchangeable terms. We still
take barking, lunging, bite history and safety seriously
while working to understand what is driving the behaviour.
Do you use harsh corrections?
No. Reactivity Support is reinforcement-based and
focused on management, stress reduction, clear
communication, controlled exposure and practical
handling. The goal is not simply to suppress the
behaviour you can see.
Can my reactive dog attend group classes?
Some dogs may eventually be suitable for Life Skills,
but group training is not the right starting point for
every dog. Your dog needs to be able to notice other
dogs, recover with appropriate space and work safely
without becoming overwhelmed.
Will my dog stop reacting completely?
There is no honest one-size-fits-all promise. Progress
may mean fewer reactions, less intense reactions,
faster recovery, safer handling, greater working
distance or your dog making more useful choices around
their triggers. The plan is built around your dog’s
individual starting point.
How many sessions will my dog need?
There is no standard package. After the free assessment
process, I recommend the number of sessions I believe
is appropriate for your dog, the behaviour we are
working with and the level of support required.
Some cases need substantially more support than others,
which is why I assess first rather than asking you to
choose from a price list.
Why are sessions booked in a block?
Behaviour change requires consistency, repetition and
follow-through. Booking the recommended sessions as a
block gives us enough time to build foundations,
practise, review progress and adjust the plan rather
than treating each appointment as an isolated fix.
How much does Reactivity Support cost?
The initial Reactivity Call and in-person assessment
are free. Ongoing training is
$180 per session and is
booked as a recommended block based on your dog’s
individual support plan. You will know the recommended
number of sessions and total cost before committing.
How long are the sessions?
Each session is scheduled for one hour. Sometimes a
session may run a little longer when it makes sense
for the dog and the work we are doing that day.
Is there support between sessions?
Yes. Pocket Trainer Support via WhatsApp is part of
Reactivity Support. You can send questions and short
homework videos between sessions so I can see what is
happening, provide feedback and help you make useful
adjustments.
Where is Reactivity Support held?
Sessions may happen in or around your home, at a
suitable shared location or in an environment where
we can safely work around the trigger your dog needs
help with. Reactivity Support is available across
Coffs Harbour and surrounding areas.
How to get started
Book a free
30-minute Reactivity Call.
If your dog barks, lunges, freezes, fixates or becomes
overwhelmed, this is the best place to start.
The call gives us a chance to talk through what has been
happening, work out whether Reactivity Support looks like the
right fit and answer your initial questions.
If we both think it makes sense to continue, the next step is
a free in-person assessment. That gives me a chance to look
more closely at your dog’s health, diet, sleep, routines,
environment, triggers, handling and overall stress before
recommending any paid support.
If ongoing support is appropriate, I will recommend a block
of sessions based on the dog in front of me and explain the
full cost before you make a commitment.
No pressure. No judgement. And no selling you a package
before I understand the dog in front of me.
Location:
Coffs Harbour, NSW and surrounding areas.