Private reactive dog training in Coffs Harbour & surrounding areas
Reactive Dog Training in Coffs Harbour — Reactivity Support
Reactivity is not an obedience problem.
Reactive dogs are not bad dogs. Some of the sweetest, funniest and most affectionate dogs we meet are also the dogs who struggle most when the world becomes too much. They just need a little extra help.
Your dog may know exactly what sit, stay or heel means and still be unable to use those skills when stress and arousal take over. More commands, firmer handling or repeated exposure cannot, by themselves, resolve what is driving the reaction.
We reduce overwhelm, build a shared communication system and teach practical skills your dog can access when real life gets difficult.
Private sessions: from $180.
In-home and real-world support across Coffs Harbour and surrounding areas.
Reactivity can look like
- Barking or lunging
- Freezing or scanning
- Fixating on triggers
- Struggling to recover
Is this the right fit for you and your dog?
For people who want to understand the whole dog, not just stop the reaction.
This is likely to be a good fit if:
- Your dog barks, lunges, freezes, fixates or becomes overwhelmed around triggers.
- You are willing to use management and distance instead of repeatedly testing your dog.
- You want clear communication at both ends of the lead, not an endless stream of commands.
- You are prepared to practise between sessions and share what is and is not working.
- You are open to a structured, multi-session approach rather than looking for a one-off fix.
- You value meaningful progress such as lower intensity, quicker recovery and safer choices.
If you are looking for a one-session cure, a guaranteed deadline, or someone to fix your dog without your involvement, this is unlikely to be the right service. The short Fit Call is for suitability and logistics; it is not a training consultation.
Why obedience alone is not enough
A dog cannot perform their way out of overwhelm.
Obedience skills are useful. They are not the cause or cure of reactivity. A dog may sit, heel and recall beautifully in a quiet environment, then lose access to those same skills around a trigger.
That is not proof the dog needs more drilling or firmer handling. It tells us the conditions for learning have changed.
Traditional obedience-first approaches tend to focus on the visible reaction: stop barking, hold position, look at the handler, or move closer. Even when that changes what we can see, it does not automatically resolve the stress, fear, frustration, arousal or learned expectation underneath it.
The goal is not to avoid life forever or excuse unsafe behaviour. It is to create the conditions in which safer, more useful behaviour can be learned, rehearsed and eventually relied upon.
Good dogs having a hard time
Reactivity is something your dog does. It is not who they are.
At home, these dogs may be gentle, affectionate, funny and deeply connected to their people. The dog who falls apart on a walk can still be the sweetest dog on the sofa.
Some families reach us after several attempts, or after a previous trainer has reached the edge of what they can offer. It can feel as though everyone has given up on the dog, and sometimes on the person holding the lead as well.
We do not see a failed dog. We see useful information about what has not worked yet, and a team that needs a different starting point, clearer support and a plan that can change as we learn.
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 Reactivity Support works
A structured process with enough room to understand, coach and adjust.
The Fit Call lets us work out whether Reactivity Support is the right next step. If it is, I recommend a structured plan based on your dog, your goals and the support you need.
Working across several sessions gives us time to understand the whole picture, build foundations, test them in real life, review progress and change the plan as we learn. It is a structured starting point, not a promise of a quick fix.
See how the support works
See how I work, what I focus on and what you would be asked to practise between sessions. Private sessions start from $180.
Complete the short qualification form
Tell me what is happening, what you want life to look like, what you have tried and any bite history. This helps me check whether the call is likely to be useful before the calendar appears.
Book a 30-minute Fit Call
Once the form is complete, choose a call time. The call checks suitability, safety, location and logistics. It is not a behaviour assessment or a free training session.
Fit recommendation and clear next steps
If Reactivity Support is a fit, I explain the starting plan I recommend, what it includes and the exact fee. You can decide whether you want to proceed after that conversation.
Detailed intake + first session
If you choose to proceed, you complete the full history and safety intake. We then arrange the first session, look at the whole dog and begin the practical work.
Practise, review and progress
The remaining sessions happen where the skills are needed. Between sessions, Pocket Trainer support lets you share questions and short videos so the plan can keep moving.
What ongoing support includes
A structured plan. Coaching between visits.
Private sessions start from $180.
The exact starting plan and fee are discussed after the Fit Call, once we know Reactivity Support is suitable.
The Fit Call comes first:
I listen to what is happening, check fit and then explain the recommended starting plan.
Pocket Trainer support: Send questions and short training videos via WhatsApp between sessions so I can see what is happening and help you adjust.
Clear next decision: We review progress through the block. Any further support is discussed and agreed; it is never silently added.
Your commitment: Practise between sessions, complete the agreed homework and share what is and is not working.
My commitment: Coach you through the process, review your homework, answer questions and adjust 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.
In Jen’s words
Hear from Nova’s mum.
Jen shares what changed for Nova as they moved from one-on-one Reactivity Support into Life Skills.
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 booking
Clear expectations before the Fit Call.
The essentials about fit, the process and what happens next.
What is the 30-minute Fit Call?
It is a short suitability, safety and logistics check after you complete the on-page qualification form and choose a time. It is not a training consultation, behaviour assessment or place to troubleshoot your dog in thirty minutes.
Is the first in-person session free?
No. The Fit Call is a short suitability check. If we agree to work together, the first in-person session begins the practical training.
How much does Reactivity Support cost?
Private sessions start from $180. If Reactivity Support is a fit, I will recommend a starting plan and explain the exact fee before you decide whether to proceed.
Why is Reactivity Support a structured process?
Behaviour change needs more than an isolated appointment. A structured process gives us time to understand the whole picture, build foundations, practise in real situations, review progress and adjust the plan.
What happens if we decide to work together?
I send the recommended starting plan and next steps. You then complete the detailed history and safety intake before we arrange the first in-person session.
Where do sessions happen?
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.
Is there support between sessions?
Yes. Pocket Trainer support via WhatsApp is included. You can send questions and short homework videos between visits for feedback and practical adjustments.
Will my dog stop reacting completely?
There is no honest one-size-fits-all promise. Progress may mean fewer or less intense reactions, faster recovery, safer handling, greater working distance or more useful choices. The plan is built around your dog’s starting point.
Can my dog eventually attend Life Skills?
Some dogs may become suitable for Life Skills, but group training is not the goal for every dog. It is considered only when your dog can notice others, recover with appropriate space and work safely without becoming overwhelmed.
Start with the qualification form
Check fit, then book a 30-minute Reactivity Support Fit Call.
Complete the short form first. It checks the practical things that matter before either of us sets aside call time. Your answers then prefill the booking form, so you do not have to type them twice.
Before continuing, please be comfortable with:
- A structured, multi-session approach rather than a one-off fix.
- Private sessions start from $180.
- Practising between sessions and sharing what is and is not working.
- The Fit Call being a fit check, not a free training consultation.
During the Fit Call, I listen to what is happening and decide whether Reactivity Support is suitable. If it is, I explain the starting plan I recommend, what it includes and the exact fee. You can then decide whether you want to proceed.
Calls are offered with at least four days’ notice so you have time to read this page and make a considered decision.
If this is not the right service, I will say so clearly. There is no pressure to proceed.
Location: Coffs Harbour, NSW and surrounding areas.
Qualification complete
Now choose your Fit Call time.
Your answers have been carried into the booking form below. You can review them before confirming the call.
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