A cyclone and a groom
We had some weather challenges this week with an ex-tropical cyclone causing some havoc in the area.
Navigating life with a fearful, anxious and reactive dog. Sharing our challenges, small wins and lessons learned along the way.
The importance of community
Being the caregiver of a fearful or reactive dog can be very isolating.
Medication update
Giving George his medication was getting to be a real struggle. In an attempt to improve his appetite, we weaned him off Fluoxetine over 3 weeks to try another SSRI (Sertraline).
The Shouty Barky Dog Lady
I attended a webinar recently with Stephie Guy from The Calmer Canines Academy as part of the Love in Action Summit hosted by Marilyn Mele.
Increased confidence, decreased obedience?
George has always had really good recall.
Reactive - or complicated?
Another fantastic webinar as part of the recent Love in Action Summit hosted by Marilyn Mele was ‘Supporting a reactive dog’ with Jay Gurden.
Big dog barks
We have some new neighbours. Not attached to the house but just on the other side of the front fence.
The weight of decision-making
I've been feeling the weight of making all the decisions by myself recently.
Setting your dog up for success
They talked about this a lot in puppy school. It's important for all training but crucial for behaviour modification.
Dog of the Year
Southern Cross pet insurance in New Zealand are currently running the 'Pawsies' - a competition where you can nominate your dog for 'Dog of the Year'.
Birthday week!
Prince George turned 2 this week!
Caregiver burden
I attended a really interesting webinar recently with Ness Jones (of Separation Anxiety Decoded) and Jessie Kaspar (of Mindful Methods Companion Coaching).
About us
Welcome to George The Spicy Dog!
Meet George, a young cavoodle navigating life with generalised anxiety disorder, social anxiety, separation distress and noise anxiety.
Life with a reactive dog is challenging, unpredictable, and sometimes isolating - but also full of small victories worth celebrating.
I started this blog to share our journey - the ups, the downs, and everything in between. It's a lonely road at times and I have greatly appreciated the support from those (often strangers!) navigating similar challenges. I have found the personal stories incredibly helpful and relatable.
I'm not a dog trainer or an expert, just a fellow spicy (reactive) dog owner figuring things out as we go.
If you have any questions, feedback, or want to share your thoughts, I'd love to hear from you: georgethespicydog@gmail.com