Behavioural Consult

Service Description

At Olympus Dog Training, we understand that every behaviour has a cause. When a dog shows aggression, reactivity, fear, or separation anxiety, they’re not being defiant — they’re communicating distress, confusion, or insecurity. These behaviours are emotional responses rooted in canine psychology and neurobiology, not stubbornness or dominance. Our mission is to uncover the why behind the behaviour and rebuild calm, trust, and confidence through clear communication, structure, and leadership. Aggression is one of the most misunderstood behaviours in dogs. Scientifically, it’s a defensive emotional response driven by the sympathetic nervous system — the body’s natural fight-or-flight mechanism. Stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol surge when a dog feels threatened or uncertain, causing defensive reactions that may appear unpredictable. Reactivity, while often confused with aggression, is a different challenge altogether. It occurs when a dog becomes overstimulated by environmental triggers such as other dogs, people, or movement. In these moments, the limbic system — the part of the brain responsible for emotion and survival — becomes overactive, flooding the body with stress hormones and bypassing rational thought. The result is lunging, barking, or pulling, often driven by frustration or anxiety. Our reactivity training focuses on impulse control, emotional regulation, and structured exposure. Separation anxiety and fear-based behaviour stem from emotional instability and attachment imbalance. These dogs experience chronic activation of the HPA axis — the body’s stress-response system — leading to symptoms like barking, pacing, destruction, or self-harm when left alone. This isn’t disobedience; it’s panic. At Olympus, we take an empathetic yet structured approach, helping dogs learn that independence is safe. Through gradual desensitisation, confidence-building routines, and consistency in leadership, we teach dogs how to self-soothe and find calm even in solitude Whether your dog struggles with aggression, reactivity, fear, or anxiety, at Olympus Dog Training our philosophy remains the same: clarity, structure, and balance create safety and trust. Each program is tailored to the individual dog’s temperament, environment, and emotional triggers. Our work is grounded in behavioural science, operant conditioning, and canine communication, ensuring long-term change through understanding, not fear.