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Sniffing
2am Dog Questions; A good walk doesn’t have to cover miles. Sometimes the best bit is one very interesting patch of grass. 🐾 Got a question? Drop it below ⬇️ #dogbehaviourawareness #nervoussystem #2amdogquestions #dogbehaviour #themischiefmethod
muttsandmischief
Oct 121 min read


Salience
Sometimes something has captured your dog’s attention so completely that your cue can’t compete. They aren't doing anything wrong and neither are you! It's actually useful information about what feels important in their world, at that time! 🩵🐾 #dogbehaviourawareness #nervoussystem #dogbehaviour #themischiefmethod #dogs
muttsandmischief
Oct 91 min read


2am Dog Questions - Post Bath Zoomies
2am Dog Questions; Post-bath zoomies Relief, excitement, or a very damp announcement that bath time is OVER? 🛁🐾 What does your dog do after a bath? Let me know in the comments! ⬇️ #dogbehaviourawareness #nervoussystem #2amdogquestions #dogbehaviour #themischiefmethod
muttsandmischief
Oct 51 min read


Recovery Needs to be the Bigger Focus
We talk a lot about the reaction—but what happens afterwards matters too. Recovery gives us valuable information. How long does it take for your dog’s body to soften? Can they sniff, eat, rest or reconnect? Do they need more distance, quiet or time? A reaction still happening doesn’t mean that progress hasn’t been made. Sometimes progress looks like recovering a little sooner, seeking support or finding regulation more easily. Instead of asking only, “Did my dog react?” try
muttsandmischief
Sep 171 min read


Trigger Stacking
🐾 2am Dog Questions: Why did my dog suddenly react? “They were absolutely fine five minutes ago!” And they may well have been. But the thing immediately before a reaction isn’t necessarily the whole story. Maybe there was a noise earlier. A difficult interaction. Poor sleep. A frustrating moment. Something uncomfortable in their body. A dog staring from across the road. Then another little thing. And another. Until one seemingly tiny event becomes the moment when their syste
muttsandmischief
Sep 41 min read


The Amygdala
🧠 Behaviour Makes Sense: The Amygdala Have you ever wondered why your dog sometimes seems to react before they’ve had a chance to think? One reason may be a small, almond-shaped structure in the brain called the amygdala. The amygdala is often described as the brain’s alarm system. Its role isn’t to make your dog obedient or disobedient. Its primary job is to detect potential danger and prepare the body to respond. When the amygdala perceives something as threatening—whether
muttsandmischief
Jul 182 min read


Activity-Dependent Synaptogenesis
🧠 Behaviour Makes Sense: Activity-Dependent Synaptogenesis It might sound like a bit of a tongue twister, but activity-dependent synaptogenesis describes something wonderfully simple. The brain builds and strengthens connections based on what it repeatedly does. Every time your dog experiences something, billions of nerve cells (neurons) communicate with one another. When those same neurons are activated repeatedly, the connections between them become stronger and more effic
muttsandmischief
Jul 131 min read


Neuroplasticity
🧠 Behaviour Makes Sense: Neuroplasticity Neuroplasticity might sound like a complicated scientific word, but the idea behind it is beautifully hopeful. It simply means the brain can change. Every experience your dog has helps shape the pathways inside their brain. The more often a behaviour is practised, the stronger those pathways can become—whether that’s barking at the window, chasing squirrels, or calmly watching the world go by. This isn’t about blame. It’s about unders
muttsandmischief
Jul 71 min read
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