SAFE & Less Distracted Workshop

 SAFE & Less Distracted Workshop

Why Your Dog Isn’t Ignoring You And What Actually Helps

Does your dog:

• Refuse treats outside?

• Explode at sudden triggers?

• Freeze, pull, spin, or act silly when overwhelmed?

• Seem fine one minute and over-the-top the next?

Here’s the truth: Your dog isn’t distracted. Your dog is trying to survive.

Fear flips the nervous system into fight, flight, freeze, fawn, or fool-around mode. When that happens, the thinking brain goes offline. And no amount of “sit” or “watch me” will fix a nervous system that doesn’t feel safe.

That’s why I created SAFE & Less Distracted Workshop.

Join us March 3rd at 11 AM (Central)

In this workshop, you’ll learn:

• Why distraction is a symptom of emotional overload

• The early signs your dog is nearing threshold

• How distance and exit strategies create safety

Help Your Dog Feel Safe Enough to Focus

Your dog isn’t ignoring you. They’re overwhelmed.

If your dog shuts down, scans the environment, refuses treats, or seems to “forget everything” the moment distractions appear, you’re not doing anything wrong.

Your dog’s nervous system is doing exactly what it was designed to do: protect them.

That’s where SAFE comes in.

The 4-part SAFE framework:

• Security -  emotional and physical safety

• Attachment -  trust, connection, co-regulation

• Function - skills that help dogs in daily life

• Environment - thoughtful choices that reduce overwhelm

This workshop isn’t about control!

It’s about giving your dog the skills and support they need to feel safe enough to focus.

The SAFE Framework isn't only for fearful, reactive dogs!

SAFE can be used with easily excitable, fizzy dogs and service dogs too!

If you’re tired of feeling embarrassed, frustrated, or unsure how to help your dog in public…

This is your starting point.

And if you’re ready to go deeper, this workshop opens the door to the full SAFE Start Mini-Class, where we practice these skills step by step. You'll receive a 50% discount on this class if you purchase as you are signing up for this workshop or during the LIVE workshop. This discount drops to 30% for our 3 Day Flash Sale immediately following the workshop.

There is no pressure to buy!

The Workshop is FREE to attend live with a replay available for 3 days following for those who can't attend live. Sign up asap so you don't miss this chance to see if the SAFE Framework is right for you!

Because when dogs feel safe distraction fades, and connection grows.

This workshop also comes with a downloadable SAFE Dog Blueprint to give you 4 key lessons in an easy to read E-book that you can review time and time again while learning to support your dog.

When Calm Isn't Calm

 

When “Calm” Isn’t Calm: Understanding Freeze & Shutdown in Dogs

One of the most common misunderstandings in dog behavior, especially with fearful or sensitive dogs, is assuming that stillness means safety.

A dog who isn’t reacting, pulling, barking, or moving is often described as calm, settled, or finally relaxed. But sometimes what we’re seeing isn’t calm at all. It’s freeze or shutdown; a survival response that happens when a dog feels overwhelmed, trapped, or unsure how to stay safe.

Understanding the difference matters, because a dog who looks calm on the outside may be experiencing intense emotional distress on the inside.

Fear Has More Than One Response

When dogs perceive a threat, their nervous system doesn’t just choose fight or flight. Many dogs, especially fearful ones, default to:

• Freeze: becoming very still, quiet, and tense

• Shutdown: disengaging, disconnecting, or appearing “checked out”

These responses are not choices or training failures. They’re adaptive survival strategies used when movement, communication, or exploration no longer feel safe.

This dog appears calm, but is hesitant and moving slowly.

Behaviors Commonly Misread as “Good” or “Calm”

Freeze and shutdown are often praised unintentionally because they look manageable. Some commonly misread behaviors include:

• Sitting or lying still for long periods

• Quiet compliance without enthusiasm

• Not pulling on leash in overwhelming environments

• Refusing food or taking treats mechanically

• Glassy eyes, slow blinking, or heavy stillness

• Lack of curiosity, play, or exploration

These dogs aren’t relaxed; they’re coping the best way they can.

In the video above, Doogie is meeting a new person for the first time and he's apprehensive. While he is still able to interact, he's moving much more slowly. It's not a great example of "freeze" behavior because the recording didn't start until after the freeze behavior had stopped. But you can still see the subtle differences in this dog's body language telling us that he doesn't feel 100% safe in this environment.

A dog in freeze or shutdown is not learning. Their brain is focused on survival, not processing or skill-building. Our goal with training is to never push dogs into a fight, flight, or freeze state! Learning doesn't happen during these stages of extreme emotional takeover. Training can only happen when support the dog, helping them feel safe enough to learn.

Belle showing SAFE Body Language.

What True Safety & Calm Actually Look Like

When a dog feels genuinely safe and emotionally regulated, you’ll usually see softness and choice.

Signs of real calm include:

• Loose, wiggly body language

• Soft eyes and relaxed facial muscles

• Natural curiosity and exploration

• Sniffing, stretching, or playful movement

• Choosing to engage and choosing to disengage

• Willingness to move freely and make decisions

True calm is flexible.

In this short video above, Belle is giving us an example of SAFE body language as we go on a fall walk in a quiet area. This walk started out a bit rough with some heavy equipment near the parking lot. However the video didn't start until after Belle had processed it and we moved away, beginning our walk. This is what we want walks and training sessions to look like when we are working with fearful, reactive dogs. Nice, calm, and almost boring.

Freeze vs Calm: A Helpful Question

When you’re unsure what you’re seeing, ask yourself:

Does my dog look free… or stuck?

A calm dog feels safe enough to move, communicate, and explore.
A frozen dog feels safest doing nothing at all.

How to Support Dogs Who Freeze or Shutdown

Join the Helping Fearful Dogs Membership to see the new lesson on this topic.

The Takeaway

Stillness doesn’t always mean safety.

When we learn to see the emotional story beneath behavior, we can:

• Prevent learned helplessness

• Protect our dog’s confidence

• Build resilience instead of endurance

• Strengthen trust and teamwork

True calm isn’t quiet obedience; it’s a dog who feels safe enough to be themselves.

When Progress Feels Hard, Turn Your Struggles Into Strengths!

When Progress Feels Like It’s Falling Apart (For Both Ends of the Leash)

If you’ve ever thought, “We were doing so well… what happened?” this is for you.

One of the hardest moments in life with a dog is when progress seems to disappear overnight. The behaviors you thought were improving suddenly resurface. Emotions feel bigger. Training feels harder. And the doubt creeps in fast.

It’s discouraging. Confusing. And often deeply personal.

Here’s the truth most people don’t talk about: emotional disruption affects both ends of the leash.

When your dog’s nervous system is overwhelmed and your own emotions are running high, progress can temporarily look messy, even when you’re doing thoughtful, compassionate work.

Why “Backsliding” Happens (Even When You’re Trying So Hard)

Behavior change is not linear. It’s influenced by:

• Stress and fatigue
• Changes in environment or routine
• Health, hormones, and development
• Accumulated emotional load (for dogs and humans)

When your dog experiences a scare, prolonged stress, or a big life change, their coping skills can temporarily fall apart. At the same time, human frustration, worry, and disappointment quietly sneak in.

And those emotions matter.

Dogs are incredibly sensitive to:

• Tension in our bodies
• Changes in breathing and tone
• Shifts in patience and expectations

When both nervous systems are dysregulated, training becomes harder and it’s easy to mistake emotional disruption for failure.

The Human Side of “It’s Getting Worse”

When progress feels lost, many dog owners start telling themselves:

• I must be doing this wrong.
• My dog will never get better.
• We’re back at square one.
• I don’t have it in me to keep trying.

That emotional weight can lead to:

• Pushing too hard out of desperation
• Avoiding training altogether
• Giving up on plans that once felt hopeful
• Feeling isolated, ashamed, or alone

None of this means you’re failing. It means you care deeply, and that matters!

Reframing Backsliding

What looks like regression is often:

• A stress response
• A sign your dog needs more support right now
• A clue that emotional capacity has changed
• A request to slow down, not stop

This is the moment where struggles can begin to transform into strengths if we respond with curiosity instead of panic. And that mindset shift is exactly what the Turning Struggles Into Strengths Membership is built to support.

A Different Kind of Training Space

Turning Struggles Into Strengths is for dog owners who see behavior as communication, not something to suppress or “fix.”

It’s for people who:

• Value connection over control
• Believe compassion and empathy belong in training
• Want to understand why their dog behaves the way they do
• Care about their dog’s emotional experience, not just outward behavior

Inside the membership, we focus on knowledge that builds confidence, not shortcuts:

• Learning how dogs think, feel, and process the world
• Developing skills you can use for life—not just one issue
• Building awareness that helps you adapt when things feel hard

We also lean into learning through play:

• Games that build impulse control, flexibility, and resilience
• Training that feels collaborative and relationship-centered
• Helping dogs want to participate, not comply under pressure

And we keep the big picture in mind; a full life with your dog:

• Family outings and vacations
• Community events
• Camping, hiking, biking, and outdoor adventures
• A dog who is a valued family member, not a project to manage

Most importantly, this is a space for support, not judgment.

• Where struggle is normalized
• Progress, big or small, is celebrated
• Setbacks are part of the learning process
• You don’t have to do this alone

If This Resonates…

If you’ve ever felt discouraged, stuck, or unsure, even while doing your best, you’re not broken, and neither is your dog. You may just need a space that helps you slow down, reframe, and build forward with compassion.

The Turning Struggles Into Strengths Membership is here to support you in that process; one thoughtful step at a time.

Join this February to receive 50% of your first month's membership with the code FEBLOVE!

The Turning Struggles Into Strengths Membership includes our Workshop Collection and additional bonus materials created to follow up after workshops. By joining in February you gain access to the Reframing & Redirection Workshop as part of your membership!

Use the code: FEBLOVE at checkout to receive 50% off the first month!

Because progress doesn’t disappear. Sometimes it just needs a different kind of support. 💛🐾