Frequently Asked Questions

Wyldepaw uses ethical, science‑led, reward‑based training rooted in modern behavioural science. This means we focus on reinforcing the behaviours we want, rather than punishing the ones we don’t. Dogs learn through association, repetition, and emotional safety - not fear or intimidation.Training includes:Positive reinforcement: food, toys, praise, movement, and other rewards your dog genuinely values.Clear communication: helping your dog understand what’s being asked through consistent cues and predictable patterns.Choice‑based learning: allowing your dog to make decisions, explore, and engage at their own pace.Welfare‑first practice: ensuring your dog feels safe, supported, and understood throughout the process. Wyldepaw does not use aversive tools (prong collars, choke chains, shock devices) or outdated dominance‑based methods. These approaches can damage trust, increase fear, and create long‑term behavioural fallout.Every training plan is tailored to your dog’s individual needs, your lifestyle, and the realities of living in London’s busy, high‑stimulus environments, or adapted to wherever you are based in the UK or worldwide.

Training focuses on teaching skills: recall, loose‑lead walking, settling, polite greetings, and everyday manners. It’s about shaping what your dog does.Behaviour support goes deeper. It addresses why your dog behaves a certain way - fear, anxiety, frustration, over‑arousal, sensory overload, or past experiences. Behaviour work focuses on emotions, coping strategies, and changing how your dog feels about the world.Examples:Training: teaching a puppy to sit, teaching recall, improving lead walking.Behaviour support: reactivity, aggression, separation anxiety, resource guarding, noise sensitivity, panic, shutdown, or fear‑based behaviours.If your dog is struggling with big feelings (reactivity, aggression, panic, shutdown, or intense anxiety), behaviour support is the appropriate route. Training and behaviour often overlap, but the starting point and goals are different.

Yes. Wyldepaw specialises in supporting dogs who react strongly to dogs, people, vehicles, noises, or specific environments. Reactivity is often rooted in fear, frustration, or feeling overwhelmed, and it’s not something that can be “corrected” away - it needs understanding, management, and gradual change.We’ll look at triggers, thresholds, body language, and your dog’s coping strategies. Together, we’ll build a plan that prioritises safety, reduces exposure to overwhelming situations, and teaches your dog alternative behaviours and emotional skills. You’ll learn how to support your dog before, during, and after difficult moments, so you both feel more confident.Reactivity often stems from:fearfrustrationconfusionoverwhelmpast negative experienceslack of coping strategies We’ll explore:your dog’s triggersearly warning signsthreshold levelsbody languageenvironmental managementemotional regulationalternative behavioursconfidence‑building exercises

Wyldepaw supports a wide range of behaviour concerns for dogs across London and beyond, including:Reactivity (dogs, people, vehicles, noises, environments)Fear and anxiety (phobias, avoidance, shutdown)Aggression (growling, snapping, biting, threatening behaviour)Separation‑related issues (distress when left alone or separated)Resource guarding (protecting food, toys, spaces, or people)Over‑arousal and hyperactivity (struggling to settle, frantic behaviour)Noise sensitivity (fireworks, storms, household sounds)Frustration and impulse control difficultiesDifficulty coping in busy London environmentsSensory overwhelm (too much noise, movement, or unpredictability) If you’re not sure whether your dog’s behaviour “counts” as a behaviour issue, you’re welcome to ask. There are no silly questions, we are here to help you understand your dogs behaviour.

Yes - Wyldepaw supports dogs at every life stage, with no age limits. Each stage of development comes with its own needs, challenges, and joys, and training or behaviour support is always adapted to the dog in front of us.Puppies: gentle foundations, confidence building, early socialisation, and helping them understand the world safely.Adolescents: navigating the “teenage” phase, big feelings, fluctuating confidence, and changing needs.Adult dogs: refining skills, addressing long‑standing habits, supporting behaviour change, and building resilience.Senior dogs: adapting training to physical comfort, cognitive changes, sensory differences, and slower pacing. Senior dogs often benefit from enrichment, gentle confidence building, and supportive routines that respect their bodies and minds. There is no age at which a dog is “too old” to learn. Training and behaviour support are always tailored to your dog’s abilities, comfort, and wellbeing.

Yes - Wyldepaw provides online training and behaviour support from London to clients worldwide.Online sessions are delivered via Zoom, and include:live coachingbehaviour analysisdemonstrationspractical exercisespersonalised guidancewritten follow‑up notesOnline training is ideal for:nervous dogsdogs who struggle with visitorsowners outside Londonbusy London lifestylesbehaviour cases needing controlled environmentsdogs who learn better at homeowners who prefer privacy or reduced pressureRemote work is structured, supportive, and highly effective.