Behaviour support for fearful dogs · Online, France & UK

Helping fearful dogs feel safe enough to choose connection.

And helping you feel confident enough to support them. Gentle, structured support for fear, avoidance, shutdown and defensive aggression, mostly online, so your dog can stay at home where they feel safest.

Opening for bookings soon. Register now and I’ll contact you personally as soon as I can take you on.

Woody, a cream-coloured dog with a red collar, sitting on a colourful patchwork rug and looking up at the camera
Does this sound familiar?

You’re not the first to feel this way

These are things guardians say to me. Tap any that sound like you.

Not sure where to begin?

Find your starting point

Two quick questions. There are no wrong answers.

What’s going on for your dog?
Where are you right now?
How I work

Safety first. Then learning.

I work on the understanding that a frightened dog’s past may be shaping what they do now, and I never add to the fear. That’s what trauma-informed means here. My approach is reward- and choice-based: your dog gets a say in what happens to them, and we go at their pace.

Fear is not a failure

It’s communication. Your dog is telling you something, so we listen before we ask for anything.

Safety before training

A frightened dog can’t learn. We make the world feel safe enough first, and the learning follows.

Every dog gets a say

Touch your dog can say yes or no to, choices they can make, and time to settle when they need it.

More about how I help

Two ways to start

Begin with a conversation or a plan

Both are online and both are low-commitment. Pick whichever feels right. If you’re not sure, the Triage Call is a gentle place to begin.

Talk it through

Triage Advice Call

A 30–60 minute call for when you’d rather talk to someone than keep searching online.

  • No forms to fill in beforehand
  • We talk about what’s happening and how it’s affecting you both
  • You leave with a clear direction: what to try first, or what kind of help would suit you
  • Credited toward a consultation if you book one
Why online

Online often suits fearful dogs best

Your dog stays home

No car journey, no unfamiliar building and no stranger arriving at the door. Your dog can stay where they feel safest.

I see the real picture

How your dog is day to day, in their own space, tells me far more than how they cope in a strange room.

You build the skills

You’re the person your dog trusts. Sessions build your confidence so you can keep going, not rely on me.

Based between Limoges and Brive, working in English with guardians across France and the UK. If you live nearby, ongoing support can include in-person sessions once we’ve started online.

Meet Caroline

Where the patience came from

Woody, my foster fail, taught me to listen to a growl instead of trying to stop it. Pocket taught me to wait at a doorway for as long as it took. Everything here comes from what they showed me.

Today I help guardians and their dogs move from fear to confidence, with structured, compassionate support.

  • Level 3 Certificate in Canine Training and BehaviourOfqual-regulated qualification · completed January 2026
  • Level 5 Diploma in Canine Behaviour PracticeIn progress
  • Foster carer and behaviour support volunteerLes Amis des Animaux

Read my story

Caroline smiling in a selfie on the grass, with Tex, a black-and-white foster dog, lying relaxed beside her
Pocket’s story

Some days it took Pocket three hours to come back through the door. He wasn’t being stubborn. He couldn’t, yet.

He’d lift a paw towards the threshold, then turn back. Now he asks to go out by touching his nose to my hand, even though he arrived with years of practised avoidance. It didn’t come from training him to come in. It came from making the doorway, and me, safe enough to choose. Going at the dog’s pace and letting them choose comes from what helped him.

Pocket early on: a white and tan Porcelaine lying on a sofa behind a navy blanket, only his eyes and long ears showing above it, watching warily
Early on. Watching from behind a blanket, keeping his distance.
Pocket later: fast asleep on his back on a cream sofa among rumpled blankets, paws in the air
Later. Fast asleep on his back, paws in the air.
What guardians say

In their words

We may have only had a 45-minute video call with you, but it really made the world of difference to us in managing our loveable rogue H. You gave us confidence to carry on with some of the things we were doing right, but the main change was helping us to understand that we needed to tell H what we wanted him to do, rather than what we didn’t want. So having a pocketful of treats as you suggested and continually rewarding him when he’s not doing anything in particular, but being calm and settled, has been transformational. He’s still got a fair few less than desirable habits which we’re working on, but H’s good qualities far outweigh the bad, so we’re very grateful to you for helping us to find a way to work with him.

J & J, rescue adopters

I’m feeling better this morning after better sleep and have had a couple of ideas about how to improve things… And also realising what a sensitive little boy he is and how much reassurance he now needs… Thank you so much for listening to me yesterday, Caroline.

L, rescue adopter
Is this right for you?

A good fit, and when it isn’t

This is for you if…

  • you feel overwhelmed or unsure where to begin
  • your dog shows fear, avoidance, shutdown or defensive aggression
  • you have a rescue dog who needs time to settle and feel safe
  • you want clarity before committing to anything bigger
  • you’re ready to go gently and adjust routines where needed

It isn’t the right fit if…

  • you’re looking for a quick fix or obedience training
  • you want dominance- or punishment-based methods
  • you can’t adjust routines or your dog’s environment
  • you need urgent in-person help (please contact your vet)
  • you’d like your dog “fixed” without taking part yourself
Questions

Things people often ask

Can you guarantee results?

No. Fear changes at the dog’s pace, and nobody can promise how quickly. What I can promise is a clear plan, honest feedback and support that fits you both.

How long will it take?

It depends on your dog. Some settle quickly, others need longer, and that’s expected, not a setback. We’ll go at the pace your dog can manage.

With Pocket, I learned not to measure progress by what I could report. The dogs tell you when they’re ready.

Does online support work for a fearful dog?

Often it suits fearful dogs better. Your dog stays at home where they feel safest, nobody new arrives at the door, and I see how they really are day to day.

Do you offer in-person sessions?

Your first step, the Triage Advice Call or the One-Off Consultation, is always online. If you’re near Limoges or Brive, ongoing support afterwards can include in-person sessions where meeting would help your dog.

Is my dog too far gone?

Dogs with long histories of fear can still make real progress. If I think someone else is better placed to help your dog, I’ll tell you, and point you in the right direction.

Should I see my vet first?

Pain and illness can change behaviour, so if your dog’s behaviour has changed suddenly, or you suspect discomfort, please see your vet first. I may also suggest a vet check as part of our work.

Where are you based?

Between Limoges and Brive, France. Sessions are online and in English, so I work with guardians across France and the UK. Ongoing support can include in-person sessions around Limoges and Brive.

When can I book?

I’m opening for bookings soon. Register interest and I’ll contact you personally as soon as I can take you on.

Take the first step, at your dog’s pace

Tell me a little about your dog. I’ll read every word and reply personally.

Register interest