GM News - July 2026

Welcome to the 80th edition of Gentle Modern - News. Thank you for opening and reading any of our Newsletters. We enjoy sharing practical, valuable info :-)

Amanda, David, & Ruth
Gentle Modern School of Dog Training

Top Tip - Elevating Your Dog's Walk

Eileen Anderson is a US writer whose work is always thought-provoking. In Creating Happy Dog Walks by Controlling the Pressure, Eileen outlines how she manages the things that can bother Lewis (one of Eileen's dogs) on a walk - aka triggers - and facilitates things that improve his experience.

Eileen uses Lewis' body language to identify when he's worried (e.g. she's identified the difference between Lewis' happy/interested sniffing and unsettled sniffing) and aims to 'turn down the pressure' with things that perk Lewis up. For example:

Jogging with me for a few steps
Eating food
Getting to follow some other walkers [at a distance], especially if they have a dog
Turning around and walking/jogging the other way (usually toward home)
Doing some cued behaviors
Connecting with me; receiving cheerful talk and praise

We can't always control triggers (trigger stacking is the accumulation of things the dog finds uncomfortable, upsetting, or unpleasant), but we can identify and then employ happy stacking: consciously doing things during a walk that our dogs find pleasurable and fun.

It's a great article (and includes videos) - I encourage you to check it out.

Recommended resource: Dog Body Language 101 by Fear Free Happy Homes (5.23mins)

Body Language - Understanding Shaking

Your dog might shiver with the cold - it is winter after all! - but that's not the only cause. In Why is my dog shaking? Is it cold or something else? - Petzyo Dog Food and Wellbeing Blog - the potential causes of shivering and shaking are reviewed.

Shivering in dogs is usually innocent, but it can be a clue to something more serious going on.

Cold
Excitement / Fear
Muscle Loss in Senior Dogs
Overworked /Fatigued Muscles
Pain / Nausea / Illness
Calcium Deficiency / Low Blood Sugar
Toxins
Neurological Disorders

Your reward for reading to the end . . .

Barbara Collins, who's 96, works with her granddaughter's 70kg Newfoundland, Chewy, to plant her garden - Barbara points and Chewy digs. (Video of Barbara and Chewy in action.)

BONUS: Couldn't resist sharing this one - Suzan loves her metal dish