Can all pet behaviour cases be fixed?

The answer is: It depends!

If the question means does an evidence-based rehabilitation strategy exist for each case that can work? the answer in theory is yes. Are all owners capable of implementing or would even want to perform the tasks? would it even be safe to endevour are where that "it depends" comes from. In this blog I would like to tip your toes in the challenging human behaviours that often undermine a pet's behavioural health. Not so much to point the finger at you, but very much to make you aware of self-sabotage dynamics that might get in the way of you and your pets; success.

The 7 Deadly Sins

1. The Mismatch Conundrum This is a tough one. Unfortunately, there are situations in which the pet and owner are a lifestyle mismatch which, without significant change, will continually run into hiccups because each is pulling in different directions, or due to various factors the owner is unable to master and perform the tasks necessary to rehabilitate their pet. It isnt self-sabotage to accept your limitations. It is hubris not to. In Don't Shoot The Dog this is well discussed and while literally shooting the pet is not desirable, sometimes changing their home is. Hats off to rehoming services that are able to assist in these situations and vetting owners to prevent such mismatches.

2. Unrealistic expectations We are all guilty of it one time or another. Either we miscalculate or fail to consult or downright deny reality because we so desperately wanted it to turn out differently. At its extreme I tell classrooms you can't train me to fly cause I don't have wings, but in practice sometimes it means understanding that a dog that was emotionally stunted as a puppy may never neurologically catch up, or that the zapping ball of energy your working breed dog comes with isn't a quirk, it is the standard and will need to be drained often to get a dog with a focused mindset. Very often it means the "fix" is not the quick one promised by TV shows that glorify coercion and punishment, but it lasts longer than the short term gains of punishment without the long-term losses. Hopefully we can agree we are after long term gains without losses.

3. Scepticism I had to include this as it is a major point of discussion with my colleagues. I invest a lot of time with clients explaining the reasoning behind suggested interventions and tailoring them to their specific household, lifestyle, and pet. The goal is always to make the plan feel achievable and logical. But even with that, some people remain sceptical — not because they’re stubborn, but because change is uncomfortable.

   Sometimes the intervention looks too simple to be effective. Sometimes it looks too slow. Sometimes it challenges a long‑held belief about what dogs “should” do or how training “should” look. And occasionally, the scepticism is a shield: if you don’t fully believe the plan will work, you don’t have to feel disappointed if you fail.

   But here’s the truth: behaviour science doesn’t need your belief to be valid. In the words of Neil Degrasse Tyson, the Universe is under no obligation to make sense to you. It only needs your participation. When owners suspend scepticism long enough to try the plan consistently, the results usually speak for themselves

4. Inconsistency

   If unrealistic expectations are the spark and scepticism is the brake, inconsistency is the pothole that derails even the best‑designed behaviour plan even without the aforementioned hiccups.

   Pets learn through repetition and predictability. When the rules change depending on your mood, your schedule, or who else is home, your pet isn’t being “stubborn” — they’re confused. A dog can’t follow a rule that only exists on Tuesdays or only when guests are watching, because that means it is not a rule at all.

   Inconsistency also shows up in subtler ways:

   • Reinforcing a behaviour one day and ignoring it the next

   • Practising training only when the dog is already calm

   • Allowing a behaviour “just this once” because you’re tired

   • Multiple family members applying different standards

   A behaviour plan is a bit like physiotherapy: doing the exercises only when you feel like it won’t get you very far. Consistency is the quiet, unglamorous ingredient that makes everything else work.

5. Emotional Spillover

   This is the one nobody likes to talk about, but it’s often the biggest saboteur. Our pets live in the emotional climate we create in our home. If the household is tense, chaotic, unpredictable, or emotionally charged, your pet will absorb that long before they absorb any training cue and it will get in the way of them learning new things.

   Stress, frustration, guilt, embarrassment — these emotions leak into our tone, our timing, our patience, and our ability to follow through. A dog struggling with reactivity doesn’t just need a protocol; they need a human who can regulate themselves enough to implement it.

   This isn’t about blame. It’s about awareness. When owners learn to pause, breathe, and name the emotion that is controlling them they can empower themselves to approach training with a calmer nervous system, the pet’s behaviour often improves faster than expected. I never thought I would still be dealing with triangulation and systemic psychology after I ditched human psychology for animal behaviour yet here we are.

6. The Desire for a Shortcut

   We live in a world of instant solutions. One‑click purchases, same‑day delivery, 30‑second tutorials. Behaviour change, however, is stubbornly analogue. It takes time, repetition, and a willingness to tolerate slow progress.

   This is why punishment‑based methods still seduce people: they look fast. They suppress behaviour quickly. But suppression is not rehabilitation. It’s the behavioural equivalent of turning off a smoke alarm without putting out the fire.

   Evidence‑based training is slower because it builds new neural pathways rather than shutting down old ones. It’s the difference between teaching a child to swim and simply telling them to stop drowning.

7. Miscommunication This would be my or our bad. Believe it or not, as a behaviourist, I am as invested into my advice leading to successful outcome as much if not more than my clients. As I have gained more experience in my career, I have developed a deeper respect for written instructions that are a useful reference for owners to reach for. The point is, as a client you have a right to clear instructions and if you have not understood or hear contradicting information or don't get something tangible as a reference, you should not hesitate to ask for clear instructions. We expect a written prescription when the doctor prescribes medicine to make sure the dosage and scedule is followed and documented. Why should you expect less for a BMP intervention?

   
   

So… can all pet behaviour cases be fixed?

If “fixed” means erased, then no. Behaviour isn’t a stain you scrub out. It’s a living process shaped by genetics, early development, environment, and experience.

But if “fixed” means improved, stabilised, managed, or transformed into something that allows the pet to live a safe, enriched, and emotionally healthy life, then yes — almost every case has a viable path forward.

The real question is not whether the pet can change. It’s whether the humans can change enough for them.

Because behaviour work is a partnership. Your pet brings their history, their instincts, and their limitations. You bring your consistency, your willingness to learn, and your ability and willingness to create an environment where change is possible.

When both sides show up, remarkable things happen.