143 | 3 Things You Can Do Today to Deepen the Bond with Your Dog {No training Required}

Hey Dog Lover 🐾 It’s the Monday after Bootcamp… and Thanksgiving here in Canada. 🇨🇦 So I wanted to offer something simple, grounding, and honestly—really powerful. Because training probably takes up, what? Maybe 5–10% of your day tops? So what’s happening in the other 95%? That’s where your dog is learning the most about who you are— and where your bond is really being built. In this episode, I’ll walk you through 3 simple things you can do today (no training required!) to strengthen connection, deepen trust, and help your dog feel safe in your everyday life. 🔹 Be Quiet If you want to talk to your dog... shut your mouth. (Yep—Nelson said it first. 😉) We spend so much time narrating, cueing, correcting— that we forget to actually listen. Try this: spend 5–15 minutes moving through your world with your dog in silence. Observe. Notice. Let the quiet speak. Because the quiet moments are where the real communication happens. 🔹 Notice How You Move Through Space Your presence affects your dog—every time you move, shift, or reach. Leadership starts with noticing, not controlling. So today, just pay attention: How does your dog respond when you walk into a room or step closer? No fixing. No labeling. Just awareness. 🔹 Be Curious About What Matters to Your Dog If your dog stops to explore something—go see what it is. Not to redirect. Not to control. Just to witness it with them. That tiny act of curiosity says, “What matters to you, matters to me.” And that’s where mutual relevance—and trust—grow. You don’t need to “do” more training to build a better bond. You need: ✨ More silence ✨ More noticing ✨ More genuine curiosity When you change how you show up in the everyday moments, your dog will feel it— and your relationship will grow stronger. So… which one can you try today? Hope you enjoy this one! Tracy xoxox NEXT STEPS 👣🐾 🎉 Missed Bootcamp? You can still catch the replays and learn what calm, confident leadership really looks like to your dog. 🦴 Watch or join at: Calm Down, Dog Bootcamp 👥 Join our free community! Come hang out with us inside Living Beyond Obedience , my private Facebook group where we talk about leadership, trust, and what it really means to be your dog’s safe place. 👉 www.facebook.com/groups/LivingBeyondObedience 🎵 Podcast music by Shawn Trotter → shawntrotter.com