Meet Karyn and Sorcha, our long term Movement Puzzles Academy students.

Sorcha is a “pandemic-border collie-puppy” who missed out on early socialization opportunities and developed anxiety and reactivity towards different daily life triggers. Sorcha has very big feelings about other dogs!

Karyn is over 70 and in spite of all their challenges, Sorcha keeps her happy and active. They dream of going hiking together, but idea of encountering other dogs on the trail makes Karyn uncomfortable.  

So, Karyn joined the Reactivity Special program the first time we offered it and dove into the exercises straight away with her usual diligence.  

Very quickly she started noticing small wins. Like being able to train outside with birds, geese and even a squirrel present.  

However, the biggest surprise came when Karyn and Sorcha had been training with Emma for about 2 months.   Karyn had booked a session with a trainer at a local club to work on Sorcha's reactivity.  

And here's the thing: Sorcha didn't react! He never barked or reacted to the trainer's dog!  

Karyn was able to redirect and calm him down with ease in a matter of seconds in tricky situations where Sorcha didn't feel comfortable. The trainer said that she did not see the dog that Karyn told her about when they first talked.  

And a week later when they met again, Karyn wrote that they walked their dogs side by side and she didn’t need to redirect Sorcha at all anymore and that Sorcha was able to the Movement Puzzle exercises in the presence of another dog without even glancing at him!  

Here's what Karyn wrote that really melted Emma's heart: "I'm feeling more relaxed and confident. I'm less hesitant about taking Sorcha places where we might encounter another dog. I know now that we can better handle these situations."  

This means that Karyn is getting close to her dream of taking Sorcha to the hikes! I can’t believe this is happening for Karyn and Sorcha after just 2 months of training and so little trigger-work! What an inspiring team!  

Meet Jason and Addie.

Addie is a 2 yr 4 months old Husky Pit mix with a bit of bull terrier and Shepherd rescue, who was left on the side of the road as a puppy with her siblings. Jason had done a lot of good work with Addie before joining the course and it showed.  

"When I met Addie through Jason’s videos, I saw a team that had a very special bond between them. But I also saw a dog that could refuse food quite easily, especially in the presence of the trigger and I saw a tendency to freeze up or lose spark when there was even a slightest difficulty or a small mechanical error on handler part. Luckily Jason is just the right person for Addie! – He is very precise with following the instructions and has the patience to take it one step at a time. Smart training!" - Emma

Jason kept up with his consistent and precise work with Addie and by the end of the first training Challenge he wrote: 

 …And by the start of the second Training Challenge his dog-walker was also able to see the change!

And this is where Jason and Addie are now, just 2 months after joining the Reactivity Special course!

Working with Nancy and Maze has been such a privilege. From the very beginning, it was clear that Nancy is not only an experienced and thoughtful trainer, but also deeply attuned to Maze’s needs. Maze arrived with a mix of reactivity and overenthusiastic greetings—behaviors that can be tricky to navigate, especially in the fast-paced world of agility and public settings. But Nancy met each challenge with patience, care, and a well-stocked toolkit of training strategies.

Throughout the program, we watched Maze begin to shift—gaining confidence, choosing to stay in the game even when dogs were nearby, and showing beautiful focus in increasingly challenging environments. Their progress in trial-like setups has been especially exciting to see. Nancy’s careful planning and steady guidance have helped Maze feel secure and successful in situations that once triggered barking or lunging. Their teamwork has grown beautifully.

This pair’s journey is a testament to what can happen when thoughtful training meets genuine partnership. Nancy has worked incredibly hard to give Maze the skills and confidence she needs to enjoy the world more fully—and it’s paying off. Whether it’s competing in agility or enjoying peaceful hikes past other dogs, I have no doubt they’re well on their way.

Keep an eye on this team—they’re just getting started, and the future is bright. 🌟 

Susy joined the reactivity course with her adolescent cavoodle named Zazu. Zazu has been very reactive towards other dogs and had only one doggie-friend, Taysha, who is living in the same family.

Here is an example of Zazu’s reactivity in the beginning of this course: 

Here’s what Susy wrote already after the first foundation exercises:

Here’s her take at the end of the second challenge: 

But their biggest breakthrough happened in the third challenge, because Zazu made her first FRIEND outside of her family!!! It happened by accident at the end of a perfect training session, where the dogs were practicing moving straight at each other – which is a really HARD exercise for any dog and Zazu was a total superstar in those! At the end of that session Willow happened to come suddenly for a visit with Zazu. And Zazu kept calm and showed some friendly social signals instead of reacting! Here’s how Susy described it:

Now they are able to go for walks together with Willow and her owner and here’s Susy’s comment just 3 months of joining the reactivity course:

Watching Susy and Zazu’s transformation over these challenges has been nothing short of remarkable. From a reactive pup who could barely tolerate another dog nearby, to joyfully walking and playing side-by-side with her new friend Willow—it’s a testament to patience, consistency, and deep dedication.

Susy’s and Zazu’s story is a reminder that progress might not always be easy, but it is always possible—with love, perseverance, and a willingness to keep showing up. I’m beyond proud to have been part of their journey, and I can’t wait to see what beautiful new milestones lie ahead for this amazing pair ❤️.

Just look at Zazu and her new friend Willow having fun together!