About Monika | The Canine Mindset

Learning the Language of Dogs

I didn't learn about dogs from a textbook; I learned by sharing my life with them. As an only child, dogs were often my companions and playmates. Between my family, I was around seven dogs daily, and I was able to observe pack dynamics, individual dog roles in the pack, and their different characters.

By the time I was 16, I was raising a Caucasian Shepherd (a massive flock guardian), a Rottweiler/Shepherd mix, and an AmStaff/Boxer. All of my dogs were from shelters. I learned the language of dogs early on—not through words, but through respect and observation.

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The Groomer's Touch

This innate connection naturally evolved into my career. For the last 10 years, I have been grooming dogs in Bournemouth, becoming the go-to choice for owners of dogs that have issues with touch sensitivity or reactivity.

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I don't use force; I use intuition. I can see the tension in a jaw or a shift in weight before a reaction happens. That decade of reading 'micro-signals' in a salon environment, combined with a lifetime of handling powerful breeds, ensures that on our walks today, safety and understanding come first.

The Aslan Story

My greatest teacher has been my dog, Aslan. Kangals are naturally large and powerful, but to my surprise, Aslan developed reactivity. Despite my experience with large breeds, I struggled to understand and manage his behavior.

After several incidents where Aslan lunged at other dogs or reacted poorly to dogs approaching us, I realized I wasn't fully in control. I felt the same desperation, fear, and isolation that you might be experiencing now.

This prompted a desperate search for solutions, which, several months later, led me to neutral walks organized by the Honest Hounds community.

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Discovering the concept of 'Neutral Walks' was life-changing for us. It gave Aslan the freedom to exist calmly around other dogs without the pressure to interact. Today, he walks calmly as part of a pack. If we could achieve this, you absolutely can too.