Toni Shelbourne on Tellington TTouch for Dogs: Calming Anxious & Reactive Dogs Through Touch

Toni Shelbourne on Tellington TTouch for Dogs: Calming Anxious & Reactive Dogs Through TouchWhat if a few simple circles of your hand could help your anxious dog feel safe again?In this episode, host Nathan Dunleavy sits down with Toni Shelbourne, a Tellington TTouch practitioner, behaviourist and author with nearly 30 years of experience working with everything from family pets to socialised wolves.Toni explains how TTouch uses gentle, non-habitual touch to release tension patterns, calm the nervous system, and put dogs into a "thinking" state where real learning and change becomes possible. From helping dogs recover from injury to supporting those with separation anxiety, noise phobias, and chronic pain, this episode shows just how far a little intentional touch can go.In this episode:✅ What Tellington TTouch actually is, and how it differs from massage✅ Why posture affects behaviour, and how tension patterns show up as fear or reactivity✅ How to read calming signals so you can support your dog before they reach a fear response✅ Why the right harness and lead setup can transform how your dog walks and feels✅ Simple techniques anyone can try at home, starting with ear strokes✅ How TTouch can help dogs eat and learn even when they're too anxious for traditional training✅ Why TTouch can support recovery alongside physiotherapy and vet careKey takeaways:• TTouch works by moving the skin, not the muscles, to access neural pathways and calm the nervous system• You don't need to be an expert. Simple techniques done with the right intent can create real change• Recovery time from fear or stress often shortens with regular TTouch, building resilience over time• Dogs that mask pain often show it first through behaviour change, and TTouch can help guardians notice• It works best as one piece of the puzzle, alongside training, enrichment, and veterinary supportToni's websiteToni's Facebook page🐾 Subscribe to The Yappy Hour for more conversations that help you understand, connect with, and care for your dog.🐕 Find a Tellington TTouch practitioner in your area on Yappily📧 Curious whether TTouch could help your dog? Start with a single ear stroke tonight and see what happens.