Feisty Fido

Support for dogs who bark, lunge, growl, snap, bite or struggle with big feelings around triggers.

Living with a reactive or aggressive dog can feel exhausting, isolating, and overwhelming. Walks become stressful. Visitors create anxiety. Everyday life starts revolving around avoiding triggers and managing situations before things escalate.

At Paws & Reward, we provide compassionate, evidence-based behaviour support designed to help dogs feel safer, calmer, and better able to cope with the world around them — without fear, intimidation, or harsh training methods.

Using practical management strategies and reward-based behaviour modification, we help dogs and their humans build safer, more enjoyable lives together.

Reactivity & Aggression Support

Does This Sound Familiar?

  • Your dog barks and lunges on walks

  • Walks feel stressful instead of enjoyable

  • Your dog reacts strongly to dogs, people, bikes, cars, or visitors

  • Your dog becomes so overwhelmed they can’t focus or take food

  • You feel anxious taking your dog out in public

  • Having visitors over has become stressful for both you and your dog

  • Your dog struggles to calm down once triggered

  • You feel embarrassed, judged, or overwhelmed

  • You’ve tried advice that made things worse

  • You want help from someone who understands reactive dogs

You’re not alone — and your dog isn’t “bad.”

Many reactive dogs are struggling with fear, frustration, anxiety, over-arousal, or difficulty coping with their environment. With the right support, behaviour can improve significantly.

What’s Included in the Feisty Fido Program

🐾 Initial 2-Hour Consultation
Your program begins with a comprehensive two-hour consult at your home. This gives us the time to:

  • Take a detailed history of your dog

  • Discuss effective management strategies to prevent behaviours from escalating

  • Explore supplements that may support emotional wellbeing

  • Begin foundation training to prepare for ongoing behaviour work

Does your dog find visitors stressful?
For dogs who find visitors stressful and/or overwhelming, we can start with an online intake via Microsoft Teams. This allows us to focus on your dog’s behaviour without the added pressure of having a stranger in the home.

Following the consult (in-person or online), you’ll receive a written, personalised training plan tailored to your dog’s unique needs.

🧣 “Give Me Space” Dog Bandana
A simple way to reduce unwanted interactions on walks while your dog learns new skills.

💬 Support Between Sessions
You’re not on your own between visits. We are available for questions, feedback, and guidance throughout the program.

📚 Custom Training Materials & Tools
You’ll receive relevant handouts and resources to help you put your training plan into practice.

Reactive dog learning to stay calm around distractions during training in Adelaide

Choose Your Level of Support

Both programs include everything above. The only difference is the number of 1-hour revisit sessions included.

  • Feisty Fido Comprehensive

    More time. More support. More opportunities to build lasting change.

    Ideal for dogs and families who would benefit from additional guidance as their training progresses.

    ✓ 2-hour initial consultation
    ✓ 5 × 1-hour revisit sessions
    ✓ Personalised written training plan
    ✓ “Give Me Space” dog bandana
    ✓ Custom training materials & resources
    ✓ Support between sessions

    Investment: $1,140

    BOOK COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM

  • Feisty Fido Standard

    Personalised support to help you understand your dog, build practical skills and make meaningful progress.

    With three revisit sessions, we’ll work together to build your dog’s skills, troubleshoot challenges and adapt your training as they progress.

    ✓ 2-hour initial consultation
    ✓ 3 × 1-hour revisit sessions
    ✓ Personalised written training plan
    ✓ “Give Me Space” dog bandana
    ✓ Custom training materials & resources
    ✓ Support between sessions

    Investment: $830

    BOOK STANDARD PROGRAM

Our Approach

Reactive and aggressive behaviour is often driven by fear, frustration, anxiety, stress, or difficulty coping with the environment — not “dominance” or stubbornness.

At Paws & Reward, we focus on helping dogs feel safer, calmer, and more capable rather than trying to “correct” behaviour through punishment.

Our team combines advanced professional education, including the internationally recognised Aggression in Dogs Master Course, with extensive hands-on experience supporting reactive and sensitive dogs in real-life home and public environments.

Training may include:

  • reducing stress and overwhelm,

  • building engagement and focus,

  • teaching practical coping skills,

  • helping dogs feel safer around triggers,

  • management strategies for everyday life,

  • understanding canine body language,

  • confidence building,

  • and reward-based behaviour modification.

We use reward based training methods grounded in modern behavioural science and do not use choke chains, prong collars, shock collars, lead corrections, alpha rolls, or intimidation-based techniques.

Our goal is not just to suppress behaviour, but to create meaningful, long-term improvements that help both dogs and their humans feel more confident navigating everyday life together.

Owner and dog strengthening their bond through reward-based behaviour training

What’s the Difference Between Feisty Fido & Cautious Canines?

Cautious Canines

Cautious Canines is designed for dogs who are primarily fearful, shy, nervous, or lacking confidence.

These dogs often:

  • avoid people or dogs,

  • hide behind their owner,

  • retreat from situations,

  • startle easily,

  • freeze,

  • or try to create distance quietly.

While some cautious dogs may bark defensively when overwhelmed, the primary goal is usually avoidance and feeling safe.

Feisty Fido

Feisty Fido is designed for dogs who have larger, more explosive emotional responses to triggers.

These dogs may:

  • bark and lunge on lead,

  • growl, snap, or air snap,

  • scream, spin, or fixate,

  • react intensely to dogs, people, cars, bikes, or visitors,

  • struggle to disengage from triggers,

If you’re unsure which program is right for your dog, please contact us before booking.

Real Results From Dog Owners

“With Paws & Reward’s help we were able to support our dog in ways we honestly never thought possible. It brought a sense of peace to both us and our dog.”
— Maddy, Paul and Oscar

"After just a few short sessions, Douglas can now see another dog and redirect his attention back to me without barking or lunging. He's like a whole new dog—confident and excited to explore the world instead of being scared of it."
-Shanna and Douglas

“This program was so much more effective because it was tailored to Ollie’s individual needs. He actually enjoyed the training too, which was huge.”
— Rebecca and Ollie

“The Feisty Fido Program has helped me become a far more confident dog owner. Even my 15-year-old reactive terrier has benefitted.”
— Lara and Nina

You Don’t Have to Navigate This Alone

Living with a reactive dog can feel emotionally exhausting — but with the right support, things can improve.

Our goal is not just to “stop barking.”
It’s to help your dog feel safer, calmer, and better able to cope with the world around them.

Let’s help both you and your dog feel more confident again.

BOOK NOW