Negativity bias and recency bias might sound like something from a psychology lecture, but they could be the hidden reason your dog's reactivity keeps coming back. It's easy to think one scary encounter won't matter if your dog has had plenty of good ones. The truth is, dogs are wired to hold on to the bad stuff, and the most recent experience often carries the most weight.

In episode three of our Reactivity Unpacked mini-series on The Dog People Podcast, Jack and Max dig into how negativity bias and recency bias affect our dogs, where they come from, and why they can quietly undo weeks of good work. Max shares practical ways to avoid these biases taking hold in the first place, how to spot the signs that they're already shaping your dog's behaviour, and how to start working with your dog to turn things around.

Whether you're living with a reactive dog or just want to set your pup up for success, this episode will change the way you think about every walk, every greeting, and every setback.

Need help with your four legged best friend? get intouch with Max at downunderdogtrainer.com

This episode is brough to you by the team at knose Pet Insurance You can learn more at knose.com.au. ssued by

Pacific International Insurance.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wonder why your dog is a perfect angel off-lead but transforms into a reactive nightmare the moment you clip on their collar? Or the opposite - fine when free but loses it on the lead?

In this episode of Reactivity Unpacked, Max breaks down exactly what's happening: barrier frustration. What starts as simple excitement to greet other dogs can escalate into frustration and, if left unchecked, aggression. The culprit often lies in what happened during puppyhood.

Too many leash greetings early on can wire a puppy's brain to expect and demand interaction at the end of that lead. But here's the thing - avoiding leash greetings altogether is part of the solution. And then there's the curveball most people miss: a bad doggie daycare experience can create the exact same problems when your dog comes home.

We're diving into why these patterns develop, how they escalate, and crucially, what you can actually do about it. If your dog's behaviour changes depending on what's attached to their collar, this episode is for you.

Need help with your four legged best friend? get intouch with Max at downunderdogtrainer.com

This episode is brough to you by the team at knose Pet Insurance You can learn more at knose.com.au. ssued by

Pacific International Insurance.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack's old mate, comedian Dave Hughes, posted a video of his rescue dog Ginger having a very determined go at his drywall - and we couldn't resist bringing it to the show.

Turns out, there's a lot to unpack when a dog decides your house is their personal demolition site. In this bonus episode, we dig into why dogs become destructive in the first place, what's actually driving that behaviour, and practical stuff you can do to stop it before your walls become snacks.

Max jumps in with some of the funniest (and most questionable) things he's seen dogs destroy across his years of training - and trust us, Ginger's drywall ambitions don't even crack the top five.

If your dog is a destructive nightmare, or you just want to hear some absolute corkers about what dogs can do when nobody's watching - this one's worth a listen.

Need help with your four legged best friend? get intouch with Max at downunderdogtrainer.com

This episode is brough to you by the team at knose Pet Insurance You can learn more at knose.com.au. ssued by

Pacific International Insurance.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.