Welcome to The Yappy Hour, powered by Yappily!
In this episode of The Yappy Hour, host Nathan Dunleavy talks with Toni Shelbourne, TTouch practitioner, behaviourist and author, about the Tellington TTouch method and how it helps dogs regulate their emotions and build confidence.
Toni shares nearly three decades of experience, from rehabilitating a wolf with a spinal injury to supporting dogs with separation anxiety, noise phobias, and chronic pain, and explains why posture and touch are so closely linked to behaviour. Whether your dog is anxious, reactive, elderly, or just needs a little extra support, this conversation opens up a gentle, accessible way to help them feel calmer and more understood. Grab a cup of tea and settle in.
What You’ll Learn 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 care
Key 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 support
Thanks for tuning in! Let’s celebrate the joy and challenges of dog parenting together, because we’re all here for the dogs.
Find a Tellington TTouch practitioner in your area on Yappily →
Connect with Toni Shelbourne
Connect with Nathan and Yappily
Are you a compassionate Dog Pro?
If you’re a behaviourist, dog trainer, dog walker, house sitter, vet, home dog boarder, daycare provider or groomer, and you believe in kind, ethical care, we’d love for you to list your business on our directory!
To celebrate the launch of The Yappy Podcast we have a special code for you which gives 50% off a premium listing! sign up below to receive your code which you can then use at checkout.
The Yappy Hour Podcast is available anywhere you listen:
and we’d love for you to leave us a review!
Add a comment