Rewriting the Rules: Raising Dogs with Heart, Science and Soul – Details, episodes &amp; analysis

Our Programmes – Work With Bethany One To One

Free Rescue Course

Take The Next Step

Our Online Courses

Bethany’s Books

Rewriting the Rules: The CDD Mentorship

Online Programmes

Surrey & Surrounding Areas- Programmes

Student Group

If you’re ready to step into something different—something kinder, wiser, and more meaningful—you’re in the right place.

Let’s raise dogs with dignity. Let’s teach through connection. Let’s begin the conversation.

Read moreCollapse

EPS: 2 - Beyond Labels: Understanding Your Dog's True Needs

Episode 2

Friday, August 1, 2025 • Duration 14:02

Welcome to this episode of Rewriting the Rules, where we shift the focus from control to understanding in our relationship with dogs. Host Bethany Bell, creator of the Canine Dialogue Dynamics Method, challenges the conventional approach of labelling dogs based on behaviour, advocating for a deeper connection through empathy and curiosity.

In this thought-provoking discussion, Bethany invites listeners to view dog behaviour as a form of communication rather than a problem to be fixed. She encourages a pause for reflection on what emotions and needs might be driving the behaviour, promoting a relationship built on trust and emotional connection.

By exploring the limitations of traditional behaviour labels and their impact on our dogs’ lives, the episode inspires dog lovers to replace quick judgments with questions and open-mindedness. Tune in to transform your approach, discover how emotional awareness can lead to natural behaviour shifts, and learn why true understanding begins when labels end.

Further resources

Free Learning:

Take The Next Step

EPS: 3 - The Nervous System – What’s Really Happening Beneath the Behaviour

Season 1 · Episode 3

Thursday, August 7, 2025 • Duration 17:35

🎙️ Episode 3: The Nervous System – What’s Really Happening Beneath the Behaviour

In this episode of Rewriting The Rules, we explore what’s really going on under the surface when our dogs seem anxious, overwhelmed, excited, or "reactive." We take a deep dive into the nervous system- fight, flight, freeze, fawn, and shutdown- and how understanding these states helps us support dogs more compassionately.

I’ll guide you through how these survival responses are not behavioural problems, but biological reactions - and what we can do instead of rushing to fix or suppress them. We’ll also explore emotional dysregulation, why some dogs escalate faster than others, and how trauma and chronic stress shape the nervous system over time.

You’ll come away with a richer understanding of your dog’s internal world, and a new lens to view their behaviour through: not as disobedience, but as communication.

Further resources

Free Learning:

Take The Next Step

Rethinking Canine Training: Building Trust Over Tolerance

Episode 4

Thursday, August 14, 2025 • Duration 27:13

Welcome to another episode of "Rewriting the Rules" with Bethany Bell, where we venture beyond conventional dog training methods to foster deeper connections. Today, we're exploring the often-overlooked aspect of canine behaviour: the distinction between teaching dogs to tolerate and compelling them to like certain situations.

Throughout the episode, Bethany invites listeners to reconsider the traditional and conventional training techniques, questioning whether our objectives are truly about safety or simply about enforcing silence through compliance. We delve into the emotional landscape of our dogs, urging a shift from imposing our will to understanding their genuine emotions and needs.

This episode challenges the norm by highlighting the dangers of pushing dogs towards a "performance" of comfort, rather than nurturing authentic emotional safety. We examine real-life scenarios and offer an alternative methodology - the Canine Dialogue Dynamics Method- that emphasises trust, choice, and relational safety over traditional desensitization strategies.

We often hear advice about training dogs to “like” certain experiences — whether it’s grooming, vet visits, or meeting new people. But do they really need to like it? In this episode, we explore the difference between genuine enjoyment and simple tolerance, and why blurring that line can backfire. We’ll look at how reward-based approaches can sometimes mask a dog’s true feelings, what it means when that mask drops, and why this moment of honesty is actually a breakthrough. we’ll share how to support your dog through tolerance in a way that’s ethical, choice-led, and built on trust — and why not every situation needs to be “trained” at all.

Join us as we reimagine a more empathetic and effective approach to dog training, one that respects their autonomy and emotional signals. Tune in to discover how true progress arises when we stop fixing our dogs, and start understanding them instead.

Further resources

Free Learning:

Take The Next Step

Raising Puppies Naturally: Rethinking Sleep, Socialisation & Early Learning

Episode 6

Thursday, August 28, 2025 • Duration 21:55

Bringing a new puppy home is magical — and overwhelming. Everywhere you turn, there’s advice: crate train right away, enforce 18–20 hours of sleep, limit walks to 5 minutes per month of age, socialise with everyone and everything. But what if much of this advice is outdated, misunderstood, or even harmful?

In this episode of Rewriting the Rules, Bethany Bell gently dismantles some of the biggest puppy myths and explores what raising a puppy naturally really looks like. You’ll learn:

Why early weeks should focus on emotional grounding, not obedience drills.
The truth about puppy sleep needs (and why enforced crate naps can backfire).
Why over-socialisation creates overwhelm, not confidence.
The myth of “5 minutes per month” and how to let your puppy guide their own exercise safely.
How to use dialogue, observation, and choice to build trust and resilience.
Why play, exploration, and gentle guidance shape a confident adult dog better than strict rules.

This episode is for anyone who wants to go beyond training checklists and raise a dog who is secure, intelligent, and deeply connected.

Bethany also shares a short poem from her book Raising Puppies Naturally, capturing the heart of puppyhood as a journey of love, trust, and dialogue.

👉 Whether you’re a first-time puppy parent or an experienced dog professional, this episode will help you see puppyhood in a whole new way.

Rewriting the Rules – Raising Puppies Naturally with the CDD Method Perfect for new puppy parents who want to raise their dog without harsh commands or robotic training. Gentle, grounded, and full of heart. Grab your copy here! https://mybook.to/B9SQz Take The Next Step

Crates, Cages, and the Truth We’ve Been Sold

Episode 5

Thursday, August 21, 2025 • Duration 49:16

We’re told that crates are a “safe space,” a necessity for toilet training, or a tool to stop chewing. We’re told dogs love their crates if we train them positively. But what if those claims don’t hold up? What if crates aren’t the kindness we’ve been led to believe?

In this episode, I unpack the myths surrounding crate use — from the idea that dogs are “den animals” to the marketing that disguises cages as something comforting. We’ll explore why dogs deserve more than confinement, the rare situations where a crate might be necessary, and how we can create true safety without shutting our dogs away.

This is not an easy conversation — but it’s an important one. Because rethinking the way we use (and misuse) crates means giving our dogs back their freedom, their voice, and their right to feel safe in their own home.

Together, we’re rewriting the rules.

Further resources

Free Learning:

Free Rescue Course

Take The Next Step

Enrichment or Pressure? Rethinking Food Games and What Dogs Really Need

Episode 9

Thursday, October 9, 2025 • Duration 18:32

We’re told enrichment is essential for our dogs - puzzle feeders, lick mats, Kongs, scatter feeding, and endless “mental stimulation.” But is it really enriching our dogs’ lives… or adding more pressure?

In this episode of Rewriting the Rules, Bethany Bell (founder of the Canine Dialogue Dynamics Method) explores the shadow side of food enrichment: how making dogs “work for their food” puts them into survival mode, why frustration and food scarcity can create bigger problems, and why food should never be used as a tool of control.

You’ll learn:

– What food enrichment is and how it’s marketed.

– The negative effects of forcing dogs to earn their meals.

– Why scatter feeding isn’t natural canine behaviour.

– The real cost of Kongs, puzzles, and lick mats.

– What true enrichment looks like - and how diet itself can be enriching.

Most importantly, we’ll shift the focus from gimmicks to what dogs genuinely need: freedom, exploration, dialogue, play, security, and nourishing food.

If you’ve ever felt guilty for not doing enough “enrichment,” this episode will help you breathe easier - but and see enrichment through a whole new lens.

Further resources

Free Learning:

Take The Next Step

When Breeds Don’t Match Our Lifestyle: Rethinking Expectations of Dogs

Episode 8

Thursday, September 18, 2025 • Duration 18:18

Collies told not to herd. Huskies told not to run. Guarding breeds told not to guard.

In today’s world, we often expect dogs to suppress the very instincts they were bred for — all to fit into human lifestyles. And when they can’t, we turn to training, conditioning, and behaviour management to “fix” the mismatch.

In this episode of Rewriting the Rules, Bethany Bell (founder of the Canine Dialogue Dynamics Method) explores what happens when dogs and lifestyles clash — and why the answer isn’t more control, but more understanding.

You’ll discover: – Why lifestyle matters more than space or climate. – How over-conditioning and suppression are used to “force the fit.” – The emotional cost for dogs when their instincts are constantly restrained. – Real alternatives: adapting our lives to meet dogs’ needs, instead of the other way around.

This isn’t about blame — it’s about rethinking the way we live with dogs, opening up conversations, and creating more sustainable, compassionate matches between humans and their canine companions.

Next week’s episode: Enrichment vs. Pressure. Are Kongs, puzzle toys, and scatter feeding really enriching our dogs’ lives — or are they sometimes adding stress instead?

Further resources

Free Learning:

Take The Next Step

Beyond Behaviourism: A Holistic Approach to Dogs with Rebecca Hanlon (The Dog Witch)

Episode 7

Thursday, September 4, 2025 • Duration 01:19:57

What does holistic dog care really mean? And how is it different from traditional behaviourism? In this in-depth conversation, I sit down with Rebecca Hanlon - also known as The Dog Witch - to explore what holistic health and behaviour truly involve. We talk about:

✨ Moving beyond behaviourism and why it matters for dogs today

✨ What “holistic” really means in practice - whole-dog wellness, emotions, health, and behaviour

✨ The challenges of running an ethical business in the dog industry

✨ Rebecca’s exciting new project, The Canine Wellness Circle - a membership bringing dog parents access to holistic advice, videos, and webinars This is a powerful, honest chat that pulls back the curtain on the dog industry and invites you to rethink what true wellness for dogs looks like. 💬 Do you think the dog world is ready to move beyond behaviourism? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Rebecca's Resources

Join the Canine Wellness Circle! https://www.thedogwitchwholehealthand...

Website https://www.thedogwitchwholehealthand...

Facebook Community

Letting Go of Control: Finding Freedom in Trust

Episode 11

Thursday, October 23, 2025 • Duration 18:39

Are we really in control - or just afraid of what happens if we’re not? In this powerful episode of Rewriting the Rules, Bethany Bell explores our deep-rooted fear of letting go of control when living and working with dogs.

Modern dog culture often tells us that structure, rules, and constant supervision equal safety and success. But what if those same habits are quietly exhausting us - and disconnecting us from the very dogs we love?

Bethany unpacks why so many of us struggle to relax, how micromanagement limits both dogs’ autonomy and our own peace of mind, and how to build the courage to trust, observe, and guide instead of control.

✨ You’ll learn:

Why control feels safe but slowly erodes connection
The difference between healthy boundaries and micromanagement
How to recognise when fear - not love - is driving your decisions
Practical ways to begin trusting your dog and yourself again

This isn’t about losing structure. It’s about finding balance - a way of living with dogs that feels calmer, freer, and more real for everyone involved.

🎧 Listen now and start rewriting the rules - not through control, but through connection.

Further resources

Free Learning: