Rewriting the Rules: Raising Dogs with Heart, Science and Soul
Rewriting the Rules: Raising Dogs with Heart, Science and Soul
Bethany Bell

Rewriting the Rules: Raising Dogs with Heart, Science and Soul

Pets & AnimalsEducationEnglish
A thought-provoking podcast for dog lovers and ethical professionals who want more than obedience. Hosted by Bethany Bell, creator of the Canine Dialogue Dynamics (CDD) Method, this show explores a deeper, emotionally intelligent approach to life with dogs. Weekly episodes include real-life stories, science-based insights, and powerful reflections to help you rethink behaviour and rewrite the rules—for good.
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When the Years Catch Up: Navigating Ageing, Presence, and Love
20 November 2025

When the Years Catch Up: Navigating Ageing, Presence, and Love

As our dogs grow older, so do we — not just in years, but in depth, awareness, and presence. In this reflective episode, Bethany shares the emotional landscape of ageing dogs: the quiet grief that begins long before goodbye, the slowing rhythms of daily life, and the sacred shift that happens when we stop rushing and start noticing. With deeply personal stories of her own dogs — Steve, Dave, and...
The Myth of the Neutral Dog
13 November 2025

The Myth of the Neutral Dog

What if the calmest dogs aren’t truly calm — just quietly overwhelmed? In this powerful and thought-provoking episode, canine behaviourist and CDD Method creator Bethany Bell explores the widely accepted, yet deeply misleading, idea of the “neutral” dog.You’ll learn why neutrality is often confused with emotional maturity, how stillness can signal shutdown, and why aiming for a dog who ignores...
The Obedience Hangover
06 November 2025

The Obedience Hangover

Have we mistaken obedience for understanding?In this episode of Rewriting the Rules, I’m exploring what I call “The Obedience Hangover” - that quiet, uneasy space we find ourselves in after years of teaching our dogs to behave, only to realise that something still feels disconnected.We’ll talk about what really happens when dogs are praised for being calm, quiet, and compliant - and why that...
The Myth of the Perfect Dog
30 October 2025

The Myth of the Perfect Dog

Once upon a time, I thought there was such a thing as the perfect dog.The one who walked calmly on the lead, ignored every distraction, greeted other dogs politely, never barked, never chewed, and somehow understood every word I said.I thought if I just worked hard enough — read enough, learned enough, and did everything “right” — we’d get there.That mythical point where everything fell neatly...
Letting Go of Control: Finding Freedom in Trust
23 October 2025

Letting Go of Control: Finding Freedom in Trust

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...
Can You Really Train Impulse Control?
16 October 2025

Can You Really Train Impulse Control?

We’ve all heard of “impulse control training” - teaching dogs to wait, leave food, or stay calm when excited. But are these exercises truly helping dogs develop emotional regulation… or just teaching them to perform calmness on cue?In this episode of Rewriting the Rules, Bethany Bell (founder of the Canine Dialogue Dynamics Method) explores the crucial difference between trained impulse control...
Enrichment or Pressure? Rethinking Food Games and What Dogs Really Need
09 October 2025

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

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...
When Breeds Don’t Match Our Lifestyle: Rethinking Expectations of Dogs
18 September 2025

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

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...
Beyond Behaviourism: A Holistic Approach to Dogs with Rebecca Hanlon (The Dog Witch)
04 September 2025

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

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,...
Raising Puppies Naturally: Rethinking Sleep, Socialisation & Early Learning
28 August 2025

Raising Puppies Naturally: Rethinking Sleep, Socialisation & Early Learning

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...