TL;DR
In this thoughtful and engaging conversation, Phoebe Peppiatt, a Dubai-based dog trainer, shares her journey from corporate life to ethical, relationship-led dog training. Together with Mariska, she explores why reactivity is so common, especially in busy urban environments like the UAE, and how confidence, early socialisation, and environment shape behaviour over time. They discuss practical, compassionate approaches to common challenges such as separation anxiety, potty training, and overstimulation, while also highlighting the importance of daily routines, feeding setups, and learning to read canine body language. The episode closes with an important reminder: caring for yourself as a pet parent is not optional, it's part of caring well for your dog.
Guest Bio:
Phoebe Peppiatt is a Dubai-based dog trainer and the founder of Double Woof Dog Training. Originally from the UK, Phoebe has spent over a decade in the Middle East and more than five years working professionally with dogs and their humans around the world. Her approach is rooted in positive, ethical, and judgment-free training, with a strong focus on confidence, communication, and understanding behaviour beneath the surface. Having fostered many rescue dogs herself, Phoebe is deeply passionate about helping dogs stay out of shelters by supporting the human–dog relationship before challenges escalate.
During This Episode:
- Phoebe's journey from corporate life to founding Double Woof Dog Training
- Why lived experience with fostering shaped her training approach as much as any qualification
- Why reactivity is so common in busy urban environments like the UAE
- What Phoebe looks for beneath the surface of a reactive dog's behaviour
- How to create a calmer home environment that supports emotional regulation
- A practical, step-by-step approach to building confidence in reactive dogs
- Why early socialisation matters so much, and what the UAE context adds to that conversation
- Compassion for pet parents themselves, not just their dogs, under pressure and guilt
- The quiet signs that a dog's confidence is actually growing
- A gradual, trust-building approach to separation anxiety in apartment living
- Using enrichment and buttons to manage overstimulation
- Common misunderstandings between humans and dogs, and how to read canine body language
- Why humans usually need to change their behaviour first, not the dog
- How daily routines support a dog's emotional regulation
- Why feeding setup, posture, and comfort matter more than most pet parents realise
- A compassionate, consistency-first approach to potty training for puppies and adopted dogs
- Final reflections on why self-care is part of caring well for your dog
Takeaways:
- Patience and empathy are foundational to effective dog training. Phoebe's whole approach centers on understanding a dog's inner experience before addressing the behaviour itself.
- Dogs communicate stress and unmet needs through behaviour, not misbehaviour. What looks like disobedience is usually a signal, not defiance.
- A calm, low-stimulation environment supports emotional regulation. Household fragrances, noise, and visual stimulation can quietly raise a dog's baseline stress before they even leave the house.
- Early socialisation plays a key role in building confidence, and matters even more in a busy, urban environment like the UAE.
- Daily routines help dogs feel safe and settled. Predictability itself is a form of comfort and confidence-building.
- Separation anxiety improves through gradual trust-building, not force. Start with very short absences and build up slowly as trust grows.
- Feeding setups and environment can affect comfort and stress. Bowl height, stability, and posture during meals are part of a dog's overall sense of safety.
- Potty training succeeds with consistency, not punishment. Accidents are almost always about fear of being scolded, not spite.
- Many challenges stem from misunderstandings between humans and dogs. Learning to read canine body language changes how owners respond, often before the dog needs to change at all.
- Supporting your own wellbeing helps you show up better for your dog. Self-care isn't separate from good dog care, it's part of it.
Relevant links mentioned in the episode:
Timestamps to relevant points within the episode:
[00:00]- Intro
[03:05] – Phoebe’s journey into dog training
[06:10] – Ethical training and lived experience vs qualifications
[09:26] – Reactivity: what sits beneath the behaviour
[11:40] – Creating a calmer home environment
[14:41] – Building confidence in reactive dogs
[18:04] – Early socialisation and the UAE context
[21:46] – Compassion, pressure, and empathy for dog parents
[22:57] – Quiet signs a dog is gaining confidence
[24:47] – Separation anxiety in apartment living
[28:45] – Buttons, enrichment, and managing overstimulation
[36:53] – Misunderstandings and canine body language
[39:10] – Why humans change first
[40:16] – Daily routines and emotional regulation
[43:10] – Feeding setup, posture, and comfort
[45:40] – Potty training for puppies and adopted dogs
[49:06] – Final reflections on self-care
[50:51] – Outro
FAQ
Why does my dog react so strongly to other dogs, noises, or people?
Reactivity is almost always a fear or confidence-based response rather than aggression or dominance, and it's shaped by the dog's environment, past experiences, and how safe they feel in the moment, which is especially common in busy urban environments.
Is my dog being spiteful when they have potty accidents in the house?
No. Dogs that have accidents indoors are usually anxious about being scolded, not being deliberately defiant, and consistency rather than punishment is what actually resolves potty training struggles.
How do I help my dog with separation anxiety?
Start by reducing the time your dog spends alone, then very gradually build up the length of absences so your dog learns, through gradual trust-building rather than force, that you always come back.
Does my dog's feeding setup actually matter for their stress levels?
Yes. Feeding posture, bowl height, and the overall setup can affect a dog's comfort and stability, and are worth paying attention to as part of their daily routine.
At what age should I start socialising my puppy?
Early socialisation plays a key role in building confidence, and it matters even more in busy environments like the UAE, though gradual, calm exposure still helps dogs who missed that early window.
How do I know if my dog is gaining confidence?
Watch for the quiet signs Phoebe describes, like calmer behaviour, easier recovery from novelty, and more settled body language day to day, not just the absence of obvious reactivity.
How can I take care of myself while managing a reactive or anxious dog?
Supporting your own wellbeing, whether that's rest, support from others, or simply lowering your own expectations during a hard training period, is part of caring well for your dog, not a distraction from it.
How do I balance my dog's needs with daily life in a busy environment?
Focus on calm, low-stimulation routines at home, gradual confidence-building outside, and consistent daily structure, since these all work together to help a dog feel safe rather than overwhelmed.
About the Author: Mariska Nell
Mariska is the founder of Tails and Tones, a design-led, sustainable dog product brand. She's also the host of the Tails and Tones podcast, where she explores dog health, product design, and intentional pet parenting with experts, veterinarians, and fellow dog parents.
Background: Mariska holds a Master's degree in Sustainable Design, a Bachelor's in Interior Design, and a Postgraduate qualification in Environmental Science. She's spent over 10 years working as a sustainability designer and strategist across the UAE, Australia, South Africa, the UK, and India. Her previous work includes collaborations with brands like Nespresso, Costa Coffee, and Dubai Airport, and she founded Design By Mariska, known for trash-to-treasure art exhibited at Dubai International Airport. She's also the host and founder of Mama Earth Talk, a sustainability podcast with 200+ episodes on zero waste and climate action, featuring guests including Dr. Sylvia Earle and the late Dr. Jane Goodall. She created the free Living Lighter course for practical sustainable living.
Piper: Mariska shares her life and work with Piper, her French Bulldog rescue dog. Piper joined the family in 2021 at 5 months old and has been the Chief Paw-duct Tester for everything Tails and Tones creates. Piper's journey, including cleft palate repair, luxating patella, arthritis risk, and recent mobility challenges, directly shaped the founding mission of Elevé (Tails and Tones' first product: a modular, height-adaptive feeding system).
Mission: We are on a mission to help modern dog parents simplify everyday care and elevate life with their pets, without sacrificing style or sustainability. Tails and Tones exists to build products that show up for dog parents, beautiful, sustainable, and robust enough to support you on the worst days. Not just the easy ones.
You can find Mariska at @tailsandtones on Instagram, or visit tailsandtones.com to learn more about Elevé and the Tails and Tones mission.
