Under the Surface: When Health Drives Behaviour with Dr Lucy Scott

Most dog training advice focuses entirely on the dog. What to teach, when to reward, how to read the signals. But there's a variable almost nobody talks about and it's standing at the other end of the lead. Kylie Hodkinson is a breathwork facilitator and the founder of Grounded Breath, where she helps people reconnect with themselves through the power of their breath. She's also collaborating with Lisa on Zen Starts With You, a breathwork component inside the Zoomies to Zen course designed to help dog owners regulate their own nervous system before, during, and after training sessions. In this episode, Kylie and Lisa dig into something that doesn't get nearly enough airtime: what your body is doing when you're stressed, what your dog is picking up on because of it, and what you can actually do about it. Dogs don't just read our body language; they smell changes in our cortisol and adrenaline, they mirror our autonomic state and they respond to our breath before we've even consciously registered that we're tense. Understanding that changes everything. We talk about what's really happening in the body under stress, why so many of us hold our breath without realising it, what that signals to our nervous system and our dog, and what a simple breathing practice can do for your training outcomes before you even clip the leash on . In this episode: Why your nervous system is one of the most important variables in your dog's training

Dog handling has quietly become one of the fastest-growing service industries in New Zealand and until recently, there was no national standard governing it. Anyone could call themselves a professional handler, regardless of training, experience, or safety knowledge. Kathleen (Kat) Weeks decided that needed to change. She's the Director of Training and co-founder of the National Dog Handling Academy (NDHA), New Zealand's first NZQA-accredited dog handling academy. With over 20 years of hands-on experience and more than 300 handlers trained throughout her career, Kat has seen firsthand what happens when passion for dogs isn't matched by real competency. In this episode, Kat returns to the podcast to talk about what it actually took to build a formal qualification from scratch, starting with a kitchen table conversation in May 2023 and ending in three NZQA-approved micro-credentials. Lisa also shares her own role as Industry & Employer Representative on the NDHA board, bringing an insider's perspective to the conversation. We talk about the difference between loving dogs and being qualified to handle them professionally, what the Junior, Intermediate, and Senior pathways actually cover, the risks Kat thinks about most when it comes to pack handling, and what every dog owner should be asking before they hand their dog over to someone else. In this episode: The kitchen table conversation that started it all Why the dog handling industry has operated without standards for so long What Junior, Intermediate, and Senior handler qualifications actually mean Pack behaviour, risk management, and what keeps Kat up at night The RPL pathway for experienced handlers What dog owners should ask before hiring a handler or walking service Where professional dog handling is headed in New Zealand

What is happening with the Sandflat Road pines in Cromwell, Central Otago? In this episode, we break down the full story behind the proposed tree felling at Sandflat Road and what it means for Cromwell’s off-leash dog walking areas, community wellbeing and public space planning. Joined by Judy Cockeram, Dr Sarah Jones and Eddy Raffles, we walk through the timeline of council decisions, the independent arborist report, and the data showing Cromwell is at risk of losing 97.6% of its safe off-leash dog exercise space. We cover: The Central Otago District Council (CODC) plan to harvest the Sandflat Road pine block The timeline of decisions from November 2025 to now What the independent arborist report found about tree safety and health The comparison between Cromwell and Alexandra dog exercise areas The real-world impact on dogs, owners, cyclists and shared community spaces Key questions around consultation, process and future planning This episode is for anyone wanting a clear, evidence-based understanding of the Sandflat Road pines situation, including Cromwell locals, dog owners, and those interested in local government decision-making in New Zealand. If you’ve seen the headlines or heard about the petition, this is where you’ll get the full context. Because this isn’t just about trees. It’s about how decisions are made and how communities are impacted.

In this episode, Lisa sits down with Dr Nick Sneddon, Senior Lecturer in Animal Breeding and Genetics at Massey University, to unpack one of the most important yet misunderstood topics in the dog world: how genetics and early life experiences shape behaviour, health and lifelong wellbeing. The episode also challenges popular trends in modern dog breeding and highlights why selecting for temperament, function and long-term welfare matters more than appearance or popularity. In this episode, Lisa and Nick explore: • What genetics really means for behaviour, temperament and health • The balance between nature and nurture in shaping dogs • Developmental programming and why early life experiences have lifelong effects • What ethical breeding looks like when long-term welfare is prioritised • The hidden connection between physical health, structure and behavioural outcomes • Red flags in breeding practices that may increase anxiety, reactivity or poor coping skills • What responsible breeders should measure beyond basic genetic testing • Questions future puppy owners should be asking breeders before choosing a dog • The future of dog welfare and how public decision-making influences the dogs we see in society This episode is for dog owners, trainers, breeders and anyone curious about the deeper biological foundations of behaviour. If you’ve ever wondered why some dogs seem naturally resilient while others struggle despite great training, this conversation offers a powerful lens into how early life and genetics shape the dogs we live with today.

In this episode, Lisa sits down with Lilly McKenzie from Body Mind Care to explore a totally unique (and seriously fascinating) approach to animal behaviour transformation through surrogate hypnosis, energy work and the deep human-animal connection. What makes this episode extra special is Lilly’s evolving work with animals through her service “Pawsitive Change”, where she supports behavioural shifts by intuitively connecting to the animal’s subconscious through a surrogate session with her assistant, Ergie. Together, Lisa and Lilly dive into what this process actually looks like, how it supports emotional regulation and healing (not just behaviour “management”), and the bigger conversation around animal sensitivity, stress, trauma and how our own nervous systems influence the animals we love. 💎 Lisa and Lilly talk about: • Lilly’s journey from psychology into healing, hypnotherapy and body-based work • What “Pawsitive Change” is and how it supports animals with behaviour challenges • How the surrogate hypnosis session works step-by-step (and why Ergie is involved) • What subconscious connection means in this context and what’s happening during the session • How animals can carry stress, grief or emotional weight from their environment • What owners typically notice after a session and how changes unfold over time • How to tell the difference between true regulation vs behaviour suppression • Ethics, boundaries and how this work complements vets and force-free training This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt like their pet’s behaviour is communicating something deeper, and who’s open to exploring a whole new lens of healing, connection and co-regulation 🎧🐾 Disclaimer: Lisa has never participated in a Surrogate Hypnosis session Lilly’s Links: Body Mind Care Website Body Mind Care Instagram Enquire about Pawsitive Change Sessions