The Way They (Dogs) Move: Reflections from the Webinar

There is a point in every online session where people begin to notice in a different way. Even through a screen, you can feel the moment everyone settles, slows their breathing, and starts to really see. During The Way They (dogs) Move webinar, that shift happened again and again. Professionals and owners leaned closer to their monitors, softened their gaze, and began to pick up the small details a dog offers long before we interact with them.

The idea that observation is the first intervention ran through everything we explored together. It is not something we do on the way to training. It is training. When we give ourselves time to observe without rushing, describe instead of label, and allow the dog to set the pace, the whole relationship changes. The dog becomes the one who guides the process. We become the ones who listen.

This is why the Beyond Observation workbook sits so naturally alongside the webinar. It invites people to step away from assumptions and return to what the body shows us. Every emotion has a posture. Every learning moment has a movement. A shift in weight, a pause in breath, a small change in rhythm. These details tell us far more than any broad interpretation ever could.

Throughout the session, attendees shared what they were suddenly seeing in their own dogs. Ears drawn back. Shoulders braced. A tail dropping just slightly. A longer exhale. When we stop using words like anxious or stubborn and simply describe what the dog is doing, the picture becomes clearer. The dog becomes clearer. And our responses become kinder and more accurate.

The companion workbook, Beyond Observation, was created to help people return to these details. Every emotion has a posture. Every learning moment has a movement. A change in weight, a shift in rhythm, a breath that stretches a little longer. These tiny pieces matter far more than any single interpretation. They show us the story underneath the surface.

Within the session, attendees shared what they suddenly noticed in their own dogs. Ears angled just slightly back. A tail that lowered only a few centimetres. Shoulders that tightened, then released. A moment of stillness before choosing whether to move forward. Once we strip away assumptions and simply describe what we see, the dog’s communication becomes unmistakable. Their needs become easier to meet. Our decisions become more ethical and appropriate.

We also explored how movement gives us early clues about comfort and pain. Many people realised they had been watching their dogs without truly seeing the patterns that sit beneath behaviour. When you look at how a dog distributes weight, how their rhythm changes when they turn, or how their posture shifts in different contexts, you begin to understand them far more deeply. Movement gives us information long before behaviour becomes escalated.

Another critical part of the conversation was recognising the influence we bring into every interaction. Even online, our presence matters. When we soften our pace, the dog often does too. When we step back or pause, the dog has more room to choose. When our approach is quieter and more thoughtful, movement returns to flow. We are always part of the picture, not as pressure, but as awareness.

The reflections people shared after the webinar were insightful and heartfelt. Many talked about noticing things they had missed before. Others expressed relief at being permitted to slow down. Several said they now felt more confident advocating for their dogs because they understood the early signs of discomfort or tension that they had previously overlooked.

A comment that meant a great deal came from Colin Spence, who attended the webinar. He said, “It is the best webinar I have attended all year.” Hearing this from someone with such extensive experience felt deeply encouraging and reinforces how valuable careful observation is in practice.

For owners, the message was reassuring. You do not need specialist skills or equipment to better understand your dog. You need time, curiosity, and the willingness to describe what you actually see. For professionals, it was a reminder that we cannot support learning, behaviour, or welfare unless we slow down enough to understand what the dog is showing us through their movement.

The Way They Move was created to bring people back to the details that matter. Movement is behaviour. Behaviour is information. Once you learn to read those small pieces, you cannot unsee them. And your work with dogs becomes clearer, kinder, and far more connected.

Thank you to everyone who joined the online session. Your openness and your willingness to look more closely made the evening powerful.

If you missed the live webinar, the full recording is now available to purchase. It includes the complete session and the companion workbook so you can explore the material at your own pace.

If you attended live, your recording is ready for you. Simply log into the Believe in Magic website, open your menu, and select My Online Courses. You will find the webinar waiting for you whenever you want to revisit it.