In this episode, Niki Tudge & Louise Stapleton-Frappell Join Us to Discuss Their New Book, Beyond Belly Rubs: The Compassionate Pet Guardian

Hosted by: Don Hanson

Panelists: Dayle Pierce and Tasha Attwood

About Beyond Belly Rubs

This book was written because love, while essential, is often asked to do too much work on its own.

·    Love does not automatically teach us how fear works in the brain.

·    Love does not explain why a dog can know a cue at home and seem to forget it outside.

·    Love does not tell us how to respond when kindness alone doesn’t seem to help.

That isn’t a failure of love. It’s a gap in guidance.

 This book exists to help bridge that gap.

You don’t need to be a trainer, behaviorist, or expert in learning theory. You don’t need to memorize terminology or follow rigid rules. What you do need is a way to understand what your dog is communicating, how learning actually happens, and how to make choices that protect both emotional and physical well-being - without fear, force, or guilt.

At its heart, this book is about turning care into clarity.

It offers a calm, science-based framework to help you make sense of your dog’s behavior, respond with confidence rather than frustration, and build a relationship rooted not just in love, but in understanding, safety, and trust.

 ·    You are not behind.

·    You are not failing. You are here - and that already tells us a great deal about the kind of guardian you are.