FREE DOG BODY LANGUAGE APP
Walk Bingo — now as an app!
We’re creating a simple app to help you get better at noticing and understanding dog body language.
And we’re looking for people who want to try the first version.
Start a walk and you’ll get nine things to look out for. See how many you can spot: a dog turning their head away, shifting their weight, suddenly stopping to sniff, changing the position of their tail...
In version 1, you’ll get:
– Walk Bingo with 9 randomly selected observations
– Illustrations showing you what to look for
– Short explanations of what each behaviour might mean
– A library of all the signals, with more added over time
Start a walk and you’ll get nine things to look out for. See how many you can spot: a dog turning their head away, shifting their weight, suddenly stopping to sniff, changing the position of their tail...
In version 1, you’ll get:
– Walk Bingo with 9 randomly selected observations
– Illustrations showing you what to look for
– Short explanations of what each behaviour might mean
– A library of all the signals, with more added over time
Big emotions often start small
A lunge, a bark or a dog throwing themselves to the end of the lead is easy to notice. But long before that happens, the dog has often already told us quite a lot.
A glance away. A mouth that suddenly closes. Weight shifting backwards. Movement slowing down. A quick lick of the nose that is almost impossible to see — until you know what to look for.
The earlier we notice these small changes, the better our chances of understanding what is happening before the emotion becomes overwhelming.
We don’t put a fixed label on one individual signal. Instead, we learn to notice changes, recognise patterns and read the dog in context.
One signal is only a clue.
Several signals + the situation give us the bigger picture.
And once we start noticing what the dog is saying early, it becomes much easier to help them.
A glance away. A mouth that suddenly closes. Weight shifting backwards. Movement slowing down. A quick lick of the nose that is almost impossible to see — until you know what to look for.
The earlier we notice these small changes, the better our chances of understanding what is happening before the emotion becomes overwhelming.
We don’t put a fixed label on one individual signal. Instead, we learn to notice changes, recognise patterns and read the dog in context.
One signal is only a clue.
Several signals + the situation give us the bigger picture.
And once we start noticing what the dog is saying early, it becomes much easier to help them.
About us
Susanna and Tess joined forces to create The Dog is the Boss around something they both felt was missing: a way of living and working with dogs where behaviour, emotions, communication and everyday life are all connected — and where the dog gets a real voice in the process.
Tess Erngren
The behaviour nerd who puts the dog first!
Tess is a behaviour analyst, educator and writer with years of experience helping humans understand dogs through behaviour, communication and choice.
She combines behavioural science with real-life experience to challenge old ideas about obedience, dominance and control, replacing them with cooperation, consent and trust.
Tess has a particular talent for seeing the dog’s perspective and turning that understanding into practical ways to give dogs more choice, confidence and a genuine voice in everyday life.
Tess is a behaviour analyst, educator and writer with years of experience helping humans understand dogs through behaviour, communication and choice.
She combines behavioural science with real-life experience to challenge old ideas about obedience, dominance and control, replacing them with cooperation, consent and trust.
Tess has a particular talent for seeing the dog’s perspective and turning that understanding into practical ways to give dogs more choice, confidence and a genuine voice in everyday life.
Susanna Larsdotter
The strategist with an eye for detail!
With more than 15 years of experience as a canine behaviour consultant, Susanna is skilled at breaking down complex challenges into simple, practical tools.
She specialises in turning situations that may seem hopeless into cooperation, using the right techniques while keeping the process positive and enjoyable.
Susanna notices the small details in everyday life that can make the biggest difference to the overall picture.
With more than 15 years of experience as a canine behaviour consultant, Susanna is skilled at breaking down complex challenges into simple, practical tools.
She specialises in turning situations that may seem hopeless into cooperation, using the right techniques while keeping the process positive and enjoyable.
Susanna notices the small details in everyday life that can make the biggest difference to the overall picture.
