Holistic Dog® Episode with Dr Katrin Jahn for CRA Day 2026
If you've ever been told your dog's behaviour is "just training" when your gut says something else is going on, or you've felt nervous at the thought of medication, this episode is for you.
I sat down with Dr Katrin Jahn of Trinity Veterinary Behaviour, a vet of 26 years and a double board-certified veterinary behaviour specialist based in the UAE. We start from the ground up: emotional regulation isn't just a mindset, it rests on a regulated nervous system, on neurotransmitters, and on physical health, pain, gut health and musculoskeletal issues included. Katrin shares Faith's case, a multisystemic toxicity with an underlying neurological lesion, where behaviour medication alongside training wasn't optional, it was what actually restored her sense of safety.
We talk about how much a handler's own energy and overcontrol can drive a dog's dysregulation, and why agency, choice and space to self-regulate matter as much as any exercise. Katrin also flags an emerging link between separation-related behaviours and underlying physical health issues that's easy to miss if you're only looking at behaviour on the surface.
At the vet, she makes the case for cooperative care: reducing fear and stress in the consult room doesn't just make visits kinder, it improves clinical outcomes. And she points out something guardians get wrong constantly, mistaking a fiddly, appeasing dog for a friendly one, missing the early stress signals underneath.
We close on three priorities for anyone caring for a dog: get the physiological foundations right first, diet, sleep and pain management, help your dog re-regulate through sniffing, licking, chewing and pattern games, and stay open to medication earlier rather than as a last resort. Katrin takes on the two fears that keep guardians from considering it, the "zombie dog" worry and fear of organ damage, and reframes medication as something that helps a dog become more themselves, not less.
In this episode:
Why emotional regulation is built on a physically regulated body, not just training. Faith's case, and why medication and training worked together, not against each other. How a handler's own energy and overcontrol can dysregulate a dog. Why agency and choice matter as much as structure. The emerging link between separation-related behaviours and physical health. Why cooperative care at the vet changes clinical outcomes, not just comfort. What guardians usually get wrong about appeasement signals. Three priorities for caregivers, and the truth about medication myths.
Links:
trinityvetbehaviour.com
Instagram: @trinityvetbehaviour
Facebook group: Veterinary Behaviour Community (also her mailing list for course updates and discounts)
About Nina
Nina Fotara KCAI (WG) is the multi-award-winning Holistic Gundog Specialist™, a trainer and behaviourist at Confident Canine® in Essex. Her work is built on balancing both ends of the lead, working with a dog's nervous system state and the energetics its guardian brings, rather than just the behaviour on the surface, with clients in person and online worldwide. She's also the founder of the Canine Regulation Project™, home of the annual Canine Regulation Day™ on 14 September.
Find Nina
Websites:
Confident Canine® main site: https://confidentcanine.co.uk
Holistic Dog® online platform: https://holisticdog.uk
The Holistic Dog® deck page: https://holisticdog.uk/deck
Canine Regulation Project™ Website: https://canineregulation.org
My social media profiles are as follows:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/confidentcanineuk/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@holisticgundogspecialist
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Theholisticgundogspecialist
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/confidentcanineuk/
Join the Canine Regulation Project™ pledge: www.canineregulation.org
A note on this podcast
This podcast is for general information and isn't a substitute for individual veterinary, behavioural or professional advice for your own dog.
