Dog Training Starts With You: Boundaries and Connection with Miranda van der Heijden

Prefer video? Watch on YouTube.

Setting boundaries with your dog isn't about being harsh—it's about creating safety, connection and calm for both of you. In this conversation, Dutch dog trainer Miranda van der Heijden walks us through the delicate balance between unconditional love and healthy limits, and why the struggles we see in our dogs often mirror the patterns we carry ourselves.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

Why setting boundaries for your dog is an act of love, not control—and how it helps them feel safer when you're not around

How your dog's behaviour often mirrors your own fears, hesitations and resistance to change

What it really takes to help a fearful dog move through something new (and why avoiding discomfort keeps them stuck)

Why one-to-one training allows for deeper transformation than group classes—for both dogs and their people

How agility, scent work and other activities can become therapeutic mirrors for personal growth

The unexpected emotional work that comes with teaching people to train their dogs

What it means to be connected with your dog without becoming enmeshed—and why that distinction matters

A FAVOURITE MOMENT

"I'm always training the person… because things don't change if you as a person do not change." — Miranda