We've just returned from the most incredible family trip to Florida and while most people come home and just survive the jet lag, I had other plans. Discover why sleep, self regulation and your own nervous system have more impact on your dog's behaviour than you might think, and what I did at 30,000 feet to make sure Harvey got the best version of me the moment I landed.
Florida as a destination ( 8+ hours flight from the UK and a 5 hour time difference) is the kind of trip that can leave your body genuinely confused about what day it is.
How Sleep Deprivation Affects Your Patience and Presence With Your Dog
Recently I've been really focusing lately on the quality of my sleep and getting into proper routines mainly because I want to show up for Harvey and actually be present, not just physically in the room or on the walk. As I knew we had the flight coming up and because I really didn't want to throw all of that out of the window and come home jet-lagged and running on empty I was intentional about how I approached the trip.
I've been learning a lot lately about what poor sleep actually does to us and honestly, it's not just about feeling tired and a bit sorry for yourself. When you're sleep-deprived, your tolerance drops, your emotional regulation goes sideways, and your ability to be calm and consistent with your dog? Yes, even that can take a hit too.
I don't know about you, but a dysregulated me and a dog who is picking up on that and reacting to the environment in a not so positive way is not a recipe for a peaceful start to the day.
How I Actually Slept on a Long-Haul Flight (And Why It Mattered)
On both flights I wore my luxury silk DOzzz eye mask, stuck my earplugs in, blocked out the cabin noises and actually slept. The best ones I have found are Quies Earplugs (trust me I live with a LOUD snorer and these are great!)
One other thing I always do on long-haul flights is adjust to the time zone I'm heading into straight away. If it's sleep time where I'm going, I try to sleep. Simple as that. Yes, that sometimes means missing the in-flight films and the questionable plane food, but let's be honest, most of the time you're really not missing anything!! 
When we landed back in the UK we then had a 2 hour drive home from the airport and the rest meant I hit the ground running. When we got home Harvey got the best version of me and I was totally ready for his 'from the shoulder down tail wags' and welcome .
And then Nina's message landed in my inbox. The timing was almost suspicious.
A Dysregulated Owner and a Reactive Dog: Why the Walk Goes Wrong
Nina from Confident Canine (if you're not already following her @confidentcanineuk please do) is someone I've been working with, and she'd just written something that stopped me mid-scroll in a very good way.
She talks about something called her Regulation First Framework™ and the starting point isn't the dog's behaviour at all. It's the nervous system. His/Hers. Yours. Both ends of the lead.
Here's a bit of what she shared, and I think it's worth reading:
"Most training approaches start with behaviour. Sit. Stay. Come. And yes, those things matter. But when a dog is overwhelmed, over-aroused, or disconnected, behaviour training can't land the way it needs to — because the part of the brain that learns and chooses isn't fully available. You can repeat a cue a hundred times in that state and get very little back. That's not stubbornness. That's neuroscience."
I have absolutely been that person on the other end of the lead, tired and tense and wondering why nothing is consistently working. Turns out, it just might have had something to do with me!!
The idea that a dysregulated human and a dysregulated dog are not going to find calm together no matter how good the training plan is felt is both obvious and genuinely eye-opening at the same time. And the flip side is the bit that really stuck with me: when regulation is in place, everything else becomes possible.
Connection deepens.
Learning lands.
Consistency follows naturally because there's finally enough capacity to hold it.
Nina has written all about this in the latest issue of Animal Therapy Magazine, sign up for Nina’s newsletter to receive a code for free access to the magazine until the end of the 2026 www.confidentcanine.co.uk
Before you go — two things to try with your dog this week
Nina shared these and I thought they were too good to keep to myself.
Notice before you ask. Before you give your dog a cue today, pause for two seconds. Where are they right now? Ears, body, eyes. Are they with you, or are they approximately three fields away in their head? You don't have to do anything differently. Just notice.
Check in with yourself too. Before your next walk, take one slow breath and ask yourself honestly: what am I bringing to this walk today? Rushing? Tense? Head still at work? Jet lagged and tired. How you are feeling really matters.
✦ 🌙 ✦
Regulation isn't a technique. It's a way of being.
And sleep, it turns out, is where it starts. For you and for your dog.
No Fuss Fill is back. Harvey is pleased. And the Dozzz eye mask is living in my hand luggage permanently!
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This blog was written on the 12th June 2026 and we currently have a giveaway when you could WIN your own Dozzz eye mask running on our Instagram page until the end of June 2026
