Ebook
$19
- All 17 chapters, 128-page PDF
- 25 step-by-step drills
- The 7-Day Calm Together Plan
- Drill quick-reference table
- Research notes and sources
- Instant download
New book by Stacy Jo
Your dog feels what you feel. Calm does too.
The Leash Goes Both Ways is a calm-first method for the stress loop between you and your dog, so walks, guests, and everyday life get easier for both of you.
Prefer to listen? Get the ebook + audiobook for $29
- 128-page PDF
- 25 step-by-step drills
- Instant download
- 14-day money-back guarantee
You love your dog. Some days it still feels like a second job.
If you’ve ever said one of these, there’s a chapter for it, and a step-by-step drill inside.
“My dog pulls like a freight train the second we step outside.”
The fixThe Leash Pressure GameChapter 12“I try to stay calm. But the second he starts barking, I just… lose it.”
The fixThe 3-Breath ResetChapter 4“At home, he knows sit, down, stay, everything. Outside? Nothing.”
The fixLook, Look Away, No Need to LookChapter 5“Even after a two-hour hike, she’s pacing the house at nine o’clock at night.”
The fixCapture the CalmChapter 6“Nail trims are a two-person wrestling match.”
The fixThe Tool Comes, the Treat ComesChapter 10“He growled at my daughter when she walked past his bowl.”
The fixThe Abundance ApproachChapter 14“She’s fine with my husband. With me, she ducks and backs away.”
The fixThe Pressure SwapChapter 8“I feel like all I ever say is no.”
The fixThe TRIP FrameworkChapter 15“Since we got our second dog, the house is chaos.”
The fixThe Name GameChapter 17
Most training advice treats you like a remote control: press the right button, get the right behavior. When it doesn’t work, you try a new tool, a new trick, a new trainer. And somewhere along the way, you start to wonder if the problem is you.
It isn’t. But you are part of the picture, and that turns out to be the best news of all.
The two-way loop
Stress travels down the leash. So does calm.
Your dog reads your breathing, your voice, your pace, and the tension in your hand all day long. Their body responds. Then their behavior changes how you feel, and the loop keeps going. Most training only works on the dog’s side. This book works on both.
What researchers have measured, from seconds to months
- SecondsHeart rhythm
Dogs’ and owners’ heart rhythms can line up, especially during quiet rest together, and the effect grows the longer they’ve lived together.
- MinutesBonding hormones
In a 2015 study, mutual gazing between dogs and owners raised oxytocin, the “bonding hormone,” in both.
- MonthsStress hormones
In a 2019 study of 58 dogs and their owners, long-term stress levels measured in hair tended to rise and fall together.
These studies are small and show links, not proof that one causes the other. But they point to one very useful idea: you have a lever. You can’t control the squirrel. You can control your next breath.
From Chapter 4: Calm Is Contagious
Rosa’s dog Diesel is a big, goofy pit mix who goes wild when the doorbell rings. Barking, spinning, charging the door.
Rosa’s response was the one most of us have: “NO! DIESEL! STOP! DIESEL! NO!”
Loud. Sharp. Fast. Over and over.
Now imagine you’re Diesel. You hear a strange noise, so you sound the alarm. Then your favorite person starts shouting too.
To Diesel, Rosa wasn’t stopping the barking.
She was joining in.
Read a page
The fix starts on your end of the leash.
Rosa learns a ten-second skill called the 3-Breath Reset. She practices it when nothing is happening, then with fake doorbells, then for real.
Two weeks later, the doorbell rings. What Diesel does next is the reason this chapter is the heart of the book.
One method. Six pillars. Seventeen short chapters.
Every chapter follows the same rhythm: the problem in words you’ve probably said out loud, what’s really going on, your dog’s side and your side, a drill, and one line to remember.
The Two-Way LoopThe foundation
- The Two-Way Loop
How stress and calm travel down the leash, in both directions.
- The Secure Base
Be the place your dog runs to, not the thing they run from.
- The ABCs
Why every “bad” behavior makes sense once you know where to look.
RegulateThe heart of the method
- Calm Is Contagious
The 3-Breath Reset, and why shouting sounds like joining in.
- Over the Edge
Thresholds, the hard stare, and turning triggers into background noise.
- The Art of the Settle
Why tired isn’t calm, and how to build a real off switch.
UnderstandRead the whispers
- Speaking Dog
The quiet stress signals that come long before a growl.
- Looking Inward
What your own body is telling your dog, and how to change it.
BondTrust you can feel
- Consent-Based Living
The surprising power of letting your dog say “no thanks.”
- Play, Handling, and Rebuilding Trust
Nail trims, grooming, and vet visits without the wrestling match.
MoveWalks that calm you both
- The Sniffari
The 20-minute walk that can settle a dog better than a 45-minute march.
- Leash Harmony
Ending the tug-of-war for good, in three steps.
NourishComfort comes first
- Fueling the Brain
Food, comfort, routine, and the rewards your dog will actually work for.
- From Scarcity to Abundance
Easing food and toy guarding safely, without taking things away.
LiveCalm in the real world
- The TRIP Framework
Solve everyday problems without saying “no” all day.
- Real-World Manners
Doorways, guests, and passing the café test.
- The Long Road Together
Multi-dog homes, routines that last, and shared adventures.
Also inside
- The 7-Day Calm Together Plan: one small step a day
- A drill quick-reference table, so you can find any drill in seconds
- A one-line takeaway at the end of every chapter
- Clear notes on when to call your vet or a behavior professional
- Research notes and sources, for the curious
25 step-by-step drills you can start today.
No theory homework. Each drill is short, specific, and built for real life: the front door, the sidewalk, the vet, the couch.
- The Loop Log
- The Check-In Game
- ABC Detective
- The 3-Breath Reset
- Look, Look Away, No Need to Look
- Capture the Calm
- Shared Quiet
- The Baseline Audit
- The Body Audit
- The Petting Consent Test
- The Tool Comes, the Treat Comes
- The Collar Grab Game
- Tug with Pauses
- The Sniffari
- The Leash Pressure Game
- The Sniffari Contract
- The Treat Taste Test
- The Abundance Approach
- Trade and Return
- Build Your Interrupter
- The TRIP Worksheet
- The Release Word Game
- Door Manners
- The Café Settle
- The Name Game
Try one right now
The 3-Breath Reset Chapter 4
- Drop the tension. Unlock your elbow, soften your grip, let a little slack into the leash.
- Soften your body. Unclench your jaw, soften your knees, and let your eyes leave the trigger.
- The long exhale. Breathe out slowly, longer than you breathed in. Then give your cue, in your normal voice.
Ten seconds. Try it before your next walk, and notice what changes: in you first, then in your dog.
Start tonight with the 7‑Day Calm Together Plan.
One small step a day, ten minutes or less. By day seven, you’ve tried the core of the method and picked your first problem to solve.
- Day 1Notice the loop
Start your Loop Log. One slow exhale at the door before every walk.
- Day 2Practice the reset
Ten 3-Breath Resets today, with no dog problems in sight.
- Day 3Capture calm
Spot a sigh or a chin rest. Place a treat between the paws, silently.
- Day 4Ask permission
Run the Petting Consent Test in three different places.
- Day 5Go on a sniffari
Twenty minutes, a quiet place, a long line, and your dog’s nose in charge.
- Day 6Find the paycheck
Rank your dog’s treats so you pay well for hard work.
- Day 7Pick one problem
Fill in the TRIP Worksheet and set up the “Prevent” line today.
A few lines from the book
You can’t teach a dog who’s drowning. Get them back to shore first.
Chapter 5A tired dog sleeps. A calm dog rests. Teach the second one.
Chapter 6Dogs rarely bite out of nowhere. They whisper first.
Chapter 7A dog who can say no is a dog who means it when they say yes.
Chapter 9A walk your dog can smell is worth twice the walk they can’t.
Chapter 11You can’t win a tug-of-war with your dog. So stop playing it.
Chapter 12
Ebook + Audiobook
Prefer to listen? Take the book on your walks.
The complete book as an audiobook: 22 tracks, about 1 hour 50 minutes. Start a chapter at the front door, then practice the drill on the sidewalk.
- Every chapter, plus the 7-Day Plan as its own track
- Tables rewritten for listening, so nothing gets lost
- MP3 files that play on any phone or computer
- Narrated with an AI-generated version of Stacy Jo’s own voice
Track list 22 tracks
- Opening credits
- Introduction: The Walk You Dread
- Chapter 1: The Two-Way Loop
- Chapter 2: The Secure Base
- Chapter 3: The ABCs
- Chapter 4: Calm Is Contagious
- Chapter 5: Over the Edge
- Chapter 6: The Art of the Settle
- Chapter 7: Speaking Dog
- Chapter 8: Looking Inward
- Chapter 9: Consent-Based Living
- Chapter 10: Play, Handling, and Rebuilding Trust
- Chapter 11: The Sniffari
- Chapter 12: Leash Harmony
- Chapter 13: Fueling the Brain
- Chapter 14: From Scarcity to Abundance
- Chapter 15: The TRIP Framework
- Chapter 16: Real-World Manners
- Chapter 17: The Long Road Together
- Conclusion: Same Side
- Bonus: The 7-Day Calm Together Plan
- Closing credits
This book is for you if…
- Walks feel like a tug-of-war, and you come home more wound up than when you left
- Your dog reacts to other dogs, people, bikes, or the doorbell
- You’ve tried tips and tricks that worked for a week, then didn’t
- You want a calmer dog without yelling, wrestling, or guesswork
- You want to understand why your dog does what they do, not just what to do about it
Hi, I’m Stacy Jo.
I’m a dog trainer who teaches a calm-first, balanced approach built on one simple idea: you and your dog shape each other.
Rewards lead, always. I help owners calm their own side of the leash first, read what their dogs are really saying, and build routines that leave both ends of the leash happier.
At home, that means a golden retriever and a French bulldog: one big dog, one small dog, and plenty of real-life practice.
Watch on YouTubeGet the book
Everything you need to calm both ends of the leash, starting tonight.
Best value
Ebook + Audiobook
$29
Everything in the ebook, plus:
- The complete audiobook: 22 tracks, about 1 hour 50 minutes
- The 7-Day Plan as its own track
- MP3s for any phone or computer
- Narrated with an AI version of Stacy Jo’s own voice
- Secure checkout with Stripe
- Instant download
- Reads on any device
14-day money-back guarantee
Try the whole method for two weeks. If it isn’t helping, email [email protected] for a full refund. No questions asked.
Questions
Is this book right for my dog?
It’s written for everyday dog owners: puppies, adult dogs, seniors, rescues, big dogs and small. The method works on the relationship between you and your dog, whatever the breed.
What do I need to get started?
A leash, treats your dog loves, and about ten minutes a day. A long line (15 to 30 feet) helps for the sniffari and decompression walks.
How long until I see a difference?
Most drills take 5 to 10 minutes. The 7-Day Plan gets you started in a week. Bigger challenges, like reactivity, take steady practice over several weeks. Every dog moves at their own pace.
Does Stacy Jo use punishment?
Rewards lead, always. Stacy Jo is a practical, balanced trainer: on occasion she uses clear, low-level corrections, but never for fear, never for a growl, never when a dog is over threshold, and never in anger. Her test for every session: does it end with both of you calmer?
Is this a replacement for my vet or a behaviorist?
No. The book is general education. If your dog has bitten someone, or their behavior has changed suddenly, please start with your veterinarian and a qualified behavior professional.
What format is it?
A PDF that reads well on phones, tablets, and computers. You get a download link right after purchase and by email. The bundle adds the audiobook as MP3 files.
Who narrates the audiobook?
It’s narrated with an AI-generated version of Stacy Jo’s own voice.
Is checkout secure?
Yes. Payments are handled by Stripe. Your card details never touch this site.
What if it’s not for me?
Email [email protected] within 14 days for a full refund.
Stress travels down the leash. So does calm.
Your next walk can be different. It starts with one breath, on your end of the leash.