The Hemene Approach: What Wolves Taught Us About Raising Emotionally Whole Dogs

A Developmental Philosophy Rooted in the Wild, Adapted for the Domestic

There’s More to Dogs Than Behaviour

If you’re here, it’s probably because you already feel that your dog’s behaviour is saying something deeper.

Maybe you’ve tried the training, read the books, followed the advice—yet your dog still reacts, pulls away from touch, clings to you, or struggles to settle.

And maybe, deep down, you’ve had a quiet voice asking:
"What if they’re not misbehaving? What if they’re just missing something?"

That question—that intuition—is where the Hemene Approach begins.

From Wolves, Not Whiteboards

What makes Hemene different isn’t just our philosophy.
It’s where that philosophy came from.

Shaun Ellis didn’t create Hemene by studying theories.
He created it by living among wolves—being accepted into family groups, observing their language, their development, and the invisible threads that hold their emotional lives together.

Hemene was not invented. It was received.

Through watching wolves raise their young—not through force, but through rhythm, touch, presence, and education—Shaun began to see a different model of growth. One that didn’t start with “control,” but with internal development.

Together with Kim Ellis they brought that knowledge into the domestic dog world—bridging wolf education with canine emotional complexity, and adding trauma-awareness and human insight along the way.

Circles of Development: How Dogs Grow From the Inside Out

At the heart of the Hemene Approach is a unique framework: the Circles of Development.

Just like a tree forms growth rings, dogs develop in concentric layers—each one nurturing the next. When one circle is incomplete, the next is built on an unsteady foundation. That’s where many behaviour struggles begin.

Most models focus on behaviour as something to manage.
We focus on development as something to support.

Here’s how that unfolds:

The Mammal Stage

Sensory processing | Nurture | Safety

Before any circle can form, the nervous system needs anchoring.
This is the stage of touch, movement, and presence.
It’s where mammals learn how to be in their body, and how the world feels through their skin.

This is the stage most modern dogs skip—and the one we start with in the Hemene Foundation Course.

First Circle: Attachment & Co-Regulation

Safe base | Meeting needs | Emotional mirroring

Once safety is established, development moves into attachment.
This circle lays the foundation for trust—through consistent contact, attunement, and emotional support.

Here, dogs learn:
"Someone sees me."
"My needs matter."
"I don’t have to navigate the world alone."

When this circle is disrupted, we often see separation anxiety, over-attachment, or difficulty with self-soothing.

Second Circle: Social Awareness

Role modelling | Gentle exposure | Soft identity

This is where dogs begin to explore the world through us.
We model how to respond to novelty, other dogs, sounds, people, and places.

It’s not socialising in the “throw them in the deep end” sense.
It’s an invitation into identity, safely held.

Here, dogs begin to think:
"The world isn’t too much."
"My human helps me understand things."
"There is always a safe base to come back to"

This is where social confidence is seeded.

Third Circle: Cause & Effect

Early decision-making | Self-agency | Personal experience

Now that the dog feels safe, seen, and socially guided, they begin to try things for themselves.

This is where development becomes interactive:

• What happens when I do this?

• Can I make a choice?

• What is mine to explore?

This is the first step toward autonomy
Not dominance—but healthy, curious self.

Fourth Circle: Independence & Identity

Decision-making | Separation | Purpose

This is where a dog becomes fully themselves.

They can be apart from us and still stay grounded.
They know their role in the home, the group, the environment.
They can self-regulate, contribute, and make decisions that reflect their emotional maturity.

This is the circle where freedom is possible—because development has prepared them for it.

Who Is The Hemene Approach For?

• Guardians who know there’s more to their dog’s story than commands

• Trainers and professionals seeking a developmental, science-based lens

• People who want to build connection, not compliance

• Those drawn to a more natural, respectful way of being with dogs

It’s especially powerful for:

• Rescue dogs

• Sensitive or “over-reactive” dogs

• Dogs with early trauma or poor starts

• Puppies who need to grow up right, not fast

The Foundation Course: Where It All Begins

Our signature Foundation Course The Forgotten Language of Dogs starts where development starts: with the Mammal Stage.

It’s where we explore:

• The tactile system

• Nervous system integration

• Early emotional imprinting

• Human-dog co-regulation

• What wolves teach us about how safe mammals are raised

Because dogs aren’t meant to be trained from the outside in.
They’re meant to develop from the inside out.

Final Thought

If your dog’s body seems to say,
"I want to feel safe, but I don’t know how,"
And if your body quietly nods in recognition…

This is the work.

The Hemene Foundation Course doesn’t offer quick fixes.
It offers you a new language.
A new map.
A way to understand what’s been missing—and how to raise something whole, not just obedient.

📍 Explore the Foundation Course →