The Dog Behavioural Trainer

20/02/2024

So we have 89% yes!!! Amazing!! The Q & A will be in March 11th at 5pm. For those who want to join please send me a DM as we only have limited spaces.

08/12/2023

Tomorrow is going to be extremely hot, much hotter than today and it was a scorcher.

Most dogs struggle in anything above. 25-27C, Brachycephlic dogs (Pugs,Frenchies, Bulldogs,Bostons,Boxers) around 24C.

Getting out very early tomorrow and doing a sniff walk for a short duration is the safest thing to do for you dog.

Access to water and a cool floor to lay in through your the day will keep your pups cool, not to mention you too.
Keep cool everyone.

03/10/2023

I can’t believe you have been 6 months today. It feels like yesterday. The whole in my heart is still empty and aching.
I still hear you wooing at me at 6pm for your dinner. The thump of your tail on the couch as I walk down the hallway, the head shake in the mornings when you got off the couch then bashed your way into my room for snuggles. I miss you terribly Archie Bear.

18/09/2023

Only a couple of spots left in my reactive class starting next week.
6 week course that has no more than 4 dogs per class in an enclosed space. All dogs behind barriers and exposures and learning is done in a controlled way. Weekly Zoom check ins and daily check ins with me. There is no other class like this. DM me for details.

02/09/2023

We’re so excited to announce that the C.A.R.E. approach of will be the discussion piece with Andrew Hale on September 14th (UK Time)

Andrew’s work and approach is something that we have looked to and used in our own practices over the years.

His platform and community on Facebook “Dog Centred Care : The Emotional Experience of Dogs and their Caregivers” is a fantastic resource, with a seemingly never ending supply of educational content and supportive community.

We’re feeling very grateful and excited for this opportunity to share the C.A.R.E. approach and how it can help improve the lives of dogs and their people.

There’s a link in our bio to find out more about how to tune in live or watch it back afterwards.

28/08/2023

New Reactive Class starting September 16th. Book now!!

Do you walk late at night trying to avoid other dogs? Then this class is for you.
Class consists of only 4 dogs so book now.

09/08/2023

Having a dog that struggles with other dogs is hard and sometimes you just don’t know what to do to help them. Sometimes people here things like “you just need to socialise them, take them to the dog park”… If only it was that easy.

The first thing is understanding the “why” the behaviour is happening, understanding the emotional needs of your dog and putting them in situations where they can feel safe and comfortable enough to take the time to learn new associations.

If you are struggling with your reactive dog give us a call. We have another round of reactive classes starting in a few weeks, so sign up now.

28/06/2023

Today we talked reactivity being reactivity week.

We talked about where reactive behaviour comes from. It’s not as simple as it’s just “fear”.

As Caregiver’s it is our job to really understand who we have in front of us and why they are struggling in our world.

We also talked about the human side and how difficult it is being a Caregiver with a dog that struggles with things in life.

Understanding these struggles and advocating for both ends of the lead is our job as humans.

We have all reacted to things in our lives, sometimes we know why, sometimes we may be judged, sometimes someone will be there to hold our hand, sometimes we learn to understand the why we reacted.

These are the advantages we have as humans.

Our dogs only have us, it is up to us to be there for our dogs, to advocate for them, to take the time to understand and hold their paw through the journey for them to be happier and comfortable and confident in our human world.

09/06/2023

Today another beautiful scruff crossed the rainbow bridge to join Archie Bear.

I met Hallie back in 2017 and she stole my heart from day one. She is the poster child for what consistency, compassion and understanding from what her human did with her.

Watching her blossom in confidence and show her true self was such an honour and privilege to be a part of.

I am now blessed to call her human a close friend.

Fly high my big beautiful scruff, you have taught me and many others so much through your journey. Thank you for allowing to be a part of it and bringing your human and I am some other special humans together.
You will always be in our hearts.
Give Archie a sloppy kiss for me.

16/05/2023

When I became a dog trainer I never thought I would train dogs for assistance or therapy purposes. I am now lucky enough to do just that.

This handsome devil I am working with to train as a support dog in a primary school.

This is such a special opportunity as it broadens my ability to not just work with an amazing dog, but also a great team at the school, as well as help educate kids about dogs and how better to understand them l.

Teaching the younger generation about dog safety is such an important first step in bite prevention and building confidence, as well as communication between dogs and kids.

We have only just started our training and this guy is proving to be the perect candidate.

I am so blessed to do what I love.

14/05/2023

Happy Mothers day to all the mothers human and fur. I hope everyone has taken time to hug their mums and spend time with fur family.

Today I think of the good times I spent with my mum and my Archie Bear. Remembering them as I loved them.

21/03/2023

We’ve been very fortunate in our recent walks around the area where folks will leash their dog up when they see us walking on leash, or at the very least, ask whether we’d like them to leash their dog.

Even though Dave isn’t reactive to other dogs anymore, we still really appreciate it because Dave doesn’t always want to interact with other dogs, and he does get worried when other dogs are too bouncy and try to play with him.

Here is a big THANK YOU to everyone who’s already doing this!

There are a number of ways we may signal to other people that we do not wish for our dogs to interact with them or their dogs like being on leash, wearing a muzzle, actively training, and actively keeping a distance from others.

Today, 20 March, is Dogs in Yellow Day, where we can bring more awareness and attention to dogs that need their space when on walks. Having our dogs wear yellow can be another way we signal that our dogs need space.

I very much appreciate that we have these signals we can use especially for those of us who do fear for our physical safety vocally advocating for our dogs.

If more people could be aware of these signals and help out by leashing up and keeping a distance, that can really help and go a long way. Dogs that display reactive and fearful behaviours and their humans will very much thank you for this simple move!

Keep being considerate and compassionate towards other dogs and dog guardians that are on their own learning journey and support them by giving space and leashing up! You can make a world of difference to a worried dog and human just wanting to enjoy a nice walk. 💛


ID: The large text on the top says “Thank you for leashing up and giving space to dogs that:” Under this are bullet points that say “Wear yellow, are on leash, wear a muzzle, are busy training, are keeping a distance”. Next to the bullet points is a cropped picture of a yellow Labrador looking dog wearing a yellow bandana.

20/03/2023

When we interact with any dog it is important that we see them as an individual. Yes they will have genetic traits from their specific breed, or breeds if they are a mix, but they are an individual and how their brain works is individual to them, their genetics, their life experiences e.t.c.

This is obviously also true for dogs that may be anxious or sensitive to certain things, environments or in general. So much so that they have done studies and found the brain of a dog that suffers from fear or anxiety is different to the brain of a dog that may not. This is also true with humans.

https://theconversation.com/anxious-dogs-have-different-brains-to-normal-dogs-brain-scan-study-reveals-201775?fbclid=IwAR09xtnHNftaegeFLvVM69_YX3saRGxDS2xMzCx9MB6zfU-2xAeS097H-4U

If your dog is struggling with anxiety, their brain could be wired differently. Understanding these differences can help our furry best friends.

09/03/2023

I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has reached out after Archies sudden passing.

The beautiful messages, flowers, donations to rescues in his name. I am so so deeply grateful to you all.
It reminded me of how many people and dogs he touched and helped, he was, and always will be my special Archie Bear.

Thank you to my clients for being understanding while I grieve this week, I will be back to work next week.

Hug your dogs and tell them that you love them. We are so privileged to have them in our lives, sometimes not for long enough. They give us their love and trust and so much more than we expect. Appreciate them.

Archie you will always be with me and what you have taught me I will continue to use to help other dogs in honour of you.

I love you my ginger ninja. "Wooooo" loud and proud big guy.