Wagology Dog Behaviour & Training

15/10/2025

💛 From Reactivity to Reconnection 💛

This morning, while out walking with my Springer girls, I had the loveliest surprise, bumping into one of my past clients, Di and her boy, Ernie.

I actually first met Di last year, also out on a walk. Ernie was clearly uncomfortable around other dogs, showing all the signs of reactivity that come from fear and uncertainty rather than what people may term as “bad behaviour.” A few weeks later, Di reached out asking if I could help and that’s where their journey began.

We worked together to help Ernie feel safer and to give Di the tools, confidence, and mindset to handle those tricky moments, because reactivity work isn’t just about changing the dog’s emotional mindset and behaviour ..... It’s about supporting the human too. Building trust, understanding communication, and learning to work together as a team.

So, seeing them today, calm, connected and with Ernie confidently interacting with my Springer girls, honestly made my day 🐶✨

Huge credit to Di & Ernie. You’ve shown that with time, patience, and belief in the process, progress truly happens. What a fantastic team 👏

15/10/2025

🐾 Let’s Talk: Nutrition, Gut Health & Behaviour 🐶

Did you know your dog’s behaviour can be directly linked to what’s going on in their gut?

Just like us, dogs have a gut-brain connection, meaning what they eat doesn’t just affect their physical health, but also their emotions and behaviour.

A poor-quality or unbalanced diet can lead to:
✨ Digestive issues (loose stools, bloating, gas)
✨ Skin and coat problems
✨ Low energy or hyperactivity
✨ Anxiety, reactivity or difficulty focusing during training

When the gut isn’t healthy, it can impact how your dog feels and responds to the world around them. Around 90% of serotonin, the “feel-good” chemical, is produced in the gut by enterochromaffin cells, so when the gut’s out of balance, behaviour can be too.

💡 Adding pre- and probiotics to your dog’s diet can help restore and support a healthy gut microbiome, promoting better digestion, improved immunity and a calmer, more balanced mindset.

Some simple, natural additions to support gut and brain health include:
🥚 Eggs are rich in Omega-3 and naturally contain L-tryptophan, which supports serotonin production and calm behaviour.
🐟 Mackerel is high in Omega-3, supporting brain function, joint health and reducing inflammation.
🥣 Full-fat Greek yoghurt is a natural source of pre- and probiotics that help maintain a healthy balance of gut bacteria.

Remember...
Behaviour doesn’t exist in isolation.
Nutrition, Environment, Enrichment and Training all play a role in shaping how your dog feels and behaves.

At WUF Canine Consultants, we always take a whole-dog approach — helping you understand your dog’s needs from the inside out. 💛🐕

15/10/2025

Hi everyone! Just a little update.
As some of you already know, Rebecca Ferguson from Freedom Canines Training and Dog Day Care Centre and I have officially teamed up!

We’re thrilled to announce that as of 15th November, we’ll be re-branding under our new name:
🐾 WUF Canine Consultants 🐾

You might be wondering… why WUF?
Well, in our enlightened moment of creativity, we decided it stands for:
Wagology • Unleashing • Freedom

(A bit of a play on words, we know 😉)

We’d love for you to pop over to our new page WUF Canine Consultants and give us a follow to stay up to date with all our upcoming training programmes, daycare services, and workshops.

Exciting things are coming, and we can’t wait to share them with you! 🐶💛

14/10/2025

“Is my dog being naughty… or are they just reacting to the world around them?” 🐾💭

If you’ve ever shared your life with a reactive dog, you’ll know it can sometimes feel like a very lonely place.
You start walking earlier than everyone else…
You seek out the quietest paths…
You avoid the parks at busy times…
Not because you don’t want to be social, but because you’re trying to set your dog up to cope.

And then there’s that moment, when someone offers “helpful” advice (well-meant or not), and suddenly you’re questioning everything.
“What have I done wrong?”
“Why can’t my dog just be normal?”
That constant self-doubt can weigh heavy.

But then one day, you talk to someone who gets it. Someone who’s been there, who doesn’t judge, who understands that your dog isn’t being difficult, they’re communicating.
That moment? It feels like a huge weight has been lifted. 💛

Here’s the thing: one of the biggest struggles for owner and their reactive, anxious, or fearful dogs isn’t always their triggers, as they have management exercises to help them, instead it can be public perception.
Society, fuelled by social media and TV “quick-fix” programmes, seems to expect dogs to behave perfectly in every situation. But dogs aren’t robots. They’re emotional, intelligent, sentient beings trying their best to navigate a noisy, unpredictable human world.

As humans, we communicate through words, we talk, explain, even gesture when we’re passionate or frustrated.
Now imagine if dogs could do that! Life would be so much easier, wouldn’t it? 🐶
But dogs communicate differently, they use body language: posture, tail, ears, eyes, movement, tension, and even the way they breathe.
These are their sentences, their voices, their way of saying “I’m scared,” “I need space,” or “I’m not okay right now.”

So instead of shutting them down or labelling them as “reactive” or “naughty,” maybe we need to pause, watch, and listen to what they’re telling us.

Every Action leads to a Behaviour, which leads to a Consequence.
It’s as simple — and as complex — as A → B → C.

When we start to understand the why behind our dogs’ reactions, we can support them better, help them feel safe, and strengthen that incredible bond we share.

You and your dog aren’t alone. 💛

If you need help, advice or just someone to talk to then drop us a message, we're here for you and your dog 🐾🐾👣

14/10/2025

✨ Foundation Life Skills - Week 2 ✨

Last night in Barnoldswick we began the first step of loose lead walking and recall, as well as a few other fun exercises!

Would you like to find out more about our classes? Please get in touch!

09/10/2025

I’m sharing another post from my friend and fellow UK Spaniel Rescue & co-trustee, Caroline Lewis.

This week, Caroline has been posting some really important information about the use of aversive training tools here in the UK.

In this short video, she discusses the use of electric collars, and the sales figures she shares are honestly quite shocking. 😔

It’s such an important reminder of why it matters to work with a qualified, welfare-focused professional, someone who truly understands dog behaviour and keeps their knowledge and skills up to date through regular CPD (continued professional development).

Our dogs deserve kind, ethical training methods that support their wellbeing NOT tools that cause pain or fear. 💛🐾

07/10/2025

Last night we kicked off our 6 week foundation course in Barnoldswick! I’m super excited to see these teams progress 💥👊

If you would like to enquire about joining our next course in Barnoldswick or Clitheroe, please get in touch!

07/10/2025

🚫 Let’s talk about training tools and why understanding them matters...

After a conversation I saw on a local community page over the weekend (and one I commented on), this post from my friend Caroline Lewis the owner of Help At Hand Dog Training & Behaviour and fellow trustee of UK Spaniel Rescue, couldn’t have been shared at a better time. So I wanted to pass it along.

🐕As trainers and behaviourists, we’re seeing more and more aversive pieces of equipment being used, such as those Caroline mentions, but also slip leads and figure-of-eight leads to prevent dogs from pulling forward, alongside people turning to platforms like YouTube for training or behavioural advice. While there’s certainly some great content out there, there’s also a lot that can be misleading or even harmful.

Now, don’t get me wrong, for slipleads in particular, used in the correct context, slip leads have their place. BUT ..... Without a true understanding of how these tools work, many owners might not realise the physical and mental impact they can have on their dogs.

Please take a moment to read Caroline’s post below, it’s an important reminder for anyone who wants to train humanely, kindly, safely, and effectively. 💛🐾

Prong/pinch collars, are a highly controversial tool. Many animal welfare organisations, vets, and professional trainers know they are harmful due to a number of physical and psychological risks. It will come as no surprise that I am totally against them.

Prong collars are designed to inflict pain or discomfort when a dog pulls on the lead or barks.

The metal prongs on the collar press into the sensitive skin around the dog's neck when tension is applied. This can lead to bruising, scratches, or puncture wounds, which can lead to infection.

Thyroid gland damage: Repeated trauma, pressure or force can cause inflammation and potentially lead to hypothyroidism.

They can cause injury to the trachea and oesophagus.

Repeated jerking and force on the neck can potentially cause damage to the cervical spine.

Pressure on the neck can significantly increase eye pressure, which is particularly risky for dogs with conditions like glaucoma or pre-existing eye injuries.

Using pain or fear to train a dog is a fear/pain aversive technique that can have long-term emotional and behavioural consequences.

The pain from the collar creates fear, distress, and anxiety, which compromises the dog's mental well-being.

Aversive training methods have been associated with an increased risk of aggression. A dog who is in pain or fearful may lash out defensively.

The dog may associate the pain from the collar with things in the environment, rather than their behaviour. For instance, if a dog sees another dog and then feels the pain from the collar, they may begin to fear or react aggressively toward all other dogs.

Damage to the Human-Animal Bond: Relying on a tool that inflicts pain can erode the dog's trust in their owner.

Prong collars suppress a behaviour (like pulling) through punishment, but they don't teach the dog what to actually do or address the root cause of the behaviour.

In some cases, dogs can build up a tolerance to the pain, which means the owner may need to apply more force, further increasing the risk of physical injury.

There is a lot to digest here, and it's sad that in 2025 we even need to having this type of post created - but we are, and we need to stop this now. If a trainer suggests this for your dog - step away, they are clearly not qualified.

05/10/2025

04/10/2025

🎆 Firework Season is Approaching 🎆

As we head into firework season, it’s important to remember it’s no longer just one night and can often span several weeks. With fireworks becoming increasingly louder and brighter, many dogs find it difficult to cope.

Now is the time to begin your preparation.
Ideally, desensitisation and sound-conditioning should have started earlier in the year, but if you haven’t yet begun, our Firework Preparation Tips Worksheet can still help you put supportive strategies in place.

If your dog shows any signs of noise sensitivity or anxiety, contact your vet now to discuss options for managing stress, don’t wait until that first unexpected bang.

If you’d like further guidance or support, please feel free to get in touch or comment below, we’re here to help you and your dog feel as calm and comfortable as possible this season. 🐾

✨ For personalised behavioural support or one-to-one sessions, we’re always happy to help, just drop us a message to find out more.