I use sit or down stays on every walk, I think it’s an important thing dogs should know.
Not only does it allow me to wrap up longlines without them getting tangled within them,
It helps control their excitement levels which is so important in a group setting because even with the most friendly dogs things can get out of hand if levels get too high.
It also allows us to be safe & responsible for the public, the dogs can be put in a sit or down to allow others by, it can be intimidating passing a big group of dogs or it can allow me to deal with off leash dogs approaching.
They all understand sit means sit, down means down, I don’t tend to use ‘stay’ or ‘wait’ but will release using either break or yes. This has helped hugely when I’ve needed to get a thorn out a dog’s paw before, it allowed me to remove properly without them getting over excited or in the way or having to repeat wait/stay several times.
It can help dogs get through situations they may be slightly unsure about & can help lead to settling in environments like a pub or cafe.
Proofing these everywhere in different scenarios can help keep your dog safe.🩶
Recently we’ve had a few of these encounters, some are coming from a big distance & others i couldn’t see an owner in sight. And although this is something that cannot be helped by myself I think it’s important to explain why sometimes it can put the dog at risk. Some of the dogs I walk are learning to have good experience with other dogs and to build confidence while being around them, others maybe learning neutrality, good manners and etiquette which may be effected if your dog comes running over to greet them. Most I’m sure are friendly but some dogs may not appreciate being greeted, may have had negative experiences with dogs they don’t know and can cause them to react to keep the dog away or may even be easing back into it after an injury. This goes for any dog, in or out of a group of course, but I think people seeing a group walking together makes them believes they are fine with all dogs which isn’t necessarily the case.
Luckily the encounters I’ve had my dogs have smashed it & I really couldn’t be prouder of them🤍
FIREWORK SEASON 🎆🎇
With the firework season approaching I have already begun desensitising Maggie to them. She can be easily spooked by loud sudden noises so this year I made sure I was on it.
I decided to have a free-shaping session with them on in the background and Maggie finds free shaping SO rewarding as it’s behaviours she has created so to speak. I was very surprised with how loud we got them & after our session she decided to settle in her bed with them still on in the background.
I understand most people dread firework night, especially for their pets so why not start early and try to help them through it. I will be doing this a couple of times throughout the day on the build up to make sure Maggie will be as comfortable as possible.
Today consisted of 2 full walks but my expectations remained the same and both groups nailed it. They are such stable and balanced dogs and I’m very grateful to have them as part of my pack🤍
These dogs are smashing it, I’m so incredibly proud of them🔥
This is the first time some of them have met & they behaved exactly how I want them to in new groupings 🤍
🐾Structured Walk spaces available🐾
On my walks I like to factor in solidifying basic obedience/loose leash walking & some recall as well as freedom for them to run to ensure they are getting mental stimulation as well as the physical exercise.
I group dogs based on suitability to ensure there is a healthy balance in the group and that everyone feels comfortable with one another.
This is a clip from one of my group walks holding either a down stay or sit stay as another dog past in the distance (they smashed it💪🏼).These dogs already had some great foundations in place from their owners which has helped grouping them so easy😊
I currently have some availability at different times of the day for different areas so please get in contact if this is something you are working towards with your pups🤍
One big shoutout to Ronnie and his owners🥲🥰
Ronnie originally started off with walk & trains with Claire C & J pet services to help with pulling on the lead and general excitement. After successfully completing the W&T’s claire suggested migrating Ronnie into controlled group walks where I will continue the foundations set in place and will select certain dogs that are appropriate for Ronnie.
This wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for the hard work and dedication that his owners have put in with the walk and trains, group class and neutrality walks.
I’ve loved watching Ronnie’s progress within the last few months🤍
Maggie and I went to the town centre this morning as she had never been before and it would be good exposure for her. She was very nervous of all the shops and freaked out a little bit, but it’s important she can cope in different environments so we took it at her pace and only stayed there a maximum of 5 minutes. I didn’t allow her to pull me when she got worried I just stopped and let her take it in. I will definitely be making more of an effort to get her to busier places to build her confidence so she learns how to be confident in these situations🤍
Early morning walk working on recall and ignoring distractions this morning☀️
Beyond proud of the progress mags has made with her training🤍
First walk with Banjo and I introduced a slip lead to give more control and communication and look and that loose lead walking😆. This is only the start of his journey as there’s a lot more work to do but I’m so proud of him🥰🐾
Nothing better than a training session with my side-kick while it’s cool🐾❤️
Had a pop in to this handsome boy, can you believe he’s only 5 months with the size of them paws😱
We worked on him giving eye contact to up his engagement and focus as well as a game of flirt pole and fetch☺️
