Buddy's dog services

14/02/2025

14/02/2025

❤️🐾❤️

14/02/2025

You did great today Barney, proud of you ❤️

14/02/2025

Queenie ❤️

13/02/2025

How many times have I heard that same old statement: ‘You need to get that dog trained!’

There seems to be a perception amongst some (either inexperienced or simply the people that have not encountered the issues around fearful dogs) that we have never bothered to ‘deal with’ our dogs’ issues. That if we just got off our backsides and trained them, they would be perfect within days. That everything comes down to a training issue.

First off, I take exception with the concept of the perfect dog. What even is the perfect dog? My perfect dog would not be somebody else’s idea of one. Some people would state perfection in canine form is a dog that obeys every single cue issued instantly and without fail. I like dogs that think for themselves, that might question why they should do the thing I am asking of them. The ones that make me show them why it is worth their while to stick with me. We do this at home, and then work our way up through the levels of difficulty and distraction out and about. Long lines are definitely our friend when it comes to moving out into the wider world!

I do not want a dog that is shut down and unable to show their personality. I want my dogs to show me what they are thinking and feeling. I need them to tell me how they feel in every situation, good or bad. This means demonstrating if they are happy, worried, scared. Only if they tell me how they feel can I make adjustments in what I am asking of them or to what I am exposing them.

This brings me to the central problem with this concept of ‘just train them and everything will be fine!’

When you are dealing with another living being, there are all kinds of factors that can fluctuate on a daily, hourly, or even minute-by-minute basis. Dogs are far more sensitive than humans are to a variety of stimuli, and things we do not even notice can have them feeling worried or cautious. The best we can do for the dogs in our care is learn how to read their body language, and to be observant of our surroundings when out.

There will be days when either you or your dog do not feel quite right, which may mean a slightly shorter fuse or a bigger reaction to things. Something might have happened earlier in the day, or even the day before, to start the walk or training session off with an already stressed and tense dog. An encounter, even at a distance, early on can make the rest of the time out stressful and lead to a backward step.

Another issue is the question of whether it is actually a training issue at all. Is the dog perhaps not feeling well or has pain? Have they had a stressful time and need a break to recuperate? Are their needs not being met in some way that has left them to find ways to carry out natural behaviours or finding ways to deal with stress?

Nothing involving training or especially behaviour change is linear. There will be days where you make massive steps forwards, everything goes right, and you feel like the best dog handler in the world. Another day it can all go wrong and feel like you have gone right back to square one.

The message here: Do not give up. Do not be downhearted. Keep making sure that your dogs' needs are met and working at any training steps you need to make progress. There is no shame in going home on a bad day and cuddling your dog on the sofa, and going back out on another day for another try. There will be uphill days and downhill days. Celebrate the good days but do not dwell on the less successful ones. Persevere. Keep working at it. If you feel like you are struggling, consult a good trainer or behaviourist that uses positive methods for some help or to make sure that you are on the right track.

Lastly, forget this nonsense about needing your dog to be someone else’s standard of perfect. My dogs are not perfect by other peoples' standards, but they are perfectly themselves, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Aim for the best you can achieve and that works for you and, importantly, makes you and your dog as happy as possible. Anything else can be managed.

13/02/2025

Muddy paws 🐾