Woof-its Dog Training Club

18/04/2024

Sunny Dog Parkour

14/04/2024

Many congratulations to you all for achieving your Kennel Club Good Companion Silver Award today. I hope you are as proud as i am of how far your relationship with your dog has come. Many congratulations to you all. Jude xx

13/04/2024

Loved Puppy Socialisation today. Great fun exploring and rummaging.

03/04/2024

01/04/2024

We have one space available on our puppy class starting on Thursday, 4th April, at 5.30pm, at Easton Village Hall, BA5 1EH. This eight week course covers good manners, life skills, recall, and loose lead walking. Everyone will have the option to achieve The Kennel Club Good Citizens Puppy Award or The Association of Pet Dog Trainers Good Companion Puppy Foundation. Call Jude on 07702 578938 for further details or to book. Xx

31/12/2023

Happy New Year to you and your dogs. Xx

06/09/2023

Classes at Tunley are cancelled this evening due to the hot weather. See you all next week. Lorraine

07/06/2023

Made, intended or adapted.

Those are the three key words into offensive weapon legislation in Scotland (most of these rules cover bladed articles as well with some exceptions - there's always some pedant who misses the point of my posts and wants to correct me.)

If an item is made, intended or adapted to be a weapon, it's illegal to carry.

Cosh or club - made to be a weapon
Fighting knife/bayonet - made to be a weapon

Piece of wood with barbed wire wrapped around the end and a taped handle - adapted/made to be a weapon
Piece of wood with a taped handle - adapted

Baseball bat if I am arguing with my neighbour and brandishing it - intended
Glass bottle held by the neck in the middle of the street (broken or not) - intended.

You get the idea. Now, some things are better at being used as weapons than others. If I wanted to do damage to a human (I don't) I would pick something which was really good at doing damage - something designed, made. That would be my preference. If I didn't have that available, I'd have to adapt something or use something else as a weapon.

Same rules for dog training equipment.

We have to examine if a piece of equipment is made, designed, engineered to cause pain, discomfort or annoyance with fear/apprehension being the associated emotions.

Prong collars - made and intended by design to cause pain/discomfort - that's how they work.
E-collars - made and intended by design to cause pain/discomfort - that's how they work.
Choke chains - made and intended by design to cause pain/discomfort - that's how they work.
Head collars - made and intended by design to cause pain/discomfort - that's how they work.
Pet corrector/compressed air - made and intended by design to startle/frighten.

Slip leads - when used like a choke chain to tighten and correct a dog's behaviour - intended and adapted from the original purpose.
Spray bottles and rattle cans - intended and adapted from the original purpose.

One of the inane comments I often see is that you can use collar corrections with a flat collar or harness. Yes, you can. But' that's not what they are designed for and that's not how I or any other positive trainer uses them. We use them to attach the lead to prevent the dog from leaving for safety. BIG difference and obvious to anyone with half an ounce of intelligence.

Treats - made and intended to be used as positive reinforcement
Toys and play - made and intended to be used as positive reinforcement
Clickers - made and intended to be used as positive reinforcement. If the dog I'm working with doesn't like the clicker, I don't use it.

Our intent is important. I can use my hands to hit or jerk a dog by the collar or I can use them to play tug, give belly rubs, and deliver food in a way which is cool for my dog. I can use my voice to threaten or to soothe and praise, There's a difference in intent.

With aversive training tools like those mentioned above there are next to no ways we can use them out with their engineered purpose. We can't use a prong collar or e-collar positively no matter how much "conditioning" we do. They always mean do it or else. Or else I'll start to hurt, annoy, scare the dog. Always.

When we understand how behaviour works and the associations made with certain stimuli we can have our dog's welfare at the front of our hearts and minds AND still get the results we want and need from them.

As always, when I create content like this, it upsets those people who still use these tools. I get it, truly. My intent is to educate, not offend or upset. If you are offended, you took offence, I didn't give it, you don't need to take it, you can simply scroll on by like Dionne Warwick and get on with the rest of your day, this isn't your forum nor a place for you to air your views.

Made. Intended. Adapted. Keep these words in your mind when training.

Love and peace.

10/09/2022

Congratulations also to Gemma and Bramble, Janet and Coco, Jack and Ziggy and Hanna and Wilf on achieving their Silver KC Good Citizen. Thanks to Anne Smart for her time.

10/09/2022

Congratulations to Hayley with Caramac and Tallis with Pepper on achieving their bronze KC Good Citizens. Thank you to Anne Smart for her time and expertise.

08/09/2022

We are delighted to be welcoming Caroline Griffith for a talk on canine nutrition. Please see details below

10/08/2022

Hi Folks Due to this continuing heat wave all classes tonight are cancelled. Hopefully see you all next week. Take care and keep cool - Lorraine

13/07/2022

Hi folks hope you are all keeping cool. Just to let you know there is no senior class tonight and no classes next week at all. Looking forward to seeing you all week commencing 25/07/22. Take care

17/06/2022

Join us at Dunkerton Fair being held on the Cricket Pitch for a fun Dog Show. Classes for Handsomest Dog, Prettiest Bitch, Best Trick, Dog most like its Owner and Fancy Dress. Entries open at 1:30pm and the show starts at 2:30pm. There will also be a Have a Go Agility ring so lots of fun to be had with your four legged companion.

30/05/2022

Hi folks There are so many people away this week that I've decided to cancel classes for this week. Have a great weekend and see you all next week.

09/05/2022

Congratulations to Jack and Ziggy, Gemma and Bramble, Janet and Coco, Hannah and Wilf and Jeanine and Matilda who all passed their KC Good Citizen Bronze level. Photographs to follow.

09/05/2022

Congratulations to Carol with Shadow and Jude with Dazzle on achieving their KC Good Citizen Gold. Huge thanks to Anne Smart for carrying out the assessments.

21/03/2022

Monday's Classes at Shoscombe are cancelled for this week due to ill health. See you all next week - thanks Lorraine

03/03/2022

Woof-Its Dog Training Club are pleased to be expanding into the Wells area

13/10/2021

Hi folks No training tonight as there is work going on at the hall and they've blocked the access road. See you next week.

23/06/2021

Good afternoon everyone, there will be no training tonight, hopefully see you all next week.

19/05/2021

I'm pleased to say the weather can do its worst this evening as we can now use the hall. Looking forward to seeing you all Lorraine

12/05/2021

Hi everyone, this rain seems to have set in. I will be there but if you want to leave it until next week that's fine. Please let me know if your not coming. Lorraine

08/05/2021

After some ruff few months (if you pardon the pun) we are finally reopening on the 12th of May! 🐶🎉

Please note: due to easing restrictions, there are limited spaces for both our Shoscombe and Tunley venues so hurry ⏰. Tunley classes commence on the 12th whereas Shoscombe classes start on the 17th

For more info on classes & contact details visit our page or www.woofits.co.uk 🖱

*Note: If you are an existing client & have not already confirmed your continuing attendance please ring 07905863791*