Ingenious Dogs

30/06/2025

🐶 Last chance to join the Scentsational Sniffers Introductory Class starting this Saturday 5th July in Sutton-on-Hull! 🐶

This is fun and engaging class is for ANY dog owner looking to include more olfactory activities into their dog's life, which is so valuable at this time of year where walks are limited because of the heat! 🌞

The course includes:

🐾 5 fun-filled weeks of scentwork training for beginners
🐾 Weekly olfactory enrichment activities
🐾 Access to accompanying online course with videos & written instructions
🐾 Opportunity to progress to more advanced classes in preparation for Scentwork UK trials if you decide scentwork training is for you!

But most importantly you will get to appreciate your dog's hidden talent and gain a better understanding of what they perceive!

Book now: https://www.ingeniousdogs.co.uk/courses/scentsational-sniffers-introductory-class-july-2025

Or email or WhatsApp message me for any questions 😊

Image Description:
The image shows a photograph shows a dark mixed breed dog with a frosty muzzle sniffing through a grate placed on an open plastic tub. There are blue and purple air current squiggles added to the photo. There is a blue banner at the top of the image with the capitalised words "Scentsational sniffers" in a very light duck egg colour, and "Introductory Class: Discover your dog's nose" in yellow underneath. A cartoon-style sniffing dog nose is in the top right corner.

20/06/2025

Congratulations to the 3 wonderful pups and their guardians who completed the Structured Socialisation Course ❤️

During the 4 weeks of the course, the guardians and pups learned about confidence building, the importance of exploration, handling and body awareness exercises, play, social interactions, and analysis of body language.

All 3 puppies had completely different personalities, which meant the handlers got to learn about the range of strategies that dogs may utilise when navigating social interactions. And the pups got to learn about different types of dogs they may encounter 😊

I wish you the best of continuation on any puppy classes you join!

Image descriptions:
Photo 1: A cavapoo puppy is sitting on a male-presenting person's lap, who is holding a certificate.
Photo 2: A golden retriever puppy is sitting with her family of 2 adults and 2 children.
Photo 3: A border terrier puppy is sitting on green mats next to her female-presenting guardian.

19/06/2025

All training classes this weekend are CANCELLED due to the weather, except for puppy play at 8am!

19/06/2025

Know the difference: Is your dog's tongue signalling excitement, stress or heat exhaustion? 🥵

As we are expecting a very hot day this weekend in the UK, please watch your dogs carefully. Keep them and yourself safe. Offer plenty of water, use cooling mats, close curtains, wet your dog's fur and stay at home.

Along other behaviours such as slowing down on a walk, looking at your dog's tongue is one of the best ways to check if your dog is getting too warm. If your dog's tongue is large, bright red and/or flared at the tip, this is a sign of stress and/or heat exhaustion. 🔥🔥🔥 Act quickly to prevent any harm.

If you must take your dogs for walks, only take them early in the morning or late at night and seek the shade. Bring plenty of water for your dog, take frequent breaks in cool spots and avoid any vigorous exercise.

Stay safe this weekend!

19/06/2025

☀️ Heatwave = Behaviour Wobble? You’re not imagining it ☀️

The current heatwave doesn’t just affect dogs physically – it can have a big impact behaviourally, too. 🐾

You might notice:

• More grumpiness or reactivity
• Less tolerance for people, dogs, or handling
• Dogs may seem more clingy or more distant
• A struggle to settle or an increase in pacing/restlessness
• Training falling apart – because they’re just not coping

Just like us, dogs can feel fatigued, uncomfortable, and overwhelmed in the heat. They may sleep more, avoid eating, or seem a bit “off” – and that’s OK. It’s not always about ‘bad behaviour’ – sometimes it’s a heat-stressed body and brain.

🔥 Behaviour support may look a little different right now. We’re adapting sessions, making the most of shade and cool times of day, and in some cases postponing when it’s just not safe to work outdoors.

🐶 Your dog’s wellbeing comes first – always.
If they’re not quite themselves at the moment, give them some grace. Keep cool, keep it calm, and as always, reach out if you need support.

Enjoy this vision of Ziggi keeping himself cool 😎 He is a goon around water BUT only natural water courses. He scoffs at paddling pools 🙈

Share any observations about your dog or show my photos of them being cool 😎

18/06/2025

I'm really excited to be contributing to the The Animal Behaviour and Training Council's Lunch & Learn discussion on DEI for registered practitioners next week 😁

⬇️ Free CPD for my fellow ABTC members! ⬇️

𝗔𝗕𝗧𝗖 𝗟𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 & 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻: 𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗗𝗘𝗜 – 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟰 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 ‘𝟮𝟱, 𝟭𝟮.𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺 (𝘃𝗶𝗮 𝗭𝗼𝗼𝗺)
We’re delighted to invite ABTC-registered practitioners and member organisations to our next ABTC Lunch & Learn event, taking place live via Zoom on Tuesday, 24 June at 12.30 pm (BST). This session marks the launch of a new series focused on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), hosted by the ABTC-DEI Working Party.

In this friendly and informative session, we’ll explore:
• What DEI means and why it matters in today’s climate
• Real-world challenges faced by practitioners
• What individuals and organisations can do to support inclusion

This will be the first in a series of DEI-focused Lunch & Learns designed to offer practical insight and support.

📅 Tuesday 24 June ‘25
🕧 12.30 pm start (BST)
💻 Live on Zoom – free to ABTC registered practitioners and member organisations

To register and receive the Zoom login link, please email: [email protected] – sandwiches are optional!

[Alt text: ABTC Lunch & Learn webinar: "Let’s Talk DEI" on 24 June at 12.30 pm. Free 1-hour session with Q&A. Features diverse game pieces image. Email [email protected] for Zoom link]

15/06/2025

Lots of wagging tails and SNIFFING at Paws At The Park 2025 fun dog show today 😁

📢 I am happy to announce that ARNIE has won himself a half-price space on my next Scentsational Sniffers class. Congratulations!

📢 And excitedly, we have collected £31 in donation, which will go to Hull Animal Welfare Trust tomorrow!

Thank you everyone who stopped at my little stall today and talked scentwork, participated in my quiz or the treat search challenge. It was a beautifully sunny and refreshing day made brighter by all the people I met who treated their dogs with care and compassion. 💚

There are still spaces on the next scentwork class, which you can book here:
https://www.ingeniousdogs.co.uk/courses/scentsational-sniffers-introductory-class-july-2025

10/06/2025

Take part today

01/06/2025

Science is showing us that dogs are as emotionally capable as we are.
They are equally as emotionally fragile.
In these times of broken information - and methods which shun facts and findings - dogs need someone who can help them to live in this human focused environment with kindness, empathy and ethics.
Dogs need to be kept safe from both intentional and unintentional harm.
Be on the right side of history.