Blue Sky Dogs

31/08/2025

Extreme Fetch!!
I had no idea where the ball ended up and neither did they!

31/08/2025

On Friday evening I had a great session with the gorgeous Max. He is a 2yo intact male quarter mal shepherd mix. He is a lovely lad, once he gets to know you.
We had a session in the home. Again we started with the muzzle on for everyone's safety, especially his own. It soon came off. He is a very nervous young man at the moment. But damn does he learn fast.
We have to put in protocols for people entering the house unannounced so we spent most if the time directing him to place and clicking and treating. Which is always my favourite thing. Watching him putting all the pieces together was great.
By the end if the hour I had him eating out of my hand and him letting me touch him. Which is a big win for both of us.
I can't wait to see how he is doing when I go back next week.

30/08/2025

The thing I hear the most.....

"I just want to be able to take my dog for a nice walk"

Most of the digs are saying......

"I don't know what is expected of me, what am I supposed to do?!"

It's not a massive ask is it?! But so often I get to the dog and it's been through this training and that trainer and the owner has had as much as they can take. So it's my job to simply give them back their power. Both the owners and the dog. We set clear boundaries and give the dog clear and consistent leadership and they relax. Walks start to become pleasurable again and instead of spiralling out of control they take on a completely new direction.

Dogs need to know, as we do, when they are doing wrong. As well as when they are doing wrong. Is it really OK for us to not show them when they are in the wrong?! So often the dogs look st me and say "oh that's the but I shouldn't be doing, thank God. I won't do that anymore" and the. They can relax.

29/08/2025

I took Bear into town today just the two of us. He is so full of beans, he is reactive and very anxious in new environments. So we are working g towards calm and neutral. This simply takes time and patience. Exposure to different environments is vital, the enemy of fear is confidence and we only gain confidence through experience.

29/08/2025

Malvern Fabdogs piglet would like to submit this video as her enter for joeys up coming wizard wond stick course please. She seems very adamant that joey should see this video!!

29/08/2025

Today I spent some time with lola. She has go e from strength to strength.
Reactivity through the roof when I first met her. Human and dog and anything else she felt like barking at!!
This morning we stopped and talked to a lady with a reactive dog. Lola was great, she just sat and waiting perfectly.
I now have her on pre-offload work. The lead is on a flat collar tied off to me. Her jib is to stay in a loose lead and respond to audible commands. Which she kicking ass at. We did some off lead work in the park also, where it is safe for her to make mistakes. Mistakes being a vital part of the learning process.

28/08/2025

Let's talk "CORRECTION "
As the actual term is positive punishment. We could indeed refer to a "correction" as any stimuli that induces the dog to correct its own behaviour. For instance a click kf the finger or the clearing of my throat. Sometimes I might even throw in an "excuse me", which is always good for a chuckle.
There are people out there jn social media land who would have you believe that as a balanced trainer we are out shocking dogs, pronging and choking them to death all day long just to get them to OBEY!!!
When the truth is when your dog is well trained and practiced they know what they should be doing and a gentle reminder is all that is necessary.
Piglet is very well known for pushing her boundaries and making up for it with a cheeky smile.

28/08/2025

28/08/2025

Whoever came up with the "3 second rule" was a complete....... I have not the words!!
These two have been together about 20 mins. I can't remember if they have met before or if this is their first meeting.
But it takes time for dogs to get to know each other. They smell, they play. They work each other out. 3 second is only long enough for dogs to get frustrated when they are then separated. Which if repeated will only lead to frustration and then reactivity!!

28/08/2025

Just me n these 4 wollies this morning.

27/08/2025

Blue. A living legend.
A great example of how powerful positive reinforcement is. All of this behaviour was taught with positive reinforcement. Is her unwanted behaviour corrected?
Of course it is, that how you get a stable balanced dog. Without clarity how can we expect our dogs to be calm in thus environment.

27/08/2025

We took the dynamic duo into town today and they did an amazing job. Well done princess's.