Becky‘s Behaviour

04/04/2024

25/03/2024

I think Iggy and Rupert had fun on the beach

12/03/2024

Rupert and Iggy practising being calm aka snoozing while I do all the work 🤣

19/02/2024

This is Monty. I met Monty in December and he was struggling to settle down. Constantly busy and getting into trouble. He was also having issues on walks and with guarding things he found. Monty's owners were working really hard to try and keep him entertained but unfortunately this wasn't helping. By switching their emphasis towards helping Monty to learn to be calm, his owner's have had a great response and Monty is much calmer and more relaxed.

03/08/2023

Just to prove that Iggy can listen 😂

03/08/2023

Practice recall often on walks. We want our dogs to think that coming back to us means a tasty treat is on offer, not that the fun is going to end. Unfortunately although Rupert behaved beautifully this time Iggy had found a stream so took her time returning 😂

19/07/2023

Rupert on his first train journey. There are lots of new and potentially scary sounds and experiences in an environment like this. We want our dogs to think that new things are good so if the train moves give the puppy a treat, the doors make a noise, give a treat, a person walks past give them a treat.
Rupert was as good as gold so I was able to give him loads of rewards (treats) for lying calmly and taking everything in his stride .

07/07/2023

https://www.facebook.com/rebecca.marchewka/posts/pfbid0VxqHaFuxWd75hAeWavbkF3k5WwLc3of2Jj1iNtmKA5iFdwSudMwPWBBoKNZJvHLhl

Please follow this link for some tips on recall training. 😀

07/07/2023

Rupert not helping to change the beds 🤣

25/06/2023

House training is one of the first things we want to work on with our puppies. Here are my tips
1. Concentrate on where you want them to go to the toilet not where you don't.
2. Take them to this space very frequently (every 30 mins). In particular when they have just woken up or eaten.
3. Do not tell them off if they get it wrong. You don't want your dog to be frightened to wee in front of you.
3. Clean up any accidents with an enzymatic cleaner.

Expect accidents. Rupert was doing really well and then suddenly about 3 days ago he had several accidents in one day. I think that I was getting a bit complacent :) . Anyhow, back to square one, paying attention and frequent trips to his 'toilet' and he has been perfect ever since.

15/06/2023

I want Rupert to think his pen is a good place to hang out. if I catch him choosing to chill out in there I reward him by throwing him a treat. Unsurprisingly he is choosing to lie in there more and more….

13/06/2023

Learning to play together.
Iggy is toning down her playing and Rupert is getting braver. They are beginning to understand each other.
It is important to make sure that puppies don’t get frightened in these situations by intervening if the bigger dog gets too rough. It is also vital that you don’t allow the puppy to push the older dog too far so that it feels the need to protect itself from the puppy.

12/06/2023

First time closed into his pen with a tasty chew. Everyone else just getting on with things. Rupert learning to be calm on his own. I made sure to let him out while he was still settled.

12/06/2023

Dogs are social animals, puppies rely on their mothers for survival. We need to gently teach them that being alone is ok. Rupert has been having treats in his pen so he likes to hang out there but hasn’t been shut inside it yet.
Last night he slept in a crate next to my bed so that I could reassure him and so that he couldn’t get into trouble… Within 5 minutes he was asleep and apart from a quick trip out for a wee at about 1.30am I didn’t hear from him until my alarm went off this morning

11/06/2023

They both know where the treats are….

11/06/2023

Rupert is home. Just settling in with loads of treats for Iggy. She is desperate for him to play with her but he is a bit worried at the moment.

09/06/2023

Iggy has already pinched his ball and he isn’t even here 🤣

09/06/2023

All ready for Rupert 😊
We have set up a pen for him so that he has somewhere safe to go and so that we can introduce him carefully to our other pets. He has a bed which is hidden away so he can hide if he chooses to but can also come out and see what is going on.

31/05/2023

Meet Rupert. He is seven weeks old and will soon be coming to live with us 🙂. I will be sharing updates about how he settles in and my puppy training tips. 🐩🥳

20/04/2023

Stress Awareness Month

Here is an infographic made alongside Vetedx that helps you understand the subtle signs of stress in our pets.

This is not an exhaustive list but teaching children, and adults, how to recognise these signs to de-escalate a situation safely is extremely important.

23/03/2023

Our first talk in from Dr Heather Bacon, Head of School at the new vet school at the University of Central Lancashire.

Heather is currently discussing how street dogs differ genetically to our common domestic breeds.

23/03/2023

I had a really interesting day yesterday at the BVBA study day 😊

Sarah Heath - Behavioural Productions is discussing indoor cats and optimising the feline environment.

10/03/2023

Meet Archie! He's a Border Collie with a big brain and a lot of energy. His parents are working dogs, so he comes from a long line of smart and active pups. But sometimes all that intelligence can make it hard for him to settle down and relax.
I've been working with Archie's owners to help him learn how to relax and play brain games to keep his mind engaged. By modifying their behavior and providing positive feedback, we're making great progress in helping Archie find the peace and calm he needs.
Take a look at this photo of Archie, practising his new skills and learning how to chill on his cozy bed. Way to go, Archie!

24/12/2022

Happy Christmas from Becky and Iggy !

Christmas can be a stressful time for our pets. There could be lots of new people in the house and furniture may be moved to make way for decorations. Some cats and dogs love the extra attention but do please make sure that your pet has the space to get away from everything and decompress if they need to.

03/12/2022

Hi, I am a veterinary surgeon with 25 years experience in general practice and in pet behaviour. I have worked with dogs and cats with many problems including phobias, anxiety, separation issues, aggression and toileting problems. I will come to your home and work with you to develop a personalised plan for you and your pets. By helping you to understand your dogs' and cats' behaviour I can help you to put in place techniques which will allow you and your pets to live happily together.

I am only able to accept cases on referral from your vet. Please contact me if you think I may be able to help you.

[email protected]

01/12/2022

Relaxation is vital for our dogs. By working on their overall emotional well-being we can improve their behaviour and make them a pleasure to live with.