The Great OutPaws

07/08/2024

Happy Birthday 🥳 Woody !
Winnie says thank you for her pup cake 💞

06/07/2024

Real characters yesterday 💞

18/06/2024

Little Ozzie 💙💙
I’ve known Oscar all his life . Even before the days of TGOP !
Was lovely to have the chance to help him through his groom 💙💙

30/05/2024

This is a hard post to write !

On Friday the 24th of May 2024 Bonnie our long-standing member of TGOP and pretty much an OG crossed over the rainbow bridge 💔

Throughout Bonnie’s last day Winnie and I went to visit and we had a little party with treats and Bonnie’s favourite hot dogs !
We had cuddles and the Bonnie we know and loved shone though 💕💕

It’s been a really challenging time for Jane . Seeing her beloved Bonnie become increasingly unwell and ultimately having to make the choice to set Bonnie free from her suffering.
That evening I went with Jane on Bonnie’s final visit to the vet .
I’m honoured to have been able to be there with both of them and heartbroken at saying goodbye to a wonderful doggy, whom we have had a gazzilion walks with over the last 6 and a half years .
Bonnie had been a big part of my life even after her days of walking with us ended a little while ago .

I’m also super proud of the sheer strength Jane has had this last few months .

We miss you Bonnie
Run free 🌈

18/05/2024

Well the bluebells have just about gone , almost as quickly as they appeared but we managed a few nice pics of the pooches in among them . My favourite time of year is seeing the old bluebells come out and cover the woods in a beautiful blanket of blue !

We’ve actually had some nice weather over the last few weeks so we have been able to get a shift on and walk a bit further! ( No slipping all over the ruddy place trying to navigate mud slides 🤣 )

Suns out today so I know what I’ll be doing ! 🕶️☀️👙
In the mean time have a fantastic weekend with your pooches 💕🐾💙🐶🕶️

12/05/2024

Happy Sunday ☀️

A little update in The Great OutPaws world!

Little Luna joined the gang a few weeks ago and is settling in lovely! Seeing her confidence grow around other dogs in such a short period of time is absolutely amazing! 💗

Miss Nora joined big girl walks and let’s just say it’s been fun 🤪

The rest of the gang have been enjoying the nicer weather and so have I!!

Hope you’ve all had a lovely weekend 🌻

Emily 🐾💜

11/05/2024

Happy happy ! Love my grooming . This little ones coat was a mix of coat types and boy was it thick in some places !

07/05/2024

I e been saving a lot of post recently here on Facebook.
Here’s a great post .
With references cited . 🐾🐾

DOMINANCE/ALPHA THEORY

This is one of the biggest myths, and probably the most damaging, in the industry. It continues to be perpetuated, despite being thoroughly debunked several decades ago.

Unfortunately, the meaning of “dominance” in dog training has been blurred and misunderstood. Dominance theory is commonly thought to be based on the belief that a dog behaves in the same way that a wolf would; this belief stems from early, flawed studies carried out on captive grey wolves, to demonstrate how they live and behave within their family unit. One of the first, most influential studies occurred in 1947 under Rudolph Schenkel, from the Zoological Institute of the University of Basel, in Switzerland.

Although Schenkel’s study was very detailed, it was flawed; the wolves studied were not, in fact, a family unit, but adult, individual wolves that were contained in a small enclosure outside of their natural environment. As the wolves were unrelated, the dynamics and interactions between them differed greatly from those of a family unit living in harmony; the close proximity of other unknown wolves would have been a source of great tension. Schenkel interpreted this tension as competition for rank within the “pack” and, unfortunately, this soon transferred into dominance theory for those dealing with and handling dogs.

The results of this study are still drawn on today in order to justify certain dog training methods, and much poor advice is given. This includes, but is not limited to:

*Always eat before your dog

*Do not let them go through doorways before you

*Do not allow them to walk ahead of you

*Do not allow them on your bed or furniture

*Affection and attention should be earned, rather than freely given

*Do not allow them to win during play, as they will gain the upper hand

*All dogs want to be the “pack leader” and are in constant battle with you to attain this role

And so on. These outdated beliefs are very damaging to the relationship you share with your dog and can lead to fear, anxiety, and even aggression.

However, since Rudolph Schenkel’s study, further research was carried out, and in the 1980s, another influential study emerged from American biologist David Mech, which highlighted the flaws in the earlier pack and dominance theory. This study was substantial; it was carried out over the course of thirteen summers, and reflected the true nature of the wild wolf pack being a family unit which lived peacefully, more akin to a human family.

We now know that:

*There is no reason to eat before your dog, as it makes no difference to them.

*Going through doorways before your dog is only encouraged from a safety point of view and for the sake of manners, but has no bearing on how a dog views himself or his “status”.

*It doesn’t matter what position he assumes on a walk, although it is useful to see what he is doing and to engage fully with him, so it is helpful for him to be beside or in front, rather than behind.

*Ignoring your dog when returning home can cause him to feel stressed; it is much kinder to teach an acceptable behaviour such as a sit, or hand them a toy and then make a fuss.

*Play can be initiated by either you or your dog. It is important to let him win so that he doesn’t become bored, or no longer wishes to interact. Playing tug and allowing him to win frequently can help to build confidence and resilience. It is also a great way to teach him to return a toy to you or take it from you, which can also help build pauses into play to regulate arousal levels.

Behaviour issues have frequently been attributed to “dominance,” but when investigated, they often stem from fearfulness. An example of this is the reactive, barking and lunging dog who at first glance appears to be aggressive towards others, but he is simply behaving in this way as a distance-increasing tactic to put space between him and the thing that he is frightened of. It could not be further from the label of “dominance,” and would be very damaging to the reactive dog for him to be regarded in this way, in terms of dealing with their fear effectively and kindly.

Dominance is not a personality trait, it is a fluid state dependent upon the value of a particular resource at a given moment. Beware of anyone calling themselves a professional, yet refers to "dominant dogs". Run like the clappers!

© Trailie Paws For Thought
https://www.trailiepawsforthought.com/

I'm very happy for all of my content to be shared, but please do not copy and paste (to avoid sharing from source), screenshot, or download any part of it. THANK YOU! 🐾 🐾

01/05/2024

Well I thought I’d give the doggos a bit of a treat today seeing as Woofing Around at Simpson Green Farm reopened its doors ! We’ve missed this place !
We had a lot of fun on the agility and I took some of my own kit along so we had extra enrichment with some scent work too!

Winnie even had her own little play time there this evening !
🐾💙💕

25/04/2024

Did you know that Sam has recently completed a dog grooming course ?

We’d love it if you could give our page a like and help Sam reach more people .
Even if you don’t need a dog groomer maybe someone you do know does? We would really appreciate it 🙏

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556472366601

Based in BD10 - Dog Groomer

19/04/2024

The lovely Leo 💙💙

04/04/2024

💙💙✂️

Brodie came for a bath and brush today ! He’s had a shampoo and set 🤣 and his ears a good old clean ! 🧼

All sparkly and smelling fab after his rub a dog dub 🛁🐶

This was Brodies first professional groom
And you may be inclined to think it’s just a bath and drying and what not and not a big deal .

But grooming and visiting the vets are 2 of the most stressful events your dog will experience on a pretty regular basis throughout their lives .

So taking time and working to ensure Brodie was happy with everything was top priority ! 🙌

23/03/2024

Whilst we’re at it with the old announcing theme this week ……

I also renewed my membership with KAD Kids Around Dogs for the second year running 💕

If you’re looking for help with a child who is afraid of dogs ( or your an adult who is fearful of dogs ) or run an establishment with children where you’d like to educate them on dogs then I can help !

Feel free to Bob me a Facebook message or contact me on 07786159272

🥰🥰

22/03/2024

We haven't posted much on here much lately but seeing as I made an appearance yesterday I thought I'd make another today !!
Back in 2023 I applied for The Dog Trainer Schools professional standard and was accepted .

Here's what the standard says

Any trainer displaying The Dog Trainer School Professional Standard agrees to the following:

I shall only use kind and fair methods in my training.

I shall always seek further assistance for anything beyond my knowledge.

I shall keep up to date with my learning/CPD and continue to develop as a trainer.

I shall always be kind and empathetic to the owners/caregivers and their animals.

I shall do my best to support other members of The Dog Trainer School where possible and if needed.

I shall never knowingly use any piece of aversive equipment to train any dog.

I shall be kind to myself and seek help if I need it.

I shall not knowingly put any dogs in any unnecessary uncomfortable situations.

By agreeing to our standard your clients can rest assured you follow kind and ethical training methods and that you will never knowingly use anything that causes physical or emotional distress to dog or owner.

21/03/2024

Well seeing as my Mate Jane from The Dog Factor - Professional Dog Grooming is recommending me on local groups I suppose it’s time I revealed what I’ve been up to for the last 10 weeks !
I’ve been busy perfecting my dog grooming skills and I bloody love it !!

Here’s my page in its infancy !

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556472366601

Would love it if you could give me a follow ! 🙏

Based in BD10 - Dog Groomer

07/03/2024

New kid n the block Buddy joined TGOP this week !
He has moved to the area but has always been out on group walks from being a wee lad.
So it was literally like riding a bike for this pro !!
Settled In super well with his new chums 🐾🐾💙

12/02/2024

Winnie was happy to see her favourite aunty Clair too this morning !

07/02/2024

There’s nothing quite like the lasting aroma of fox poo !

No matter how many washes it is just filling my living room with its sweet aroma and making my eyes and nose itch like mad !!

04/02/2024

Well today my very own Rottie Miss Winnie Bear turned 3 !

How on earth did that happen ?

Winnie’s had a difficult 8 months or so but she has proven just how resilient , intelligent and bloody amazing she really is . Here’s to a better year for my girl 💕

We love her with every inch of our hearts

Happy Birthday Princess 💕💕

03/02/2024

You’ve heard of Dora the explorer right ?
Well here’s little Nora the explorer checking out the car on her puppy visits

Nora is all vaccinated up now and can explore the big wide world 🌍

Before long she will get to meet some of the fellow TGOP doggies for some fun and adventures !!

For now she’s getting accustomed to lead walking , the car and building her confidence 💕

26/01/2024

January in The Great OutPaws

Young Ruby the Border Terrier joined our groups and is settling in well now after a few weeks of getting to know everyone !

Little Nora Is growing quickly and enjoying her visits from Emily ( and sometimes me too !)

And the rest of the gang are happy to be back with their pals

We also said goodbye to the van and hello to a lovely berlingo multispace .
Keep those pooches toasty in the winter and cooler in the summer heat !
Ems enjoying her new wheels and her new doggos !
And Winnie and I are on hand to pick up the extra !

24/01/2024

The wonderful Rikki The Canine Copywriter is doing a survey for dog owners !

It’s confidential so don’t worry about anyone knowing your answers

In a world of so much advice and information it’s easy to get confused between fact and fiction.
So Rikki wants to deep dive into just what us dog owners really want from our pups

Rikki writes copy for Reward based dog trainers and anyone who supports a Positive reinforcement ethos . She even wrote mine !

So go on and give her a hand in collecting some lovely doggy data !!
Just click on the link below ⬇️

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfL4KxWG5_KAqwOUGBAkTOm4iEfOqQ_okruCf96vc33Ea4USg/viewform?

Hello! Thank you for taking the time to tap into this brief questionnaire, designed to help dog trainers and professionals to understand your needs and priorities when it comes to help with your dog. Rest assured, your responses are completely anonymous, so please share freely.

23/01/2024

🙌🙌

05/01/2024

Ooops !
🙈🙈🙈

03/01/2024

Happy new year and happy new addition to the TGOP ( extended) family in the form of little Nora !

What a cutie !
She reminds us of our little miss Winnie bear as a puppy .
How small is she ??!!

Looking forward to spending lots of quality time with this little one and the rest of the gang in 2024

Wishing you all lots of happiness and prosperity for the year ahead !
Emily
And Sam 🥰

25/12/2023

Merry Christmas from all The Great OutPaws doggos

Wishing you a wonderful day and restful week ahead

Thank you to all of you who continue to support us , for our lovely gifts and for allowing us the pleasure of walking your fabulous pooches

Merry Christmas 🎄🙏🎅

10/11/2023

Here’s a very sleepy Amber after her latest training walk .

Amber is a young dog and still learning lots about the world. She joins us on group walks twice a week and is a little pokey rocket and absolutely loves her walks!

She also has some fears in the place where she normally walks with her gaurdian .
It’s not always possible for people to walk their dogs elsewhere for various reasons.

So instead we have been working on Ambers triggers in our session in a new environment with me being on hand to run them from A -B !
An environment where we can help Amber feel less stressed and learn the skills she needs to cope with the environment she does walk frequently .

Not only does Amber show far less stress signals away from her usual route , those new and novel environments make for some nice enrichment and she’s in turn come a long way with her triggers which are bikes whizzing by .
We can now enjoy a walk along the canal and have zero reactivity . Plus none in the park where the original triggers became probalematic.

Ongoing sessions aren’t just about changing a dogs behaviour and emotion . They’re emotional support for people too and I know Ambers gaurdian has really benefited from the support .
🩷💕🩷

11/10/2023

This 🙌🙌🙌

𝙊𝙡𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙙𝙞𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙....

I got a new car recently. It's an automatic, the first one I've ever driven in 32 years of driving. For the first couple of days my left hand and leg would move almost unconsciously when my brain was telling me I should be changing gear but, despite 32 years of learning history, I adapted to the new conditions and stopped trying to manually change gear much more quickly than I thought I would. Learning can be fast!

BUT.....

That learning is fragile in the early stages. And in moments of stress it can fall apart. One day, not long after I got the car, I came back after a tough session (stress #1) to find someone had blocked me in (stress #2) and I was running late for my next client (stress #3). While I was trying to quickly perform a 23 point turn to get out of my parking space it all fell apart. My left hand kept reaching out for the gearstick, my left leg kept hitting the brake...it was a mess! All that new learning left me in the moment and I reverted back to the behaviours which had worked well for me for 32 years. Only when I stopped, took a deep breath, collected myself and started again could I function effectively.

And when our dogs learn a new skill, especially one which replaces a long established behaviour which works for them, they go through exactly the same thing. When things are calm and they have time to think it's all good. But when they become stressed or anxious or feel overwhelmed that new learning can desert them and they fall back on the old, habitual, reliable behaviours.

When we are trying to change long established behaviours there will be bumps in the road. That's normal. It doesn't mean that learning isn't happening. There will be moments of regression. That doesn't mean there's no progression.

Just keep going. Keep practicing the new behaviours. Keep managing the environment to make those new behaviours easy to do. Keep reinforcing the new behaviours. And, if things go wrong and the old behaviours resurge, don't let it knock you off track. Just learn from it, shake it off & move on. Until, one day, you'll be able to do a fast 23 point turn while stressed out without once trying to change gear!