Lamplighter Dog School

10/01/2025

Here is my safe list of dog training YouTube channels, and I don’t use the word safe lightly!

YouTube is a literal minefield when it comes to dog training, take one glance down the sidebar of suggested videos while you watch these and it will offer you everything from “How To Condition an E-Collar” to “The Magic of Slip Leads”.

Seriously, be bloody careful what you watch.

These channels are completely harmless and contain content that only has the ability to benefit you and, most importantly, your dog.

Kikopup is a channel that I watched back-to-back for solid days at a time when I was a teenager, replicating everything I could with my collie Cara and my terrier Alfie.

What About Bunny will just blow your mind, if you ever wondered if your dog can understand what you’re saying, give this a watch.

Dogs That with Susan Garrett goes deep! Susan enthusiastically covers absolutely everything and you can keep it simple, or really get into the nitty gritty with her.

CattleDog Publishing was founded by revolutionary veterinary behaviourist Dr Sophia Yin and covers many every day training and behaviour problems, but specialises in low-stress handling dogs at the vets.

Dogs Explained and the Service Dog Training Institute are extremely practical, straightforward videos that are short, sweet, and can teach you to teach your dog anything they can physically possibly do!

Battersea Dogs & Cats have made a clear, easy-to-follow set of videos on how to train all the basic everyday behaviour you could need, presented by a variety of their qualified staff.

Steve Mann founded the IMDT and wrote the UK’s #1 selling dog training book, his channel covers super easy techniques to teach foundation skills that will cover you for most situations.

If you’ve found a channel and you’re not sure if it’s safe, drop me a DM and I’ll check it out for you 💌

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05/01/2025

Even if you don’t like reading books, if you want to do anything with dogs, read On Talking Terms with Dogs. Non-negotiable. Will completely change the way you interact with dogs.

🦮 If you’d rather learn in person I’m running classes starting Monday 6th onwards, comment “Class” on this post for details 🦮

If you want the facts and how to get from A to B minus fluff, then It’s Me or the Dog, and How Dogs Learn, will both lay it out in black and white.

If you love good stories and memoirs (also full of learning opportunities and facts) like me, then Reaching The Animal Mind and Through A Vet’s Eyes will be right up your street.

To really connect with your dog, creating that invisible line between you and your dog everybody covets (I can attest that it is as good as it seems) then the Interactive Play Guide is for you.

If you have fluffy-animal-chasing problems and your dog barely recognises your existence on a walk, Hunting Together will revolutionise your relationship.

Finally, if you have or want a multi-dog household, or especially if you are a dog walker (or even have a dog walker to suggest this to!), then The Art of Introducing Dogs will completely enlighten everything that goes right or wrong, how to make it right, and how to know when to quit.

Watch out for upcoming posts on my favourite YouTube channels and podcasts too 🙌

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25/12/2024

Absolutely zero apologies for the Christmas Jack Russell spam in this post.

I saw a little baby one crossing the road earlier today and I was bloody delighted. They’re not everyone’s cup of tea but I love them!

Talking of Jack Russells, one of my own, Alfie (god rest his soul) was very nearly a Christmas statistic once.

A big box of chocolates had been wrapped up and put under the tree, and while we were out Alfie took his chance to unwrap and enjoy all 42 chocolates in the box.

I got home, found the box under the sofa (apparently Alfie’s snack lair), and cacked my pants.

Having not long passed my driving test, I thanked the stars I had a car to transport my patient. I rang ahead to the vets and got him there in 7 minutes for what is normally a 15 minute journey.

I don’t recommend driving like you’re a blue light driver when you’re not, but I do recommend ringing ahead to the vets and not wasting any time getting there, or better yet, preventing the situation in the first place.

When we got there the vet gave Alf an injection to make him vomit and there was a small lake of chocolate on the floor of the consult room. He then got a gobful of charcoal to line his stomach with a protective layer to stop any more absorption.

If I hadn’t got there before his body started to digest the chocolate he would have been in intensive care, or worse. He wouldn’t have been on his way home in half an hour and living another 7 years.

Moral of the story: boxes of chocolates are obvious even when wrapped up, give everything a shake before you put it under the tree.

Happy Christmas 🎄

15/12/2024

There is either so much joy in what your dog finds distracting, or a lot of stress.

When your dog finds distractions fun your dog is getting rewarded by the environment, not you. If you don’t get this under your control, you will essentially be allowing the environment to train your dog to ignore you!

It’s essential to build value to yourself, so that when you’re outdoors in the “toy shop” with your dog, your dog knows that all the best fun comes from you.

Remember to take toys and food with you on walks, and make sure that access to the environment and the natural rewards it contains also comes through you, by requiring your dog’s attention (eye contact, or a sit, for example) before they run free.

If you have a dog that’s stressed and overwhelmed by everything that’s going on around them then you need to build up the intensity of what they’re exposed to at a pace they can cope with, one thing at a time. Otherwise it’s like trying to teach a child to read and write on a speedboat.

For all of the above, it’s essential to build a baseline of the behaviour you want at home before you ask for it outdoors.

And of course, if you’re not 100% confident your dog will safely respond to you in “the wild” then use that amazing universally useful thing called a lead until you are. This not only keeps your dog safe but also prevents you from unintentionally training your dog to ignore you.

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29/11/2024

These posts give a little insight into the little nuances that make a big difference when it comes to developing communication and co-operation with our dogs.

As someone who’s been training dogs in personal and professional capacities for fifteen years it’s easy for me to say all this, so if these things make your head spin, give yourself some grace.

I’m a fully signed up proud dog nerd, and it’s been my life’s obsession to pick apart all these things. Not everybody has the same level of interest, and that’s okay.

That’s what dog trainers are for.

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19/11/2024

If your dog is driving you mad, or you feel like they’re not satisfied, there is so much more you can do than just keep walking them.

This can also be crucial for dogs that are really struggling, for example reactive dogs or rescue dogs, as it gives them mental and physical exercise without the stress of leaving the house.

You can substitute part of your usual walk routine with these games too. In fact, if you only have a limited amount of time to spend with your dog I actively encourage you to sub out some time for these games 🙌

There are seven different tips, tricks, and games in these slides of activities you can do with your dog to help them feel fulfilled.

If you’re not sure how to set a game up or you try one but it didn’t seem right, drop me a DM and I’ll be happy to help 😊

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06/11/2024

I’ve heard it a thousand times: I tried food and it didn’t work, my dog isn’t that interested in food, they won’t take food around distractions, etcetera etcetera.

And I always think, well it’s a good job that’s not how positive reinforcement training works then.

We are constantly training our dogs in every waking moment, whether we realise it or not, and it’s these micro situations and daily habits that have the biggest effect on our dog’s behaviour.

Your dog may be working beautifully at training class, but at home they’re like a hell hound.

It’s just a case of contingencies.

They’re not being dicks, and they’re not trying to p**s you off, they’re just doing what works, or what they need to feel safe.

The simplest way to look at it is this:

Something that nearly everyone does is speak to/shout at their dog when they do something annoying (which may I add… never works 😝).

What hardly anyone does is notice, reward or acknowledge their dog when they do something good (which, top tip, does work 🤩).

That’s a contingency.

If you want to unpick your contingency with your dog drop me a DM 🙌

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02/11/2024

Waggy Woofers have a Christmas Quiz in aid of Eden Animal Rescue ❤️ £2 a go for a chance to win a hamper worth £75 😍

‼️CHRISTMAS QUIZ COMPETITION‼️

This year we will be holding a little competition in the form of:

"Waggy Woofers Doggy Christmas Quiz"

to raise funds for Eden Animal Rescue Kennel Fund and also give you the chance of winning a Christmas Doggy Hamper worth an impressive, ready for it........ £75.00!!

Hamper includes:

Christmas toys
Christmas treats
Squeaky toys
Tennis balls
JR pate
Black pudding sticks
Pizza
Sausages

£2 per Quiz (enter as many times as you like) all enteries with the correct answers will be entered into a grand prize draw and the winner will be picked at random.

All questions have been carefully selected by us and of course are all dog related. (We had alot of laughs doing it too)

Play on your own, in a team, as work place, with a glass of mulled wine and mince pie to really get into the christmas spirit, however you like.

The Quiz sheets will be available from this Friday (1st November) along with our Christmas stock.

We will draw a winner on the 21st of december.

Eden animal rescue are currently holding fund raising events and asking for donations to raise vital funds to build their new kennels to offer the best environment possible for the rescue dogs who come through their doors.

As a previous volunteer of Eden animal rescue I know the importance of the work they do and it simply cannot be done without help and support.

Please share this post to get the word out in hope we raise as much as we can to help this great cause 🩷

26/10/2024

The second method is:

🧁 Get a muffin tin
🥗 Place different foods in different cups
🐶 Give to your dog
📝 Take note of which order they eat the different foods in
👩‍🔬 Repeat to make sure it wasn’t a fluke the first time

More ideas for treats:

💠 Diced cocktail sausages (convenient as heck)
💠 Their daily kibble (make use of it!)
💠 Squeezy cheese tubes (good for muzzled dogs)
💠 Cream cheese (on a spoon, great for recall)
💠 Tinned meat or fish (on a spoon, also great for recall)
💠 Liver paste squeezy tubes (also good with muzzles)
💠 Carnilove treats (expensive but good)
💠 Cooked and diced ox or lamb heart (cheap and dogs go mad for it)
💠 Cooked and diced liver (as above)

My friend Esther has some of the best treats stocked in her shop Waggy Woofers

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18/10/2024

There is often a deep underlying cause to what seems like just a weird surface behaviour like eating other dog’s excrement - the technical name for which is Coprophagia.

Fear and anxiety can cause a dog to do many unusual things, and eating p**p is one of them.

Confinement in a kennel or crate for prolonged periods of time can also cause this behaviour to develop.

It could also have been caused by a puppy being punished for having an accident. The outdated method of “rubbing their nose in it” can actually cause coprophagia.

So if you have a rescue dog who’s come from an uncertain background, or especially those of you who have rehomed a “failed” working dog, these underlying factors are often the cause. Maybe you messed up and you want to do better, and that’s an amazing thing.

Working dogs that are deemed unfit for purpose quite often fail purely because they were unable to mentally cope with the punishment-based type of training that is sadly so rife in these sectors.

Considering these potential circumstances, this is another reason why it’s so important to get pain ruled out, as some of these dogs have been subjected to horrific physical abuse.

My previous “failed” working sheepdog, Cara, had a spur of bone that had grown from her spine as scar tissue from being kicked, clearly extremely hard.

Fortunately, once pain has been ruled out or is being managed, there is a lot that we can do to alleviate the mental suffering these dogs are expressing through something we see as weird.

This would start with feeding a nutritionally complete, quality diet at the appropriate quantity, so that their digestive system can function normally and they don’t feel the need to “supplement” their diet due to deficiencies.

Then addressing that fear, giving them a happy outlet for the working breed needs they still have, and giving them confidence and joy in their lives.

If you need help with any of the problems mentioned in this post drop me a WhatsApp with the button on my page 💫

09/10/2024

Don’t get me wrong, barking can be really annoying, I totally get that, although I’m pretty deaf to it these days.

The ideal is to work out the cause of the barking and to adapt your routine to meet that need before the barking becomes the routine.

If you really can’t stand a dog that makes noise, then you’ll firstly need to consider if you should even get a dog, then pick your breed very carefully (don’t get a Husky, Beagle, Jack Russell, Dachshund, Chihuahua, or Miniature Schnauzer for starters), make sure you can provide a life for that dog that minimises their stress, frustration, and boredom and generally creates a contented and relaxed woofer, and finally add a bit of sound desensitisation for good measure.

Also, watch out for accidentally rewarding your dog for barking, such as letting them out of the car when they bark or playing with their toy when they get fed up of waiting and bark at you, thus creating the idea for the dog that if they bark they get fun stuff.

If you need help with a barker, you want tips on how to meet your dog’s needs, or even advice on picking a puppy, DM me or book a free 30 minute consultation with the link in my bio 🐾

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03/10/2024

There are nine parts to the hunting sequence:

🧐 Scent, scan and search
👀 Eye-stalk
🐅 Creep
💨 Chase
😬 Grab-bite
💀 Kill-bite
🍗 Possess
🦴 Dissect
😋 Eat

Absolutely none of these should be carried out in the presence of animals unless under the guidance of a professional who specifically understands , or is following the guidance in Simone Mueller’s book Hunting Together.

For in-person professional guidance I host workshops practicing this technique with a flock of sheep in North Cumbria.

Regardless, all of these elements can and should be mimicked by all dog owners in play on a regular basis to increase your dog’s happiness, and reduce frustration, stress, and challenging behaviour.

Note that the chasing and biting parts are when adrenaline is released, and this is the very peak of your dog’s arousal level.

When we activate this rush of adrenaline (for example, with fetch), we need to bring our dogs back down from this state. This is crucial, and is why many dogs end up hyperactive, vocal, unable to settle, or become fixated on toys.

🎮 Example games:
1. Play hide and seek or set a treat hunt to simulate scent, scan and search
2. Tie a rope to a toy and very slowly move it along the ground to give your dog something to eye-stalk
3. Move the toy rapidly away from your dog to activate their chase and release dopamine and adrenaline (this is a great reward for a recall!)
4. Allow your dog to catch and “grab-bite” the toy and play a fair game of tug with them
5. Let them win and “kill-bite” and “possess” the toy, praising and admiring them for being such an excellent hunter with their bounty (oh my)
✨6. Swap the toy for a treat scatter on the floor, a snuffle mat, a cardboard box stuffed with treats, or a chew wrapped in newspaper to simulate the “dissect” and “eat” parts of the sequence - this part is very important as it releases endorphins which flush the adrenaline away and enable your dog to settle ✨

If you want personalised tips and tricks drop me a DM 🐾

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28/09/2024

Do you know what normal behaviour is for your dog’s breed?

Different breeds find certain things easier than other breeds, for example it comes naturally to gundog breeds such as Spaniels and Labradors to hold things in their mouth and bring things to you.

And sometimes these breed differences present really challenging behaviour in the wrong environment, for example, a Border Collie or a Kelpie obsessively chasing cars in urban areas.

Village dogs, on the other hand, show incredible similarities in both their appearance and their behaviour across the world and provide a baseline for what is truly “normal” for dogs.

At the base of all dog behaviour are a few core needs, some of which are:

🦮 Sniffing 〰️ this is so bloody important, even if your walk is ½ a mile and takes an hour that is honestly better for your dog than 5 miles of marching, it’s their primary sense and how they understand the world - they must sniff!

🤼‍♂️ Socialising 〰️ dogs are not pack animals, they live independently amongst other dogs in their environment forming no particular attachments, and they are polygamous (yup) - however they are adapted and accustomed to regular contact with their own species and their language of calming signals (see my earlier post on de-stress signals) is universal in dogs around the world.

🏹 The hunting sequence 〰️ all dogs have this, but different breeds have stronger parts of the sequence, for example: Pointers have a lot of scent, scan, and search, Collies have loads of eye-stalk, and it’s actually having a strong “possess” part of the sequence that means gundogs like to carry things around in their mouths.

Regardless of breed, all dogs need to complete all parts of the hunting sequence in a safe way through play, all dogs need to sniff, and only when a dog has serious dog-related trauma or is a danger to other dogs is it unwise for them to socialise (responsibly).

Follow me for my next carousel post on the hunting sequence and how you can meet your dog’s natural behaviour needs through play 🙌

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25/09/2024

How can this be possible? 🤷‍♀️

Dogs have up to 300 million scent receptors to our six million and have 33% of their brain dedicated to their sense of smell, compared to 5% in humans.

This allows them to detect odours nine times fainter than we can.

They literally exist in a different reality.

They’re able to break down individual components of a smell, so when we would smell someone’s breath it could smell minty (or not lol), but to a dog it would smell of hundreds of individual chemicals, rather than one scent.

When it comes to detecting illnesses, there is speculation among scientists that dogs are even able to detect changes in brainwaves, and evidence that when we interact with our dog our brainwaves actually sync. 

So when we think our dogs are reacting to nothing, they’re actually reacting to stuff that we’re not even capable of sensing.

Things that even our most advanced technology can’t detect. In fact, dogs are so advanced scientists are trying to design technology based on how dogs operate.

It seems to be common opinion that our relationships with dogs are a one way street, and that we are clearly the most intelligent, but actually dogs have a lot to teach us if we’re willing to put our human egos aside for a hot minute and shut up, listen, and learn.

If we’re so smart, we’ll learn to work together, and stop screwing both the dogs and ourselves over by constantly trying to suppress dog’s natural behaviour.

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19/09/2024

16/09/2024

If you really want to know how your dog is feeling, you need to understand Calming Signals.

It seems like the reactions dogs have come out of nowhere - and they did, if you’re not aware of how dogs communicate.

However, from the dogs’ point of view there will have been multiple warnings prior to any growl, bark, bite or fight.

The thing is these signals are so subtle you wouldn’t notice them if you didn’t know what to look for.

If your dog shows any of these signals it means they need space.

If you’re going in for a stroke or a cuddle then back off, or if you’re greeting another dog and your dog is trying to curve around or is looking away, go with them and let them have the space they’re asking for.

If these signals are ignored the dog will move up the ladder into growling, snapping, and biting, so these signals are essential to know to keep yourself safe.

Honouring a dogs’ communication signals builds true trust and lowers stress.

There are at least thirty signals that have been documented, with ten included in these slides.

For further information check out the book “On Talking Terms with Dogs” by Turid Rugaas, Turid’s website, or Google the “Ladder of Aggression”.

DM me if you need help decoding your dog’s reactions.