Bark to Basics dog training and rehabilitation

Bark to Basics dog training and rehabilitation Dog training, puppy training, puppy obedience, dog recall training, dog resource guarding,dog jumpin
(133)

24/11/2024

The next Beginners Obedience course will be starting on Weds 11th Dec at 5.45-6.45pm

Dates are below:
Dec 11th, 18th
Jan 8th, 15th, 29th
Feb 5th, 19th, 26th

Should the unlikely event of something needing to be attended to by the course trainer it may be needed to push on one or two of the dates on a week.

The content of the classes will show you how to teach:
Sit, down and holding these positions until they are given a release cue from them.
Stand, wait and stay and the difference between the two commands.
Loose lead walking as well as heel on the left and the right.
Play and drop of the toy.
Targeting, back, recall, eye contact.
The difference between yes and no as well as a rapid response to their name.
Some easy agility type activities that you can do when out in your walks on everyday objects as well as some other fun exercises.

These will be held in a unit in Brackla Industrial Estate. It will be for 8 weeks at a cost of £115 for the course.

These are suitable for dogs that are sociable with humans and other dogs.
All dogs must be vaccinated or at least be in their first vaccine and booked in for their second.

Class notes will be emailed after each session so that if any are missed it is possible to catch up. There will also be access to closed Facebook groups for videos of what is taught in each class to be viewed to assist in your training should you miss a class.

Should you miss any of the sessions during the course you will have access to the videos for what was taught in that session to catch up.

There will also be an option of continuing onto a further course after completion of the first which concentrates on enhancing what is learnt in the first course and more complex material to keep you and your dog learning together.
Please note your place will be reserved on receipt of payment and this is non refundable should you wish to cancel/postpone unless your place gets filled after your cancellation.

If you would like a place email on [email protected]
or message through the Bark to Basics FB page🐾🐾.

23/11/2024

I saw this quote recently and thought how well it applies to many struggles of life.
Choosing the easy option gives short term pleasure and is the most frequently selected due to the tempting nature of it. By doing so on that day, the struggle remains wholly unchanged on the next.

You may see reflections of your own internal battles in these statements and have a tendency to select the easy option but continue to be frustrated with a lack of progress.

Why not take a chance and opt just for now, for the more difficult choice. You may just surprise yourself that it wasn’t as tough as you had expected. You might even enjoy it more than you realised. Stick with it and the goals you were hoping to achieve but had thought were beyond your grasp begin to seem possible in the end!

Go on. Take a gamble. What’s the worst that can happen? 😁🐾🐾

Adding more dogs into the family is a joyous and rewarding experience for many. This is not always the case. Some person...
17/11/2024

Adding more dogs into the family is a joyous and rewarding experience for many. This is not always the case. Some personalities don't take to each other very well and conflict can ensue.
This was the case in this recent clients situation.
There were four dogs in the house and this had shaken up the balance of things. One dog was feeling entitled to bully and reprimand the others.
During the session we broke things down to basics in terms of getting the dogs to view the humans as the decision makers of the household. Getting the dogs to view the things that are important to them as not being theirs to guard is vital to diffuse tension.
Examples if these are:
* Attention and affection.
* Sofas and other resting areas.
* Proximity to the owners.
* Toys and other possession.
As well as the above it is important to adequately satisfy each of the dogs for their mental stimulation and physical needs. Having a knowledge of how to navigate past issues before they surface due to knowing the best way to co tell the flow of movement around each other is also hugely advantageous.
Great session with a lovely owner and some super cute doggies
Feel free to get in touch if you are struggling with dog related issues.

Getting frustrated when your dog refuses to listen is a common reaction.  Owners often describe being confused and annoy...
16/11/2024

Getting frustrated when your dog refuses to listen is a common reaction. Owners often describe being confused and annoyed at their dogs lack of compliance.

The question you should be asking yourself as an owner might then be, “how does my dog feel it’s acceptable to ignore my requests”?

If you start looking closer and really dissecting the nitty gritty you can see how small, seemingly insignificant permissive acts of non compliance pave the way for larger more important ones.

Dogs will learn by what you show them. If you want them to listen when you ask something of them almost every time, you will need to show them that you mean it when you say something, every time.

There’s no need for being over powering, shouting, being heavy handed or any of that malarkey. Just a simple calm insistence is all that’s required. Each battle you have will get slowly easier and quicker as your dog learns that ‘oh hey, you mean what you say!!’

Give this a try if you are having issues with your dog doing what you ask of them.
Whatever you ask them, stay calm and patient and wait for them to give in. Repeat this with everything religiously for a couple of weeks and watch what starts to happen ✨ 🪄 😁🐾🐾.

10/11/2024

I do so love the enthusiasm of the dogs when they arrive at classes. Here’s one gorgeous boy that has been with me through several levels of courses. He’s full of waggy tails and happy vibes when he realises he’s at the class venue ♥️😂.

He knows he gets to see some of his doggy mates, have a blast for an hour doing some fun stuff and get a good amount of chicken from his mam along the way 🥰😆.

If you would like to join in with the fun that the classes offer for you and your dog feel free to get in touch 😁🐾🐾.

09/11/2024

The next Beginners Obedience course will be starting on Tuesday 3rd Dec at 5.15-6.15pm

Dates are below:
Dec 3rd, 10th, 17th
Jan 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th
Feb 4th

Should the unlikely event of something needing to be attended to by the course trainer it may be needed to push on one or two of the dates on a week.

The content of the classes will show you how to teach:
Sit, down and holding these positions until they are given a release cue from them.
Stand, wait and stay and the difference between the two commands.
Loose lead walking as well as heel on the left and the right.
Play and drop of the toy.
Targeting, back, recall, eye contact.
The difference between yes and no as well as a rapid response to their name.
Some easy agility type activities that you can do when out in your walks on everyday objects as well as some other fun exercises.

These will be held in a unit in Brackla Industrial Estate. It will be for 8 weeks at a cost of £115 for the course.

These are suitable for dogs that are sociable with humans and other dogs.
All dogs must be vaccinated or at least be in their first vaccine and booked in for their second.

Class notes will be emailed after each session so that if any are missed it is possible to catch up. There will also be access to closed Facebook groups for videos of what is taught in each class to be viewed to assist in your training should you miss a class.

Should you miss any of the sessions during the course you will have access to the videos for what was taught in that session to catch up.

There will also be an option of continuing onto a further course after completion of the first which concentrates on enhancing what is learnt in the first course and more complex material to keep you and your dog learning together.
Please note your place will be reserved on receipt of payment and this is non refundable should you wish to cancel/postpone unless your place gets filled after your cancellation.

If you would like a place email on [email protected]
or message through the Bark to Basics FB page🐾🐾.

Training classes is something that most owners look to attend when they have puppies, without realising that that is jus...
02/11/2024

Training classes is something that most owners look to attend when they have puppies, without realising that that is just the beginning.

The training content learnt in the early classes is to provide a basic foundation of commands and early learning skills. This should be continued and developed further for the vast majority of dogs for them to achieve a useful level of reliability when it is needed later on in life. Early classes teach the positions of sit, down etc. The progression of classes teaches the reliability of holding the positions if the face of distractions and for longer duration for example. Also new and fun content to keep the interest.

So many owners attend the puppy or beginner classes and see that as the end of the ‘training’ phase. Yet they still have a high expectation of their dogs in high distraction environments and get frustrated when they fail. The requested action or behaviour hasn’t been matched to the level of practice carried out.

I continue to teach my own personal dogs new content for as long as they show a desire for more. Training on the things they already know is also put into parcels of time every day to keep it refreshed.

If you have a clever or busy dog, do them and yourself a favour and look to sign them up for a challenging class. You’ll both benefit and have fun together along the way!! 😁🐾🐾

27/10/2024

What a lovely day it was yesterday! As always, part of that was enjoyed walking my gorgeous dogs. We always put a bit of training in the walk and aim to mix this up for content and environment.

One of yesterday’s exercises was to practice their patience by waiting their turn, also the skill of self control to not go with the flow and move when another is.
Then mixing up the order of calling so that they are paying attention too. All went well until Mila my lurcher did her usual and got a bit bored 😂. She’s such a typical lurcher 🙈. Not particularly designed for concentrating longer than a millisecond 🤪.

If you have more than one dog, give this a go and feel free to post your video attempts in the comments 😁🐾🐾.

26/10/2024

*sold out**

The next Beginners Obedience course will be starting on Monday 18th Nov at 5.15-6.15pm

Dates are below:
Nov 18th, 25th
Dec 2nd, 9th, 16th
Jan 6th, 13th, 20th

Should the unlikely event of something needing to be attended to by the course trainer it may be needed to push on one or two of the dates on a week.

The content of the classes will show you how to teach:
Sit, down and holding these positions until they are given a release cue from them.
Stand, wait and stay and the difference between the two commands.
Loose lead walking as well as heel on the left and the right.
Play and drop of the toy.
Targeting, back, recall, eye contact.
The difference between yes and no as well as a rapid response to their name.
Some easy agility type activities that you can do when out in your walks on everyday objects as well as some other fun exercises.

These will be held in a unit in Brackla Industrial Estate. It will be for 8 weeks at a cost of £115 for the course.

These are suitable for dogs that are sociable with humans and other dogs.
All dogs must be vaccinated or at least be in their first vaccine and booked in for their second.

Class notes will be emailed after each session so that if any are missed it is possible to catch up. There will also be access to closed Facebook groups for videos of what is taught in each class to be viewed to assist in your training should you miss a class.

Should you miss any of the sessions during the course you will have access to the videos for what was taught in that session to catch up.

There will also be an option of continuing onto a further course after completion of the first which concentrates on enhancing what is learnt in the first course and more complex material to keep you and your dog learning together.
Please note your place will be reserved on receipt of payment and this is non refundable should you wish to cancel/postpone unless your place gets filled after your cancellation.

If you would like a place email on [email protected]
or message through the Bark to Basics FB page🐾🐾.

20/10/2024

Well the new trick of teaching ‘wipe paws’ that we’ve been working on in one of this weeks obedience classes is likely to be coming in handy this weekend! 😂 🌧️ ☔️ 🐾🐾

Having two puppies at the same time often makes life a lot more tricky right away.The fact that you need to train the do...
19/10/2024

Having two puppies at the same time often makes life a lot more tricky right away.

The fact that you need to train the dogs individually will double the necessary amount of time for training. Sometimes this extra available time is simply not there, resulting in less training overall or no training.

Another dog's presence also halts the puppies' ability to bond with its owner as you are expanding the puppies "pack" and allowing them to rely on each other instead of you and your family.

"Littermate Syndrome" is going to affect your entire life if you still decide to get two dogs from the same litter. You will have problems with separation anxiety from each other unless you put in a conscientious decision to regularly separate them and provide fun in this time.

Increased potential vets bills. Let’s face it, vet bills are not cheap these days and having two sets of these can sometimes be unaffordable long term.

The behaviours are likely to be more intense combined than they would be with a single dog.
Things such as pulling on the lead, barking, jumping up at guests, hyper time in the house etc. They are likely to become competitive with each other and this then makes the issues normally faced that much more challenging to address.

There are many positives too but people don’t often think of the negatives of owning two. If you are considering getting two at the same time whether from the same litter or different, take some time first to carefully think through if this is something that you have the skills, time and funds for. 😁🐾🐾

Another situation that causes some crossed wires between the owner and their dog…….. When they have their puppy and arri...
13/10/2024

Another situation that causes some crossed wires between the owner and their dog……..

When they have their puppy and arrive home they are so excited to see the puppy that they lavish affection on them. This in turn causes a contagious moment of excitement with their puppy who is simply mirroring the emotion. The little puppy jumps on the owners leg who then continues to pat enthusiastically, thus heavily reinforcing the behaviour and teaching them that this is the desired action.

Fast forward several months to when the puppy now is fully grown……

Owner arrives home, still happy to have their beloved dog greet them in the same manner as it’s their dog at the end of the day and they enjoy this elated interaction. It makes the owner feel loved.

Later, a guest arrives who is nicely dressed ready for their visit and is also not very confident with dogs. Cue the usual, well trained action from the dog - jump for attention. Now the owner tells the dog he’s a bad dog and to get ‘down’ (which is the usual command for lie down). The dog is waaaay too excited to lie down so ignores that command hence blurring the reliability of that behaviour and remains super confused and anxious why they have been told off.

Our actions need to be consistent for a dog to understand the logic. If you don’t want your dog to jump on others, keep it simple. Don’t jump up unless asked. Any other jumping action is not rewarded.

Feel free to get in touch if you need assistance with any dog related issue. 😁🐾🐾

As a dog trainer I get to see the struggle that exists on both sides.I can see and hear what the desires of both parties...
12/10/2024

As a dog trainer I get to see the struggle that exists on both sides.

I can see and hear what the desires of both parties are. The owner often wants something that they deem as a small ask (recall!), without realising that this takes plenty of input from them to make successful. It’s not a simple command or word that you shout at your dog and they reliably obey for the measly blessing of a treat.

If you think carefully about what you are asking of your dog…… to give up on searching and enjoying whatever fun they are finding only for a small food reward. This becomes very boring for your dog over time. Being out in the open is all about the exploring, the novelty of smells and interactions, the new sights and sounds that are intriguing. Finding objects to launch themselves over, leaves and birds to chase and dogs to bond and play with. Sniffing areas that allow their senses to explode which provides all manner of connections in the brain to fire off and make the dog feel good. Anything new is exciting. Walks are all about new experiences.

You as an owner want the dog to give aaaaaall of that up, just for a treat??

Come on guys, think of the dog.

What he wants is some fun. If you expect him/her to happily return from the fun they were having, we need to be offering fun as a trade off for this not just a measly treat.

Pairing recall with fun games is what’s fair and much more reasonable an exchange for the dog.

Of course, this takes more research and effort from an owner which is why it gets missed and the treat is what gets offered which is easy.

My point for today is, for you to think of your dog. In order for the owner to get what they want (recall for example), you first of all need to make it about the dogs needs not yours!

Feel free to get in touch if you are struggling with this or anything else 😁🐾🐾.

I never get tired of finding these funny dog cartoons 😂🐾🐾
06/10/2024

I never get tired of finding these funny dog cartoons 😂🐾🐾

The photo is just for a cute visual but also a photo I took at the end of the session with this beautiful puppy.  She co...
05/10/2024

The photo is just for a cute visual but also a photo I took at the end of the session with this beautiful puppy. She could barely stay awake and was about to drift into a happy and contented sleep after the training we had just done.

Why do training???

I often see people with puppies attending the basic puppy courses and then thinking that they have done their bit. That’s only the beginning. It’s such a shame to stop your training journey there. You may think you have achieved what you want from it, but in reality there is so much more that training can be used for.

The things you learn through training become a very versatile tool for you to use to your benefit in may aspects of your day.

For example:
* If you need to walk down a busy pavement with lots of people and dogs, doing the ‘heel work’ you’ve been teaching is perfect to do.

* If your dog has been spooked by something, get him to do an action that he normally aces such as focus on you and catch a thrown treat or chase it along the floor. Even a well known sequence of commands they enjoy doing will work to start to change those emotions around.

* If you want to stop and chat to a friend on a walk, asking your dog to go into a long ‘down’ position.

* If your dog is uncertain of unfamiliar guests coming into the house, have them associate guests there with actions that they enjoy doing a such as scenting out for a toy or treats that have been hidden.

* Got a houseful of friends coming around for the evening? Use training such as some different obedience commands, mixing up the sequence and varying how long they hold the position etc. Doing this ahead of guests arriving sets the dog up to be calmer and ready for a sleep.

The list goes on……

There many many uses of training that are being missed by owners.

You may think you have the level that you need but the truth is there is so much more you can benefit from by continuing with training to a higher level. My to mention the enjoyment and variety you are bringing to your dogs life.

Feel free to get in touch to enquire about classes that I run if you would like to learn some more with your dog 😁🐾🐾.

02/10/2024

The next Beginners Obedience course will be starting on Tuesday 15th Oct at 6.20-7.20pm

Dates are below:
Oct 15th, 22nd, 29th
Nov 12th, 19th, 26th
Dec 3rd, 10th

Should the unlikely event of something needing to be attended to by the course trainer it may be needed to push on one or two of the dates on a week.

The content of the classes will show you how to teach:
Sit, down and holding these positions until they are given a release cue from them.
Stand, wait and stay and the difference between the two commands.
Loose lead walking as well as heel on the left and the right.
Play and drop of the toy.
Targeting, wait at the door, back, recall, eye contact.
The difference between yes and no as well as a rapid response to their name.
Some easy agility type activities that you can do when out in your walks on everyday objects as well as some other fun exercises.

These will be held in a unit in Brackla Industrial Estate. It will be for 8 weeks at a cost of £115 for the course.

These are suitable for dogs that are sociable with humans and other dogs.
All dogs must be vaccinated or at least be in their first vaccine and booked in for their second.

Class notes will be emailed after each session so that if any are missed it is possible to catch up. There will also be access to closed Facebook groups for videos of what is taught in each class to be viewed to assist in your training should you miss a class.

Should you miss any of the sessions during the course you will have access to the videos for what was taught in that session to catch up.

There will also be an option of continuing onto a further course after completion of the first which concentrates on enhancing what is learnt in the first course and more complex material to keep you and your dog learning together.
Please note your place will be reserved on receipt of payment and this is non refundable should you wish to cancel/postpone unless your place gets filled after your cancellation.

If you would like a place email on [email protected]
or message through the Bark to Basics FB page🐾🐾.

29/09/2024

Each and every dog I own I adore the individual quirky characteristics that they bring to my life. I will share with you the peculiarities of Mila my lurcher……. 😆

Mila is 9 years old and I was fortunate enough to rehome her from a rescue as a puppy of roughly 10weeks old. Right from the beginning there were strong hints of the lazy lady she would grow to become.

Things that make me giggle:
* Wherever you take her, the first thing she does is look for a bed to lie in, and remains there till it’s time to leave 😂. Hence the reason so many of my photos are of her in a bed 😆.

* Total princess! Can’t catch a treat for toffee so it has to be carefully placed in her mouth for delivery. Heaven forbid that if the treat were to somehow fall to the floor in this process, it is then deemed ‘contaminated’ by her and inedible. A new one must be produced 🙈.

* SUPER fast for all of about 10 second every fortnight or so. But that’s your lot!

* Uses her ears when running!! They go flat back when sprinting for aerodynamic mode and come fully up when stopping to aid with ‘breaking speed’ 🤓.

* Has that slightly glazed/confused look about her all of the time that convinces you that there really isn’t much ‘up top’. Then astounds you when she succeeds in learning a fair amount 🤪💪🏼.

* Loooves a cuddle 🥰. I mean waaaaay more than most dogs!

* Gets a little too excited about jackets. If hers doesn’t go on first, she gets ‘jacket envy’ and engages in humpeties with whoever has had theirs on before her 😱😳.

I would love to hear of some of your dogs peculiar and unique traits. Pop a few in the comments below with a photo of yours 😁🐾🐾.

Taking the time to love your dog in the way that truly satisfies them is testament to your love for them.  This extends ...
28/09/2024

Taking the time to love your dog in the way that truly satisfies them is testament to your love for them. This extends beyond the cuddles and purchases!!

Do you spend most of your quality time with your dog on the sofa? While it might feel like quality time because of all the cuddles you're getting, bonding with your dog comes from enrichment and activities together. Dogs love exploring and going on adventures, so getting out for long walks with your four-legged friend is an excellent way to bond and build a stronger emotional connection, while also building trust.

Play games together, train and teach new tricks. Stretch their ability and hone different skills that they enjoy. Help them succeed and feel good about themselves.

How do you measure your love for your dog? Is it in the best quality food you buy them, or maybe the amount of kisses and hugs you give them everyday. Or is it by helping them to become the best of versions of themselves?

I have the best clients and I adore seeing them start to get a thirst for training and search for more. Taking them to learn additional skills from other areas of dog training that are specific to their breeds takes time out of their day. This is how you love your dog ♥️.

How do I measure my love for dogs? By understanding that they are beings independent of me. That they are born and live on this earth as unique creatures with a specific set of needs. My job is simply to find what fulfills them and be consistent in teaching them. Our commitment when owning a dog should be to enhance our existence together.

If you are the owner that shows love through cuddles only or walks only, try shaking this up for a while. Spend a few weeks putting a bit of extra time each day into teaching a couple of new tricks or playing games such as hiding food/toys and searching for them, simple agility (up and over tree stumps etc).

Your dog will benefit greatly and you are likely to learn to enjoy the change in type of interaction and what it brings to the relationship too 🥰🐾🐾.

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Bridgend
CF312AQ

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