What do your walks look like?
On our walk this afternoon, Ralph wanted to sniff everything so I just followed him around while he sniffed. It's his walk so I let him take the lead.
Some walks he wants to run, play, watch, dig, climb, etc
What would your dogs favourite walk look like?
#scentwork #dogtraining #bristoldogtrainer
#meetyourdogsneeds #health #fun #walkies
#greenspace #happydogs #romanianrescuedog
'Let's Go'
'Let's Go' is a helpful way to move your dog away from something they find worrying.
Start practising away from triggers to begin with and always get the help of a professional if you are unsure how to progress with your dog.
Here we are practising on a straight section of pavement but we also practise on corners as this is often when you unexpectedly come across another dog or person.
In this clip, we do a complete U-turn but sometimes we will just cross the road.
(Ralph licks his lips when I say yes as he knows this means he's about to get some beef from the treat pouch.)
Send me a message through the link in bio if you'd like more help with this. 😊
Having a fun and informative day doing scentwork training.
Toy Dogs
Having a toy dog that your child can roleplay with can be a great way to keep your dog and child safe and a fantastic way for your child to show their love for their dog.
When your child is at an appropriate age, you can also use the toy dog to demonstrate how to touch your dog safely.
Have fun and stay safe 🥰
#kidsarounddogs #kadkidsarounddogs #dogtraining #roleplay #toys #happyfamily
Make changes to your home before your baby arrives.
Pop up all your new baby equipment so you and your dog have a chance to get used to it.
Think about where baby gates and puppy pens would be helpful and get those up ahead of time as well.
#dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogtrainingbristol #babygates #puppypens #kidsarounddogs #newparents #familydogtraining #happyfamilylife
How to Start Introducing Dogs to Children
Taking your dog on a walk with the children can be a great way to build a positive association with their presence. The children being there means we go on a walk which is something the dog enjoys.
Stay at a safe distance from the children and observe your dogs body language.
Speak to the children and explain we are just going to ignore the dog on this walk.
If the children are keen to interact with the dog I suggest the children waving at the dog or giving an air hug (a pretend hug).
If you have any questions, drop me a DM!
#kidsarounddogs
#dogtraining
#bristoldogtrainer
#safeintroductions
#dogbodylanguage
Pain
Ralph lunged out at a motorbike last week, something he has never done before.
He has also been very jumpy around unexpected noises and has started nibbling and licking more than usual.
If your dog has a sudden change in behaviour, it's always advisable to get a vet check as this could indicate they are in some element of pain.
Ralph has been on Apoquel tablets as he is allergic to something in the environment that makes him itch but we took a break from it to see if it had settled down, unfortunately it hasn't.
This itching is what has likely caused these behaviour changes so we will restart medication and monitor his behaviour.
I'm pretty sure if I was itching all over, I wouldn't feel great and might be a little more intolerant to the world!
#vetcheck #doghealth #dogtraining #wellbeing #kindness
Sniffing
When I meet clients, before we talk about training, we always discuss meeting the dogs needs.
This could be providing opportunities to sniff, dig, rip, climb, swim, etc
How well do you know your dog? What are their favourite activities to do?
Ralph loves to sniff, dig, rip and climb. We are not a fan of swimming however!
#happydogs #naturalbehaviours #dogtraining #bristoldogtraining #p
Connecting with Canines offers in person and online 1:1 dog training sessions.
