My Kinda Dog

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My Kinda Dog

My Kinda Dog Hi! My name is Giulia, and I’m a qualified and experienced dog trainer. I help dog guardians understand, communicate, train, and thrive with their dogs.

🐶 Bristol’s Go-To Expert for Puppy, Adolescent and Scentwork Training 🐶
🏆 Bristol Dog Trainer of the Year 2023/24 🏆

Advanced Diploma in Applied Animal Behaviour (Canine) Your pet’s welfare and wellbeing are always my top priority, and that’s why I use a reward-based training approach that’s designed to build and grow your dog’s confidence and skills. My training strategy focuses on rewarding your

dog for the behaviours you like, and on managing your environment in a way that helps your dog make the right choices. This is the most effective way to avoid and reduce undesired behaviours and set you and your dog up to succeed.

08/05/2025

"𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐠'𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤?"

This is a question I get asked A LOT by clients. Often, they notice their dog doesn’t have that “oomph” they see in others and worry something’s missing.

The first thing to remember is that every dog is an individual. Breed, temperament, and natural inclination all play a role in how motivated they are. Not just in scentwork, but in training overall.

That said, there are ways you can help build their enthusiasm and drive:

✅ 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭. A dog in pain or discomfort may be reluctant to participate. Always make sure they’re physically well before asking them to work. This is not just smart, it’s ethical.

✅ 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐫. I used to jump straight into odour work too, so I’m not knocking that approach. But for many dogs, especially those not naturally driven, starting with motivational games, like structured find-it games using something they already have an emotional response to, such as food or toys, can build desire before introducing odour. For example, one of my clients had a Labrador who showed little interest in formal searches, but once we turned it into a game of “find your favourite toy,” his drive skyrocketed!

✅ 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞. It’s tempting to rush to the “fun” part, but solid foundations are key. A dog who understands the basics clearly will work with more confidence and enjoyment. And that naturally leads to better motivation.

Want help getting started?

I’ve got an evening scentwork workshop for complete beginners coming up next month.

Check it out here: www.mykindadog.com/scentwork

07/05/2025

I had the pleasure of meeting gorgeous Pippin for some one-to-one training last week.

We worked on some sniffing games and drop, among other things.

She's full of personality and so much fun to be around.

06/05/2025

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝? 😬

You’re not alone.

This gorgeous puppy and her guardian have been working on recall for the past couple of months. We went from being 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 to having 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥, even with big distractions like other dogs and tennis balls. 🎾🐕

We used a combination of management and training, using a long line for safety and management, and focusing on fun training games with what motivated her most (chicken — often a winner!). Gradually, we introduced distractions so she could succeed at every stage.

We also worked on other important factors like safety, fun, relationships, and realistic expectations. It’s easy to treat different behaviours like isolated tasks, but in reality, many factors will impact the overall learning experience.

Recall isn’t just about getting your dog to come back. It’s about building trust, consistency, and a solid relationship.

It's also something that 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, and it’s okay if you don’t feel ready to let your dog off lead just yet!

Secure fields and long lines are great ways to give dogs a chance to stretch their legs while also keeping them and everyone else around them safe.

And if anyone is making you feel like a bad owner because your dog isn’t off lead yet — ignore them! You’re doing the best you can with the resources you have.

𝘉𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘦, 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐’𝘮 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘰𝘨𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺 𝘰𝘧𝘧-𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘮 — 𝘭𝘦𝘵’𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐’𝘮 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧𝘧-𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘺, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘰𝘨 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺. 𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘨𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 (𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘪𝘯𝘫𝘶𝘳𝘺, 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵), 𝘴𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘵'𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘰𝘨𝘴 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴.

05/05/2025

𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐠 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠.

Just like with people, motivation is what drives behaviour.

Discovering what your puppy or dog truly loves can unlock a whole new world for both of you — making learning not only more fun, but far more effective.

A motivated dog won’t just tolerate training — they’ll look forward to it.

When you’re working with a dog, you’re not just teaching them what to do — you’re showing them 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨. That could be tasty treats, a favourite toy, or a chance to perform a behaviour they naturally enjoy (as long as it’s safe and appropriate!).

Using something your dog loves isn’t bribery — it’s about engagement, cooperation, and building a strong relationship.

The right motivation turns training from a chore into a game — and it’s a game your dog will want to keep playing.

02/05/2025

🚨 Ever feel like your dog could do another walk… right after a walk?

Are they bouncing off the walls, barking at everything, or struggling to settle down at home?

If you're nodding along, you're not alone — and you're definitely not doing anything wrong.

Some dogs need more than just physical exercise… they need mental enrichment and a job to do! 🧠

That’s where scentwork comes in. It taps into their natural instincts in a fun, rewarding, and positive way — perfect for restless, reactive, or high-energy dogs.

In all honesty, it's perfect for ALL dogs.

Even if you're just looking for something new and fun to try together!

Ready to channel that energy into something amazing?

My next Scentwork Workshop is coming soon!

📅 Tuesday 3rd June
⏰ 6pm to 8pm
📍Fishponds, Bristol
🐕 Maximum of 3 Dogs for plenty of individual attention

Click here to sign up 👉 https://mykindadog.com/scentwork/

01/05/2025

Sleepy times! 😴

Ruby and I headed out for an early walk this morning, and even by 8/9am, the heat was already kicking in!

As temperatures rise, you might notice your dog feeling a little more tired than usual. The heat can be draining, and even a short walk can leave them needing extra rest.

Make sure to adjust your routine to keep them cool and comfortable — early walks, shaded areas, and lots of water are a good start!

If you are in doubt and you think your dog might struggle in the heat and have an unpleasant experience when out, it's okay to skip a walk. Their comfort and safety come first!

25/04/2025

Majestic 🤩

Rani is doing so well with her training and she's becoming a wonderful "sniffer dog".

Her family have put a lot of work into getting really strong foundations in place.

I'm very excited to be part of her scent detection journey and can't wait to see where it leads her.

I love watching dogs use their noses!

24/04/2025

Great 2-on-1 Scentwork Session with Buddy the Springer Spaniel and Rez the Kelpie cross.

We have worked on indication, starting to merge it with searching, and motivation to search, as that's always fun!

22/04/2025

When we welcome a new puppy or dog into our lives, we all have some expectations and ideas about how our life together will look.

The activities we’ll do, the lifestyle we imagine, our hopes, our dreams.

It’s completely normal to start creating a plan and a vision.

But it’s important to remember that dogs are living beings with their own desires, preferences, and personalities. Even puppies aren’t blank slates — so much of what we hope to achieve will need to be shaped around who our dog 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 is.

That means some of our expectations might need to shift. And that’s okay.

Maybe we imagined weekend brunches with our pup snoozing under the table, but we learn he’s uncomfortable in busy cafés. Or we pictured hiking partners, only to discover our dog prefers slow, sniffy strolls in the neighbourhood to climbing mountains.

This isn’t failure.

This is connection.

It’s the beginning of understanding and building a real relationship based on who 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 are, not just who we hoped they’d be.

It's acceptance. It’s unconditional love.

My life with Ruby is very different from what I imagined it to be, and from what I originally wanted for us. But it’s not any less full or amazing. I've learned who she truly is, and I've learned to respect that and adjust our life accordingly.

Fairness comes in when we ask:

Are we truly listening to our dog?

Are we adjusting to meet 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 needs too?

Are our goals rooted in reality — not just our imagination?

Are we expecting them to fit into a role and lifestyle that aren’t actually meant for them?

Sometimes we expect so much from our dogs.

Sometimes we expect more from them than we would ever ask of another human in our lives.

Partnership with a dog means compromise. It means letting go of the idea of a “perfect” dog and getting curious about the incredible, unique individual right in front of us.

And when we do that, when we meet our dogs where they are, we often find something even more beautiful than we originally pictured.

Photo credit: Matt Elliott Pet Photography

18/04/2025

Feet up!

We went on an early walk to "beat the crowds" this morning...

Considering how much it's raining now, I'm not sure whether there are any crowds at all out there. 😅

At least we got to beat the rain, and Ruby has been chilled since then, so I can focus on studying.

What are you and your dogs up to?

17/04/2025

I had the pleasure of working with this lovely boy yesterday.

We introduced him to some scent detection training to keep him mentally stimulated and give him a fun job to focus on — and he did amazingly well.

We tested both toys and food to see what really motivated him, and there was no doubt: it was the toy. The difference in his body language and eagerness between searching for food and searching for his tuggy toy was clear.

Motivation is such an important part of training, and it's always so fascinating to see just how much it can influence a dog’s engagement.

14/04/2025

We had a great time at our Scentwork Workshop last Saturday!

Although we cover similar exercises for each dog, it's always fascinating to see how they approach the training in slightly different ways.

I love adapting each exercise to suit the individual dog (and their handler!) to help them succeed and progress.

When discussing success, it might be tempting to think this merely focuses on the dog doing the task correctly. While this is what gets them the reward, I believe it's my job to set things up to enable them to get that reward and have a good time during the session.

This helps prevent frustration and confusion and prioritises the dog's emotional experience. The dog and their family having a great time is what feels like success to me.

Address

Bristol

Website

https://www.mykindadog.com/

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