My Kinda Dog

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My Kinda Dog

🐶 Bristol’s Go-To Expert for Puppy, Adolescent and Scentwork Training 🐶
🏆 Bristol Dog Trainer of the Year 2023/24 🏆 Hi!
(6)

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. 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 behaviour

s 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.

09/11/2024

🐾 Discover Scentwork: Fun, Focus, and a Calmer Dog! 🐾

Does your dog seem restless or easily distracted on walks? Scentwork offers a fun, effective way to channel their energy and bring out their natural skills, helping both you and your dog feel more connected and calm.

Here’s What to Expect:

🌿 Mental Calm and Focus. Scentwork engages your dog’s curiosity, providing a healthy outlet that helps them feel relaxed and grounded.

🐶 Confidence-Building Fun. Watching your dog enjoy this work is heartwarming — and it helps them become calmer and happier.

🤝 Strengthen Your Bond. Scentwork is a unique way to work together, creating trust and shared joy.

📅 Date: 30 November 2024
📍 Location: Henfield Hall, Coalpit Heath, Bristol
💰 Cost: £57

Limited spots available — reserve now and unlock a new side of your dog’s potential!

🔗 https://tidycal.com/mykindadog/30nov10am

03/11/2024

We had a lovely time at the Dog Show at Barton Hill RFC!

It was great to see so many dogs (and people!) coming along and supporting such a great cause (Bristol Community Service - Rethink Mental Illness).

Lovely to catch up with some previous and current clients showing their dogs on their best behaviour and making me proud too. 🙌

The event was kindly sponsored by Jason at Redfield Pet Supplies, which as many of you know is our go to shop for sausages and rabbit ears (Ruby's favs!).

I also had a bang on sandwich from Chiki Monkey UK - looking at cute dogs requires some good fuel. 😜

Such a great day, thank you all for coming - I'm already looking forward to the next one!

31/10/2024

🧨 Surviving Fireworks Season 🧨

Bonfire night and New Year’s Eve can be tough on our pets.

Now isn’t the time to train — it’s too late for that, and we don’t want to risk overwhelming them. But there are supportive steps we can take! So, while we hope for change and for fireworks to be banned (sorry not sorry!), here’s how you can help your dog stay calm and comfortable in the meantime.

🐾 Create a Cosy Spot

Does your dog feel safe snuggled up? Set up a cosy nook with blankets where they can hide if they want. If they prefer to stay by your side, keep their favourite spot available.

🌌 Home Adjustments

- Close curtains to block flashing lights.
- Play background music (test it first to make sure it’s soothing).
- Try pet-safe plug-ins like Adaptil or Pet-Remedy, but test them in advance to gauge your dog’s response.

💥 Stay Indoors During Fireworks

Never bring your dog to a fireworks display or leave them outside — even young dogs can feel overwhelmed, which can lead to lasting anxiety. Flooding them with exposure isn’t recommended.

🕐 Adjust Your Routine

Walk your dog earlier in the day and supervise outdoor breaks. Avoid evening outings when fireworks are likely. If they need the toilet, make sure they’re wearing a collar or harness with an ID tag, and keep them on lead, even in the garden.

💪 Trusted Support

If you can’t be home, arrange for someone your dog trusts to stay with them. If you need help, consider a pet professional or a trusted friend who can be there during the displays.

🍬 Provide Enrichment Distractions

Offer enrichment toys like frozen Kongs, Lickimats, or long-lasting chews. Hide treats around the house or create a puzzle box to keep them busy.

💤 Allow Time to Decompress

After the fireworks, give your dog the next day to rest and recover. It’s normal if they’re more tired than usual.

💊 Vet Support for Anxieties

If your dog has known anxieties, consult your vet about calming supplements or medication.

I can't avoid saying that while building resilience through gradual exposure and positive experiences is valuable, I still think that loud fireworks don't make any sense considering how badly they affect pets, wildlife and people and that limiting their use to public displays for specific and predictable times would be much better (and even in these circumstances, the silent ones could be used instead!)🤷‍♀️

Good luck everyone!

30/10/2024

I'll be here on Sunday 3rd November to support Rethink Mental Illness and Barton Fields Rugby Club Charity Café alongside some other great local businesses.

Come along to say hi!

29/10/2024

Willow has had one-to-one scentwork sessions with me for around a year - where has the time gone!!!

We have recently started to work on systematic searching to slow her down and introduce some methodology to the way she searches.

Willow is the sort of dog who could run around for hours sniffing - this is not necessarily always a good thing as it's something that can lead to over-arousal, exhaustion, and frustration.

Over the last few months, we have introduced strategies to help her understand when it's time to search and when it's time to relax. These can include having a clear 'starting ritual' and ending the activity with something that signals she doesn't need to 'work' anymore and that can help her switch off (such as a Lickimat, as scatter feeding would lead to more arousal with her).

This is the perfect example of the importance of adapting our strategies to the dog we are working with. Scatter feeding can be very helpful for some dogs and less for others. It's important to recognise this (and the signs of a dog who is over-aroused/stressed rather than just excited, something that is often missed) and put some measures in place to ultimately help the dog regulate and feel happier in themselves.

28/10/2024

🐾 Preparing for Vet Visits 🐾

Last week, Ruby had a vet visit for her vaccinations and a general check-up. While veterinary clinics aren’t her favourite place, she did amazingly well, and I couldn't be prouder!

Vet visits can be stressful for many dogs, and recognising their signs of nervousness is the first step in helping them feel more comfortable. Common stress signals include:

• Panting
• Lip licking
• Yawning
• Shaking
• Vocalising
• Pacing
• Drooling
• Ears back
• Lowered tail and whale eye (showing the whites of their eyes).

Sometimes, dogs might seem overly active or "excited" when they’re actually anxious, showing behaviours like jumping up, barking, mouthing, and even tail wagging. Recognising these cues helps us support them better in stressful environments and make appropriate decisions to keep them as comfortable and safe as possible.

Vet visit preparation is something I cover in a lot of my training programmes. Even if your dog is not a fan of the vets, while you work on improving the way they feel about it in the long run, there are a few things you can do to help them feel more relaxed in the short term.

🩺 Schedule with your usual vet or nurse

It can make a big difference if your dog is seen by someone they’re familiar with. Many vet practices will accommodate this request if you ask, and it allows the staff to work with your dog’s unique needs since they already know them and their history.

📝 Communicate your dog’s needs in advance

If your dog needs special handling or a bit of space, let the veterinary team know ahead of time. It’s perfectly okay to share how you’d like them to interact with your dog. This can make a big difference, especially if your dog is easily overwhelmed or nervous around new people. If they are a bit weary about being placed on the examination table, ask your vet or nurse if they can examine your dog while they are on the floor instead.

🏠 Practise cooperative handling at home and the practice

Work with your dog on basic handling exercises at home to get them used to being gently touched or examined. Many vet offices allow you to visit just for “practise” sessions so your dog can get familiar with the environment without any treatments or procedures.

💊 Consider event medication

If your dog becomes very distressed at the vet, ask about event medication. Your vet can suggest options to help keep your dog calm, which can make the visit less intimidating for them and more manageable for you.

🎉 Make the vet a fun place

Sometimes it helps to pop by the vet's practice just for a few treats or a quick hello, without any exams or procedures. It can help change your dog’s perception of the space as something positive! Many practices will allow you to do that outside of surgery and consulting hours, so this is definitely something worth checking and doing if you can.

⏳ Book extra time if you need it

If your dog tends to get nervous or needs extra time to settle, consider booking a double appointment. This can give you and your dog some breathing room to avoid feeling rushed.

🌈 Accept imperfections and plan for the future

Even with the best planning, things can go wrong that are out of our control. For example, during Ruby’s visit, someone in the waiting room began speaking very loudly, and another person accidentally dropped a spray bottle nearby. Ruby handled it well, but it reminded me to think about what else could go "wrong" and be better prepared for that in the future.

🐕 PUPPIES 🐕

If you are yet to take your pup to the vet, this puts you in the great position of being able to start things off in the best possible way.

Many puppies can feel nervous or uncomfortable with new environments, sounds, and sensations. By giving treats at the right times, you can create a positive association with the vet and help minimise their stress.

➡️ How to use treats to “overshadow” vaccinations

Treat early and often 🍖 — Start by giving treats as soon as you arrive at the practice and in the reception room to make the experience positive from the start. Small, high-value treats (like chicken or soft training treats) are perfect for this.

During the exam 🩺 — Offer treats during each part of the exam, including when the vet touches or examines them. Keeping your pup focused on the treat can help distract them from any pokes or prods.

For the vaccination 💉 — Just before and during the injection, provide a continuous stream of treats. This distraction can help “overshadow” the slight pinch, making it easier for them to stay calm. Using "meatier" treats that your pup can get their teeth stuck into and spend some time chewing can also be a great option, depending on what they like.

Celebrate after! 🎉 — Give a special treat or a few minutes of playtime right after the appointment to end things on a positive note!

Pro Tips

🔵 Bring their favourite treats that are extra motivating and have them ready before each part of the process.

🔵 Practise at home with cooperative handling exercises so they’re more comfortable being touched in different areas. Having a good understanding of dog body language is key for this. If you are not sure about how to do it, this is something a puppy trainer can help you with.

🔵 If they’re very nervous, consider taking some "practice trips" to the vet without any actual treatment, just for some treats and cuddles. Ask your practice if they have some Happy Vet Visits clubs or programmes you can join.

⚠️ Some procedures might require your dog to be on an empty stomach, so if that's the case, using treats might not be appropriate - do check this with your vet!

Vet visits might never be your dog’s favourite activity, but with some planning and patience, they can become a lot less stressful.

26/10/2024

2 SPACES LEFT!

📅 Saturday 30th November 2024
📍 Henfield Hall, Coalpit Heath
🔗 Info and bookings: https://tidycal.com/mykindadog/30nov10am

Email me at [email protected] if you have any questions or wish to discuss your goals and needs.

25/10/2024

This review made me giggle (I never thought of myself as someone who tames puppies 🤣), but it also made me incredibly happy.

Rudi has come a long way, and I know Thea and Dan are thrilled with the progress she's made during our Puppy Training Programme.

Rudi didn’t have the easiest start in life. She was rehomed by Thea and Dan shortly after leaving her first family. They contacted me when they welcomed her home, booking some training sessions to help her settle and learn basic behaviours. Her dog walker and sitter also joined the sessions, which was fantastic teamwork.

We focused on lead walking, recall, settling, jumping up, and — perhaps most importantly — understanding Rudi as both a dog (considering her breed and needs) and as an individual with her own preferences and personality.

Dogs are complex living beings, and their behaviour is influenced by many factors. Practical training is important (and fun!), but so is understanding dog behaviour, body language, and each dog's unique needs.

A good trainer needs to be able to read the dog they work with to keep both the dog and the owner safe. They also need to meet the dog's needs first and foremost, to make the learning experience effective and enjoyable.

While it might look like we "tame" puppies (meant jokingly — I don’t actually tame dogs 😅), what we really do is apply years of knowledge and expertise to help dogs feel safe and comfortable while learning. We also share this understanding with the human end of the lead to help both dog and owner thrive.

Personally, I base my work on understanding dogs, meeting their needs — including investigating, treating, and managing pain and discomfort with the vet's help — and using positive reinforcement methods. I avoid applying aversives because I don’t believe it’s fair to the dog or beneficial to their learning.

Does this mean the dogs I work with never experience discomfort? Not exactly. Like all living beings, dogs will face pain, frustration, anxiety, and stress at times. However, I believe there's a big difference between experiencing these feelings naturally, as part of the living experience, and having to endure them as a result of someone's deliberate choices.

24/10/2024

Scentwork session with Spud and Riley working on blind searches, blank searches, and corners, which can often get missed when searching.

We also discussed the importance of our own behaviour and the influence it can have on our dogs searching and indicating, and also how pain and behaviour can impact a dog's desire and ability to work.

There is a lot of consideration given to hide placement and searches set up in our classes to prioritise the dogs' welfare and well-being. We also have appropriate breaks, and there is no shame in 'calling it a day' when it's time to do so (ideally before a dog gets too tired or frustrated).

I personally don't believe it would be ethical to prioritise the need for them to search over their well-being: we search because they love it. What would be the point in pushing them to the point of making this become an aversive experience?

The dogs always come first, and the task comes after.

23/10/2024

Another great 2-on-1 Scentwork session with Poppy and Antar.

With Poppy we focused on systematic searching and with Antar we worked on different way to deliver a food reward when indicating.

We have also done motivational searches with both as it's always a great warm-up and it's fun!

If you want to work with me over the next few months and weeks, this will probably be the last event until the New Year: https://tidycal.com/mykindadog/30nov10am

22/10/2024

🐶 NEW BOOKING SYSTEM! 🐶

I finally managed to update my booking system and add it to my website.

You can now book a free 15-minute call to discuss your training goals and needs here: https://mykindadog.com/contact-me/

This is the best way to have a chat with me and learn more about how I work and what I can offer.

This said I'm also more than happy to 'talk' via email or WhatsApp!

Furthermore, you can look at my Google profile to see what previous clients have said about working with me, so you can hear it directly from their perspective as well.

21/10/2024

🥳🥳🥳

Super excited to say I won the Dog Trainer of the Year Prestige Award for Bristol (2023/24).

I'm grateful for all the wonderful people and dogs I met and worked with since I started my business.

Knowing that I can help people and dogs live happier lives together and being able to say I actually love my job is the biggest reward.

Thank you for all your support! ❤️

14/10/2024

This is just one of the reasons why I love scent detection.

A satisfied and happy dog!

This lovely Spaniel did so well during her online scent detection session last week. We covered motivation to search using both toys and food to observe what she was keener to work for, as this will inform how we move forward with her indication training.

It was a lovely session, and I hope to meet her in person one day soon.

11/10/2024

That leg coming out 😅

09/10/2024

A reminder that I'll be away from today until Thursday 17th October with very limited access to emails and phone.

I will reply to any messages and emails as soon as I can!

08/10/2024

Rainy days games - muffin tin!

Thank you to Lola's family for sharing this video with me (which I sped up to allow you to see how something like this can look from start to finish).

03/10/2024

When your dog decides to have an all-in roll in fox poo during a photoshoot. 🤦‍♀️ 😅

Fox poo aside, Ruby did very well and made me proud!

She was even able to search AND indicate on a piece of Kong with the photographer shooting photos a few inches away from her nose - if this is not a distraction to practise with!

She was so motivated and keen to work 👏 All our hard training, patience and consistency are paying off.

And can you believe how lucky we have been with the weather? ☀️☀️☀️ Not a cloud in the sky, after days of rain!

Thank you Matt from Matt Elliot Pet Photography for such a stress-free and fun experience - and for being a great distraction to train with.

I can't wait to see the photos!

30/09/2024

Fantastic Scentwork workshop last Saturday!

Spud, Treacle and Bailey did absolutely great and we had a lot of fun together.

🐕 Spud the German Shepherd has been coming to my workshops and classes for a few years now, so with him we worked on the height of hides, systematic searching, and communicating with his guardian when he feels there's nothing else to find in the environment. It's a pleasure to see how far they have come and it's an honour to have them coming back.

🐕 Treacle the Labrador cross Cocker Spaniel has been working on her motivational skills over the last few months, so we looked at practising those in an indoor environment as she's used to searching fields and parks. We also introduced a freeze indication as it would be ideal for her to keep developing her detection skills, being a dog who loves 'having a job'. It was great to see them working so well as a team in a new environment.

🐕 Bailey the Cocker cross Springer Spaniel didn't even want to come into the hall to start with, and look at him working through a line up of boxes and searching around the room in the photos. We didn't force him and to be fair we didn't even encourage him or coax him with treats. We just gave him time to process and feel safe enough to make the decision to explore and investigate of his own accord. With him, it was all about feeling comfortable and building his confidence. He did so very well!

NEXT EVENTS:

🗓️ Monday 18th November: https://tidycal.com/mykindadog/18nov7pm

🗓️ Saturday 30th November: https://tidycal.com/mykindadog/30nov10am

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https://www.mykindadog.com/

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Videos

Basically, you are doing it wrong. (Watch the video before commenting 🤗). #youaredoingitwrong #judgement #forcefree #forcefreetrainers #balanced #bekind #benice #besupportive #dogtraining #reactivedogs #freejudgementzone

❓WILL YOUR DOG GROW OUT OF UNWANTED BEHAVIOURS❓ If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll probably know that the answer is no, they won’t. While some behaviours will change and maybe subside as your dog grows older and enters different development stages, for this to happen smoothly you need to manage their behaviour correctly and to make sure they are learning the things you actually want them to learn. Even puppy mouthing, which is a very normal puppy behaviour which would normally reduce as they grow older, when managed incorrectly (for example by telling the puppy off or using aversives) can become a major problem as they become adolescent dogs - meaning, it might get worse. Investing in an experience and qualified professional can make a positive difference to you and your dog and help you prevent behaviour problems down the line. You are going to live with them for hopefully 10/15 years. Wouldn’t it be nicer for this time to be as stress-free as possible? 🐕 WANT SOME HELP? 📬 MESSAGE ME! #dogtrainerproblems #dogtrainersofinstagram #bristoldog #bristoldogs #onlinedogtraining #behaviourmanagement #behaviourchange #willtheygrowoutofit #behaviouralproblems #problemprevention #puppytraining #reactivitytraining

❌ Do NOT take your puppy or dog to a fireworks display tonight! ❌ This could lead to your dog being overwhelmed and ‘flooded’. Flooding is a behaviour technique that involves exposing an individual to a fear-inducing stimulus at a high-intensity and for an extended period of time with the goal of getting them used to said stimulus. Flooding comes with a lot of risks, including further sensitisation to the stimulus - meaning your dog might become even more scare! There is a lot of misinformation and confusion around this as sadly flooding looks ‘cool’ and to an untrained eye looks like it’s working. But an individual who stops responding to something scary as a consequence of flooding might stop said response as their nervous system can’t keep up - not because they change the way they feel about it. ✔️ Please like and share to spread the word and help keep puppies and dogs safe!

Fireworks being let off can impact a dog’s behaviour for the days after they are being let off as well - and even for those dogs who seem to cope ‘fine’ with them.

We had a lovely walk today - kindness and awareness of others can make things much easier for everyone 🦄

Rainy days games - muffin tin! Thank you to Lola's family for sharing this video with me (which I sped up to allow you to see how something like this can look from start to finish).

🐶 Re-sharing video! 🐶 Whose dog is not a fan of the rain? 🙋‍♀️ Ruby is not impressed by the weather - and frankly, I'm with her on this! This means we had to manage walking times and physical exercise, as going out under the pouring rain and walking in knee-deep puddles is definitely not something she enjoys doing (and I don't want to force her out for her to have a horrible time!). But while missing a walk is not the end of the world, it's still important to try as much as possible to meet our dogs' needs to help them feel settled and relaxed around the home. That's where mental enrichment comes in! With Ruby, we have done some nail-clipping training today and will do some structured scent detection games later. The great thing about scentwork is that even if you haven't done any 'formal' scent training with your dog, you can still have a lot of fun getting your dog using their nose to find things they love (such as food or their favourite toy). The following game is one of my favourites, as you don't need anything fancy or specific. 🐾 CARDBOARD BOX. All you need is a cardboard box and some of your dog's food or treats. Cardboard packaging and delivery boxes come in super handy for this game! Grab the box, sprinkle some treats in it, and give it to your dog for them to snuffle all the food (please supervise your dog when offering them enrichment activities). Nice and easy! PS. If you want to learn more about ways to stimulate your dog with scentwork games, I still have one place available for my 2-hour workshop on Saturday.