CotswoldK9

24/02/2025

Back by popular demand… our infamous DogTraining Workshop,

If you are struggling with your dog’s behaviour, loose leash walking, recall from other dogs/animals, reactivity issues etc if you want a less stressful life with your dog, if you want to be able to have it all with no limits - then you’re in the right place.

On the day we shall be covering a combination of theory and practical sessions to help you and your dog become more confident, understand behaviours, learn body language, become better communicators, proof your loose leash walking, learn how to have the perfect recall, learn to speak “dog”, ensure all needs are met and start your journey to a more harmonious and healthy life together!

Spaces are limited
£30 per dog
West Oxford Dog Fields
11am-2pm
Prepayment only - please do not just turn up unless booked on, you shall be turned away.
DM us to reserve your spot before they’re all gone

05/02/2025

Why avoiding just makes things worse

Avoiding stressful situations might feel like you’re more in control or protecting your dog but in reality you’re only exasperating the issue..
However you can’t just throw the dog in the deep end either

Steps for success
- lay the foundations (over and over until their solid)
- motivation
- teach them what’s expected
- boundaries and structure - understanding the process means the fear of the unknown is greatly reduced
- controlled exposure using the above steps to help them through

Did you know you can build an incredible bond with your dog through teaching them how to handle the environment around them. Hiding away behind cars and trees just makes the trigger even more scary - for both of you! Building their window of tolerance means they can grow and enjoy the world around them, enriching their lives! That can’t be done in a secure dog field.



Photo credits 📸

20/01/2025

Stop looking for shortcuts

It takes time to create something beautiful
- consistency
- commitment
- boundaries
- clarity
- motivation
- connection
- being accountable

There's no magic ✨
Just art

20/01/2025

There’s no such thing as a bad dog” - why this option is both false and true at the same time! 

But foremost let’s deal with the saying itself “There’s no such thing as a bad dog”. While I agree dogs don’t do things deliberately to upset you, annoy you, or p**s you off they do however live off instinctual behaviours. Now given that behaviour is compiled of around 70-80% of its genetic code, that only leaves around 20-30% influential environmental elements. Dogs can be born aggressive, anxious, and fearful which can be exasperated by their environment etc. No one can change genetic makeup, there’s no magic formula. 

Nonetheless, this is where education, knowledge and experience come into their own. A decent trainer can see the dog for what it is, not what you see or what you want to see. They’ll be able to work with that dog’s abilities and create something beautiful. They can’t perform miracles but they can get that dog to the best version of themselves.  That being said genetics are genetics! They can’t make a bull herder a low-energy lap dog.

What can be perceived as “bad” can also be considered as “normal” for the dog’s genetic disposition. That doesn’t mean you’re ready to handle it, it means in the right hands it can be effectively well managed. The same is true in reverse, some dogs actively enjoy hurting others, and no amount of love is going to change that. Temperament should be the forefront of every owners mind when looking for a dog as well as can I handle that dog when it’s an adult.

It’s time people put their emotions and egos aside. 
Just because you love them doesn’t mean it’s fair to have them! 
We need to get people out of this Disney daydream that it’s just a case of loving them. Dogs are and always be instinctual creatures who will do whatever they think is most advantageous at the moment. 

02/12/2024

Back by popular demand… our infamous DogTraining Workshop, Christmas themed!

Let’s have the best Christmas yet with our dogs! If you are struggling with your dog’s behaviour, loose leash walking, recall from other dogs/animals, reactivity issues etc if you want a less stressful life with your dog, if you want to be able to have it all with no limits - then you’re in the right place.

On the day we shall be covering a combination of theory and practical sessions to help you and your dog become more confident, understand behaviours, learn body language, become better communicators, proof your loose leash walking, learn how to have the perfect recall, learn to speak “dog”, ensure all needs are met and start your journey to a more harmonious and healthy life together!

Whatever your skill set is, wherever you are with your dogs training - if you’d like to not live a life of apprehension and anticipation when you see people/dogs/animals etc then come along to find out how you can live in harmony with one another.

Spaces are limited
£30 per dog
West Oxford Dog Fields
11am-2pm
Prepayment only - please do not just turn up unless booked on, you shall be turned away.
DM us to reserve your spot before they’re all gone

22/10/2024

Genetics

It’s widely known that genes influence each individual’s behavioral and psychological characteristics, including intellectual ability, personality, and risk for mental illness. Genetics do not specify behaviour directly, but rather encode molecular products that build and govern the functioning of the brain through which behaviour is expressed. The same is true of dogs!

A dog’s temperament, meaning its general disposition and behavioural patterns, is largely determined by genetics. Some dogs are naturally more outgoing and friendly, while others are more reserved or timid. This temperament can greatly impact how a dog interacts with external stimuli - other animals, people, environment etc

Remember the age old phrase nature vs nurture.. both play apart. One is the loaded gun, while the other is the trigger - whether or not it gets pulled. A lack of understanding combined with an unfortunate and excessive sense of optimism and sheer ignorance is why we see so many reactive dogs these days.

The truth is, your dog’s genetic background plays a tremendous and often under-valued role, not only in what skills your dog may have, but in who they are – whether friendly or reserved with strangers, tolerant of other dogs or not, a high-drive athlete or a couch potato, easily startled by loud noises or relatively “bombproof.” In multiple studies, canine behavioral genetics have consistently shown that traits such as fearfulness, impulsivity, problem-solving ability, working drive, and even tendencies toward aggression are strongly influenced by breeding. Correct socialising and early learning/training can certainly sway things in one direction or another, but these forces are operating on a pre-existing genetic level, they will out eventually.

Perhaps it’s time we as human paid far more attention to what lays in our dogs genetic background rather than pretty or unusual colours, how nice it would be to have a snuggle companion or living in a fantasy world where everything will just work out if we love them enough.

14/08/2024

Back by popular demand… our infamous DogTraining Workshop

We’re contacted everyday by owners who are struggling with their dog’s behaviour, eg loose leash walking, recall from other dogs/animals, reactivity issues etc There’s tonnes of “training videos” online but they’re still struggling - what’s missing is the individual approach to you and your dog.

On the day we shall be covering a combination of theory and practical sessions to help you and your dog become more confident, understand behaviours, learn body language, become better communicators, proof your loose leash walking, learn how to have the perfect recall, learn to speak “dog”, ensure all needs are met and start your journey to a more harmonious and healthy life together!

Whatever your skill set is, wherever you are with your dogs training - if you’d like to not live a life of apprehension and anticipation when you see people/dogs/animals etc then come along to find out how you can live in harmony with one another.

Spaces are limited
£30 per dog
Prepayment only - please do not just turn up unless booked on, you shall be turned away.
DM us to reserve your spot before they’re all gone

06/07/2024

Life

Today I managed a 45 min walk before I had to stop and listen to my body. Over this past week I’ve been pretty poorly going 3 days without food and barely any water. My body is exhausted and I had to admit defeat. This illness has wiped me out but it’s reminded me of several points everyone needs to take on board

1. Prepare - Teach your dog to handle less and to switch off even when you can’t do much
2. Safety - Ensure your dog can be handled by others - and literally turned up and took my dogs out because I simply wasn’t able to walk. One of my dogs was very human reactive when I took her on but by teaching people are actually great she’s been able to have her needs met without me.
3. Kindest - I would have been truly stuck without the help of others, from care packages, to help with the dogs, to helping me move etc. I’m incredibly grateful to those of you who’ve supported me this week
4. Listen - took one look at me at the gym and immediately stopped me, sat me down, got pain killers and fluids. As mad as I was about not being able to train, she was right I literally couldn’t do it
5. Time - I had to cancel/rearrange work in order to recover. I had to seek medical help, anyone who knows me knows I’d probably stitch my own leg back on then go to hospital. Sometimes we can’t fix everything.

I’m recovering and I’ll soon be back to my “normal”
I won’t be running a marathon next week but I will be bringing my self back up to my normal pace. If non of the above had happened then this week would have looked very different, I’d of probably been a lot worse off than I am now.

❤️

30/04/2024

🧡 🖤

My favourite Lab and Mali combo. ❣️ # # of instagram

20/02/2024

Perspective….. it’s a bad day, not a bad life!

Have you ever felt disappointed or given up on a goal because you thought you were “falling off track” or not progressing as you would have liked to? We often get discouraged when we do not see a linear progress in our dogs training but realistically we will often face setbacks, change and growth will not happen overnight.

Today I felt weak, deflated that I had hit another PB but that doesn’t mean that I’m not progressing. It’s the same with dogs, don’t get hung up on the one thing that went wrong, don’t avoid that situation because it made you feel uncomfortable or uncertain, if anything it shows where you need to focus. Set backs aren’t failure, you’ll survive and you’re just reacting to the moment (much like your dog!)

Take a minute, deep breath, reset your mind, adjust the goal (for now) and go again. it is fundamental to remember that progress is rarely linear.

14/01/2024

Recent events in our community have prompted me to talk about the importance of just being there when something tragic happens.

When a dog passes away the loss can feel unbearable. In fact, that loss can feel as bad the loss of a human friend or relative. That’s not just anecdotal, either: Research has shown that the loss of a dog is comparable to the loss of a human loved one, in almost every way. Dogs are so much more than pets. The loss of a dog can be so painful because people are losing a little life that we were responsible for as well as a source of unconditional love and companionship.

Furthermore it’s well known that dogs can help people get out of their homes, serve as catalysts for trust and social interaction. Science has credited pets with serving as a “social lubricant, which promotes interaction and conversation between strangers in person and online. Let’s not forget that losing a dog usually means losing someone who totally gets you, who are just happy to be with you in the moment with no hidden agenda.

While losing a dog is painful and overwhelming, unfortunately it can also be a very lonely and isolating process. Many people don’t understand the loss of a dog as painful as losing a human loved one. Because of that, the support associated with death is absent when a pet dies. Typically, friends aren’t sending flowers, dropping of food, checking in on you, or sending bereavement cards. To make matters worse, grieving owners may feel embarrassed over the extent of their own heartbreak and feel ashamed to reach out to friends for comfort.

If you have lost a pet, take the time to grieve, please reach out and talk rather than isolating yourself. If a friend has lost a pet, take the loss seriously. Consider sending a message, a sympathy card or bringing them some food as you would for someone who has lost a human loved one—even if you don’t fully understand their grief, this is about your friend’s loss, not your feelings about pets.

Even if you’re not apart of our community, we will always listen and be there in your time of need. Because to CotswoldK9, a dog isn’t just a dog.

12/01/2024

Don’t be late for a very important date!!!

Due to popular demand and the success of the previous workshops, we’re back to help further your knowledge and relationship between you and your dog.

This time we’re doing things a little differently………….

We shall be running two sessions so we can accommodate more individuals/dogs due to the popularity of our workshops. So whatever level you’re at with your dogs recall we can help!
Beginners 1100hrs - 1300hrs
Advanced 1200hrs - 1400hrs

Cost: £30 per dog
Location: West Oxford Dog Fields, OX5 1QD
Spaces are limited and only confirmed once payment has been received.

DM to book!