Snuffle Dog Training and Walking

29/10/2024

👍

13/10/2024

Children age 7-11

12/10/2024

It’s time to address a serious issue: unethical training practices in the dog training world. Despite progress in the UK toward positive reinforcement, some so-called experts still use harmful techniques that cause unnecessary stress to pets and their owners.

Not all dog trainers are created equal. With so many professional bodies and acronyms out there, it can be hard to find a truly qualified trainer. Many people rely on word-of-mouth or online searches without digging into credentials.

Great trainers uphold strong ethics, continually invest in their education, and always put the well-being of your pet first. Let’s raise awareness and promote ethical, positive training practices to keep our dogs safe and happy.

11/10/2024

When all you want is a tummy rub after a training session 😄

09/10/2024

😄

22/09/2024

Let’s be kind when teaching our dogs 😊👍

10/09/2024

One of the great things about working with dogs is that even during the really tough times they make you smile, thank you Luna xx

10/09/2024

Yesterday I lost the love of my life 💔 rest up my gorgeous boy Jazz, always in my heart xx

05/09/2024

31/08/2024

Enrichment activities this morning! 😍🐾🐾

16/08/2024

Shout out to Sarah Chelsea Baker for a great photo shoot with me and my boy, every day a blessing 😍

09/08/2024

Yes,yes,yes! 😊

What are behavioural barriers? They're the things in our environment which make a behaviour more difficult or effortful to do.

I'm trying to clean up my diet at the moment. I bought a watermelon last week and it sat in the fruit bowl, uneaten, until it looked a little sad. Every day I thought "I should have some melon" but then ended up not having the time (or inclination) to lug it over to the counter, slice it, peel it, chop it and tidy up afterwards. So, this week, instead of putting it in the fruit bowl, I sliced, peeled & chopped the whole thing and stored it in the fridge.

The behavioural barriers - the things which make a behaviour more effortful to do like slicing, peeling, chopping, tidying - were removed and so....I'm eating more fruit.

If we remove barriers from desirable behaviours and add them to problem behaviours we can have a huge impact on behaviour before we ever start on formal training.

For us -

• prepping treats in bulk & in advance and storing them in the fridge or freezer means they're easy to grab & go when you need them
• keeping a spare lead hanging by the front door makes it easy to pop your excitable dog on lead if you need to when visors come in
• setting an alarm on your phone to remind you to take your puppy outside to the toilet makes it much easier to stick to your housetraining plan

For our dogs -

• a chew or food toy freely available on the floor takes far less effort than leaping at countertops in search of food
• make access to bins or laundry basket harder for scavengers & sock stealers while giving them free, easy access to 'legal' alternatives
• removing access to vantage points for window barkers and giving them multiple, comfortable spots to rest on the floor

Effective training is about so much more than direct manipulation of a dog's behaviour. It's also about using the environment in which they live to elicit the behaviours we want. Make it easy & rewarding for your dog (or you!) to make good choices and they will.

06/08/2024

Damp, drizzly walks today! But cool! 😊

02/08/2024

A long read but worth it if you are considering daycare for your pup 👍

Dog daycare has grown hugely in popularity in recent years. And, like any new industry which has grown rapidly, the quality of the provision varies greatly. So how do you decide –

• whether daycare is right for your dog?
• which daycare to choose?

𝗜𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝗼𝗴?
Daycare isn’t right for every dog. Here are some points to consider when deciding if it might be right for yours –

• Is your dog anxious or lacking in confidence? While an under confident dog might grow in confidence in a smaller daycare they are likely (in my experience) to struggle in a large scale daycare. It can be tempting to think that by being around other dogs they will ‘get used to it’ but, very often, it’s totally overwhelming for them and can make existing problems worse.
• Is your dog super interested in other dogs? If so, is giving him pretty much unrestricted access to lots of other dogs likely to be helpful? Or do you run the risk of turning him into a hypersocial dog with no boundaries?
• Can your dog settle and relax around other dogs? If not they are going to be exhausted (and not in a good way…) after a day at day care.
• Can your dog tolerate rude, socially clumsy dogs? Do they have the social skills to defuse and de-escalate tension or might they react if they feel painted into a corner?
• Are you prepared to neuter your dog early? Many local authorities make neutering by a given age (often as young as 6 months) a condition of daycare licensing however early neutering can often be at odds with the health and well being of the dog, particularly for large breeds.
• Why do you need/want daycare for your dog? Is additional care a necessity, for example, if you are out of the home for long periods or your dog has separation related problems which mean they need access to a human at all times? Or are you simply looking for a socialisation opportunity for your dog in which case what other options are available and which would suit your dog best? Would they get more out of spending time outdoors in a smaller group with a dog walker? Would a trip to the park meet their socialisation needs (always bearing in mind that socialisation is not just about meeting other dogs)?
• How will you mitigate or avoid the potential behavioural problems which can arise from daycare? The lessons your dog might learn in day care are unlikely to be helpful in their life outside of daycare. Think about what daycare might teach them…they get unrestricted access to play with lots of dogs lots of the time, they may get little practice settling and switching off, they are kept physiologically aroused a lot of the time, they often practice using their voice a lot. Are these things that might become problematic in contexts other than daycare? How will the young, adolescent dog who plays all day with every dog in daycare react when he’s out in the world and can’t interact with every dog there? Frustration? Barking? Pulling?

If you’ve answered these questions and are happy that your dog would benefit from (NB not just cope with...) a day care environment how do choose the right daycare?

𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗗𝗮𝘆𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲?
There are many different styles of daycare from small, in home facilities to large, industrial scale daycares. So what should you consider when choosing a daycare?

• Size. How many dogs are cared for at any one time? There’s a world of difference between being in a group of 6 dogs and one of 60. What will your dog be comfortable with (and what are you comfortable with)?
• What size are the daycare's groups? Will your dog be in a small group (