Paws & Minds

27/11/2024

Finn was really struggling whenever he saw dogs, people, and even birds at significant distance.

He'd fixate, and his intense barking and lunging were really taking their toll on his guardian.

She's long been a guardian to this breed, but hadn't found any of her previous dogs as challenging as Finn with his big emotions about the wider world.

We worked together through a bespoke 5 session package, at a pace both Finn and his guardian were comfortable with.

His guardian has been really methodical and is doing a great job supporting Finn. Aware it's more of a marathon than a sprint, and that she's learning too.

Importantly, Finn's guardian's confidence has been boosted as part of the training process too.

She now knows how to support Finn and work with him, gradually changing his response. Outings are a much more enjoyable experience for them both.

Here's their latest update:

"Thought I'd give you an update on Finn's progress. He continues to slowly improve, like today he saw a dog across the road from the grass area at the top of the cul de sac. He looked for a while (great!) before starting to tense up, so l distracted him...and he turned looked at me and was easy to distract.

He's much better with people now. Some days are better than others depending on the amount of stimuli. It's slow but he's going the right way and I feel confident dealing with him outside which he probably realises too and l feel better as well...."

Great work Team Finn! 🤩

The journey continues...

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

Dog training and behaviour support throughout Dumfriesshire, North Cumbria, West Northumberland and the western Scottish Borders, including Carlisle, Dumfries, Brampton, Langholm, Annan, Moffat, Lockerbie, Newcastleton, and Hexham.

26/11/2024

Looking to purchase a muzzle from The Muzzle Movement? Check out the sale!

The Muzzle Movement has pre-made, ready to ship muzzles across their range discounted by 30% now.

There is also a 40% discount on ready made biothane collars and leads, and other items.

If you add ‘PAWS&MINDS’ at checkout you’ll save a wee bit more too.

When you choose a muzzle it’s really important it’s a good fit for your dog. Not too tight, not too lose.

Whilst muzzled dogs should be able to;

- Pant fully. Many muzzle designs are too tight around the mouth and don’t allow the dog to pant properly.

- Drink water. Particularly relevant for warmer weather, but also when out for longer periods of time too.

If you’re working with your dog they may need to be able to take food or pick up a toy with the muzzle on too.

If your dog wears a muzzle to prevent scavenging, you will likely need a scavenger guard to cover the front of the muzzle.

The Muzzle Movement muzzles are designed with your dog’s welfare needs in mind.

Woody has a new muzzle in the post…

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

25/11/2024

It was quite the weekend weather wise!

Hope you’ve all stayed safe and warm.

Our Saturday looked like this….

How about yours?

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

20/11/2024

Congratulations to our Novice & Intermediate Scentwork Class graduates!🎉

All of the teams have impressed with the practise they’ve put in over the 5 weeks.

Final class put those skills to the test.

Novice teams worked on their start routine with familiar and unfamiliar items to search through. Novelty and increased numbers!

Intermediate teams focused on their handler skills, searching methodology and tried out the ‘airport lounge’ set-up!

You can see more of what they all got up to in Krysia The Creative Canine’s post yesterday.

🎓 Huge well done;
Novice : Hamish & Mandy, Bounder & Anita. Intermediate: Woody & Caroline, Millie & Christine.

It’s been great fun, and we’re looking forward to seeing you all again in January.

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

19/11/2024

Our Reactivity Reframed Workshop ran on Saturday at Canonbie.

It’s for humans only. Dogs stay home so everyone can relax and learn.

All of the participants were able to share their experiences knowing they would be heard and their situation understood.

Dogs who react to other dogs, people, traffic and noise.

The workshop included information about what’s happening from the dog’s perspective.

Body language and the importance of knowing your own dog’s clues.

Practical exercises to take home to work on with your own dog.

Advice that can be put into practise straight away.

Support not only for dogs, but importantly guardians too.

There’s plenty of opportunity to ask questions as we go along, and before we wrap up the workshop.

With lots of lovely feedback afterwards it was a great way to start the weekend!

Reactivity Workshops will be running again from early next year.

If you missed out this time keep an eye on the page, and you can get in touch through the Paws & Minds website to be kept informed of upcoming workshops. Information is in the ‘Workshops’ page.

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

18/11/2024

Normal or Not Normal?

This is a topic that has come up in a number of different contexts over the last few months.

When we say ‘normal’ do we mean something that is typical, or something that is as it should be?

There is a difference.

There are various maladapted behaviours and health conditions that have become accepted as ‘normal’.

Many are associated with specific breeds, but are not exclusive to that breed;

Spinning,
Shadow/light chasing,
Compulsive staring,
Excessive licking or grooming,
Pacing,
Circling,
Hind leg skipping,
Excessive barking,
Pulling on lead,
Lunging,
Possessive/ guarding,
Unable to settle…

The reality is that these behaviours aren’t ‘normal’, and warrant investigation, whether they are seen in breeds often associated with them or not.

They can be signs of a health related concern, be genetically derived, or indicators that a dog’s needs aren’t being fully understood.

Dogs are also masters of disguise. You’ll more than likely see the affects of a wellness concern behaviourally before other symptoms.

If your dog shows behaviours like those I’ve mentioned above, be curious.

Is there some extra support your dog needs?

Often I speak with guardians of who’ve been aware of an abnormal behaviour for some time.

They’ve thought the behaviour wouldn’t get any worse, or their dog would grow out of it.

Unfortunately, that’s unlikely to be the case.

Before you realise, the behaviour reaches the point where it can have a significant impact on day to day life.

Whether your dog is 5 months, 5 years or 15 years old, if this sounds familiar get in touch to find out how I can help.

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

15/11/2024

Exciting news to round off the week…

The groundwork, including creation of a car parking area, was completed this week!

This is a huge milestone towards the dream of a training space becoming reality, and one we’re very excited about at Paws & Minds HQ 🤩.

Callie has been keeping a close eye on developments, visiting site regularly to check on progress.

Thanks to Duncan Matthews Forestry Contracting for listening, advising and getting the project a huge step nearer to completion.

I’m hoping to have more exciting news to share in the coming weeks!

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

15/11/2024

Living with a dog who can react badly to other dogs, people or things in their environment can be challenging.

Those of you who have followed me for a while know that I have my own first hand experience living with a dog with big emotions.

As a Qualified Trainer I am passionate about providing informative education that helps dog guardians to understand the dogs they live with, and to safely manage and work through challenges together.

If you have been thinking about reaching out, why not come and join me this coming Saturday the 16th at 10am.

In collaboration with local trainers, we are running our popular Reactivity Reframed Workshop.

In this 2 hrs Workshop you will learn new skills, an understanding of why your dog reacts, and how you can practically and safely manage things moving forward.

You will also have the opportunity to meet me in person, ask questions and get to know more about me prior to working with me on a 1:1 capacity.

There are a few last remaining spaces, tickets are £40pp and can be booked by messaging me directly.

This is a non-dog event, focused around supporting you as the guardian.

Would be great to meet you in person!

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

14/11/2024

Scentwork Classes - week 4 update…

This week saw lots of great progress from all our teams, both Novice and Intermediate.

Upping the difficulty across the board and all of the dogs and handlers rose to the challenge!

Coin indications with duration and more distraction. ✅

Indications on their conditioned scent items with increased distraction. ✅

…and in different types of locations for Novice. ✅

Passive blind searches for our Intermediates. ✅

Active searching for all with aged hides for Intermediates. ✅

Woody loves finding ‘squirrels’ and Millie was so quick I didn’t get chance to take a photo!🤩

Next week is the final week of the class block.

Will our teams be ready for their final challenge?

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

14/11/2024

Do you live with a dog who barks, growls and lunges?

Coming up this Saturday at 10am, we have our final Reactivity Reframed Workshop.

Reactivity Reframed is a workshop in collaboration between local dog trainers with a passion to help guardians sharing their lives with a dog who over “react” to other dogs, people, movement or noises.

Held in Canonbie Public Hall, you will be joined by other dog guardians who live with, and are looking to understand their Reactive Dog.

During the 2 hour Workshop; you will learn

👉 What Reactivity actually is, and what it means for your dog
👉 Why dog’s react, and the different ways it can present
👉 Practical strategies to make your life, and your dogs life easier
👉 An understanding of dog body language

Spaces are £40pp
This is a no-dog event meaning you can leave your dog safely at home, while you learn more about how you can help them in the future.

Send me a message to book your space!

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

13/11/2024

Callie was back to see Rachel Hamer : Head to Tail Chiropractic this week.

She’s been doing really well and is back to a normal physical exercise level now.

Good news, Rachel was really pleased with Callie’s progress!

A few minor adjustments were needed.

Callie will keep seeing Rachel for maintenance treatment every 3 or 4 months to keep her in tip top shape for the long term.

We’re really fortunate to have some very talented canine treatment specialist in the area;
Rachel - Rachel Hamer : Head to Tail Chiropractic
Mel - Browns Veterinary Physiotherapy
Teresa - Northwest K9 Hydrotherapy

If your dog has a diagnosed or suspected skeletal or soft tissue condition or injury, a Canine Chiropractor, Canine Physiotherapist or Canine Hydrotherapist may be able to help with management and rehab, in addition to any support from your Vet practice.

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

12/11/2024

Working with Finn and his guardians in Hexham last week…

They had asked for help with introducing Finn to new environments as he can be both overly excited and easily worried by new experiences.

Finn loves to sniff!

We’ve made sniffing part of a way to gradually introduce him to different locations.

The approach slows down the amount of new information Finn needs to process and focuses his attention on an activity he enjoys.

Both of these aspects help him to stay calmer in a new location.

Whilst it’s early days, his guardians report that it’s been working well.

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

Dog training and behaviour support throughout Dumfriesshire, North Cumbria, West Northumberland and the Scottish Borders, including Carlisle, Dumfries, Brampton, Langholm, Annan, Moffat, Lockerbie, Newcastleton, Hexham, and Thornhill.

11/11/2024

Reactivity Workshop - humans only, no dogs!

Saturday 16th November 10:00am - 12:00pm,
Canonbie Public Hall.

Our popular Reactivity Workshop is back for the final time this year.

Does your dog bark, lunge, pull towards, growl, cower, hide, roll over, or try to run away from other dogs, people, noises,…?

Join us at the workshop to learn ways to help your dog and you have a less stressful time together.

Get practical help and information at the workshop:
▪️ Reactivity - What is it?
▪️ Why do dogs react?
▪️ Ways to help your dog with easy activities.
▪️ Learn more about dog body language.
▪️ Ideas to help your dog and you too.

Send me a message to book your space.

If you know someone living with a reactive dog please share this post so we can support more guardians and their dogs.

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

11/11/2024

YuMOVE - if you offer their products to your dog please make sure you’ve read the information that has been shared by the company about counterfeit products. A number of dogs have fallen ill, and some have sadly died.

We’re doing everything we can to stop the sale of illegally copied YuMOVE products. You can find the latest information and FAQs here.

08/11/2024

It’s been a while since a Woody update…

This one is a little different.

There has been a lot going on behind the scenes for this boy as part of trying to get some more information and, dare I say it, answers.

We’re in the middle of a rigorous process working with a health focused behaviourist team looking into what could be causing Woody to itch.

Unfortunately it’s been getting worse over this year.

Previously Woody had been taking conventional medication from our Vet to help, but he had a horrible reaction to the drugs last October.

Since then we’ve worked with an Holistic Vet, to help with recovery and building up Woody’s immunity and general resilience health wise.

Treating Woody with more natural products has definitely improved a number of aspects for him.

It also has been another route for me to learning more about alternative and complementary ways to support both dogs, and to share with you.

Unfortunately though Woody is still super itchy.

Autumn has always been a trickier time, as have any periods of cooler, wetter weather. ‘Summer’ this year hasn’t helped at all!

The team we’re now working with are looking at all different angles to see if they can piece together more about what might be going on for Woody, including any discomfort or pain.

This boy has had such an impact on our lives in so many ways.

Our family has been working to try to find solutions for Woody for a long while now.

Not all journeys are smooth, direct, or even take you where you think you’ll go. This one certainly hasn’t!

It’s had many highs, lows, and at times required real leaps of faith.

Much like working on a training goal or behaviour challenge! (You knew I was going to fit that in somewhere 😉.)

We’re hoping that after 6 years of searching there may be some more information to work with, and even a real breakthrough for our boy.

I’ll let you know how things go…

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

07/11/2024

Before you throw those cardboard boxes into the recycling bin… 🗃️

Why not try using them for some enrichment opportunities for your dog?

Hunting through, snuffling in, and shredding make for lots of mental and physical activity for a rainy day, or any day!

I’ve been saving these boxes up for a quite a few weeks.

Callie & Woody had lots of fun, spending around 15 minutes searching out their lunch.

Followed by a good nap 💤

*There is a bit of clearing up required afterwards, but it’s worth it!

Does your dog enjoy a cardboard challenge? 📦

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

06/11/2024

Exciting developments this week…

You might well be wondering why excitement about a couple of drainage ditches.

Keep an eye on the page for more information coming soon...

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

05/11/2024

Do you have a Dog Training or Behaviour challenge you need to get working on before the Christmas festivities begin?

Book your free 30 minutes Initial Call to learn more about how I can help you and your dog.

On the call:

▪️ You can tell me about the challenges you’re having with your dog.
▪️ We can discuss the things you’ve already tried.
▪️ From there we can talk through the different packages of training available

After the call, you will receive an email outlining the training package I recommend based on our initial conversation, and when you can get started if you want to move forwards.

I have limited availability in the run up to the end of the year.

Get in touch and let's get your dog's structured training plan started.

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠