Paws & Minds

08/09/2025

I’m always on the look out for new food enrichment items. Aldi’s middle aisles had a nice selection this weekend:

🔹 lick mats
🔹 snuffle activity mat
🔹 snuffle ‘sandwich’
🔹 snuffle balls

Woody & Callie have a new lick mat each to try.

Have you got any recommendations for food enrichment items?

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

05/09/2025

An update on what’s happening here at Paws & Minds...

Things have felt a bit disjointed over the last few weeks and months. Maybe you've noticed?

There's quite a lot going on behind the scenes, both professionally and personally.

From next month I’ll be starting a post-grad diploma in Canine Behaviour (exciting and a little nerve-wracking too!). To carve out time for study, I’m reshaping how I work.

What does that mean in real terms for Paws & Minds?

For now, I won’t be running regular group classes. Instead, I’ll be focusing on 1:1 training and behaviour support, with weeks alternating between in-person sessions and support time.

Here’s what’s will be on offer:
▪ Initial calls: to talk through challenges and find the right support. Book directly from my website.
▪ Single sessions: with or without follow-up, at home, in your local area, or at the training field.
▪ Fully supported packages: comprehensive and tailored to you and your dog.
▪ Individual training walks: practising skills with trainer guidance.
▪ Capable Canines group: continuing with meet-ups, group work, and workshops.
▪ Workshops: covering training topics, reactivity, and with guest experts.

Don’t worry, for those of you wanting group classes Krysia - The Creative Canine is running a variety of classes, including scent / nose work and fun activities for kids and dogs. I can signpost you to other local trainers who follow the same kind and ethical approach as I do for puppy and dog life skills classes.

Alongside these business changes, I wanted to share a little about what’s happening at home too...

Woody – we’re still exploring treatment options as his health is complex and ever-changing. The good news is he’s in a much better place than he was a year ago, and I’m so grateful for the progress he’s made. We’ll keep working with his team of practitioners to give him the best possible quality of life, and I’m enjoying building new skills with him as he’s able to relax and learn for longer stretches.

Callie – she’s also needing some extra care right now. Her thyroid medication is working, but she still has a few symptoms that we’re keeping an eye on. She’ll be starting hydrotherapy soon to support her back leg too. Balance is important for wellbeing, we’re making sure to have dedicated fun time together each week at Scent Sports classes. She absolutely loves it, and it’s wonderful to see her enthusiasm grow. I’m enjoying being the student for a change too!

I’m also making more space for the wonderful humans in my life who are needing an extra helping hand at the moment too.

Change can feel a bit daunting, but I’m really looking forward to this next chapter and to continuing to help both dogs and their guardians find confidence, calm, and connection.

Thank you as always for your continuing support, it's very much appreciated.

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

04/09/2025

A friend and I are having a long wait in A&E today, and it’s brought to mind something I often see when people are working with their dogs.

Over the past hours, different staff have kindly come to check in, each trying their best to help my friend.

Several times the same piece of equipment to help with a procedure has been mentioned so treatment can start.

However each time attempts have been made without it. The result every time? The task can’t be completed, and the waiting starts again.

We’re still waiting, a little weary and wishing things could move forward rather than round in a repeating loop.

It’s not so different for our dogs…

If we keep trying the same approach, without relevant information and skills in place, progress stalls.

Frustration builds, time drags on, and both dog and guardian start to lose patience.

When the right support, information and skills come together, everything shifts.

Progress becomes possible, confidence grows, and the wait for change feels worthwhile.

If you’re feeling like you and your dog are ‘stuck in a loop’. Like you’re not getting anywhere and you’d really like to find a way forward. Get in touch to find out how I can help with taking the first step in a new direction.

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

03/09/2025

Update: resolved 🤩 11:45am

Email issue!
If you’ve been in touch and have a Microsoft email account (hotmail, outlook or live) I can’t currently reply to you due to a tech issue, sorry!

If I have an alternative contact details for you I’ll be touch using that, if not please be patient whilst the issue is resolved.

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

01/09/2025

NEDF 2025 weekend was a blast!

We had the opportunity to meet and work with so many lovely dogs and their guardians - here’s a few of them!

Dogs of all sorts of shapes and sizes, some who’d got experience of dog parkour and the majority who were trying for the first time.

We even had a visit from NEDF 2025 Ambassador, Anakin and guardian Hazel!

The two days went by in a flash.

The early starts were definitely helped some lovely and much needed coffee from The Northern Bistro.

I did manage to get a few goodies for Woody & Callie on Sunday from Track & Trail Canine Outfitters and Durham Animal Feeds too.

Special thanks to The North East Dog Festival Team for all their amazing work putting the event together, looking after us throughout the preparation and event days (including securing wayward gazebos!), The Dog Log for the opportunity to run dog parkour this year, and The Creative Canine for all her help!

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

31/08/2025

You’ll find us with a paired down set-up today…

It was a bit breezy overnight so our gazebos decided enough was enough. The fab Festival team did their best to secure them but… 🙈

30/08/2025

All set…

29/08/2025

One more sleep and the wait is over...the The North East Dog Festival is almost here!

Saturday and Sunday are all about celebrating dogs.

With demos, talks, have-a-go activities, shopping, and so much more.

I’ll be there running the have-a-go Dog Parkour, soaking up the atmosphere and catching up with friends in the dog world.

If you see me, say hello!

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

29/08/2025

It’s almost The North East Dog Festival weekend!

The Festival team have been busy on the field preparing layouts, putting up fencing, signage and all the other things that make the event run smoothly.

Thanks to Nathan & Louisa - The Dog Log we’ve got the main set-up done this afternoon for Dog Parkour!

Krysia - The Creative Canine and I will be there bright and early to finish things off before the main gates open at 9:00am.

One more sleep….

Look forward to seeing those of you who can make it over the weekend.

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

28/08/2025

Tip #5 – Grow...

Building skills gradually, gaining confidence from all of those small wins.

Giving your dog manageable challenges, and letting them choose when to step forward builds their skills without overwhelming them.

Many of us humans are experts at filtering out so much of what’s going on in the environment. It can be easy to overestimate what our dogs (who notice and process everything!) can really manage.

What looks the same to us day-to-day will have significant differences to our dogs: smells, temperature, noise type and level, wind strength and direction… and that’s just for starters! So much information to access and process.

There’s also a lot of emotion wrapped up in life with a dog who finds the wider world tricky to navigate.

It can be tempting to rush ahead and expect too much before skills have been built and practised.

Take things steady. Be patient. Consider the whole picture.

Know that you’re setting your dog up for success rather than frustration, each day, at whatever level they need and your skills with grow together.

✨ Example: Your dog finds people sitting on benches a bit unsettling. You start by walking past when the bench is empty, from a good distance. On later walks, you try move a little closer, working towards passing when one person is sitting there quietly. Eventually, you can pass at normal walking distance even when there’s a small group chatting, all without your dog feeling rushed.

What's been the most impactful change you've seen in your dogs skills out & about?

Tara
Paws & Minds
🐾🧠

27/08/2025

Ensuring your dog has quality sleep and rest during each day is an important piece of the puzzle.

It’s one of the areas of your dog’s daily routines we take a closer look at as part of 1:1 support.

There’s lots of information in Canine Thinking’s post about why sleep and rest are a super important part of your dog’s day.

Does your dog get plenty of sleep and rest each day?

Let's talk about sleep and your dog. Did you know how crucial it is for their well-being?

😴It is vital to both body and brain as it plays an essential role in repair, healing, processing, immune function, memory, learning and much more!

😴Dogs need to sleep anywhere between 10 and as much as 18-20 hours per day. Puppies and older dogs need the most sleep.

😴Sleep affects emotional regulation. For example, lack of sleep can lead to increased irritability, anxiety, and aggression (not unlike some people 🤭!)

😴Yes, it is okay for your dog to sleep on your bed, just as long as it is something you both choose and are happy with! Choice is everything. Then you can both relax, get comfortable, and feel safe.

😴 Dogs need comfortable, quiet, safe spaces to sleep properly without being vigilant or easily disturbed.

So, what do you think.... does your dog get enough 'true' sleep in 24 hour period? Do you think sleep affects your dog's mood and behaviour?

Taking time to reflect on your dog's sleep habits, offering more choices of where to sleep, adapting their routine to include specific downtime or making some adjustments to your schedule to improve their sleep will positively impact physical, behavioural and emotional health