Scentwork Tuesdays 😁 The Dog School @ The Dog Spa
Lily & I working on a solid indication, I often take videos of us working together because I always feel I’m missing something and like to double check.
Lily was teachers pet last night and not just because she’s the teachers pet (if you catch my drift 😂).
Bob
One day someone will post they have adopted Bob and that he fitted in straight away. He will be the dog that you’ll feel has been with you forever.
I never train on these walks, I won’t ask anything of any dog in a new and distracting environment. Until I have perfected the exercise from different distances and durations I would never expect them to ‘work’ with environmental distractions – my role is to guide & support, keep them safe.
Within minutes I was instinctively asking Bob to move on a hand cue to my inside, whilst stepping behind him on a reverse crossover, finishing with a stand at heel. We needed to take the pressure off a lady with many very small dogs, one of which was a sweet little pug who was frantic. The lady thanked us and marvelled at how good he was around her dogs (bearing in mind he has a muzzle, two collars and a harness).
I was then using his name and changing direction on the Main Street, I had no treats and although Bob was starting to lose interest by the time I remembered to video – he still humoured me.
A darling dog, engaged, able to cope with traffic and other dogs, an enjoyable and uplifting end to my day.
Thank You Bob for a moment you felt like mine and you did everything I asked of you beautifully. Also thank you for reminding me you needed a muzzle before leaving kennels 😆 he’s an amazing boy!
If you are interested in finding out more about Bob with a view to adopt, please contact Angie Webb 07814 790407 [email protected]
Jet – This boy is wonderful
OK so he needed to be lifted into the car, these aren’t training sessions – bend your knees Jade! This is easy to learn, if he can follow a treat, he can jump in after one. He settled down immediately and travelled well.
The rest is boring – walk past an apricot cockapoo, chocolate cockapoo, West Highland Terrier running up and down the wall and sticking her head over…. Yellow Labrador snarling at gate – nothing to see here just Jet and Jade having a walk, we don’t get involved we are just the coolest cucumbers.
We go to the children’s park as there is a child being pushed and shrieking with delight…. Jet isn’t that into them either. We are cuddling and a bemused man with a Yorkshire Terrier and a Dachshund go past, I pretend he’s scared of the chainsaw noise, he isn’t we are just cuddling.
So I’m thinking maybe Jet can star in an educational video – Anyone who does online training will know that dogs get freaked out when they hear you speaking with intent to an invisible person (video cameras are people who aren’t there). I think you’ll agree we need some work – yes I’m asking him to jump up, the camera can’t go on the floor it’s not his best angle apparently ….he’s only been an ‘INFLUENCER’ for like ‘one minute’ and already has his own ideas! (See comments 🤭)
If you are interested in finding out more about Jet with a view to adopt, please contact Angie Webb 07814 790407 [email protected]
Pilot Male 4 years
What the website says - Pilot is a friendly boy with no separation issues. Pilot needs socialising with small dogs. He's very quick to settle in the house.
Pilot is excited to go out, he can barely get his face in his muzzle, and he’s giddy but trying to be my best boy. I’m nudged towards the door and he rubs his muzzle up and down to let me know I need to open it. He’s a lovely lad and he jumps in the car and settles immediately – like a professional.
Once at our destination his tails high, nice big wide wags, arousal is up but there isn’t a lot of tension. He’s sniffing and I’m feeling this dog is confident, this is going to be lovely.
He’s big boned like he could have coursing lines in his lineage. I can’t help but admire him, he’s absolutely beautiful and I think this post might just have to be about positive body language.
We turn onto the main street and a large noisy lorry the sort that carries mud from building sites is approaching and Pilots tail tucks, his ears go way back and he’s wanting to go back the way we came. I immediately go with him, loose lead but staying close to his near side shoulder with my leg as the other shoulder is cradled with my hand for comfort. The lorry over takes us and I call Pilots name to let him know we’re changing direction.
Poor lad that has really shaken him and in no time at all he’s trying to cross the road, I notice there is now a dog behind us and Pilot would rather us avoid. We find a safe space so the dog can pass us with 2m to spare, Pilot stays close as the little black & brown dog barks and gives us a warning growl.
Luckily there aren’t any more surprises on the main road and he can cope with smaller quieter vehicles, checking van doors, people who own ex-racers may find their greyhound has to sniff the works vans. In fact we passed some small diggers working on a house earlier and Pilot had to check their van too, despite the noise.
We turn a corner
Joe - Male 2 years
What the website says - Joe is a quiet boy with no separation issues. He needs socialising with small dogs.
Well he can be quiet… I mean barking and bouncing up the kennel door is how I usually see him, but appearances can be deceptive and he soon settles once I’m inside.
I haven’t looked Joe up so I’m going in knowing nothing, but it’s easy to see this lad is young and a bit shy. He waits quietly while I adjust his harness, he doesn’t want me to do this while he’s wearing it (that’s OK).
Once out of the kennel we’re facing the wrong way but Joe can walk backwards, it’s a great skill and I spend a lot of time teaching my own dogs to do this.
Socialisation ISNT teaching your dog to play with other dogs, socialisation is to be able to focus on your handler when other dogs, other animals and people are around. When out with Joe I’m reminded that your dog or any other dog doesn’t need to meet every dog he see’s.
Joe has other ideas and sees himself as a social butterfly, firstly we meet Nia and her beautifully calm French Bulldog. Now, what is evident, is when Joe has the opportunity to meet, he’s quite rude. Frenchies legs are nearly lifted off the floor in an attempt to see if she’s a boy or a girl. She’s an amazing little thing who seems so tolerant but I call Joe out (which he does) to check she’s happy, she does a little play move and Joe matches…. It’s evident that Joe will be too much for this polite girl and just as I decide this is enough, another young terrier joins us and Joe is reversing into me so fast to protect himself I realise – he’s not that brave….. However, his ability to retreat is fantastic.
We meet a man with 3 Doodles of varying mixes and I cross so we can chat across the main road. I want to make sure Joe can stay at my side and he does. We cross back over so he can pick up their scent, you could quite easily train lead frustration into this lad so it’s important t
BING - Male 6 years
What the website says - Bing is a calm boy who shows no sign of separation issues. He's easy to live with and loves his bed.
When all hell breaks loose with the excitement of my arrival amongst the younger greyhounds. Bing is calmly at my side, waiting patiently to have his harness adjusted. I really wasn’t happy with it even on the walk, so I must use one of my own so I’m more familiar with the adjustors.
Bing has positioned himself right beside the back seat but he isn’t jumping in at all. So I’ll lift him on the outbound and homeward journey, he may be able to smell the cortisol left by Jethro and isn’t keen. Who knows dog’s noses are incredible and if a dog refuses to do something, it’s either fear or misunderstanding of what you want, so I lift him in and he’s fine with this.
On our walk it’s a bit stop start and I’m not able to influence Bing, this is my issue not his. He needs a second or two to process everything sees and I have offered nothing to convince him otherwise. I don’t use food in these assessments, food is wonderful for training but you can poison food as a tool. As Karen Pryor describes in her book, ‘Reaching the Animal Mind’, a poisoned cue occurs when a dog associates unpleasant things with a cue. Because of these unpleasant associations, the dog will either hesitate to perform the behaviour or not do it at all when the cue is present…. So no food wafting, while Bing is a little anxious of his surroundings.
I keep food for learning, when I’m teaching I observe the 3 D’s Distance, Duration & Distraction so we wouldn’t be starting to teach anything on the Main Street in Llangellen. I mean there are distractions a plenty here, so I’m happy to stop and start as often as Bing wishes.
Once back to the car I see my Butty with his pair of young spaniels and his friend has 2 beagles with him. I ask if Bing can observe their play, whilst dropping loads of hints about needing new volunt
Jethro - Male 5 years
What the website says
Jethro has been with us for over a year and in that time he has mellowed. He can walk past smaller breeds though we don't think that he could live with them. Jethro can be left in the home for reasonable periods of time.
I can’t believe they haven’t mentioned his rib flick! If you have a curl that won’t go the way you want it too, you’ll understand the rib flick. It doesn’t bother him, it just adds to his uniqueness!
This boy makes me smile, I mean he’s giving me some chops because I’m struggling with the kennel door. I’m still sporting my Christmas manicure and have far too long nails for the door bolts. Once inside he calm’s himself down, there is no way I’m struggling with my long talons and we both know the muzzle isn’t going on until he’s ready. Once on I realise, I’ve obviously grabbed the wrong muzzle and it needs opening up. Muzzles need one finger width at the front to allow normal behaviour like nose licking and drinking. With harness & lead on he’s quite keen to let me know I need to open the door, sorry love I’m making your ID collar a good fit…. He doesn’t up his frustration, but gives me more clues by nuzzling me then the door (brilliant he will be a good human trainer).
Travelling is no problem for this lad, he flies onto my back seat, turns and waits for me to close the door, and he is very well mannered at the other end too.
We have parked at a recreational ground and there are children playing, he’s shivering and panting, you can’t be hot and cold, so if something is out of context its likely stress. I gently touch his neck and he flinches, this doesn’t tell me anything other than right now his sympathetic nervous system is on alert. So I need to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, these phrases aren’t important. What is important for you to know is, this is the brains response in order to protect himself and he has no control over it –
Marley - Male 2 years
What the website says
Marley is a friendly boy with no separation issues. He needs a degree of socialising with small dogs and has a very endearing overbite.
Update
I’m not good at multi-tasking and because I was talking to Angie, I needed the gentlest little finger nibbles to get the harness adjusted, it’s dangling in front of me and Marley wants it on. But my fingers stopped every time I opened my mouth, poor lad. Marley is adorable and when he looks up, with a shorter bottom jaw at the front, there’s nothing for his lips to stick too….so all you can see is, his lovely teefs, and I wondered if this interfered with how he communicates with unknown dogs (thinking about the socialisation bit).
Anyway, thoughts of socialisation are far from my brain when I realise Marley won’t load. Looking up at me I know he’s waiting to be lifted… he relaxed into me the moment I slid my arms though his front legs and up his chest. Jumping in can be trained, but I don’t want to tire him, this is an easy session no training – I follow Marley and assist him when necessary.
Marley taught me a lot on this outing – first rule of greyhound assessment club is, never assume anything.
It’s before the kids come out from school, so it’s quiet and conditions are perfect. Marley is sniffing and my first thoughts as he sniffs along the pavement and straight up the wall, proceeding to put his paws up there too, he is hunting cats. But his body language is all wrong and his arousal levels are too low – what on earth is going on. Later I discover there are 2 working cocker spaniels who practice parkour on the mother-in-laws wall, so that’ll teach me to assume he was hunting cats.
Marley & the Jack Russell – little Jack was really pleased to see Marley on the other side of the road and Marley did a good job of breaking eye contact. Marley is saying, ‘I see you, I don’t want to meet’. The little dog drops his ball and wags his t
Speedy - Update
Wow this boy has come on loads, he’s still retreating to his bed when I enter his kennel, but he’s holding my gentle eye contact and looks relaxed. He stays still to have his muzzle fitted and I put his harness over his head. I’m very well trained in dog etiquette and I know it’s quite rude to lean over. So I move around him to do up his chest straps and attach my lead…. he follows, no drama.
He’s straight in the car and this is because our fabulous volunteers have been taking Speedy out on group walks. If you search for Hayley Donovan’s posts you’ll see this lovely boy out on outings with his kennel friends….. Maybe you’ve met them, do say hello and comment below 👇 …. Let’s get the Facebook algorithms spreading Speedys story ‘he wants to meet his forever humans’
You’ll notice from the videos he’s quite unsure of the lady passing us, we also pass a few gentlemen and he is unsure of them too. I wouldn’t worry too much about this, because he has great trust in his handler. Unless you give him cause for concern, he will trust you and not pull away from you. What this lad needs to know is – you’ve got his back. He did get quite scared at one point and it seemed he wanted to go back the way we had come (fine by me, I get to keep him out longer). Turns out he wants to see if the chap he’s avoided has left his van doors open…. No van rides today, so he happily follows me in the direction we were heading.
We go past a garage and meet a reactive Labrador – that dog really doesn’t like other male dogs and we got a good look at his gums. Speedy gave me the ‘follow me’ look, I don’t care if we have let the Labrador know he’s frightened us, Speedy and me make our get away and live another day!
Then we’re back at the park and I’m not sure what their dog policy is, it’s called Llangennech Recreation Ground. I don’t want to get into trouble so we just hang around the car park so we can
