FIDO Dog Training Club & Behaviourist

15/01/2025

07/01/2025

Angela Pitman set up FIDO Dog Training Club and has achieved 30 Years of classes, (7th January 1995), we are the longest established Training club in Chester as well as opening the first pet dog training club in Cyprus in 1992 and previously in Wiltshire so we have over 36yrs experience, knowledge and qualifications behind us. (This was only meant to be a hobby😳)
We have trained and mentored over 45 university students and volunteers, some have been instructors at the club and some have gone on to open up their own club, including one in America and another in Canada.
We have worked with a vast range of breeds and mixed breeds with every sort of behaviour issue from severe reactivity to emotional shutdown with great success and run every level of training classes and run specialist courses.
If you are looking for somewhere to take your dog, we are here 🙂
EMPATHY. KNOWLEDGE. EXPERIENCE.

04/01/2025

Happy New Year to you all😃
We should have restarted on Sunday 5th & Weds 8th Jan however it has been put back by one week as the floor has had to be resurfaced again.
See you all back on
Sun 12th & Wed 15th Jan 2025.

19/12/2024

🎄🐶A very Merry Christmas to all clients and families, past, present and future.
Try to keep a routine for your four legged friends, walking with plenty of sniffing opportunities (reading their ‘pee mails’), a good stretch of their legs and fresh air, away from the hubbub of the lead up and actual day, ensure they have somewhere quiet and comfortable they can go to if they want, if they are sleeping, tell guests to ‘Let Sleeping Dogs Lie’. Keep seasonal dangers out of their reach, such as Mince Pies, Christmas Pudding, Christmas Cake, Turkey skin, (the meat is excellent though), chocolates, mistletoe, poinsettia, holly berries.
Remember that puppies will want to investigate anything new so keep your families gifts safe after they have been opened.
Don’t forget to treat your dogs with some mentally stimulating toys where they have to work out how to small, natural treats out of it, even cardboard boxes, (activity box) filled with screwed up paper, empty milk cartons and water bottles (remove the cap and ring first), cardboard egg cartons, with small natural, tasty treats placed inside so they have to forage, rip and search to find the goodies, make it easy to start if they have never done this before, but once they have the idea, leave them to it.
Enjoy the break, however you choose to do so 🎄🐶🥰

09/12/2024

The Christmas Party marks the end of the training year, there was lots of fun and games, goody bags, prizes, generous buffet, large raffle and fun show.
Have a fabulous Christmas, keep your dogs safe, away from food and other items that could be harmful, especially puppies who are still investigating a very thing that will be new to them, remember their walks, this will give both you and them the emotional breathing space you will need during such a busy time, give them somewhere quiet they can choose to go to if they begin to feel overwhelmed by the excitement.
I look forward to seeing you in the new year🎄🐶🎄

07/12/2024

🎄🐾 Christmas is coming, and we’ve got something purr-fect for your furry friends! 🐶🐱

🎁 Choose from our festive range of gifts for cats and dogs:
✨ Empty or pre-filled stockings ready to spoil your pets
✨ Delicious Carnilove treat platter dishes
✨ A huge selection of Christmas toys
✨ Gift Vouchers from £5

Shop online www.imperial-pets.com or visit us in-store to pick up the perfect presents! 🎅

🎉 Plus, don’t miss our Advent Giveaway! For every in-store purchase over £50, you’ll get to open our Advent Box and win a FREE gift. It’s our way of spreading the holiday cheer! 🌟

Hurry, Christmas is just around the corner! 🎅🐾

07/12/2024

While we are not in the Red area of weather warning, it is still extremely windy, in Chester and surrounding areas, it is safer for you and your dog, to stay at home, do fun things in the house, Scent games (we have done this regularly at the club and during our Scent Work courses), Mystery box with screwed up paper, empty cartons and a scattering of treats with a wrapped up, filled Kong as a jackpot, ‘Where’s mum, dad, or one of the children (yes, involve them as well😁), go and hide somewhere and then call your dog, how quickly can they find you? Make it a little harder each time, just be careful if you have laminate or vinyl floors.
Going to secure fields, play barns or doggy cafes maybe fun but you still have to drive there and with so many trees falling suddenly and projectiles flying through the air, it really is not worth risking yourself or your beloved pet.
Also, check your fences for any fallen or loose panels before letting them into the garden.
No dog has ever died from not being walked, STAY SAFE!

29/11/2024

🎄FIDO Christmas Party. Sunday 8th Dec. 10.30 - 1pm🎄
🎄🎁Goody bags, Buffet, Games, Prizes, Raffle🎉🎄

🎄This marks the end of the training year so come along and join the fun🎄

🎄Any donations to the raffle can be brought to the dog club🎄

Contact Angela for the full details:
[email protected] 0777 359 8115

🎄🎄🐶🦮🐩🐕‍🦺🐶🎄🎄

21/11/2024

Recent photos showing a range of exercises in different classes, such as walking with a buggy, walk past a lie table with cakes on it (preparation for Christmas, they could be mince pies 😳) silent work, what to do with a hoop or a stool, Puppy class.

06/11/2024

This is exactly why I advise the ‘3 second count’ and then call your dog away, long enough for them to ‘doff their caps’, practise at home by using inanimate objects, and the main part is ‘call’ away, not pull.

WHEN SECONDS COUNT

This post is not advocating that dogs meet every other dog, but about how to go about it, if and when it does happen, in a safer way.

The 3 second rule for dogs meeting each other is used as a guideline to help foster positive introductions, prevent either dog from feeling overwhelmed or trapped and prevent any potential reactivity and stress.

A short 3 second introduction is enough time to provide important information to both dogs.

Enough information for dogs to know – “are you a threat?”, “do I like you?”, “do I want to learn more about you?”, “do I really dislike you?”, “do I need you to go away?” etc. Both dogs may not feel the same way – one may not be happy to engage while the other may want to.

All interactions should ideally happen like this, not just initially. Just like us, dogs can have off days – things like pain, trigger stacking, lack of sleep or a host of other reasons can influence whether a dog wants to interact or not.

There are countless times I have witnessed meetings or introductions between dogs that have gone on just a few seconds too long and have not ended well. This can have long lasting effects on future behaviour when meeting other dogs.

Understanding body language is critically important. If we are going to share our lives with another species, protect them, advocate for them and help them feel safe, then we need to understand and respect their language.

The examples in this post of red and green flags are just a few general ones to look out for – there are many more and these will differ depending on the individual dog, context and circumstances.

Here are some resources and links to learn more about body language -
On Talking Terms With Dogs - Calming Signals, 2nd Edition by Turid Rugaas
https://www.dogwise.com/on-talking-terms-with-dogs-calming-signals-2nd-edition/?srsltid=AfmBOoqj8ruQJx5bCP7qWb03TqCyAGfmAvCj988UuWk_L1_UHbYcZsES

The Veterinary Behaviour Centre
https://www.heska.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/TVBC-Canine-Dog-Body-Language-handout.pdf

Make sure those first 3 seconds count – they can make all the difference.