Leigh Jackson's canine pet services

Bear was basically auditioning for most irresistible Husky—but Dylan and Barney just weren’t giving him the reaction he hoped for! What do you think—did Bear earn the title? ❤️

Building Confidence, One Step at a Time: I had Dylan and Barney together, in with the pack for the first time for socialisation, and what a session it was. Dylan started to show interest in my male Husky, Bear. It was beautiful to watch. This is the first time he’s actively wanted to engage like that, and it's a huge step in the right direction. Barney was a lot more settled too. The intensity he felt before has started to ease, and you can see the shift happening in him. We had a one-to-one lesson with the owners and the dogs on Sunday, and they were brilliant. There was no reaction from either Barney or Dylan towards any of the dogs passing by. The owners have also been doing amazing at home with the homework I have given them. I really appreciate how committed they’ve been to the process. There’s still a way to go—and a few fears the owners need to face—but once they do, they’ll step into a more powerful role in their relationship with Dylan and Barney. I’ll be seeing them again in another two weeks time, and I’m excited to see how much more progress they will make.

Morning energy in full swing—nothing beats the sight of the pack charging into a new day! Have a brilliant day everyone! 🥰

After a day of doing what I love, it’s time to head home with the pack… and put the kettle on! Hope everyone’s been enjoying this beautiful day. ❤️

Most of the time, when I open the gate to the field, my pack rushes in—barking, discipline biting, sorting themselves out. But every once in a while, I have to remind them who I am. I’m a part of this too. Never be afraid to let your dogs know who you are.

Good morning! 😁 The pack is off and running—nothing like starting the day with this kind of energy! Hope you all have a great one! ❤️

Barney’s Second Meeting with the Pack. We’ve previously shared a video of Dylan the Patterdale. This is Barney—Dylan’s brother—who had his second meeting with my pack today. He settled much better than last time. While he’s still shaking, it’s not as intense—this is just part of the hormonal process he has to work through. Like his brother Dylan, Barney hasn't shown any aggression towards my pack. I left him in the compound with me for about an hour before introducing any of the dogs. During that time, he was much more settled and even started to explore his surroundings. As you can see in the video, Barney is experiencing stress. Dogs are naturally wired to experience stress, but when we remove that natural stress from their lives and replace it with all the love, affection, toys, and treats we can give them, why do they still develop behaviour issues? Stress is a natural part of survival, and learning how to navigate through it is important. When it was time to bring the pack in, I was there acting as a mediator, making sure things ran smoothly. While dogs may express their true emotions and instincts, I believe it’s important to manage this. Dogs are always learning, whether we are actively teaching them or not, so it’s essential to clarify what behaviours we don’t like. I wouldn’t label a behaviour inappropriate outright, but I expect them to respect another dog’s boundaries. If one dog indicates they don’t like something, I expect the other to listen. If they don’t, I step in to intervene. Each dog learns about the personalities of the others, understanding who to interact with and how, which helps them develop social skills and appropriate boundaries.

Meet Misty – Finding Balance Through the Pack. Misty, a 5-year-old German Shepherd, recently joined us for socialisation after her owners reached out for help with her behaviour around other dogs. Her excitement and reactivity toward other dogs have made walks and interactions a challenge—especially for her owner, who struggles to hold onto her. Her owners have worked with a police dog handler in the past, but Misty's high energy and intense focus on other dogs made it difficult for them to fully apply what they learned. She loves chasing toys but struggles with letting go, barks a lot when she sees dogs, and appears very aggressive. Another game Misty’s owners have played with her is tug of war. In my eyes, tug of war is the number one "no-no" when it comes to playing with your dog because it invites them to challenge you. Think of it this way—imagine a pack of wolves, and the Alpha says, "Hey, challenge me." The result? The rest of the pack would see that Alpha as weak. Some people argue, "As long as you win, it’s fine." But in the psychology of a dog’s mind, the moment you engage in the challenge, you’ve already lost. Tug of war can actually encourage dogs to be more assertive with people, which isn’t ideal when you’re trying to maintain a respectful relationship. That’s where the pack comes in. Dogs teach dogs in ways we simply can’t. Watch as Misty meets the pack and begins to learn a new way of being around other dogs—with how nature intended it. ❤️

Introducing Dylan to the Pack. Meet Dylan, a 7-year-old Patterdale cross, here for an introduction to some of my pack. Dylan also has a brother, called Barney. Their owners have worked hard with them over the years, but Dylan and Barney still struggle with aggression, especially when on lead around other dogs. The owners have purchased a monthly package, that includes two sessions, focusing on strengthening their relationship with Dylan and Barney, improving communication, and addressing behavioural issues. Along side this, Dylan and Barney will each have four socialisation sessions, alternating the dates betweem them for a month. For the second month, we'll be bringing both dogs in together to continue with their socialisation. Dylan did really well today—he showed no aggression towards my pack. Today was all about being—taking our time, slowing things down, and allowing him to experience the environment with how nature intended it. One of Dylan's favourite games is chase, particularly with the ball. When you throw an animated object for your dog to chase, you trigger their prey drive—a natural instinct meant for hunting food. In the wild, a dog would chase, catch, shake, kill, and finally consume its prey, completing the full cycle. However, when you throw something like a ball or toy, the dog only experiences part of the cycle—the chase, the pounce, the grab, and the shake—without the final step of eating. Because the cycle is incomplete, that animated object can start to stand in for other moving targets, such as a cyclist, a jogger, or even another dog. Over time, the movement itself becomes a trigger, leading to what we might call ‘neurotic’ behaviour, as the dog’s drive to pursue and engage with moving objects takes over.

Understanding Canine Behaviour in a Multi-Dog Household: Managing interactions and preventing problems. When you have two dogs that are evenly matched, their play often involves a friendly competition to establish dominance. However, introducing a third or fourth dog can complicate things. In larger groups, dogs often tend to gang up on one particular dog, which can lead to issues. I'm always watching my pack closely so I can manage their interactions. It's very important for dog owners to keep this in mind to prevent potential problems. In this video, you can see Star and Bear demonstrating their skills during playtime. Their interactions highlight the importance of balanced, well-managed play in a multi-dog household.

I skipped the chocolates and flowers this Valentine’s Day! 🤣😂 Instead, I gave the best gift of all—a home. ❤️ Everyone, meet Bear! 😊

Thinking like a dog: Why humans need to adapt to a canines mind. I believe we should only tell our dogs what we don't like. In nature, animals communicate only with what they dislike. When they are doing the right thing, they don't say anything at all. This is where the problem lies often. We can end up reinforcing negative behaviour in a positive way. The toys, treats, and games are all designed with this in mind. It's because humans want dogs to understand why we do what we do. But dogs expect us to think like them. They can't think like a cat, rabbit, horse, or anything other living animal. If we don't think like a dog and instead expect our dogs to think like a human being, we will make mistakes and go against the law of nature. ❤️