Good Start Dog Training

06/03/2024

Aww Mike's lovely and so engaging on his walks!

06/02/2024

Any special people for this lovely very special boy?

Our sweet fluffy boy, Mike, is still waiting to find his perfect family🐾

He is looking for a specific type of home where he is the only pet and where there are NO children. He needs to be in an adult only home with very few visitors coming into the house. This is due to Mike being very anxious around new people.

As soon as Mike has had some time to get to know you, he completely relaxes in himself and becomes such a sweet, loving and very affectionate boy!🥰

He needs his owner to be very patient and understanding with him, while also needing them to be consistent with his training. Mike needs more work around other dogs and he is reactive around sheep!
Whilst with us, he has been able to walk alongside calm dogs without reacting to them! It is something that is manageable and we will be able to offer advice and guidance along the way.

In the few months that we have had him, he is nothing like the dog who first came to our shelter. Most of our staff and volunteers (if not all!) have a soft spot for Mike, and we are hoping someone else will be able to welcome him into their home and have the chance to get to know Mike like we all do🥰🐾

If you feel you are the perfect match for Mike, please follow the link for full information on him:
https://www.animalrescuecumbria.co.uk/mike/

If you wish to help Mike in some way, please SHARE this post far and wide! The Animal Care Team and Mike will be extremely grateful to you all!☺️🐶

*Please note: we are only able to respond to website enquiries.

03/02/2024

Love this...

Dogs that are abandoned or surrendered, finding themselves in rescue or foster homes are not unloved. Not unwanted.

They are welcomed into the hands of their carers as if they were their own. All of them loved not just until they find their new home, but remembered forever.

To all the foster carers and rescue workers, thank you for loving the dogs that need it the most.

28/01/2024

Buster needs a very special home!

Buster is looking for an extra special home with a very understanding owner.

He needs a home with a calm, well balanced dog but where there are no cats or small furies. Buster needs a home with a secure garden.

Since coming into kennels he has struggled to cope and has displayed some unusual behaviour. Due to this buster needs a home with dog behaviour experience.

Buster will need to continue his training so a home where there are no children would suit him best.

*Training support will be given*

Please email [email protected] or fill in the online enquiry form on the link below if you are able to offer Buster the support and home he deserves.
https://www.animalrescuecumbria.co.uk/buster/

Please be aware we are only able to answer website enquiries regarding our animals, unfortunately we do not have resources to contact individuals who have not been short listed.

25/01/2024

This! It's so worth considering to help us meet each individual dog's needs.

23/01/2024

Just look at those faces with engaging eyes and expressions. They are truly both lovely lads!

04/01/2024

Our commitment to dogs.....

DON’T GET A DOG…UNLESS YOU CAN MAKE A COMMITMENT

In an ideal world dogs would be included as part of our family and we would commit to sharing our time and life with them.

In an ideal world, we would take the time to learn about how they communicate, their emotions, their needs and updated, modern, scientifically based methods to understand or modify behaviour.

In reality, dogs are so often seen as an item of property, a commodity to be bred and make money from, a cheap, replaceable security system with a built-in barking alarm, a garden decoration, a toy to play with when the kids are bored or an accessory that looks good while out walking, running or taking selfies.

Dogs are not objects, just like us they are sentient beings with the capacity to feel a range of emotions.

A life spent confined to a backyard or fenced in with little or no human companionship is not a life.

Dogs are naturally social beings and need to spend time with their human family.

They need love and attention, exercise and mental stimulation.

They need routine, consistency and predictable patterns to feel secure in our world.

They need to feel safe, secure and protected if they are to be the best version of themselves.

Having a dog requires commitment, patience and dedication.

It’s hard work, it’s sometimes messy, dirty and stinky, it costs money and requires changes to our lifestyle.

It’s a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly or without making a commitment, but the rewards of forming a secure bond with another sentient being can bring so much joy and enrichment to both our lives and theirs.

11/12/2023

Can anyone find a place in their home for the lovely Princess Sandy?

Sandy’s is dreaming of finding her forever home in time for Christmas. This sweet little lady has spent 134 days in our kennels. Share and make Sandy’s Christmas dream come true! Thankyou hannahjacksonphotography for the beautiful photo.

06/12/2023

These look fab!

Let us do your presents for you.

Dog natural treat boxes, all wrapped and ready to go under the tree, just £10 each 🎄🐕🎄

13/11/2023

Just what's needed if anyone is thinking of going out in this weather with Storm Debi!

DOG COATS

Our dog coat stand is well stocked, ready for Winter. Waterproof coats, fleeces and jumpers in all sizes.

🐩🐕🦮🐕‍🦺

26/10/2023

Understanding your dog....

I Ain't Misbehavin'… I’m just misunderstood

What we often think of as misbehaviour is often just a dog behaving like a dog naturally does.

We expect so much of our dogs when we bring them into our lives, forgetting that they are a different species that doesn’t interact with the world in the same way that we do.

We hold them captive in a confined, unnatural space and become frustrated when they don’t behave the way we expect them to.

We become frustrated when our dogs don’t walk nicely on a lead, don’t get on with every other dog or person they meet, steal food from counter tops, don’t give things back, guard resources, dig, chew or destroy what they shouldn’t, bark, howl or whine too much etc.

We need to replace our frustration and our need to train away or fix unwanted behaviour with understanding and patience.

Understanding that dogs naturally behave in a certain way and patience in guiding them to learn a different behaviour using force free, positive reinforcement methods or by better managing their environment.

Providing outlets to engage in natural behaviour, providing mental, physical and social stimulation and understanding why dogs behave the way they do will make a huge difference to their lives.

One of the greatest gifts we can give our dogs is our understanding.

20/10/2023

BORN THIS WAY?
Why is a dog the way they are? Why do they behave that way? Are they just born that way?

Genetics certainly play a part, but it’s so much more than that. Genetics, environment, life experiences and individuality all play a role in their behaviour and who they are.

Dogs are unique individuals, each with their own personalities, emotions, likes and dislikes, sociability, preferences or different health issues. These can also change over time.

Just as we learn through our life experiences, so do dogs. Negative or positive life experiences, trauma, stress, learned habits, training methods, trust, feeling safe and secure, predictability and stability are all part of how life experiences affect their behaviour.

Many dogs live in environments that are not compatible with their genetics or are not meeting their needs.

Genetics are not always predictive, but they can provide insight as to what to expect.

We selectively bred dogs to do important jobs like guarding, herding, hunting, pointing, scenting, tracking or companionship. When dogs that were bred for specific jobs, find themselves “unemployed” and have no outlet for what they were originally bred to do, this often leads to pent up frustration and behaviour problems.

Conflict between the environment and a dog’s genetics are an increasingly common reason for behaviour problems in our times.

Yes, a dog may have just been “born this way”, but always look at the whole picture to understand the why of behaviour.

Genetics, environment, individuality and experiences – they all matter.

05/10/2023

The value of CHOICE!

THE CHOICE TO CHOOSE
WHY DOGS SHOULD BE ALLOWED CHOICE

Imagine every little detail of your life is controlled - what and when you eat, where you sleep, when you’re allowed inside or outside, when you’re allowed to go for a walk and if you’re allowed to stop and explore, who you’re allowed or forced to interact with, what activities you’re allowed to participate in, when you’re shown affection or receive attention, where you’re allowed to be touched etc.

This would create stress and anxiety, a feeling of helplessness, apathy, a lack of confidence and many other negative emotions. The same is true for dogs.

Dogs live in a world where just about everything is controlled by us. Allowing choice, no matter how simple that choice may be, provides so many benefits.

The context and parameters in which we allow choice is obviously important. Safety, boundaries, environmental factors, other people or animals always need to be taken into account.

A very long time ago, when my daughter was going through the “terrible 2’s” or maybe it was 3’s or 4’s, she would flat-out refuse to put on the set of clothes I had picked out for her.

Tantrums and stubbornness would often make us late for wherever we were going. This problem was solved by laying out 3 different sets of clothes and allowing her to choose which set she was going to wear.

These were still within my parameters and were still my choice, but by doing this I had allowed her a choice and the problem was solved, without harsh discipline or emotional fall out.

Dogs that are allowed some control over their environment and how they respond to situations are more confident, more emotionally balanced, better able to cope with stressful situations, less anxious, less stressed and have fewer behaviour problems.

Look for simple, safe ways to provide more choices for your dog. Improve their wellbeing and quality of life in a world that seeks to control them.

07/09/2023

30/08/2023

Love Patterns!

PREDICTABLE PATTERNS AND WHY THEY MATTER
We can help our dogs cope in our world by providing predictable patterns that they can follow, even when the unpredictable happens.

This requires consistency and repetition, but dogs quickly learn what to do when that behaviour creates a predictable, rewarding result.

Predictability allows the brain to conserve energy which lowers anxiety and creates a sense of trust and security in knowing what to expect or what comes next.

Like other animals, people included, dogs are experts at looking for and finding patterns.

Being able to find a predictable pattern, not just in an environment but in the behaviour of others, helps to make sense of a situation, rather than feeling confused or anxious when no pattern can be found.

When we create predictable patterns, dogs begin to understand what happens and how they should respond when a specific situation occurs.

The situation becomes the cue for the behaviour rather than the cue itself. We often get caught up in using cues instead of just showing our dogs that this is what they should do in this situation.

Pattern games or training a behaviour by using patterns is a really effective tool to use with dogs that are reactive, anxious, fearful or lack confidence.

They’re simple and quick to teach and provide predictability when a situation may be unpredictable.

To find out more about Leslie McDevitt’s different pattern games from the Controlled Unleashed ™ program, have a look at Tanzi Leary’s (CDBC, CPDT-KA, PMCT1, SAPT, FFCP) website - https://www.dogcrazylady.com/post/pattern-games

21/08/2023

Time is running out. Act now to help stop the cruelty and abuse of animals with e - collars! The link gives a quick and easy way to petition your local MP.

🐕⚡ Earlier this year, the UK Government made a promise to ban the use of shock collars in England.

🗣️ Now there are fears that this could be another broken promise, as the anti-ban argument becomes bigger and louder.

Instead of this harmful technique, we believe that positive reinforcement should be used to achieve long-term behaviour change 🐾

✍️ Write to your MP and help to : https://bit.ly/3s0UoMw

12/08/2023

I NOTICED some unusual looking 'substance' on some tree logs in the garden recently so thought I would research and educate myself on things of nature. So what did I discover but DOG VOMIT SLIME MOULD!!

09/08/2023

RABBIT ALERT!!!! Some bunnies have appeared in our garden over the last few days. I was trying to reduce the time Lola spent on Rabbit Watch.

It's amazing how useful those green Ikea playmates are. I've used them in many different ways. I originally used them as workspace dividers in classes.