Wülfgang Dog Training

10/07/2025

Due to the high temperatures over the next three days, all walks and 121 training sessions will be cancelled and rescheduled.
I will still be available for drop ins for the dogs that are booked in over the next few days, but their safety comes first.

My cut off for walks is 23 degrees for fit and healthy dogs. For dogs that are at risk breeds (brachycephalic breeds, sighthounds etc), dogs with underlying health conditions, or puppies and elderly dogs, my cut off is usually between 19-21 degrees depending on humidity.

Here is Oscar earlier today at just 24 degrees, after just doing a few enrichment activities in the garden he was absolutely exhausted, a walk wouldn’t have been safe for him.

Please be careful with your dogs in this heat, an average of 1 in 7 dogs that are treated for heat stroke don’t make it, and from previous studies, July seems to be the month were the heat related illnesses in dogs have been. A 2022 study showed that between 10th July - 25th July, 151 dogs were admitted and treated for heat related issues in the UK, 38 of these dogs unfortunately didn’t respond to treatment.

If you’re concerned about skipping walks and would like to know some ways to make your dogs days more enriching and how to still meet their needs without walks, please get in touch and I’d be more than happy to help🐾

10/07/2025

Some ACE Free work from the last two days with Indy, Chandler, Lexi and Oscar🐾

05/07/2025

A long time ago I prepared a video about Cues VS Commands in Dog Training.
Here's a quick summary of the content of that video:
- **Command vs. Cue in Dog Training**:
- A **command** implies a threat or authoritative order ("Do it or I will make you do it").
- A **cue** signals that a certain behaviour will lead to reinforcement without the threat of unpleasant consequences.
- **Training with Commands**:
- Commands are often enforced before the dog fully understands the behaviour.
- Traditional training might involve corrections (verbal or physical) if the dog doesn't obey, e.g., using the "off" command to stop a dog from touching something and correcting them if they fail.
- **Training with Cues**:
- Cues are introduced after the behaviour is reliably happening in easy situations and gradually advanced to more challenging ones.
- No corrections are used for "failures." Instead, the trainer adjusts the training plan to help the dog succeed.
- **Difference in Timing**:
- Commands are often given immediately when a behaviour is expected.
- Cues are added only once the behaviour is consistently happening in a controlled environment, e.g., using a hand signal to prompt "sit" before adding a verbal cue.
- **Personal Training Philosophy**:
- If a dog doesn’t perform a cued behaviour, aversive consequences aren’t used. The focus is on maintaining a positive relationship with the dog.
- **Key Questions to Consider When Cues Aren't Working**:
- Does the dog fully understand the behaviour?
- Was a proper shaping plan used to train the behaviour?
- Has the behaviour been generalised to different situations?
- Is the dog tired, unwell, stressed, or anxious?
- **Reflection**:
- The distinction between cues and commands is less about terminology and more about the training approach.
- A progressive approach with cues and reinforcement is preferred for fostering a positive relationship with the dog.
If you are interested in that video, here it is: https://youtu.be/TxUtPZUHXQA

03/07/2025

A quiet day today, with earlier walks to beat the worst of the heat. Although the temperature has dropped slightly, it’s still been quite warm for a lot of dogs this evening☀️🐾

03/07/2025

03/07/2025

30/06/2025

27/06/2025

27/06/2025

☀️ Weather announcement ☀️

With temperatures predicted to reach 29-31 degrees on Monday all walks will be cancelled, dogs that are home alone will be prioritised for drop ins where I can do Free work, Scent work and other mentally and physically enriching activities within the home.

27/06/2025

We are never going to have the exact same goals, desires and needs as others. And the lessons we need to learn and go through simply won’t be the same.

Our path is for us only which is what makes us experts in us and our journey.

We can’t change the journey of others, we might not be able to change our own. But we can change the way we experience it, and that starts with comparing only to our yesterday. Never to someone else’s today.

27/06/2025

Dogs come with many pre-installed behaviors like shredding, interacting with their own species, running/chasing and hunting to name a few. All too often, domestic dogs don't have appropriate outlets for them.

This can lead to boredom, destruction, frustration (for owners and dogs!) and decreased quality of life.

Enter enrichment.

Enrichment is more than work-to-eat toys; it's providing outlets for natural behaviors. And often, it's a big part of behavioral problem solving and part of my overall training plan for clients. It's not a nice little extra thing we add it. It's a critical part of the puzzle.

If you've thought "my dog just needs a yard" or "he needs to live outside the city" or he'd be "happier on a farm" because he's a herding dog, read my post this week.

https://rescuedbytraining.com/2025/06/23/yard-dogs/