Esk Valley Dog Training

02/12/2025

Feeling stuck with your dog’s behaviour? 😓

You’ve tried books, bootcamps or DIY training — but nothing seems to stick.

You’re juggling work, family and everyday life. Training feels like another full-time job. ⏳

And every time you try — walks are stressful again. No progress. You end up feeling frustrated, guilty, and unsure if you’re letting your dog down.

—

Imagine getting experienced, hands-on help — while still staying involved — but without carrying the entire burden on your own.

With my Done-For-You / Partnership Training, we team up.
✅ I bring the training experience and guidance.
✅ You stay part of the process — being involved, learning, guiding.
✅ You follow a practical plan that fits your real life (easy daily habits — no overwhelm).
✅ You get coaching, support and adjustments whenever you need them.
✅ Because we work together, the results come faster — steady improvement instead of endless guessing.

This isn’t about quick fixes or temporary patch-up jobs. It’s a serious, tailored plan for lasting change — for you and your dog.

If you want to learn more and see if this approach fits you and your dog, click the link to fill out a short form and I’ll be in touch to discuss your needs. 🐶

28/11/2025

🐾 🚨 LESS THAN 24 HOURS TO GO! 🚨
FREE Resource Guarding Webinar — Tomorrow at 9:15am
(You really don’t want to miss this.)

⸻

🔥 Why this matters right now
Resource guarding is one of the most misunderstood dog behaviours.
Most owners miss the early signs…
Most people do the wrong things without realising…
And many loving owners accidentally make things worse.

Growling, freezing, side-eyeing, hovering over food —
these aren’t “bad behaviours”.
They’re signs your dog is overwhelmed.

⸻

💥 What happens if you don’t catch it early
Small guarding issues can turn into big ones fast:
snapping, lunging, biting, guarding people, guarding space…
and suddenly life becomes stressful and unpredictable.

And honestly?
It’s not your fault.
There is SO much outdated, harmful advice online:
❌ “Take it off them”
❌ “Show them who’s boss”
❌ “Punish the growl”

These tips create fear… and fear creates aggression.
But the good news is:
with the right approach, resource guarding is totally preventable.

⸻

⭐ What you’ll learn tomorrow at 9:15am
In this FREE webinar, I’ll show you:

🔹 The early signs nearly everyone misses
🔹 The BIG mistakes that make guarding worse
🔹 What to do (and what NOT to do!) when your dog guards
🔹 Why punishment backfires
🔹 How to keep your dog feeling safe and confident
🔹 Simple steps you can start using immediately

This isn’t just for dogs who already guard —
it’s vital for ANY dog owner who wants to prevent problems before they start.
Puppies included. 🐶💛

25/11/2025

🐾 FREE Resource Guarding Webinar – This Saturday at 9.15am 🐾

Resource guarding is one of the most misunderstood dog behaviours.

👉 Most owners miss the early signs
👉 Many people do the wrong things
👉 And without realising it, they accidentally make the behaviour worse

Growling over food… stiffening when you touch a toy… giving “that look”…

These aren’t “bad” behaviours – they’re early warnings that your dog is struggling.

If you ignore these subtle signs, things can escalate fast.
That’s when guarding can turn into snapping, lunging or biting – not because your dog is aggressive, but because they’re desperately trying to communicate.

I see so many lovely owners who tried to help but were given the ❌ wrong advice and made the problem much worse.

It doesn’t have to reach that stage.

And if you understand resource guarding properly, you can prevent it altogether.

This Saturday at 9.15am, I’m hosting a FREE live webinar that will show you:

🔹 The BIG mistakes almost everyone makes
🔹 What to do (and not do!) if your dog guards food, toys, space or people
🔹 How to prevent guarding behaviour before it develops
🔹 Why punishment and “taking things away” backfires
🔹 Simple steps to help your dog feel safe, calm and confident

Whether your dog guards or not, this webinar is essential.
Every dog owner should understand this – it can stop behaviour problems before they start. 🐶💛

👉 Click the link to save your space

18/11/2025

Little Poppett
1/8/08 – 18/11/25

Last night we said goodbye to our beloved Poppett. She’d been doing okay, but her breathing suddenly worsened and we rushed her to the vet. It all happened quickly — just as everything always did with her.

Poppett moved through life with such grace and speed. She was a tiny whirlwind of athletic energy, and I was always in awe of her abilities. If she’d been human, she would have stood on an Olympic podium.

We were blessed to have so many years with her. From the moment we met her as a kitten at Lothian Cat Rescue, she chose us — especially Margaret, hopping up onto her back as if she already knew where home was.

She brought joy, mischief and spirit into our lives.
We’ll miss her more than words can say.

I want to thank everyone who has helped care for her over the years, especially and recently the team at Heritage Vets

10/11/2025

👀 Does your dog tune you out when it really matters?

If you’re calling their name and getting blank stares, you’re not alone — most dogs struggle to focus when the world around them is full of distractions. It can make training feel impossible.

That’s why this simple game is where everything begins.
In this clip, Louise works with Ted on automatic eye contact — teaching him that looking at you is always worth it.

Using a cheerful “Good!” as her marker, Louise rewards Ted for choosing to focus.
He’s learning:
✅ How to offer attention on his own
✅ That calm focus earns rewards
✅ Not to mug hands or sn**ch treats

It’s a small exercise with a massive impact — the foundation of every recall, loose lead, and calm behaviour you’ll ever train.

🎯 We teach this to every dog we work with, because attention is the key that unlocks everything else.

📍 Based in Midlothian, the Esk Valley team can show you how to build this kind of focus and connection with your dog too.

07/11/2025

Training eye contact is the key that unlocks all good behaviour.
It’s the foundation for focus, recall, calmness, and control — without it, everything else is harder!

If your dog:
🐾 Ignores you when distracted
🐾 Feels out of control on walks
🐾 Embarrasses you in public

…this simple exercise can make a huge difference.

In this video, Amy, trainee dog trainer from Esk Valley Dog Training shows how to teach automatic eye contact — so your dog chooses to check in with you, naturally.

🎥 Watch while it’s free for a limited time!
👍 Like, 💬 comment, and 🔔 subscribe to see more free training videos designed to help you build focus and connection with your dog.

05/11/2025

04/11/2025

🐶 Does your puppy ignore you once they’ve found something to sniff?

You call them… but their nose has other ideas.
It’s frustrating, isn’t it? Especially when you know they can come back — just not when there’s something interesting on the ground.

Here’s the truth 👉 sniffing is one of your puppy’s strongest instincts.
If you try to fight it, you’ll lose every time.
But if you train recall from a sniff, not against it — everything changes.

In this video, Molly (our Puppy Specialist) shows how to use a snuffle mat to teach your dog to come away from a distraction calmly and happily.
It’s an amazing first step toward real-life recalls — when it really matters.

🎥 Watch the video and see how simple it can be.
Then visit Molly’s page for more puppy recall tips and support 👇

02/11/2025