🐶 Group and 1-1 Training 🐶 Dog Walking - small group activity walks 🐶 Gundog breed specialist 🐶
Devastated to be saying goodbye to Dexter and Lottie for a few days for my annual dog-less holiday 🥹
I'll be back to it on Thursday 5th September and will get back to all messages then. I've got some social media posts scheduled while I'm away but it is most definitely a phone-less break!
This delicious ball of cuteness is 13 weeks old. He’s a bold and confident boy who is already showing a keen desire to learn and “do”…aka…he’s going to keep his humans on their toes!
Bruno and his humans started the Puppy Pre-School Programme at 11 weeks old and will soon be starting the Pet Gundog Puppy Life Skills course alongside their 1-2-1 support.
He has an awesome future ahead of him filled with adventures and van life which means he and his humans have lots to learn for Bruno - a high-energy Gundog breed - to grow into a dog that can go everywhere with them and it be a pleasure for them all!
He is super confident with people and dogs so our focus for his socialisation is definitely NOT to introduce him to every dog and person he sees. We’ll be focusing on building his self-control skills around unfamiliar dogs and people and creating a neutral response to them. The goal is to reduce the value he has in external distractions which ultimately we’ll want him to learn to ignore, whilst increasing the value he has in his humans outdoors.
I love working with this fabulous team and I’m excited to watch them grow together 🥰
Our Spaniel babies completed their Pet Gundog Puppy Life Skills course today!
Congratulations to…
Holly, Jonny & Ozzy
Graeme, Katie & Saffie
Caitlin & Bruce
And Jack, Grace & Peggy who couldn’t make the last session!
An awesome little group of Cockers ❤️
Luna is terrified of strangers.
She's the offspring of two lovely sociable Labradors, the sibling of bold and confident puppies, bred by lovely people, and taken home by lovely people.
It’s often assumed that puppies need to have a traumatic experience with something to be fearful and that’s just not the case.
We get what we get and our approach to socialisation and training needs to be specific to that individual's needs.
If we take the “she’ll get used to it” approach with a sensitive puppy like Luna and introduce her to loads of people, we’d ruin her as an adult. I have absolutely no doubt about it.
A scared puppy who has something forced upon them over and over and over again, at the most impressionable time of their life, is not going to wake up one day and just get over it.
Taking a blanket approach to socialisation with a sensitive puppy is a pretty sure-fire way of raising a dog who screams, shouts, lunges, and possibly even bites the scary thing to prevent interactions. Dogs learn to shout when we show them that their polite requests for space will not be responded to appropriately.
I should know - I did it myself 7 years ago!
Luna’s family have some strategies under their belt to protect Luna from the inevitable approaches of strangers which at the moment, is going to cause her significant stress and big problems for the future.
They also have a fun, HANDS-OFF game for Luna to play with people who will be respectful of their wishes. This is how we’re starting to convince her that humans aren’t scary!
A polite reminder to all…if you see a puppy out for a walk, no matter how squishy and delicious that puppy is, just keep walking. We don’t know anything about the individual needs of somebody else's puppy, and pushing ourselves on them to satisfy our own needs could be doing a huge disservice to that puppy, their human, and their future together.
One space left on the Pet Gundog Life Skills for Puppies starting soon!
For Spaniels, Labradors, and other Gundog breed puppies in pet homes, under the age of 20 weeks at the start of the course.
Getting started with calmness, engagement outside, Gundog games, recall skills, lead skills, impulse control, and distractions.
For more information and to grab the last spot:
https://www.dogscentric.co.uk/pet-gundog-life-skills-and-obedience-classes
If you have a frustrating behaviour you’d like to change, there are two things you need to do alongside each other...
Here are 5 things your puppy needs to avoid long-term behaviour problems at home!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Our Gundog breeds have been bred to work in partnership with us which makes them fabulous companions. But it also makes them predisposed to becoming completely dependent on us for constant stimulation and attention which means we have an obligation to develop their independence at home, for their welfare and our sanity!
Without developing these skills we are setting them up for a future of chronic stress, frustration, anxiety, and sleep deprivation.
Here are 5 things they need you to do for them…
1️⃣ Create a den and condition it to become their happy, independent zone.
Feed them high value treats, chews, and long lasting food activities in their zone while you sit next to them.
2️⃣ Structure their day and include regular independent time.
Maintain a cycle of physical and mental exercise, followed by low-energy activities such as food searches, followed by independent time with a chew in their den so they can fall asleep.
3️⃣ Desensitise them to your movement.
Puppies don’t hate dens, they hate separation which we then pair with their den. Once they are happy in their crates, start moving around the room and briefly flitting in and out as they start to learn that your movement is no consequence to them. It’s not exciting and it’s nothing to worry about.
4️⃣ Gradually increase absence from the room.
Start to include longer periods of absence from the room sprinkled amongst the moving around and briefly flitting in and out. Don’t go too quickly and undo all your efforts by pairing the den with you disappearing.
5️⃣ Gradually increase absence from the house.
Once you can move around the house and be absent from the room for a period of time, follow the same gradual process to include leaving the house. Start out small and gradually increase the duration of time.
PUPPIES 🐶
Puppies bite, they chew stuff, they can keep you awake at night and take time to learn a sleep routine, they p*e and poo and sometimes do it inside. It can take time to house train, some more than others.
They can easily get confused about our expectations, they can get frustrated when learning about life and get shouty and bitey, they get tired and bitey and don't want to sleep.
They go through different development stages as they grow having constant new and different experiences, sometimes they deal with these changes sometimes they don't. They make mistakes, they get overaroused, the arousal makes them behave in certain ways like, barking, grabbing, lunging.
They just act on their impulses and they need us to guide them. We need to be kind, understanding and tolerant.
They're beautiful little beings, learning every day, having new experiences every day. Humans brought them into the world, humans give them a home. We have a responsibility to guide and support them through their development with kindness and compassion.
Puppies are hard work but I love the experience, the good and the bad. They are all individually beautifully unique.
We NEED to meet their NEEDS.
They are never with us long enough, before you know it you'll be walking out of the vets with nothing but a collar, lead, a broken heart and loads of memories ...
Enjoy your puppy, embrace the journey, make beautiful memories, even if they're dicks sometimes 🐾❤️
Jane Ardern BSc (Hons) Dip Cabt
Kennel Club Accredited Instructor in Working Gundogs
The Gundog Club Accredited Instructor and Assessor
Member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers 1058
Nigel has always been super chilled with a temperament to die for. On top of this, his mum and dad have been on it from day one, educating Nigel and building good habits, so he really is the dream pet dog.
He joined the Gundog Activity Club when he was 5 months old and attended the Pet Gundog Life Skills and Obedience course with his mum and dad soon after and we love him 🥰
BUT…
Hormones have kicked in and Mr Sociable is now darting off to every dog he sees whenever he gets the opportunity. Realising that this is unsafe for Nigel and unfair on other dogs that may not want a big friendly teenager popping over to say hi, his mum reached out to organise a couple of 1-2-1’s.
Here’s what we’ve done:
👉 Reintroduced a long training line to manage this stage of his development and prevent the behaviour from being rehearsed and reinforced
👉 Given his already great recall response a boost to increase reliability
👉 Progressed and increased motivation with his already great off lead heel work for better off lead management
👉 Introduced a reward system to follow every time Nigel notices a dog, which will progress into an automatic check in / recall to his humans instead of running to the dog
Blips during adolescence are normal and to be expected.
If you have been reinforcing good habits from the start and you manage the temporary behaviour changes well, it’s unlikely it will become anything more than just a blip.
Well done Nige 💖💖💖
“Sit” won’t prevent your puppy developing common problems like separation anxiety, over-arousal around people, a fear of dogs, noise phobia, or biting when you approach their favourite chew.
There is a lot to do with a new puppy.
Make sure you are giving your time and energy to the stuff that really matters.
If this stuff doesn’t happen now, you’ll no doubt be battling with problems later in life and obedience training is unlikely to save you!
Maisie was adopted at around a year old as a reactive Terrier mix. Her wonderful family have made brilliant progress with her over the last 3 years but were still experiencing some unpredictable reactivity around dogs and people as well as periods of lead biting throughout their walks and some fussy unsettled behaviour at home.
Here's how we've helped her...
👉 changed her diet from the low quality kibble that was responsible for the fussy and unsettled behaviour at home, and switched her to a natural fresh diet with adjusted feeding times that suited her better.
👉 increased low-energy enrichment at home to help her decompress from the stresses of daily life.
👉 established predictable patterns to help Maisie feel more confident when dogs and people appear on her walks.
👉 built a fabulous connection with her humans outdoors through activities that also give her brain a good workout.
👉 taught a super reliable recall so Maisie can live her best life safely.
👉 taught a stationary safety zone behaviour that can be used when Maisie needs some extra support.
👉 taught heelwork as an alternative safety zone behaviour on the move for even more reliability off lead.
We are currently in the process of proofing Maisie's recall around different challenging distractions and building her impulse control around fast moving things!
What a difference in this great little dog and what a truly wonderful team to work with 🥰
The socialisation development stage starts at 3 weeks old.
Find a good breeder who will put the work in at the times it's going to have the biggest impact, and get started with gentle and careful exposures to the world as soon as puppy has had time to bond with you and settle in to their new home.
Don't wait until they are fully vaccinated, those early weeks are so important for the future.
Until that first phone call with Dilly's Dad, I have never pushed anybody into booking a session with me, but I did on this occasion!
I knew from everything I was hearing that Dilly was confused and frustrated, and was not having some important needs met. I knew that in one session we could make some simple changes that would have a huge impact...
“As I walked along my road, my arm aching from the pull of my 6 month old Spaniel, a lady I did not know was approaching me with her dog, walking nicely by her side. Dilly pulled harder to greet the dog and its owner. Another embarrassing encounter as Dilly jumped up at the lady and interrupted her dog's peace with intense playfulness.
I apologised to the lady and told her I needed training for Dilly. The lady said, "Try Liz at DogScentric'.
I made contact with Liz and told her problems I was having with Dilly, inside and out. She had manic, spinning around phases, and was being aggressive with my daughter. Everyday was hard and I wondered what I had done.
Liz spent an hour with me and Dilly to focus on her behaviour inside. She explained how Dilly was frustrated and did not understand the world with us, unable to find the means to communicate her needs and the term 'mental' was used by another dog owner on our usual walk.
In that hour spent with Dilly and giving both of us the tools we required, life was transformed. It is nearly a week now that Dilly has transformed her behaviour. I play specific games that Liz taught us and Dilly has become more patient, less fraught and a pleasure to have in our family.
That lady I did not know, made such a difference when she recommended Liz. Now, I will recommend Liz and DogScentric to everyone I meet on our walks. Thanks Liz, now looking forward to your work with Dilly in the great outdoors.”
Helping puppy parents who are raising busy Spaniels and other Gundog breeds in pet homes and getting feedback like this makes my heart full. Dilly and her Dad are an amazing team 💖
Those first couple of years are where we really need to put the effort into raising our dogs. Just going for walks isn't enough.
Here are six things you can do with your young dog instead of that same old walk, that will have a huge impact on their future...
A huge percentage of problematic behaviours we come up against later in life can be traced back to inappropriate or inadequate socialisation in those important early months. The goal of socialisation is to expose puppies to all the things they’ll need to feel comfortable about later in life, from ...
EDIT: FULLY BOOKED
If you've trained with us before, we've got a very rare space up for grabs in the Progressive Training Club for the next 4 Saturdays!
A lovely friendly small group of handlers coming together each week to progress their adolescent dog's skills around distractions.
If you'd like more information you can WhatsApp 07858 071203 or email [email protected].
If you haven't trained with us before, the next Pet Gundog Life Skills and Obedience course is starting soon with two spaces left!
Just before my holiday, these fabulous folk completed the Pet Gundog Life Skills & Obedience course 🎉
Well done to:
🐾 Alison & Nancy cocker
🐾 Cailin, Ben & Bruno vizsla
🐾 Rebecca, Lukas & Toby Lab
🐾 Tim, Nethanja, Jako & Bertie cocker
🐾 Susan, John & Toby cocker
Thank you all, you were a pleasure to teach!
Today we’ve got a Spaniel School Puppy Life Skills course starting with four baby cockers 😍
We have another Pet Gundog Life Skills & Obedience course starting in a couple of weeks, head to the website for more info!
A great post about Merle cockers.
You should never choose your puppy based on colour, or looks at all for that matter. Nothing is more important than health and temperament.
I’ve seen a few Merle Working Cocker Spaniels around recently so I feel the need to educate people about Merle Working Cocker Spaniels.
Merle is a colour seen in some breeds e.g Collies or Dachshunds, and can be characterised by sometimes having blue eyes or odd eyes.
Merle is NOT a recognised Cocker Spaniel colour so Merle Cocker Spaniels have at some point been mixed with one of these breeds.
Any Merle Cocker Spaniels that are KC registered have only been registered because a stud dogs details were stolen and used to create fraudulent paperwork.
If you get a Merle Cocker spaniel you may well end up with behaviour traits of the Collie or the Dachshund !
These dogs have generally just been bred for their colouring so temperament and health has often been over looked !
If you breed two merle dogs together you get double Merle puppies which are often blind and deaf.
We are already seeing the fallout of Merle Cockers and these blind and deaf puppies are now appearing !
Please be cautious and do your research about the Merle colouring, don’t buy a puppy because it’s a pretty colour !!
Ready for a week of rain 😬
If you've recently brought a Spaniel puppy home, you're probably realising they are a special species all of their own!
As a trainer who works predominantly with Spaniels and other Gundog breeds in pet homes, there are some struggles that I can pretty much guarantee you'll come up against in the next few months without proactive training in the early days:
- chaos at home, not settling, stealing, mouthing, and generally seeking out interactions constantly throughout the day.
- pulling on the lead like a sled dog.
- not coming back when called, following scents, and chasing wildlife.
- over-arousal in social situations, jumping all over everyone, and 300mph greetings with dogs.
- over-arousal when you step out the front door.
- over-arousal when something, anything at all, changes in the environment.
- just general over-arousal all the time!
Your Spaniel puppy may currently be sleeping well, coming back every time you call them, staying close on their walks, not really pulling too much, and not getting too excited around dogs and people...
That's because biology is currently on your side!
But from around 6-months-old they will start entering a new developmental stage where biology is most definitely NOT on your side!
This is where it all starts to change and you'll wish you'd made a started earlier.
The pet dog life can be really hard for Spaniels as they were bred to do a job.
They need an educated home that provides them with appropriate outlets for all that drive and energy.
A home that provides them with lots of guidance and structure to help them learn how to be calm, controlled, and make good choices.
The Pet Gundog Life Skills and Obedience course has a Spaniel-specific puppy class starting soon with only one space left!
This class is for Spaniel puppies and Spaniel crossbreeds under the age of 20 weeks.
It is designed to educate you and teach you how to develop the essential life skills your puppy needs to give them a great foundation to build on.
In addition to the six small group sessions, you'll get a huge amount of support and guidance throughout the duration of the course.
Click the link for more information and to grab the last spot!
* Classes held outdoors in Hurworth, Darlington *
Outdoor classes helping you gain a better understanding of what your dog is hardwired to do, how to meet their needs and harness their natural instincts. You will learn how to teach essential life skills needed to cope with the demands and challenges of daily life, through fun training games and act...
I met this totally cool little dude today 🥰
Oakley is joining the Pet Gundog Life Skills and Obedience course that started last Saturday but he was on his holidays so we got together for a 1-2-1 this morning and focused on structuring his walk time with fun training activities to build engagement, on lead skills and off lead skills, as well as stimulate him mentally.
What a superstar 🤩
My best camping buddy 🖤
The daily dog walk… do you love it or dread it?
Our dog’s walks should be the highlight of their day, and a time where both ends of the lead decompress from the stresses of daily life.
But often they are anything but.
Walks for our young high-energy dogs typically involve constant pulling against a lead, building a huge amount of frustration as they are being held back from everything they want.
Off lead they can spend the entire time totally wired, moving at 100mph, constantly hunting, and chasing everything that moves.
Chances are in both scenarios, they come home even more wired and frustrated than they were before, and after a quick power nap are ready to live life at 100mph again.
As they are not able to do this because they are indoors, they’ll channel their energy into other things, usually along the lines of stealing anything that’s not bolted down and desperately seeking your attention because they don’t know how else to cope.
This lifestyle is not healthy, enriching, or fulfilling – for them or for you!
We need to change how we are walking our young high-energy dogs.
We need to add structure so we can teach them essential skills and meet their needs with fun, engaging breed-specific activities.
Changing how they are walked will change everything.
So…
If we increase the quality of their walking experiences
If we provide them with relaxing activities at home that promote calmness and independence, such as chewing.
And if we stop giving them a gazillion other choices at home by giving them access to absolutely everything and everywhere...
..Switching off and relaxing will become much easier for them.
We’ve got one space left on the Pet Gundog Life Skills and Obedience course starting online this Friday, with group sessions starting next Saturday.
You’ll learn all about the small changes you can make for your high-energy dog that will have a big impact ❤
Find out more in the comments.
🚫We need to STOP walking our Gundog breeds! 🚫
______________________________________________
We get dogs because we (hopefully!) enjoy walking and being in the great outdoors.
We picture walking through the countryside with our dogs off lead pottering around next to us, hanging on our every word.
We picture walking through the park with their lead attached as they walk calmly by our side looking up at us longingly.
BUT…
You got a Spaniel, or a Labrador, or another type of Gundog breed!
You got a breed that is hardwired to do a job in the types of environments that you want to go for a relaxing stroll.
And unfortunately, it just doesn’t work.
That’s not to say that you won’t EVER be able to enjoy the walks you imagined.
But it does mean that your young dog needs a good education and there is work to do before you can.
It means you need to have a solid understanding of:
👉how to channel your dog’s drive and energy constructively
👉how to develop their self-regulation skills in environments that trigger innate behaviour patterns
👉how to nurture connection and cooperation outdoors
👉how to motivate them to do the things that go against their nature like stop what they are doing and return to you and walk slowly next to you while being restrained
The way in which we walk our young Gundog breeds from being a puppy is the reason behind most of the problematic behaviours that I work with later in life, from pulling on lead, not recalling, chasing wildlife, running over to every dog or person, not listening, biting the lead, not settling at home and just generally being “hyper”.
We can start to change all that by reframing what a walk actually is.
By giving them more guidance and structuring their outdoor time in a way that educates them AND fulfils their breed-specific needs.
The Pet Gundog Life Skills and Obedience course will teach you exactly that.
If you’ve got a youngster that is already becoming a handful outside, or you have a puppy and want to educate them before it goes wrong, these outdoor training classes alongside a small group of owners in the same boat, will give you a great foundation to build on.
The next one is kicking off this Friday on the App with Calmness Week.
We’ll be getting started with some at-home training using pre-recorded videos that will show you how to start the “off switch” installation, in preparation for our first group session on Saturday 22nd June!
If you’d like to start transforming your walks and getting a calmer and more contented dog at home, there are two spaces up for grabs:
Click the link in the comments (Facebook) or the link in the bio (Insta) to find out what we’ll cover in the course and all the support that’s included to help you along the way.
If your dog is always on the go and struggles to settle, this one is for you!
It isn't normal or OK just because they are a high-energy breed.
It's not healthy and they need some help.
Popcorn brain is something that I have very recently learned about (probably about a decade after the rest of the world!)It’s something that resonates with me a lot in my own life as something to always keep on top of so I’m winning the constant on-going battle in my brain. It was a big relief t...
How your puppy experiences the world in those first few weeks is going to shape your walks and general lives together for the future.
We all want calm dogs who can focus and listen well outside, but everything we typically do with our puppies creates the exact opposite.
I work with so many adolescent dogs who have such big feelings about the world, ultimately causing them a whole load of stress and frustration, and us a whole load of headaches and miserably walks.
Big feelings and big behaviour don’t get better with age, they just keep on getting bigger and bigger.
If you are a soon-to-be puppy parent, use the link below to find out how you can raise the dog of your dreams and avoid the time, effort, and expense of trying to fix problems later in life.
https://www.dogscentric.co.uk/puppytraining
Spaniels are so often misunderstood.
What is labelled as “high-energy”, “overly excitable”, or “hyper” is so often stress and frustration.
They don’t need LOADS of stimulation and LOADS of exercise.
They need enough of the RIGHT stimulation and the RIGHT exercise.
They need help learning to switch off and relax.
They need support and guidance in learning how to navigate our weird human world.
And they often need alternative or adjusted training techniques to those typically taught in general dog training classes.
Spaniels are bred to hunt. Typically, they are not going to reliably come back when called away from distractions just because you give them a treat.
They are bred to whizz from side to side at 100mph. Typically, they are not going to want to walk next to you just because you sometimes give them a treat at your side.
Along with lots of other fun and naturally reinforcing things, I LOVE using food to teach dogs, so I am definitely not trashing the use of food in dog training.
BUT…
There is much more to it when training a typical Spaniel. Just feeding a treat generally isn’t going to cut the mustard as a motivator or an effective reinforcer of behaviour out and about in the real world.
So, if you’re too terrified to let your young Spaniel off lead for fear of them running away…
Or if they only come back to you when there is nothing else happening around them…
If they are still pulling your arm out the socket despite trying every lead and harness on the market…
And they are wreaking havoc at home with constant stealing and other shenanigans…
Or are just constantly wired, jumping and biting your hands or the lead...
Take a look at our Pet Gundog Life Skills and Obedience course and learn how to add the fun back into your walks and lives together:
https://www.dogscentric.co.uk/pet-gundog-life-skills-and-obedience-classes
* ONE SPACE LEFT *
EDIT: Now fully booked. Next one starting mid-June with spaces available!
Darlington
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| Saturday | 9am - 4pm |
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Your puppy is going to put EVERYTHING in their mouth, here are two things you need to do. The Heart of Raw #puppychewing #puppybiting #puppyraising #dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogtrainingtips #petgundogs #labrador #cockerspaniel #springerspaniel #cockapoo #121dogtraining #puppytraining #highenergydogs #activitywalks #mentalstimulationfordogs #helpingyoucalmthecrazy
Our working breeds need us to be mindful about creating schedules, environments, and circumstances that promote relaxation and switching off. But that won’t ever happen without first having their physical and mental needs met. #dogtraining #dogtrainer #dogtrainingtips #petgundogs #labrador #cockerspaniel #springerspaniel #cockapoo #121dogtraining #puppytraining #highenergydogs #activitywalks #mentalstimulationfordogs #helpingyoucalmthecrazy
Building puppy patience with “find it”. #puppytraining #puppylifeskills #puppyraising #petgundogs #preventingpuppyproblems #puppypatience #findit #dogtrainer #dogtrainingtips #labrador #labradorpuppy
I’m currently putting together a short training series for Labradors in need with the help of recent adoptee, Barney ❤️
We’re back from our holidays and we’ve had the best time ❤️Happy to be getting back to it today with a jam packed week of 121 training, activity walks, and Saturday training groups 🤩...#myfamily #chihuahua #labrador #holiday #northumberland #adventuredogs #beachdays
Small easy wins lead to big wins in the future 🙌 #dogtrainingtips #dogtrainingadvice #dogtrainer
Our dogs won’t ever ignore something that’s important to them, but we can change what distractions signal to them. 1️⃣ Teach a behaviour, reward it generously and consistently in LOTS of different environments and contexts so it becomes an easy, default, habitual behaviour. 2️⃣ Go out and find some distractions! Stay at a distance your dog is able to offer the new behaviour and keep them attached to a lead so they don’t have the option to run in. 3️⃣ Gradually reduce the distance as the distraction starts to trigger the new behaviour and only remove the lead once your dog is completely reliable around that distraction. #dogtrainer #DogTrainingTips #DogTrainingUK
Capture those auto-recalls from play and interactions with other dogs to build beneficial habits for the future ✨ #dogtrainer #dogtrainingtips #dogtraining #puppysocialisation
Stay and release games on this afternoons activity walk. Log searches are one of their faves! #dogtrainer #activitywalks #mentalstimulationfordogs #petgundogs
Impulsivity is the tendency to act without thinking. Developing the skill of thinking before acting is a way of life. You won’t achieve this in a daily 5-minute training session. #dogtrainer #dogtraining #impulsecontrol
Capturing natural check ins - super simple and will have a huge impact! Every time your dog looks at you, say “YES!” then follow up with something they love - food, play, fuss. Easy Peasy! Give it a try and see what difference it makes for you! #dogtrainer #dogtraining #dogtrainingtips #labrador
#dogtrainer #videofail #workingcockerspaniel
I’ve been batch cooking this morning so we’ll be heading out later for recall training with some leftover goodies! A reliable recall doesn’t develop from what you have on you in that moment you need your dog back. It’s about all those other times that you called them then something amazing and memorable happened. What you do today, will determine your dog’s response tomorrow. It’s about history and habit, not the treat you’ve got in your pocket. #dogtrainer #dogtraining #recalltraining #classicalconditioning
🎄 DogScentric Christmas Party 🎄 ⭐️ Saturday 16th December ⭐️ What a cracking day it was 🥰 . . . #dogtrainer #christmasparty #feelinggrateful
➡️ Would you love to find a fun and constructive activity you can do together to strengthen your relationship and satisfy their natural instinct to hunt, retrieve, and use their intelligent brains? ➡️ Have you trained with us before and want to take your training to another level? ⭐️ Come and join our small, friendly Pet Gundog Activity group on Friday mornings! ⭐️ Especially for those dogs who love to chase balls and need a job to do, we’ll be focusing on Gundog-based obedience, skills, and activities such as: 👉 OFF LEAD HEELWORK… for a dog who loves to walk next to you 👉 SIT STAY… for a dog who can sit still no matter what’s going on around them 👉 RECALL… for a dog that turns on a sixpence as soon as they hear you whistle 👉 STOP… for a dog who immediately interrupts what they are doing and sits on the spot 👉 CHALLENGING RETRIEVING AND HUNTING ACTIVITIES… for a dog who wants to “work” as part of your team rather than go self employed Training is fun and reward-based 🐾 The next group is starting THIS FRIDAY which means BOOKINGS WILL BE CLOSING AT 11.00AM ON THURSDAY 30TH NOVEMBER! 🤩 Send a message for more info! . P.S. If you haven’t trained with us before and would like to get started, the Pet Gundog Life Skills and Obedience courses starting in January are now up on the website 👀 . . . #dogtrainer #dogtraining #petgundogactivities
💛💛💛 12 years of Dexter. Happy birthday my boy 💛💛💛 #chihuahualove #mybestboy #12today
Some snippets of classes on Saturday! 😃The progressive group learning about how to use a flirt pole, progressing their “go around” and “middle”. 🤩 Our newest life skills group were learning about off lead skills with all four dogs off lead together while staying with their humans and not running over to each other 🐕Congratulations to our other life skills group who finished their course 🥳Thank you for an awesome 8-weeks! And finally, we had the second and final instalment of the Stimulating Activity Walks for Spaniels workshop. 🎾 #dogtrainer #dogtraining #dogtrainingclasses #petgundogs #labradors #cockerspaniels #springerspaniels
1️⃣ UP YOUR MENTAL STIMULATION GAME High-energy dogs don’t need to run a million miles every day, this will only increase their stamina. Mental stimulation is key to a calm and contented dog. Turn your walks into activity walks and engage their brain! Play games, hunt for balls, train tricks, play recall games and heelwork games. 2️⃣ PROVIDE A LOW STIMULATION RESTING SPACE Gundog breeds are bred to be stimulated by changes in the environment so resting and switching off at home surrounded by constant stimulation can be a struggle. Lack of sleep is linked to anxiety, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and poor memory. Create a safe space away from the hustle and bustle and make sure they rest throughout the day. 3️⃣ REPLACE FREE TIME WITH CHEW TIME Chewing promotes independence, stillness, and calmness.It helps to relieve pent up stress and frustration.It triggers the release of endorphins in the brain.It fills a behavioural void so they are not left to fill it themselves.I’m talking hard, long lasting, tasty chews that they can really get to work on with their powerful jaws! Visit The Heart of Raw for suggestions and to see what they’ve got in stock! ...#dogtrainer #highenergydogs #petgundogs #spaniel #cockerspaniel #springerspaniel #cockapoo #sprocker #labrador #vizsla #mentalstimulationfordogs #importanceofsleep #chewtime
We’ve had Mabel Cocker, Sam and Benji Labradors, Barkley Vizsla, and Jack Sprocker in with their humans for 1-1 sessions today but as I’m rubbish at taking photos, here’s Lottie enjoying her break time! #dogtrainer #labrador #121dogtraining #petgundogs
Thursday gang! #smallgroupwalks #activitywalks #mentalstimulation #cockerspaniel #springerspaniel #cockapoo #securefield #dogtrainer #dogwalker
