08/09/2022
Rest in peace, your majesty ๐ญ๐ญ
Dog training for the unconventional dog Every dog is a little different and not just in shape and size.
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Our dogs personalities, likes and dislikes are as unique as we are, Yet we expect our dogs to simply slot into our daily lives like they always belonged. The reality of getting a dog, for most people is a little more complicated than first thought. Our dogs can develop unusual behaviours at any point in their lives and the reasons behind these aren't always clear. Quirky Dogs specialises in the un
usual and anxiety based behaviour. With 20 years animal training experience and a certificate in dog training and behaviour from the Victoria Stilwell Academy, Li can help you and your dog to not only overcome any issues you are facing, but we will give you the skills to confidently solve any other issues that may come your way. We use only cruelty free training methods, positive reinforcement is our specialty.
Rest in peace, your majesty ๐ญ๐ญ
Quirky Dogs is moving down under!
From 1st October 2022 we will be pausing all training tips and tricks and stopping in person training in the UK.
This move will limited contact for a short period until we have established our new base in Western Australia. Once established all existing clients will still be able to contact for advice via WhatsApp and facetime.
Until this date I'll will continue to work with new and existing clients at a reduced capacity.
I appreciate your understanding whilst we make this exciting step ๐ถ๐พ
The following is an updated to our price list effective as of 1st February:
One to One (in person or over video call) - ยฃ55
Transition sessions - ยฃ45
Update and check in calls - Free
At Quirky Dogs we understand the difficulties facing families of the most unconventional dogs. We believe a dogs mental health and the owners access to training is an essential part of being a dog owner. Because of this we strive to keep our training affordable and accessible to all.
Pulling on the lead is a self reinforcing behaviour that can be difficult to shake once practiced. Add lead pulling to an already anxious or hyper dog and you have a recipe for a stress filled walk.
With a little dedication and the know how, stopping this behaviour is simple. ๐พ๐ถ
Rescues are just as capable โค๏ธ well done to the fab four ๐๐พ
The "fab four" are trained and ready to sniff out drugs and fi****ms in Gloucestershire.
๐A big shout out to this ex kleptomaniac, 20 days of the Christmas tree being up and all the decorations are intact ๐. Massive progress compared to the decoration a day last year
๐พ Separation Anxiety ๐พ
Separation anxiety is probably one of the most well known anxiety driven behaviours in dogs. Probably because it is one of the easiest behaviours we owners can unintentional create in our otherwise confident dogs. It is also one of the most inconvenient behaviours for us humans to live with.
Urinating, defecating, howling, barking, chewing, digging, destruction, pacing and coprophagia when an owner leaves the dog, are all signs of separation anxiety.
Most owners become frustrated, believing the dog should 'just know' they will be returning, not realising that dogs with separation anxiety have a chemical reaction in their brain when they believe their owner is about to leave the house. This rush of hormones through the dogs brain puts the dog into fight or flight mode. When the dog is in this state it can no longer learn or understand anything other than the state of panic it now finds itself in, this is what causes the behaviour we all think of as separation anxiety. When you return, the dog is likely over the moon with excitement as it brain is now rushed with all the feel good hormones. The dog views the whole process as simple as this;
You left and I felt Terrible + you came back and I felt wonderful = you going is bad, you being with me is good.
Treating separation anxiety is simple but takes dedication and commitment from the owner. Like all good training, putting in the hard work pays off for a long and successful result.
Preventing separation anxiety is so much easier than a cure.
If you want more advice on preventing separation anxiety or what tips on helping your dog with separation anxiety please contact Quirky Dogs for more information
Had to share! There is no such thing as stubborn dogs just stubborn owners ๐พ
This is our lovely long distance Quirky Dog, Jam. Isn't he beautiful ๐!? Jam had a really tough start to life in Vietnam but thankfully crossed paths with a wonderful family who took him home to Ireland. His dedicated family have done a great job in helping Jam overcome the ghost of his past. It's lovely hearing updates from this guy. ๐พโฅ๏ธ
So many of the dogs we work with are too nervous for us to spend time getting a pic with, but this beautiful boy was full of cuddles and love. Toris was an absolute pleasure to meet โค๏ธ
Got to love that tail wiggle ๐
Tricks don't have to be useful when the dog enjoys learning.
๐ถโค๏ธMuzzle talk โค๏ธ๐ถ
Muzzles are a great tool for all dogs and something all dogs should be comfortable with, particularly reactive and nervous dogs.
Muzzles are most effective when training takes place before the muzzle is ever required. When trained correctly the dog can see muzzle wearing as simply another trick that gets them a treat and not much different to putting on their lead before leaving the house.
Muzzle training your dog doesn't mean the dog needs to wear a muzzle every day, it simply means you are giving your dog the confidence in a new skill should he need it.
So why muzzle?
Muzzles are helpful for so many reasons. For some they are a great way to prevent their dog eating everything they come across when on a walk. For others, they offer assurance when the dog has to enter a situation which is stressful to them, like the vets. Muzzles are also a great way to help the owner of a reactive dog relax whilst exposure training takes place. When the owner relaxes, their dog relaxes too and that is a great starting point for positive training. Muzzles aren't the solution but simply a safe guard on the path to a confidant dog.
What type of muzzle?
Whilst there are many muzzle verities out there, I personally recommend the cage muzzle. I believe it is important that a reactive and nervous dog maintains their freedom to express all their emotions, this is their language it's important we don't take that from them. Restriction of these can actually damage a dogs confidence and result in reactive behaviour progressing down the line, usually with even less warning. The cage muzzle allows full face express and full vocal expression. When building a dogs confidence we focus on changing the chemical reaction in the dogs brain, reducing the cortisol released during stress, naturally reducing the physical signs of stress such as snarling and biting. Plus cage muzzles allows the freedom to eat, drink and pant.
The reputation around muzzled dogs is changing. When you are putting a caged muzzle on your dog in a stressful situation, you are showing that you are a responsible dog owner, putting your dog's needs above people's opinions.There are many types of caged muzzles out there, coming in all types of colours and materials. Muzzles don't need to be ugly or scary. And they don't have to be the perminate solution.
If you need help muzzle training your dog or would like some tips on how to start, contact us and we will be happy to help ๐พ
Are you living with a kleptomaniac? We know how frustrating it can be, constantly second guessing what is safe to be left unattended within your dogs reach. Young Deacon had a serious problem in his younger days. There are very few items he didn't feel the need to grab and even chew. We lost many flipflops, socks, hair brushes and even airpods!
With a few short focused sessions Deacon has dropped his klepto ways, now choosing to pick up one of his toys when he gets the urge. We can get your do on the same right track within there first one to one session with Quirky Dogs .
Contact us now before something else is chewed!
Happy Sunday pups โบ๏ธ
We are on holiday ๐.
As of tonight at 7pm till Tuesday 14th September Quirky Dogs will be closed whilst we take a short holiday.
During this time we will not be able to respond to emails or messages. However if you are an existing client with an emergency anxiety problem, feel free to message us on WhatsApp and we will do our best to get back to you when we can.
See you all next week โบ๏ธ
Fear of car's in dogs is incredibly common, even in otherwise relaxed dogs. With many of us depending on car journeys to fulfill our dogs walking and medical needs, it can be hard for owners to tackle the problem, getting stuck in the loop of temporary short term solutions.
But there is another way. With the right training and patience your dog can become relaxed and even enjoy car journeys.
Contact us today to get your dog started on his / her fear free journey.
Thank you Oreo's family for the lovely review! Such a pleasure to work with you
Fabulous final session with Oreo, he has made wonderful progress thanks to the hard work of his owners. Keep it up little one โค๏ธ๐
Sunday Vibes ๐ค
Training is simple when you know how. We can teach you the how in our one to ones.
โ๏ธ Congratulations Honey for keeping your cool during the storm last night.๐
Honeys humans have worked so hard on reducing honeys stress around thunder and fire works, and their hard work has really paid off. Honey is now being moved to the final stage of this training and we just know she will do amazing. Keep it up little one!
Yes, we keep repeating this message because people still forget and drag their dogs out and about in these extreme temperatures. ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐๐
Quite a few dogs have died over the last few days due to heatstroke. ๐ข๐ข
Be kind to your dog and keep it cool and safe.๐๐
Jerry is definitely the coolest dog in this heat wave ๐, we hope your dogs are keeping cool too โฎ๏ธ
Facebook are having technical issues with the review process, so whilst they work it out, here are our top reviews so far. Thank you to all the wonderful people who have taken the time to review QDs, your reviews make the world of difference โค๏ธ
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Daisy showing great control whilst playing the leave it game.
This is one of many methods we use to help dogs take control of their impulses and work their brains.
Looking forward to our next session Daisy ๐๐ผ
Enjoy your Sunday walks ๐โ๐ฆบ๐ฉ๐๐พ
Good morning all...
Before you go out for your walk this is a good read.
Enjoy your weekend ๐๐
Do you know what healthy play between two dogs looks like?
Good manners in play is essential for dog socialisation. In healthy play, both dogs will respect the others need for a break or for the play to slow.
Healthy play means no dog is harrassed or bullied into being involved. Whilst this behaviour may seem harmless and even endearing, it's actually a risky behaviour that will almost certainly get the dog into trouble down the line.
Does your dog play in a healthy way?
Introducing the wonderful Oreo. Oreo will be working on his manners around food, learning the appropriate place to p*e and basic behaviour skills. He is also showing early signs of separation anxiety, which he and his owner will be working hard to reduce.
Oreo is a bundle of rebellious energy and we are excited to be working with him ๐พ๐
Dorchester
DT1
Monday | 9am - 6pm |
Tuesday | 9am - 6pm |
Wednesday | 9am - 6pm |
Thursday | 9am - 6pm |
Friday | 9am - 6pm |
Saturday | 9am - 5pm |
Sunday | 10am - 4am |
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Pulling on the lead is a self reinforcing behaviour that can be difficult to shake once practiced. Add lead pulling to an already anxious or hyper dog and you have a recipe for a stress filled walk. With a little dedication and the know how, stopping this behaviour is simple. ๐พ๐ถ
Got to love that tail wiggle ๐ Tricks don't have to be useful when the dog enjoys learning. #mentalsituation #positivedogtraining #backtobasics
๐ถโค๏ธMuzzle talk โค๏ธ๐ถ Muzzles are a great tool for all dogs and something all dogs should be comfortable with, particularly reactive and nervous dogs. Muzzles are most effective when training takes place before the muzzle is ever required. When trained correctly the dog can see muzzle wearing as simply another trick that gets them a treat and not much different to putting on their lead before leaving the house. Muzzle training your dog doesn't mean the dog needs to wear a muzzle every day, it simply means you are giving your dog the confidence in a new skill should he need it. So why muzzle? Muzzles are helpful for so many reasons. For some they are a great way to prevent their dog eating everything they come across when on a walk. For others, they offer assurance when the dog has to enter a situation which is stressful to them, like the vets. Muzzles are also a great way to help the owner of a reactive dog relax whilst exposure training takes place. When the owner relaxes, their dog relaxes too and that is a great starting point for positive training. Muzzles aren't the solution but simply a safe guard on the path to a confidant dog. What type of muzzle? Whilst there are many muzzle verities out there, I personally recommend the cage muzzle. I believe it is important that a reactive and nervous dog maintains their freedom to express all their emotions, this is their language it's important we don't take that from them. Restriction of these can actually damage a dogs confidence and result in reactive behaviour progressing down the line, usually with even less warning. The cage muzzle allows full face express and full vocal expression. When building a dogs confidence we focus on changing the chemical reaction in the dogs brain, reducing the cortisol released during stress, naturally reducing the physical signs of stress such as snarling and biting. Plus cage muzzles allows the freedom to eat, drink and pant. The reputation around muzzled dogs is chang
โ๏ธ Congratulations Honey for keeping your cool during the storm last night.๐ Honeys humans have worked so hard on reducing honeys stress around thunder and fire works, and their hard work has really paid off. Honey is now being moved to the final stage of this training and we just know she will do amazing. Keep it up little one! #fearfreedogtraining #positivereinforment #desensitisation #dogsandthunder
Daisy showing great control whilst playing the leave it game. This is one of many methods we use to help dogs take control of their impulses and work their brains. Looking forward to our next session Daisy ๐๐ผ
Do you know what healthy play between two dogs looks like? Good manners in play is essential for dog socialisation. In healthy play, both dogs will respect the others need for a break or for the play to slow. Healthy play means no dog is harrassed or bullied into being involved. Whilst this behaviour may seem harmless and even endearing, it's actually a risky behaviour that will almost certainly get the dog into trouble down the line. Does your dog play in a healthy way? #fearfreedogtraining #healthydogplay #dogtraining
Honey the skater dog ๐พ Honey's owners know how to make the most of their surroundings, keeping Honeys walks interesting and fun. Look at her Zoom! โก
Focus on the owner in an environment full of stimuli takes strong impulse control, also focusing on the task at hand takes any breed but Malinois ๐คฃ๐คฆ๐ผโโ๏ธ Thanks for the video Katie Burdon
Deacs has been working on his confidence in deep water this week. We may need to find him a new challenge!
This is the lovely Rowan showing his choice over treats. Rowan as had a lot of issues with anxiety after his previous owner abandoned him at the vets. Thankfully he found a loving home with two wonderful trainers who worked with Quirky Dogs before they found a Quirky Dog of their own. Rowan has developed in to a beautiful, confident young man. A great example of the power in positive reinforcement โค๏ธ๐พ๐ฅ