Voodoo K9 Academy

15/03/2025

*****PICTURE FOR ATTENTION******

Picking a dog trainer can be extremely hard and a minefield to sive through.

All too often, people are blindsided by trainers who use previous job roles as their selling pitch, such as police dog handler, military, and prison dog handler. All amazing respectable roles may be dated in their training methods in my personal opinion but still applaud what they do.

These roles don't guarantee the standard of training you receive. These are all structured roles around the job they did , so they would only train what was required for the job. Also, what seems to be missing is the fact they have head trainers telling them what to do and how to train this 🤷🏼‍♂️.

Yes, there are ex service handlers who realise this and go educate themselves and learn new skills from experienced trainers in the real world for pet training and this shows desire to be the best they can be for their clients.

After a horror story yesterday of a trainer thinking it's acceptable to just be heavy-handed and domineering to a nervous reactive and using such adverts around being an ex police dog handler, what makes it better is he didn't even own a dog 🤷🏼‍♂️ to demonstrate his own skills and methods. Just a personal opinion, but if you're going to a dog trainer, i would like to see the product of their training within their furry friend.

Please pick a trainer who has reviews and who is willing to put video footage up of sessions past and present.
Go meet your trainer and their dogs, are they happy and stable.

# #

14/03/2025

We have so many clients and people we meet on our travels ask "what do you feed your dogs"?.
Well, we feed a mix of foods dependent on what each dog needs.
But we always use to help us choose quality food. The in depth break down of food ingredients and rating is valuable to us.

The first 2 brands in the pictures are from , alpha spirit, which is a full white fish with no fillers in a 12kg bag and Darf complete, which comes in a 20kg sack.

Then we move onto , which we buy Ultima mix and Peak performance both come in 12kg bags.

You will find it very hard to beat the quality of these foods and prices.

#

13/03/2025

Why we don't like the use of head halti devices.......

The reason is that too many people buy these and still don't train their dog to wall correctly. They mask a problem and keep unnecessary pressure on around a dogs nose , neck, and head.

We have had a lot of dogs through the door from trainers who have failed their clients. By charging stupid amounts of money and sticking one of these tools on and not even covering the basics of engagement and conditioning of the tool even.

These tools are not, and I mean, not a purely positive way of training either , which was also another failed trainers explanation of the use of this tool.

If you have a reactivate dog and lunges with this halti on this is causing twisting of the dogs neck and could cause huge implications to your dogs neck , also imagine the nerve feeling going through your dogs nose while displaying a behaviour, wonder why your dog seems more agitated 🤔.

Bit of factual write-up, too 👇

“There can be long-term health implications including injury to the neck and spine and prevention of natural gait and the dog determining his/her personal space.
(Rosee Riggs, 2019)”

Head halters discourage leash pulling by applying pressure and discomfort when the leash pulls and turns a dog’s head to the side.
 
The potential is too high for injury to a dog’s soft tissue, spine, and psychological damage over prolonged use. Proponents state that head halters are similar to a bridle on a horse, but the construction of a dog’s head is not that of a horses’ and does not lend itself to wearing halters. A dog’s head is highly sensitive as they have very thin skin around their heads, with many nerve endings and over 300 million olfactory cells in their nose, while we only have 5 million cells.

11/03/2025

Alfie has been putting in the work today on Herrington Park.
Proofing new structures and training methods for the real world.
He absolutely smashed his session today around lots of dogs and wild birds 🐕🦆.

So proud 👏.

11/03/2025

Have you got a new member of the family?.

Do you wish to give them the best start to life?

Want to teach solid proven foundations that your puppy will understand?

Want real-world 🌎 proofing of behaviours taught within sessions?.

All while having fun along the way. All family members welcome to the sessions.

Then the Voodoo k9 Perfect puppy package is for you!.

We won't put you in a class situation with the possibility of creating over arousel and keep you in a hall in the belief that this is going to give you success in the real world.

What are you waiting for, don’t take our word for it. Check out our 5 🌟 google reviews.

Everything is bookable through our fast and easy online booking system.

Check out our website www.voodook9academy.co.uk for videos of previous cases, FAQs, prices, and information.

Durham-based dog trainers
Recognised trainer with the Guild of Dog Trainers.
MBIPDT

11/03/2025

Are you struggling with walking your dog?
Is your dog over aroused at other dogs or people?🦮
Pulling you around?
Not listening?
Distracted by everything?

If you answered yes to any of the above, you and your pooch need Voodoo K9 Academy!

🐾 We can help you! We have a track record of successful dogs and owners who are now enjoying their dogs and walk with them much more than ever before!

🐕 What are you waiting for? Your dreams of what owning a dog are closer and more realistic than you think, and we can help you achieve this, don’t take our word for it. Check out our 5 🌟 google reviews, too!!.

🌎 Real world proofing of behaviours taught within our sessions, not just sitting in a hall or indoor facility pretending it's perfect and a bit of paper to say so 🤣.

Check out our website www.voodook9academy.co.uk for videos of previous cases, FAQs, prices and information, and online booking system, for ease of booking dates and times which suit your busy life.

Durham-based dog trainers
Recognised trainer with the Guild of Dog Trainers.
MBIPDT

15/02/2025

# # Cowboy trainers # #

It's not often I feel the need to discuss cow boy dog trainers on a post.

But Jesus's Christ, I've heard it all this last week or so , about the same trainer in the North East.

Look as a balanced trainer. We approach all dog behaviours differently. Not one method meets every dogs needs. Yes, we do use everything from purely positive free shaping to the use of tools , especially with genetics playing a part in some breeds.

But if your going to a so called trainer who is wanting to use tools , don't just put them on and start correcting your dog weather it be a flat collars, grot collar , prong collar , horrible halti head collar or e collar these all need conditioning phases for the dog to understand what is required and a balanced approach. ( not just corrections)

Also, the most important part of this post is cow boy trainers buying untested cheap equipment when your dogs well-being is the most important thing in this.
If this was a human family member and they needed something for their health, would you gamble on a copy and hope it works the same as a tried and tested item.
No, you wouldn't as their well-being would be more important.

Untested cheap crap such as above in the picture is not acceptable and that trainer needs to stay away from any form of training if they are not educated and experienced enough to use it correctly.

31/10/2024

Today, we had a bit of a social media celeb called Belle.

Belle was a beach dog stray in Mauritius, which formed a relationship with her owner while on holiday.

The owner reached out on social media, and his post reached 1000s of people who commented, and eventually, a charity called 4 paws animal welfare made contact which helped Belle be adopted by her owner now and come to the UK 🇬🇧.

We are going to be working with Belle to create a recall to give her freedom to enjoy woodland walks and spend time with her new family who love her deeply.

29/10/2024

Seeing lots of posts about kennel cough cases in and around Durham.

If you believe your dog has been in contact or is showing signs, then please think of others and isolate your dog.

If you have a session booked with us and your dog is showing signs,or you think you have been in contact we are more than happy to reschedule your appointment as welfare for other clients' dogs is our priority.

Don't be selfish and think of others.

Please share 🙏

#

29/09/2024

We hear this all the time !

"My dog has a recall, well most of the time,"
" He recalls 90% of the time."

NO, YOUR DOG DOES NOT HAVE A PROOFED RECALL!

If your recall is not a 100%, then your dog should not be free rain, creating behaviours that could get your dog into trouble or even worse..

WhatsApp
07874806465

For all your training needs.

25/09/2024

In the last few months, we have seen more and more people make mistakes, with buying bite equipment and using it in public areas.

We know they have not bought the equipment for other than playing with their dog, but this can be perceived by many as a dangerous dog out of control in a public space.

The current people have received a section 43 under a community protection notice.They have reached out for advice, and unfortunately, any form of bite work in a public space does fall under what has been served.

I hope this helps people think twice and hope this helps people understand the law around bite work and dog sports.

Any form of sports associated protection sports should be done at a club run by qualified trainers in a secure area to comply with current laws.


#

16/09/2024

15/09/2024

So many know me and this lads partnership, his story isn't a particularly nice one, but he has his happy ending with me. I got him from Hero paws - Life AFTER service last year after he spent nearly 5 years in kennels due to his various behavioural issues, fast forward to now and we haven't resolved all of his issues, but we have minimised them and he is in a much better head space to deal with them better, it's through building my relationship with him which has bought me to this point, those that know, I am an experienced General Purpose Security Dog handler and my time with the malinois started in 2017 with my own Malinois, he taught me that I had to adapt, and I had to do it fast, I have worked long and hard in the industry to try and maintain the reputation I had within the security sector prior to Dog's, which has served me well, having worked for the same person for over a decade, I have recently started taking a step back from GP tasks in order to train and build my skills with my detection dogs, which has opened many connections and I have reached the point where I feel able to offer guidance to others, that may be in a similar position that I once was, I didn't have anyone to turn to and those that I did, didn't want to know until I met Voodoo K9 Academy, who then equipped me to deal with my own dogs reactivity, so I am now offering dog walking for reactive and fearful dogs in the Redcar and cleveland area, fully insured and DBS checked.

13/09/2024

Did you know that 10% of all Consett Canicross Trail Series entry fees are donated to Animal Welfare Charities?

With just over a week to sign up for Chopwell Trail Series Sept 2024 there’s not long left to bag your place and help raise funds for Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter

Entry details in comments ⬇️

Sporty Paws Ltd Pampered Palates - Natural Pet Shop Cross Country Canines Northern Integrative Health Practice Westway Veterinary Group Consett in Focus Mean Bean Coffee Company

08/09/2024

The Voodoo Pups!

Today was our last lesson of the course and as you can see the pups ACED it!

Loose leash walking past each other 🐾 🚶‍♀️
Recall work around other - practicing neutrality towards other dogs

Then we went into the end of course exam testing everything they have learned!
Recall
Sit and wait for food
Heel
Leave it
Sit/down stay

This is how a puppy class should be done! Real skills and foundations - ready to be applied further by their owners!

Way to go guys proud of you!

New puppy Classes starting soon! Message us for details! 07874 806465

04/09/2024

The puppy Classes are a 5 week course
Thursday option: £115 every Thursday 5pm for 5 weeks
Sunday option £120 every Sunday 11am for 5 weeks.
Once you sign up for your day that is the day you attend every week, unfortunately we cannot allow class day swaps.

These are a GROUP class for puppy's new to their families who have not started any training yet.

We cover:
Focus on the owner
Recall foundations
Sit & Down
Stay
Food bowl manners
Prevention of resource guarding
Leave it
& heel work/loose leash walking.

For more information please contact Mia on 07990 276376 WHATSAPP

Sign up via messaging Mia or on the Voodoo K9 Academy website www.voodook9academy.co.uk

23/08/2024

Voodoo Pups - Foundation puppy Classes starting on:

Thursday 19th sept 5pm or
Sunday class 15th Sept 15th 11am

Contact Mia for more information on 07990 276376 WHATSAPP US please send us your full name, email address, pups age, breed and proof of vaccinations.

Foundation course covers:
Engagement & focus
Recall & Foundation for good off leash behaviour
Sit & Down
Bed
Settle
Leave it
Food bowl manners
Prevention of resource guarding