The Dog and Handler Training Club

07/10/2024

Blue Green Algae at the Obelisk Lake.

Please keep your dog out of Obelisk Lake until further notice. For more information about blue-green algae, take a look here: https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/dog/blue-green-algae-and-its-dangers-to-dogs

22/09/2024

Any queries, I’ll respond on my return x

15/09/2024

https://youtu.be/paIjIRsEnsc?feature=shared
A whole lot of you from Saturday agility classes will know Wilberforce and his people David & Ali .. not forgetting his 4 legged sister Rita who also comes to Monday agility 😁
David told me all about Wilber’s surgery a while back… and below is his amazing story with Dr Scott Miller.

Wilbur is the most fantastic agility dog.. and there’s never a dull moment with team Wilbur on the course on a Saturday morning ☺️
And if you’re lucky to meet any of this family you’ll know that they want the best for every dog x

This is his amazing story!

15/09/2024

A whole lot of you from Saturday agility classes will know Wilberforce and his people David & Ali .. not forgetting his 4 legged sister Rita who also comes to Monday agility 😁
David told me all about Wilber’s surgery a while back… and below is his amazing story with Dr Scott Miller.

Wilbur is the most fantastic agility dog.. and there’s never a dull moment with team Wilbur on the course on a Saturday morning ☺️
And if you’re lucky to meet any of this family you’ll know that they want the best for every dog x

This is his amazing story!

Meet rescue dog Wilberforce in this episode of Shocking Rescue Stories with Dr Scott Miller. Dr Scott performs surgery on his best friend Ali's dog Wilberfor...

15/08/2024

📢 Please be advised that Wimbledon and Putney Commons have been notified by Thames Water that following a mains failure, sewage has entered Beverley Brook on Wimbledon Common.

⛔ As the Brook flows through Richmond Park dogs should be kept out of the water until the situation is resolved.

📸 Amanda Boardman

07/08/2024

Congratulations to..
Sasha & Jackie - CHW Level 1
Pico & Yvonne - CHW Level 1
Pickle & Sarah - CHW Level 2
Pickle & Sarah - CHW Level 3
Vivian & Janet - CHW Level 2
Vivian & Janet - CHW Level 3
Ludo & Emma - CHW Level 4
Well done all of you 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

01/08/2024

We didn’t have much sleep either last night. My girls slept soundly, but my boys were moving from one place to another.

🥵 DOG CRATES & HOT WEATHER! 🥵

Last night this guy had me up twice. He’s not very good at communicating he needs to go out and does displacement behaviours like rolling upside down making a quacking noise, a weird burping noise or pacing up and down the hallway.

Despite having the fan on in the hall and access to a cold, hard floor in different areas, he was too hot!

Dogs often change their position and location multiple times across a sleep/rest period. This is especially the case for thick or double coated breeds or individuals who ‘run hot’.

Amigo and Kanita will stay in their beds in the bedroom all night but sometimes Kanita gets out of her bed to lie on the floor.
(Yes, they sleep in our bedroom! They have the choice to sleep elsewhere, but they want to sleep close as a group).

However, across the evening when we are all hanging in the lounge all three dogs are changing where they rest frequently. With the current heat, despite having a fan on, they are changing positions about 2-3 times each per hour!

One reason dogs change the location or position of where they sleep is to regulate their body temperature.

Another reason is that different sleeping positions may better support different phases of sleep.
Being able to stretch out fully promotes REM sleep- the phase of sleep where memory consolidation and recovery from stressors is at optimum!

Think how about your quality of sleep lying down vs when sat upright! Do you do the nodding dog? 😴 🛌

Taking this species-specific sleeping behaviour and the current hot weather into consideration, it’s important to consider whether your set up for where your dog sleeps is allowing them to regulate their temperature.

Whilst positioning a fan towards a dog who is crated is considerate to them over heating, dogs who aren’t crated can demonstrate a preference to move away after a duration of sitting in front of a fan. 🪭

It’s not uncommon for dogs to suddenly develop an aversion to their crates during hot weather. This may be due to heat, or even due to an increase in audible sounds at night due to open windows 🪟

My preference is that dogs have the freedom to regulate their temperature and stretch out fully by being given more than one option of where they can sleep rather than contained in an area with limited space.

A compromise to providing total free range- where your dog can access multiple sleeping spots in various locations and of various surfaces- may be a dog bed in a room behind a stargate, or a crate with an open door paired up with a large puppy pen. However, be mindful the only padded surface isn’t in a small, contained space or that a hard floor is the only alternative to a thick, cushioned bed! A nice rug or padded mat may provide an in between.

If your dog genuinely loves their crate and considers it to be their consistently comfy bed and safe place - they’ll go inside on their own accord and stay inside even when the door is left open.

28/07/2024

Just a small glimpse at the variety of dogs we have in our classes! From the smallest to the largest!

17/07/2024

Can anyone recommend someone?

I need a bit of help!

Looking for a gardener / handy person!
Probably 3 to 4 hours a week.

Weeding, Strimming, Fixing Equipment, sweeping gravel, to keep everything looking neat and tidy.. must be able to work on own iniative and like dogs! 🐕

Pay starting at £15 an hour or more but dependent on your equipment and capabilities.

📅 Starting soon… for the next few weeks.

If you would like to apply please email me at….
[email protected]
Thank you
Celia

14/07/2024

Two amazing workshop! 10 amazing dogs and their handlers! And 1 fab Instructor!
Thank you Carrie- Anne from Canine Hoopers World for teaching the workshops on Friday!
See you in October!

04/07/2024

I know I’m supposed to be on holiday 😂 but today the farm was open to the all dogs in kennels from Garbo’s German Shepherd Rescue!

04/07/2024

Would you know what to do if your dog got heatstroke…

27/06/2024

26/06/2024

We hope you are all enjoying the sunny weather, but if you are out with your dogs today please remember the 5 second rule! Pavements can reach phenomenal temperatures. If you can’t stand on it bare foot, then neither can your dog!
As temperatures are going to get very high please take lots of water with you, do not leave your dogs in the car, and walk them early or when it’s cooler in the evening.

12/06/2024

You don’t have to be a Gun dog to enjoy a Gun dog Workshop!

There are so many skills, techniques and fun to be had!

Thank goodness the weather was a little bit kinder today! ⛅️

A big Thank You to Alex from Bracken Dog Training for coming over and running two amazing workshops today.

09/06/2024

Friday was super busy with two Weave & Contact Workshops.
A big Thank you to Janet for coming down from Norfolk to run both, giving her expertise and knowledge and inspiring everyone in the process!
I think we can safely say we all had a fabulous time!

07/06/2024

Take a moment! This is a fab piece!

I was on my normal walk today with Twig and Lucky, it’s a nice walk through a meadow by the river to a park in the middle of town. It’s busy with people and dogs (which mine love) and a mix of onlead and offlead dogs.

As I got to a narrow bit this morning, a saw a couple approaching with two dogs on extendable leads and as they saw me they shortened the leads right up and I could see that the people looked really worried about walking past me and my dogs.

I put my dogs onlead, took my dogs off the path into the undergrowth, and distracted them with food (made sure they didn’t look at the dogs) as the people walked past. If I had seen them coming sooner I would have asked them if they wanted me to move off the path. Not everyone feels comfortable to ask you to give them space but it’s normally pretty obvious when people are worried about walking past you and it’s easy to help them out.

The people and dogs walked past and thanked me for giving them space- no drama and we both went on our way.

I have no idea why they were worried about walking past me- the people may have been worried about strange dogs, their dogs may have been worried about strange dogs, the dogs may have been unwell or in pain or elderly or in season. Honestly it’s NONE of my business why they wanted space but it’s my job as a decent human being to be empathetic and respect that these people wanted some space.

I didn’t offer them advice, as it’s not my place. I’m sure we’ve all had unwanted advice over the years and most of it is awful. I bet every day they get told they ‘should let their dogs off lead’, or that ‘they were making their dogs anxious by making the lead so tight’ or that ‘they shouldn’t be walking in that place as it’s an ‘offlead’ dog place’.

I know people who’ve had reactive dogs carry on helping out other owners long after their own reactive dogs have passed away as they remember what it felt like. It costs nothing to try and make someone else’s day a bit less stressful. Even if your dog is totally fine with other dogs you can help other owners out who look stressed (and it’s none of our business why they might be stressed) by giving them space.

Laura McAuliffe, 2024 Dog Communication