Dog agility training and Hooper training using positive reinforcement and shaping methodology as supported by the SSPCA. Most dogs simply love doing Hoopers.
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Blocks of 6 foundation and more advanced classes of no more then 5 dogs and handlers. Barmuckity Mutts Hoopers and more for dogs reward based training helps you develop a much deeper relationship with your dog. As well as teaching them the exciting dog sport that is Hoopers. I run classes where numbers are restricted to no more than 6 participants. You can move though a series of classes to compe
tition level. If that is what you wish to do. Or you can simply enjoy your dogs enjoying themselves at any level. Above all, I aim for safe and fun filled lessons where handlers and their dogs can learn Hoopers and other fun sports in a positive, supportive and relaxed environment. Hooper training can be beneficial for all dogs from young pups to retired dogs. Courses are flowing with no tight turns making it kind on a dogs body. Hoopers can provide mental stimulation, motivation and builds confidence and focus, thereby promoting a very strong bond between dog and owner. Handlers may run with their dogs as in dog agility, or can teach their dogs to work away from them. This makes it a wonderful sport for those handlers less able, who need to remain relatively stationary. A fulfilled dog is a happy dog! I am an advanced level two Hoopers trainer and Judge. I have been teaching the relatively new sport of Hoopers for six years. At one time I was one of only two advanced level Hoopers trainers in Scotland. For a number of years I also taught Dog agility but now prefer to concentrate on the new, exciting and evolving sport of Hoopers. I also provide occasional courses or workshops in tricks, or movement, or a combination of all called Game On.
23/11/2024
This is the charity I am supporting this year rather than send Christmas cards that may not arrive. The many saved will do more good here.
Gift a Child a Book this Christmas and help spread joy and hope for the future of all species For many people, Christmas is a time to spread joy. It’s a chance to get together with loved ones, uphold
23/11/2024
This is the charity I am supporting this year rather than send Christmas cards that may not get to their destination due to Royal mail not delivering. The money saved is better spent here.
Gift a Child a Book this Christmas and help spread joy and hope for the future of all species For many people, Christmas is a time to spread joy. It’s a chance to get together with loved ones, uphold
23/11/2024
I'm donating to this charity rather than sending Christmas cards this year. My money is better spent here instead of Royal mail not delivering letters I have sent off.
Gift a Child a Book this Christmas and help spread joy and hope for the future of all species For many people, Christmas is a time to spread joy. It’s a chance to get together with loved ones, uphold
23/09/2024
I’ve been a fully qualified CHUK Hoopers trainer for six years now. This weekend I’m proud to say that after a two day trainers training with BK9 (another hoopers organisation who have different training ideas and different rules for their shows,) I have qualified as an approved Hoopers trainer. I look forward to passing on all my knowledge to my current and future students.
15/09/2024
I get it.....I really do.
It is cold, you just got home and you have 30 minutes to walk your dog, but you also need to get some exercise in to destress, unwind and get the blood pumping.
Your dog will love it...won't they ?
Some will, but lately there are too many dogs running "dutifully" behind people.
Some dogs have obvious limps but people can't see that from out the front.
Some dogs attempt to stop...to urinate and are tugged/dragged to continue, because your pace is good and you want to continue.
Sniffing and enrichment isn't a consideration at all...it can't be because that run needs to continue for your own well being and reasons.
At the pace you set.
For the time you set.
Are their needs even a consideration in the decision making?
Is this for them or for you ?
Sometimes our dogs needs for enrichment and enjoyment are easily forgotten because every night we must walk or run that certain route...in that certain time.
Or WE don't feel better.......
13/08/2024
Change the environment can be fun!
13/08/2024
Changing the environment to create more understanding for our dogs can be great fun!
28/07/2024
Lots of learning and a great deal of fun was had by everyone during a clicker training workshop given by Ruth Bates here at Barmuckity Mutts. Here are a few photos of some of the lovely students and their dogs who all want to do another class soon as they all felt they benefited so much from this one. Thank you Ruth for a really worthwhile workshop.
24/07/2024
Due to unforeseen circumstances a place has become available on this workshop happening Sunday 28th July.
Ruth Bates a very experienced trainer is coming to to our secure field at Barmuckity Mutts just outside Elgin to present a two hour workshop teaching Clicker training to handlers and their dogs. This is a practical and theory based class and you will be able to teach your dog a desired trick or useful command like walking to heal or a reliable recall. This is a fun interactive course with your own dog and you will learn the difference between shaping and capturing behaviours while allowing your dog to work out some simple tasks and to use their brain. This course is suitable for all ages of your dog and it doesn't require any running about by the handler. The cost is £45 for two hours with no more than 8 in a group. Workshop starting at eleven am. please contact Liz on 07771665299 if you would like to book a place.
16/07/2024
Congratulations to three of our very talented students and their dogs for passing the silver chuk hoopers award. Gold award next stop girls!
10/07/2024
Clicker training part three! It looks as if the second weekend for the workshop will be best for most people although silly me got that weekend date slightly wrong. It’s the weekend 27th-28th July.
We will go for Sunday July 28th starting at eleven o’clock. There are still a couple of places left for that day. If you would like a place please could you send me an email so that I can send you a booking form. Many thanks. [email protected]
08/07/2024
For everyone interested in our clicker training with Ruth Bates at Barmuckity Mutts. Here are some proposed dates. Please comment below, thank you. Weekend July 28th-29th, or weekend 17th-18th August, or weekend 31st August -1st September. We will go with what is best for the majority.
07/07/2024
And to follow up on yesterday’s post about sound sensitivity, this is 15-month old Meg, who came to me two months ago struggling with extreme sound sensitivity (terrified of road works and very anxious about aircraft), and barking/lunging at traffic. Although there were no physical signs of anything physically being wrong, when anxiety medication didn't help, it became highly likely from a behaivoural point of view that something was hurting her. She was X-rayed this week and it was found that she has hip dysplasia in both hips and had been in a lot of pain. 😢
She’s now on pain relief and already she is so much happier, but she is on 4 types of medication which makes it a costly, upsetting and worrying time for her owners. ❤️
ALWAYS buy a pup from breeders who hip score their dogs. This is a test that X-rays the hips of potential breeding dogs or bi***es to make sure that they don’t have hip dysplasia as it is often an inherited condition - most farms don’t bother. Ask to see the hip score results of both parents of puppies you are considering buying. However, some collies that have really good breeding can still develop issues.
07/07/2024
Looking for interest. A very experienced visiting trainer is willing to come to our secure field at Barmuckity Mutts just outside Elgin to present a two hour workshop teaching Clicker training to handlers and their dogs. This is a practical and theory based class and you will be able to teach your dog a desired trick or useful command like walking to heal or a reliable recall. This is a fun interactive course with your own dog and you will learn the difference between shaping and capturing behaviours while allowing your dog to work out some simple tasks and to use their brain. This course is suitable for all as it doesn't require any physical activity from the dog owner. The cost would be £45 for two hours with no more than 6 in a group. Possible day would be a weekend to be arranged. Please comment below or message me.
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Videos
Here’s another, happy hoopering.
Change the environment can be fun!
Happy hoopers!
Changing the environment to create more understanding for our dogs can be great fun!
Sadly, for personal reasons, someone has had to pull out of the new foundation hoopers training starting on Wednesday 17th April at one pm. This is a block of six weekly classes in a group of no more than six handlers and their dogs. Please contact me if you could like to try this new exciting sport which is suitable for all dogs and their handlers. You can also message me under the name of Liz Devonport.
When I was young I lived in very rural an area where there were no other children. I only came across them when I was at school and was not that impressed! Animals of all sorts, wild and domesticated roamed across the hills around our house. I got on well with them and could be amongst them without seemingly being a threat to them. Later I was fortunate in that my parents bought me a pony. [After much pestering!] From then on I rode far and wide with a very large bullmastiff cross great dane at me side. No-one messed with us!
I think these early experiences set the scene for the future. On leaving school I worked as a groom with horses and later owned my own livery yard, caring for hunters and eventers, also young horses being taught to carry a person. All this time there were dogs, so many dogs, each one a character. Every one bringing me more understanding about who they were and what they needed. Also, when younger, I had thought I could read their minds to some extent, but I think what was happening was that I had learnt to read the body language at a subconscious level which was even better!
Here are some of the things I learnt from those amazing dogs. Each gem has stood me in good stead for the work I do today, which is to find ways to train dogs and their people to form the best working relationship possible. [1] All animals do what is rewarding to them. [2] There are no bad or stupid dogs [or other animals for that matter.] [3] Within their own characteristics animals do what they do to survive. [4] Dogs practice unconditional love towards humans, they do not judge us. [5] They do respond to our energy [vibes] whether high or low they will react in their own unique way.
Working with people came later, Suffice to say I learnt to listen, to communicate and to coach others towards their goals. That period of my life started nearly 40 years ago and I’ve never stopped learning how to do this more and more effectively.
In 2011 the post I held within the NHS was discontinued. It was not expected and I was devastated. My good friend Sue Barr Cochran [dog trainer] suggested I knew enough about dog agility to teach the sport to others. I had been competing with my dog Leo for a number of years and really enjoyed it. I honestly thought she was wrong and it was with some trepidation I created a lesson plan and began to teach small groups of interested people and their dogs.
Leggett Leo 24.7.2006-24.4.2019
I have continued to compete and to train my dogs with national and international trainers. I believe in the very competitive and changing field of dog agility one has to be there, doing it to keep up with the latest thinking and training methods. Here are some of the things I’ve learnt while attending shows that have informed my understanding as a trainer. [1] Dogs need to be taught to jump just as horses need to be taught how to `find their stride.’ I have seen dogs competing who have no idea how to jump correctly thus knocking poles, turning in ways that will injure them and worse. [2] Although people love their dogs they do not always understand what their dog is trying to convey to them. [3] People will often underestimate their own abilities and overestimate their dogs ability to know what is being asked of them. [4] Most of us could improve our timing when cueing our dogs to perform a movement on an agility course!
While doing what I do now [train people and their dogs] I have come to realise that I have passion for learning all that I can. My curiosity is never satisfied and is a hard task master at times. But I’m grateful as I need to know the nuts and bolts of what works best in my chosen career. Currently my online trainer is Susan Garrett in Canada. Her focus is successful dog training based on scientific facts about what works and why. I also travel to participate in workshops run by other well known agility trainers whose methods fit in with the methodology I use now. Having said that my greatest teachers are the dogs and their handlers with whom I have had the privilege of working on a regular basis.
Through the medium of agility I work with handlers and their dogs to enable them to form the best possible working relationship. My endeavour is to promote confidence in both dog and handler leading to a better understanding between the two. So that communication between them becomes effortless and joyful whether they are navigating an agility course or simply out for a walk.
I also offer group training in a course I call Game On. Here we use games to promote a great relationship between dog and handler. This is suitable for all companion dogs not just those who want to compete in agility. I will be doing more of these as the pilot course was well received, with people commenting on how quickly their dogs were paying more attention to them and how much more fun they were having with their hairy friends.
Teaching what I have learnt is my passion and I am grateful to everyone, humans, dogs and horses who continue to guide me on a daily basis. THANK YOU! Liz Devonport 5.6.2019
