Ethical Dog Training

09/12/2024

📧 Email posted with client permission.

“A Heartfelt Thanks to Gillian at Ethical Dog Training

We have been truly impressed and grateful for the incredible guidance, compassion, and expertise Gillian has shown in helping our dog, Manchas.

Manchas, a beautiful Spanish rescue, came to us from a council-run pound in Spain. The conditions there were incredibly basic—heartbreakingly so. After visiting her in Spain, we brought her home to Glasgow.

When Manchas arrived, she was utterly terrified. Simple things we take for granted were challenging—she would cower when we tried to pet her, as if expecting punishment. Walks were equally distressing, with her freezing in fear at the slightest trigger. We quickly realized we needed expert help.

That’s when Gillian from Ethical Dog Training came into our lives. From the very first meeting, Gillian’s calm, intuitive approach resonated with Manchas. She understood her immediately and taught us invaluable techniques to care for a traumatised dog.

Thanks to Gillian’s patient guidance, Manchas has started to trust…and we’ve seen her take meaningful steps toward confidence.

Gillian has given us the tools to help Manchas lead a better quality of life and discover her true self—one gentle moment at a time. This journey with Manchas is far from over, but thanks to Gillian’s knowledge, insight, and incredible manner, we are heading in the right direction.

We cannot recommend Gillian and Ethical Dog Training highly enough for anyone seeking help with dog training or supporting a rescue dog’s assimilation into a new home”

💙

08/12/2024

🎉 Merry Christmas! 🎉

✨Positive reinforcement is for people too. ✨

I think January can feel a bit bleak for people - it’s darker, our days and outside time often shorter and our training can be a little derailed, after what is often a happy and frazzling holiday season for everyone.

So.

To change this, and reward my humans who will begin their next year the way they mean to go on - beautiful, bright and with positive action - here you go -

🎁 For every new training package booked before Christmas, I will include one Skype call, and one addition full session, on me, as a thank you for your promise to your dog. 🎁

This gift is open to new clients *and* my
regular people - who already know that
I appreciate and return their commitment and good energy.

Merry Christmas my lovely bunch, and thank you already for your wonderful pictures, cards and gifts, - you are all so very gorgeous.

✨ Offer turns into a pumpkin December 31st✨

07/12/2024

06/12/2024

Handy infographic to keep/share friends, it’s easy to forget after too many sprouts or a few brandies… 🎄🤣

🎬:unknown

05/12/2024

“We honour the no and we shape the yes”

Eloquently put, by the inimitable Dr. Susan Friedman.

🚫“Won’t get in our car/dog walkers van”
🚫“Stops/puts brakes on during walks”
🚫“Won’t come inside/go outside”
🚫“Will not tolerate guests”
🚫“Can’t cope at the door”
🚫”pulls to get home”

All common, all separate cases I’ve attended this week.

Start by listening to your dog, meet them where they are. What’s bothering them? Why?

Do this, and you are building a friendship - a more authentically connected, changed dog that trusts you and really feels better - not “just” getting improvement in behaviour.

“We honour the no and we shape the yes” - we can open their world up to so much more safety, joy and adventure if we do it respectfully.

29/11/2024

RANDY! 🐾🐻

This gorgeous big bear is afraid of other dogs. No, seriously.

It *looks like* biiiig aggression.

👹Lots of noise.
👹Lunging.
👹Barking.

He’s was badly attacked, by multiple dogs over a sustained period before being rescued. He just wanted other dogs to leave him alone.

His dads are incredible. Relentless in their goal to get him feeling and being safer.

The change;

🎉 His weight, coat, strength and flexibility- all improved.
🎉His ability to relax and be affectionate; climbs weekly
🎉He can move around in the world and now assess other dogs without losing his beans at every one…
🎉He’s been on holidays with his family

And… AND…

HE CAN MAKE NEW DOG FRIENDS, AND IS CURRENTLY ON A SLEEPOVER WITH ONE OF THEM.

Handled the wrong way, Randy would’ve been in real trouble. He’s sensitive and he was afraid. Sometimes he still is.

We’re not done changing his life yet, and he has already come so far. Look at his joyful big face.

Well done boys, I’m so proud of you all, much more to come!

28/11/2024

Neighbourhood watch 🚨

Many pet dogs are arguably/technically enjoying the most comfortable lives their species has ever known…and yet…

People still reach out daily because their dogs are barking in their homes “beyond the range of normal” - at their windows, doors, at deliveries, visitors, noise. It’s often worse at night.

Theo is a well loved 6 y/o cocker spaniel, and a perfect example of this super common behaviour.

His person had tried a few things to help him, but nothing worked. It was clear that Theo was stressed in these moments.

He relaxed, calmly acknowledged the activity outside his home, at the door, doorbell and windows, and happily ignored his new visitor (after a brief check over) all within our first session. The car, busier walks, restaurants and coffee shops are next, as we rebrand these things for this boy.

Our dogs don’t design the life they share with us, we do.

They cannot ignore things around them - often their genetic makeup means they are literally purpose built to be sensitive to noise and change.

Your dog needs and deserves context for the world you ask them to be in, and you can improve their lives *so much* by providing it.

💛

27/11/2024

🇪🇸 Manchas 🇪🇸

To be frank, this stunning guardian breed mix was traumatised when her people rescued her from a Spanish pound. Terrified.

This looked like…

📣 hyper vigilance

📣 lots of very loud barking

📣 the need to guard her spaces and body

📣 skittish behaviour, struggling to manage changes in movement, noise, environment

📣 nervous, frightened on walks, shutting down at times, “hitting the brakes” or dragging to get home

Her Dads are bright, and lovingly committed to making their busy world her oyster - she is unfolding in so many ways already.

🌱She can travel with them, be in their bustling office
🌱she’s settling in her home and garden
🌱she’s enjoying her food
🌱putting much needed weight on
🌱her coat is thicker and glossier
🌱her fierce, bright eyes are softer
🌱she checks in often, communicating in much gentler ways
🌱she’s becoming increasingly affectionate and relaxed

In anxious, skittish, fearful animals it is imperative that our treatment and our training is restorative, kind - and skilful.

We break nothing further.

We build - Trust. Confidence. Joy. Behaviour.

It’s changing her life story, and she’s changing theirs too - isn’t that friendship?

21/11/2024

💫 Chewie 💫

Hard to summarise in a post what this little guy has overcome in his journey.

🔸Medical trauma
🔸Chronic pain
🔸Fear
🔸Lead, traffic, kid, dog, stranger, cyclist reactivity
🔸Environmental sensitivity and anxiety

AND YET

The peace, connection and absolute joy we've built into this little dog's life is unquantifiable.

He is SO LOVED, his life is so full. He meets new dog friends in his busy west end/park life, he's calm, affectionate and friendly and interested and fun and my gosh, I genuinely adore being near him.

Heartfelt thanks to his people for their unflinching advocacy and dedication to his excellent life quality and wellbeing. He's an Ethical Dog Training poster child.

We love you Chewie.

20/11/2024

You might think Toby’s cute, and you’d be right. He’s also a LOT OF DOG in that tiny terrier body.

Toby doesn’t always get into fights because he’s worried or unsure of the other dog (a common misconception) - sometimes he just … really enjoys it.

He is *intensely* motivated to scent, track, chase, catch - and he’s smart - he’s escaped and disappeared for hours or more.

All of this stuff is pretty biologically normal for a dog like Toby, but it’s a real problem for everyone else, not just his person, right?

It’s stressful.
It’s not safe.
It’s not social.

Toby is a really cool wee dog and I “get” him. Now his person does too. He makes so many great choices daily now.

When working with a client and their dog reactive husky, we encountered Toby by chance in a park. “Old” Toby would have *loved* a tussle in this scenario. Instead - he very politely taught the teenaged dog how to meet and greet - and then calmly went on his way.

More recently we’ve been helping him feel relaxed at night (especially around the wildlife in his garden) and yet again - the boy is acing it.

Please don’t fight who they are. It’s actually not fair to do it, and you’ll often make things much worse.

Understand them, build skill in them and set them to the right kind of work. Everyone wins.

Social.
Safe.
Stress free.
Successful.

18/11/2024

Oh Munro. You delicious boy.

Working on household harmony this morning.

Young Munro lives in a wonderful home with human teenagers and two cats. He’s *very* interested in all of this!

No need to squash his joy, block him with baby gates or police him in perpetuity.

We’re teaching this guy how to relax, be calm when he feels curious and investigate politely and safely.

Well done learning how to be cool for cats today Munro, you aced it.

🐱🫶🏾🐱

13/11/2024

This.

“He chose to come in and be with me instead of outside for the first time tonight”

“She’s gone and slept in her bed for the first time ever since we got her (years)”

“He was never food orientated before, tonight he finished his meal in one go”

“He walked past 11 dogs today, unbothered. He used to pull me off my feet to get to them”

People come to me for all kinds of specific reasons.

But when we train in a way designed to help your dog *feel* better all round as well as behaving differently - amazing things happen. They unfold in unexpected ways. So do you.

They can tell you - thank you, in a hundred different ways. They can show you.

Feeling better. Safer. Happier.

It is Magical. ✨ (and science 😉)

13/11/2024

🩷 BABY PREP 🩷

🍼 introducing baby/coming home/what’s next

🍼 safety for all, great home set up

🍼 resolving worry Timmy feels around activity at the window (barking wakes babies 🤣)

🍼 making sure this gorgeous family are supported and prepped for their new arrival and the transition into this amazing new stage of life

🍼 relaxed, joyful, capable, excited and ready

11/11/2024

✨ Luna: before and after she hears how well she rocked her session… ✨

HUGE difference in this gorgeous golden doodlegirl.

Luna is a big dog, she was reactive towards other dogs, and some people - her person on the end of the lead, is tiny.

Things were feeling scary.

Luna’s mum reached out determined to understand, get them both safe - and change how Luna was feeling and behaving for the better.

In this session, Luna *chose* to *happily* and *calmly* meet, greet and leave 80+ dogs in the park with her person…

AND walk away from the select few she decided either weren’t her idea of a good time OR who were telling her no thank you.

On a soft lead. In comfortable kit. In partnership with her person.

Safe. Settled. Set up for the future. Beautiful.

If you want your dog to do better, you have to teach them. If you want them to feel better - you have to help them.

I can coach you to do both, and it’s my heart’s joy doing it.

08/11/2024

😎 Calm. 😎 Cool. 😎 Connected. This is Ethical Dog Training.

08/11/2024

Pippin, is a young, smart, environmentally sensitive dog, out walking here on Nov 5th, close to a nearby fireworks display. Note:✨The soft lead ✨The relaxed body ✨The calm check ins with his person ✨The return to exploring at leisure✨A delighted handler behind the camera We worked to build Pippin this way. When he’s curious, or concerned, he checks in for more information or context. 💥we didn’t “just” focus on fireworks 💥we didn’t do this overnight 💥we’re not bribing him with treatsOur method prioritises connection over compliance. Grounded in compassion - supported by science. …and it works.

02/11/2024

Being rescued or rehomed (even into much better circumstances) can be really hard on our dogs.

Tico is a beautiful Yorkshire Terrier who’s landed on his tiny paws as a senior. After some upheaval, his life is notably improved, and his new family have noticed he’s been struggling with a few things.

🪫 General anxiety

🪫 Travelling sickness, crying, panting, shaking in the car

🪫 Obsessive behaviour on his walks

🪫 Unable to engage with the world properly

🪫 Separation anxiety

Tico’s people have such love, attention and goodwill for their little dog. We are transforming their energy into education:

🔋 Seeing the world through their dogs eyes

🔋 Understanding Tico’s specific worries (more nuanced than people often realise)

🔋 What to do to alleviate/banish them

🔋 How to help him feel safe and truly relaxed

🔋 Properly engaging Tico with all life still has to offer him

🔋 Moving him through a state of “survive” to “thrive” on his walks

Together we’re making up for all the years he’s missed out on safety, enrichment, choice, and connection.

We’ve seen such improvement already. This family knows it’s never too late to see change, or to be happy.

The very best years of your life are still in front of you, Tico.

🩶