Ethical Dog Training

23/10/2023

🎉 Huge thanks to everyone for your warmth, support and messages of congratulations 🎉

Our baby son has been with us just long enough for us to be opening up some initial limited capacity.

Video/online sessions, and some face to face dates available now; enormous gratitude for everyone’s patience.

Reach out to book, I can’t wait to see you.

26/08/2023

[TW: dog bites]

In my experience, dogs who bite don’t generally start out that way.

🚨 Often their “softer” signals of discomfort, fear or pain have been missed, or misunderstood.

🚨 Sometimes, their earlier communication bids (barking, lunging, growling etc) have been ignored, punished or suppressed. I hear clients say “it seems to come from nowhere”. In these cases it’s like removing the batteries from a smoke alarm - there’s no “early warning system” now.

🚨 It can come from pain. Or anticipation of pain. It can be fear, which takes many forms. They can be startled.

🚨 Reacting = opposite of thinking. The dog is overwhelmed. So emotionally charged they’re unable to think. Literally incapable of making better decisions.

One thing I can say is - after thousands of dogs coming to me because they bite - I can’t recall a single, healthy, pain free dog who understood they had other options and felt safe to take them - choose to bite instead.

•. •. •. •. •. •. •. •. •. •. •. •. •.

This beautiful little dingo rescue is Freya. She has a lovely, bright, kind family who love her, and she’s used her teeth on them without much prompting.

She’s intense, sensitive, worried by a lot. Freya really struggles with visitors, noise, and movement. I suspect she’s in discomfort too, so we’re on a journey investigating hidden pain, in partnership with her vet.

She is so sweet, affectionate and dying to connect and feel safe. During our work, the biting has stopped. Today her people sent this message:

“What a huge moment for us and for Freya. My mum, dad, sister, niece and her bulldog all came round to the house all at once. Freya said hello to everyone then took herself into her dog bed away from everyone which she honestly has never done when we have had guests round let alone her closest family, so it shows us what progress she has made. She recognised herself that she’s overwhelmed and to go away rather than be conflicted.”

We’ve had beautiful progress at home and outside, and Freya feels safe to meet and greet people, find her own measure of when she’s had enough and can *make the decision* to take peace and quiet, rather than react and try to drive the problems off.

🐕 Work to understand your dogs. Help them feel safe.
🐕 Show them they have good choices open to them which will meet their needs.
🐕 Get help from someone who can show you how if you’re struggling.

Good training is empowering, ethical and effective. It will change their lives and yours too.

26/08/2023

🐾 Your dog doesn’t need a stronger hand 🐾

Your dog is doing their best to understand, cooperate, and live with you with the skills, experience, information and circumstances they currently have.

🐾 Your dog doesn’t need a stronger hand 🐾

Your instincts are good. You love your dog. If the training you are doing feels wrong, if it makes you uncomfortable, a bit sad or
conflicted; listen to your inner voice. Advocate - for both of you.

🐾 Your dog doesn’t need a stronger hand 🐾

They need to feel safe, and equipped for life with you. You can give them that. When you do - you’ll enjoy all the benefits of a robust, happy animal - without the damage and broken trust that “dominance training” leaves behind.

🐾 Your dog doesn’t need a stronger hand 🐾

31/07/2023

Meet Edna. 🖤🤍🧡

We’ve been helping her feel heard - something I believe many of our dogs struggle with, especially little ones.

Our work was designed to teach Edna that her more subtle signals are absolutely enough to get the result she wants - she doesn’t need to escalate when she’s worried or uncomfortable.

Her people’s desire to truly listen means Edna now feels much more in control of her life; safer, and better understood.

In turn we see a happier, more confident, playful soul - and her lovely Dog Walker sent this feedback to her people this evening.

⭐️ Well done to Edna’s whole crew. ⭐️

If you’ve been feeling blocked from fully understanding your dog, please reach out - it’s easy to change - and it can change so much for you both.

29/07/2023

“It’s been the most amazing year being supported, guided and educated by this incredible human. It feels like and is a true partnership with Gillian. Today she helped Tail and I navigate other dogs. The experience was positive, fun, tapped into my sub conscious and helped me understand how much my behaviour and movement impacts on Tail. It was amazing! Understanding how Tail navigates the world and how I can help her is invaluable♥️”

Not just a dog.
Not just dog training.

Thanks to Suzie and Tail for making my day.

🧡

30/06/2023

There’s more to come on Mungo, we’re only two sessions in. This big gangly Galgo/Jim Henson mix has really captured my heart this week.

He was nippy, barky, struggled to settle, skittish, reactive and his (frankly lovely) people were worried and tired.

We changed a lot in his life, immediately from first session. His people really listened and acted with energy and motivation.

Some feedback from this family over the last fortnight:

🪷”There wasn't a single point where he felt overwhelmed or out of control, which I don't think has happened before (now that I know to recognise it)”

🪷”He continues to be a completely different dog”

🪷”No aggression or bouncing, just completely focussed”

🪷”WOAH! [son’s name] came down with his ukulele (which mungo doesn't like) and the dog TOOK HIMSELF UPSTAIRS with a toy, rather than sit and bark at us!!!”

Look at this beautiful, happy, restful big soul.

Every dog deserves to feel like this.

30/06/2023

Small sample from few days.

Thank you to every one of you out there doing this for your dogs you AMAZING BUNCH.

I’m ridiculously grateful to be on this road with you.

Thank you.

25/06/2023

Shared with client’s permission. For context: Mila was a rescue with a wide range of intensely challenging emotions and behaviours.

“Hi Gillian I wanted to message you as I remembered the first meeting we had with you when we were completely lost with Mila.

You asked us what would be the ultimate goal for us with her and we said to spend time in nature and see family. This weekend we took her on a kayaking trip and she was an absolute trooper! She loved it so much it made me cry. Thank you for believing in her and helping us when we were at our lowest ❤️❤️❤️”

There are many kind, effective ways to help your dog love life the way you do, and it’s never too late for them to feel better, or for you to reach out.

20/06/2023

🧸 Gizmo 🧸

When his people reached out for help Gizmo could not tolerate people, dogs, kids, movement or noise near him.

Even in quiet environments, he’d run/hide behind them, or ask to be lifted up to escape. He didn’t sniff, explore or engage with the world until it “happened” to him, or got too close - then he would bark, lunge, rush, snap, and use his teeth to defend his much prized space. It would take some time for him to recover.

They described him in registration accurately as anxious and reactive - and felt they were becoming anxious and reactive too.

Working in several ways to decompress everyone - we recalibrated this family, helping him feel understood and safe, and teaching his people excellent new handling skills.

We focussed on changing his emotional state, taught him to asses, decide and respond. (The opposite of reacting)

Tonight, caught in biblical rain on the busiest streets of the city - he nonchalantly aced crowds, children, bikes, joggers, - and discovered he likes a long browse in a busy bookstore. (his choice)

See the soft lead. The soft body language.

He is now an engaged, relaxed, interested, confident young dog - a completely different little dude, with much more to come.

14/06/2023

🦖 JURASSIC PARKER 🦖

Parker is a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever (a Toller for short…please don’t say short in front of him) He’s sensitive, serious, drivey, and smart.

Parker used to lose his beans at:

🫘Cyclists
🫘Joggers
🫘Kids
🫘Some traffic
🫘Some people
🫘Scooters
🫘Some noises
🫘Some other dogs

He would bark, lunge, chase, nip if he could.
He was *not* kidding or messing around.

His people decided not to give up on the bigger lives they wanted together. They are sporty, busy, travel and socialise lots - and wanted to see if we could help Parker feel happier and more comfortable in their world instead of shrinking it to fit.

In the last few weeks, he’s almost fallen asleep in the middle of busy play parks, surrounded by bouncy castles, become happily and gently curious about strangers and kids, made peace with dog breeds he previously considered his mortal enemies, barely needs to even lift an eyebrow at bikes or traffic passing by at close range - and yesterday enjoyed himself in Brel’s sunny beer garden.

He’s spectacular, and so is the life he has in front of him.

We love you Parker, and I’m so proud to watch you unfold In the world. Well done kid.

🦖

08/06/2023

A wonderful client doing the work sent me this today.

I have many loving, kind clients who are only finding out now that the more serious and problematic behaviours their dog has been showing - stems from simple misunderstandings earlier on.

Their dog had been trying hard to tell them about their distress and discomfort, and been misinterpreted. It’s easy to do, and it’s common.

If you’d like help connecting with, and better understanding your precious friend, just reach out, there’s lots we can do.

🖼️ credit: Webcomic Name

25/05/2023

“Lovely walk this morning. Thank you so much Gillian for his training, he's really come a long way!” [Charlie’s dad today]

If your walks don’t look like this - but you’d like them to, get in touch.

Not only is it completely within your reach using no force or fear - but it’s so often fun for both of you.

23/04/2023

Dogs are not born understanding we tether them with leads to keep them safe, and this restriction often conflicts with their need to explore and make choices of their own.

So somewhere in the middle, communication breaks down…the lead becomes a literal tug of war. They pull - you pull back, now in a battle neither of you are winning.

How do we change this? We stop fighting. We work together to have both needs met. We align.

This is what it looks like.

Charlie is a glorious retriever at the height of his adolescence. His family had stopped enjoying their walks as Charlie would pull or bark consistently to access his interests, amongst other things.

The softness you see isn’t just in the lead between them either - do you recognise it in Charlie’s happy, relaxed gait and expression? This behaviour was taught whilst building the joy and confidence of all learners involved.

Everyone is now enjoying their time together, and this beautiful, secure and happy boy is going from strength to strength.

Well done team. 💛

29/03/2023

Sleep tight Paul, thank you for your humour, hard work and endless compassion for animals.

A truly kind human being and a real advocate - you’ll be missed by so many.

Battersea joins the nation in mourning the loss of Paul O’Grady - an entertainment legend and much-loved Ambassador to our charity. We’d like to extend our deepest sympathies to Paul’s family and friends. To millions Paul O’Grady is the popular TV and radio presenter and comedian who lit up their screens with his razor-sharp humour and perpetual generosity and warmth. Battersea will forever remember Paul as a devoted animal lover with the biggest heart, who fell in love with every dog he met at our centres. Paul will always be associated with Battersea, and we are truly saddened to have lost such a true friend and huge part of our charity.

13/02/2023

The recall of d r e a m s.

Working cocker Tail is a magnificent example of her breed.

She’s also a teenager more excited by the outside world than your average dog. Her joie de vivre is infectious and her “drive” is through the roof. This could make life difficult for mum Suzie. It doesn’t.

Tail and Suzie move through the world together. We take Tail’s outrageous energy, and we channel it beautifully to make it work for them *both*.

Today, on a beach she identified:

🚀 rabbits
🚀 birds (her favourite)
🚀 many off lead dogs
🚀 people of all descriptions
🚀 food
🚀 so many new smells…and much more.

If appropriate - she investigated. If we moved off - she moved. If we changed direction - even mid flight - so would she. Fast. Their connection is solid.

We did this wordlessly - not effortlessly. We built this. Suzie and Tail built this.

You can too.





*Picture of Tail running away from birds and dogs, flying past my smoked ham to get to her no1 person. Look at that focus.*

30/01/2023

Kali - Goddess of change - living up to her name.

For those of you with a terrified, frozen, shut down, skittish, reactive dog - you know how this manifests. Kali was also hand shy, afraid of people, scared of noise, traffic, movement, crowds, unpredictable sounds. She was a recluse.

Her incredible dad cares *so much* about how she feels.

Our work has changed EVERYTHING.

She investigates - she’s connected. She moves, independently curious - towards novel things, new people, checking out who might give her some calm attention. She even decided she’d like a coffee on the busiest street in the west end.

Both of their lives are open, free and completely changed for the better through this friendship and our training.

Thanks to Juicyuk, and Brel for your continued support and goodwill towards our dogs.

25/01/2023

🦸‍♀️ TIA 🦸‍♀️

A few weeks ago Tia’s family had an elderly houseguest. Tia became gently determined to communicate something was wrong.

Despite nothing obviously awry, her people listened to their insistent dog and took their guest to hospital, where she was immediately given oxygen, antibiotics and steroids, spending three days in hospital.

Tia saved her life.

When we first met - this Hungarian rescue girl was terrified and either shut down, or hugely reactive. She was scared to enter/leave a room, fearful of people, noises, movement, and physical touch.

We trained. Her people listened. Everything has changed. Our approach and our work has meant we now see:

🩺 Communication

🩺 Connection

🩺 Confidence

Our training is designed to help your dog feel safe, free, and be the best version of themselves too, and it’s not just life changing for them.

18/01/2023

❕Trigger warning: dog attack❕

Shar Pei Max has been an EDT dog since puppyhood. He’s a glorious character.

Last month he suffered a serious, prolonged attack by a much larger dog who unfortunately, hadn’t benefitted from the same training Max has. He’s still with us, and healing.

When we came to understand more, it transpired the other dog had been attacked five times and had since become understandably reactive to other dogs himself.

🔄 We repeat what we don’t repair 🔄

His amazing, cycle breaking people reached out immediately. The same thing won’t happen to Max.

Victims of victims isn’t a new concept; when we use a judgement free lens we know - “hurt people hurt people” - the same can absolutely be true for our dogs.

In Max’s case, thanks to his family and our work - he’ll recover and flourish - with the (not insignificant) added bonus of protecting other dogs who meet him from the same pattern of trauma too.

04/01/2023

This time last year over 1,000 people in the UK called Dogs Trust saying they couldn’t cope with their dogs.

Two weeks post Christmas I have such good people reaching out, terrified they’ve made a mistake, feeling guilty and heartbroken. One client messaged last night to say our work and the change it’s produced has meant she is no longer overwhelmed and now doesn’t want/need to give up her (very loved) dog.

“Puppy blues” are REAL - anyone in the know, knows - and hey, you throw in post holiday exhaustion/going back to work fear, and you have a cocktail for regret and worry. No thanks.

🎉 There is *SO MUCH* we can do. 🎉

Most often, the issues you’re experiencing are predictable - and the situation can be turned around. Please don’t feel ashamed, alone or like you’ve done something wrong. Lets start by normalising these experiences. If you’ve felt this, please do help your new peers feel less alone and share your journey in the comments.

If you’re experiencing this now - please reach out for support free of judgement - and real change.

16/12/2022

✨ Some of my favourite sessions this year have been people who used their Christmas vouchers. ✨

🎄 Grandparents who wanted to be on the same page with the family dog’s training

🎄 A beautiful kid who now wants to be a dog trainer when he grows up. (His parents used the voucher card to announce that Santa had brought him a puppy)

🎄 A couple who had almost given up after “trying everything else” with their rescue, and cried when their friends bought them training that helped.

🎄 New parents navigating their new family/dog dynamics and getting ahead of the game

Our vouchers are as personalised as the time they gift to your people and dogs.

Virtual vouchers can land with you from today right up until Christmas.

If you’d like a physical voucher to present/wrap/gift, please reach out this week so it reaches you in time.

♥️🎄🐾

Merry Christmas you lovely lot!

13/12/2022

I want to thank all of my clients - who have worked with such intention this year. I am so grateful for each one of you.

Our job is to expand the club of people who know better, do better and get better.

Gifting can be hard. This is easy.

If you’d like to help someone have life changingly better times with their precious dog, we have beautiful personalised vouchers available in time for Christmas - just get in touch, we’ll make magic happen together again.

🎄🎁✨

*Quillan and Mischka below, proving that there are generally two “types” at Christmas, and they are often best friends*

12/12/2022

💞 Ohhhh Marcy 💞

This precious little lady needs help with jumping and pulling mainly, but as regular readers know: there’s so much more to it.

Yes, she’s a boxer.
Yes, she’s a puppy.
Yes, we will change the jumping, pulling and ragging on the lead stuff.

BUT

She’s also had some medical trauma, which meant crate rest at an important stage.

Some of her behaviour is youthful exuberance - we need to be careful not to squash that gorgeous joy and curiosity - whilst teaching her how to access the things she wants - safely and politely. (Especially in this winter, so her human isn’t injured)

Sometimes though - her jumping is communication for support - she wants help when she is struggling with overwhelm, she needs reassurance, and doesn’t know what else to do.

It’s *crucial* we understand the difference and provide connection and context in these moments, to build a confident and robust young dog.

If you’d like to better understand the [often misunderstood or hidden] communication your dog shares with you, and in doing so change both of your lives, there’s so much we can do together.

Marcy and Laura were amazing in this session, and has such promise and personality. Well done little girl!

01/12/2022

Handsome Hamish.

Hamish is an EDT pro (we’ve worked through a lot together) but this morning his Dads said they now return because they still get so much out of each session, leaving with new skills and better communication with this beautiful boy every time.

It’s true that people most often come to resolve a problem. But they also train for other reasons.

🦊 to understand their dog more
🦊 to have more fun
🦊 to turbo charge their relationships together
🦊 to give their dogs the best life possible

It’s made my whole day.

See you soon Hamish!

08/11/2022

I lost my big, magical dog Quillan last week - too soon. (isn’t it always?)

In the midst of very deep grief, people have been kind enough to help me understand recently that many on this page who have supported us or learned from us…

…many dogs I’ve met since knowing him…

…many clients who reached out to me for help and then have cause to celebrate…

…have felt joy, and benefited from his existence in the world too.

I’ve lost his soft ears to touch, his voice, his hair in my food, and honestly so much more.

I’m holding tight to his lessons - now his legacy - with such fierce gratitude. I’ll carry them in every session. He’ll always help people help their dogs.

Our friendships with these souls are too short - even when they have “long” lives.

I wanted to say thank you to you all for your words, your work, and compassion for your dogs too. Thank you for continuing to make Quillan and I a part of that, and even though it can be challenging and difficult sometimes - let’s keep making the days we have with our friends together count.



🖤♾🐾

23/08/2022

KiKo, was described by her family as fear reactive, nervous, skittish. Stressed. Hyper vigilant.

We’ve focussed our training on building a resilient, robust young dog - EDT clients know that behavioural change is an inside job.

We care as much (*if not more) about how our dogs feel, as how they behave; not just because it’s the kind/loving thing to do - because it works.

By building confidence and fostering curiosity in place of fear, we’re now in a place where sessions include happily investigating west end shops and coffee joints for this family. Her world (and theirs) keeps getting bigger, and better. Gorgeous work from this family.

Thanks to:

Brel
Waterstones


Ccw.clothing

for your warmth and kindness today.

Well done KiKo and co. 🐾

09/06/2022

Elaine and Pan are Ethical Dog lifers.

Pan is a Romanian rescue, and honestly, it’s difficult to sum up the change this team have been through in a pithy way.

They’ve navigated almost every bump in the road a rescue dog could have, and I’ve felt so lucky to support them all along the way.

Now, Pan is social, loving, grounded, connected. He likes people, dogs, his recall is a sight to behold, he is funny and joyful - and this once traumatised puppy now has a big life of adventure.

With their world expanding, came the need to help Pan remember he is safe with Elaine, no matter where they are. Today we spent time helping him feel better about people approaching their camper, something he’d started to struggle with.

You see once again, they are back on life’s road together.

Beep beep Pan. Send me some postcards, you beautiful boy.

🚎🐾💙

08/06/2022

❄️ ❄️ ❄️

Young Winter - a Maremmano-Abruzzese Sheepdog.

Having only known a very rural, remote setting, some aspects of his new city pad really terrify this gentle giant.

The traffic, strange people, noises, unpredictability and unknown nature of it all is exhausting. There’s simply too much that he doesn’t have any context for. He trembles, freezes, will back out of his harness, run, lie down, or cry.

His amazing person Penelope found help for him fast, but now we are taking it slow. We have so much in place already to meet his needs, help him acclimate and feel secure, his new life is going to be a beautiful path.

Today we added another friend to his team in the form of Quillan, who softly coached him through difficult moments around traffic and people. Winter calmly moved towards the nearby busy road through choice, on a soft lead, feeling safe enough to get curious.

The right friends on our road make a difference.

❄️ ❄️ ❄️

31/05/2022

30 seconds of pure joy.

Young KiKo was hugely environmentally sensitive and quick to startle. Anxious, tense, underconfident, often racy and unable to rest or truly relax.

Part of our plan is using thoughtful enrichment protocols designed to spark curiosity, and help her use her body and brain a little differently.

It doesn’t need to be complex, fancy or time consuming. Her people gave her an egg to figure out, in the garden.

As you can see, she is starting to experience real fun, and her confidence is growing all the time. It’s just the beginning for this lovely, clever little girl who’s on the road to feeling much better with her people.

12/05/2022

*Published with client’s input and permission*

Rottweiler Callen is Sophie’s first dog. He was a loud, bouncy, bolshy puppy and she worried about making sure he was safe.

She read about large breeds - how they need to be controlled - how dominant they could be if not trained with a “strong hand” - and she resolved to work hard.

Using a choke collar, a prong collar, a head collar, and a lot of assertive handling she tried to stop his pulling and lunging. Walks, food, opportunities to sniff or greet dogs were offered by her command only. Sophie punished mistakes by using her lead or voice. Determined to raise him the best she could - she did this daily.

But something was wrong.

Her “strong hand” approach kept needing to escalate to have impact, and leaving puppyhood behind - they started to really struggle. It didn’t feel good, it wasn’t working - and Callen was getting worse.

Confused and concerned - she reached out.

Before even touching Callen, we tackled training theory. A quick study, Sophie immediately abandoned the old school equipment and mindset that was damaging them both - she now uses her energy and brilliant mind to train with kindness and connection to her beautiful big dog.

The change in both Callen *and* Sophie over some short weeks has been astonishing.

In the short clip you’ll see this teenage dog walking on a soft lead, sniffing, looking, just being in the world with his person - around him are more than 30 dogs at varying distances. He can do the same on a 10m long line. Callen is interested in his environment, but now he’s relaxed and partnered with his friend Sophie through choice.

Please don’t worry about your strong hands.

Fall in love with building strong relationships.

🤍🐾

11/05/2022

BOSCO.

This bright young guy came to me with his people. Described as reactive, a “hard puller” he would lunge, bark and whirl on his lead. An attack where he was badly bitten by another dog did not help this…

Their previous advice suggested a choke collar on his slender neck to control and correct his behaviour. That his people manage him more actively, be more vigilant, react to his triggers faster, prevent his behaviour or suppressed it when it happened. His environment was reduced. His choices. At the same time he developed gastro issues, so his diet became very restricted too.

They were all miserable, and things were getting worse.

We immediately changed equipment. Binned the choke and used his lovely harness. We have a training plan. We changed our handling, and much, much more. But the first thing we did?

♟ We listened.

We carefully, thoughtfully opened up his world again.

♟ More choice, within safety.
♟ More variety without overwhelm.
♟ We helped him feel safe.
♟ We reconnected him to his people.
♟ We set up so he could only win, and often.
♟ We paid him generously when he did.

Within *ten minutes* he was making amazing decisions. He greeted dogs politely. He wanted to play! He walked past or away from some others.

He did not pull once.

Within the hour his people said he was a different creature, and all three were joyful, elated and excited.

I ask my clients to see our work as a journey, not an event, every day. Before I even register them on my books.

But.

Thoughtful method, delivered well can still yield absolutely ✨spectacular✨ results.

More to come Bosco, you absolute lil d u d e.