Five Senses Dog Training

10/02/2025

A sweet face to brighten your Monday ☀️

Meet Milkyway, she's been learning the ins and outs of socialisation, habitation and all things puppyhood! 🐶

10/02/2025

08/02/2025

Interested in joining Assistance Dog Group Classes in Altrincham?

Fill out the form below to express your interest.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeqJZLm5pQVTapmRJcGHwcFjF7NjfNxRHf491CxCiKyz7j5nQ/viewform

For more info, visit Dogs Doing Good!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ddg.mcr

04/02/2025

Meet Connie 🐶 The newest and youngest member of the assistance dog team (some may even argue the cutest!)

We're not expecting too much of her at this age. It can be tempting to rush into training assistance dog behaviors, but it's much more important that she grows into a confident, optimistic and happy dog, and that her relationship with people is one built on trust and mutual respect.

Excuse my photography skills, I was much more intent on getting lots of cuddles than taking good photos! 🐾

03/02/2025

It's okay to leave your assistance dog at home sometimes.

Handlers should always look out for the best interests of their dog, by considering the specific situation and their dog's individual needs.

For example, some dogs may not cope well in an environment with loud noises and crowds (such as a concert or amusement park). Weather is another factor - gale force winds or extreme heat can influence a handlers decision to leave their dog at home.

Just because someone is not with their assistance dog does not mean that they don't need them/rely on them, but that they may be looking out for their best interests.

01/02/2025

Meet Mikka 🐾 A 7 month old GSD. We had our first session last week, practicing counter conditioning and management techniques to help her disengage from other dogs.

Her owner said that "she already has calmed down a lot around other dogs and doesn’t pull but turns to look at me".

Of course any good dog trainer must admit they cannot guarantee results after just one session, but Mikka proves it is possible sometimes. What a ⭐

31/01/2025

I recently partnered with Open Study College to be involved in a press release. Have a read here.

https://totalgroomingmagazine.co.uk/top-tips-for-dog-walking/

Top tips for dog walking
Open Study College has partnered with Naomi Kjendsli-Bellshaw, owner of Five Senses Dog Training to reveal top tips for dog walking, and what people regularly do wrong including fines for some simple dog walking mistakes.
Read More below!
https://totalgroomingmagazine.co.uk/top-tips-for-dog-walking/

31/01/2025

Many Assistance Dogs wear gear which says "Do not distract" or "please ignore me". But what exactly does this mean?

Not distracting an Assistance Dog goes beyond petting them; it can also mean not offering them food, talking to them, making kissy noises or staring at them for a prolonged period of time.

It is important to not distract an assistance dog because this could interfere with their job, potentially putting their handler's health and safety at risk.

25/01/2025

Swipe to see how you can enter the Valentine's Dog Trick Challenge 💜

Winners will receive a digital certificate of completion (and quality bonding time with their dog 🐶).

24/01/2025

The weather is crazy out there today guys, stay warm 💤

23/01/2025

Assistance Dogs and Therapy Dogs are not the same. Can you think of any other differences? Write them in the comments below 👇🏼

20/01/2025

Very proud of Cooper who has been learning "settle".

Settling is an essential skill for Assistance Dogs to learn. It reinforces calm behavior and many Assistance Dogs will spend a good portion of their time settling quietly next to their handler, for example at work, at home, in a cafe, or in a waiting room.

Cooper and his owner have been working hard at this one, gradually building duration, distance and eventually distractions too. They're doing amazing 💜

18/01/2025

Many owners opt for a fast-paced walk, but slower, sniffier walks can be just as - if not more - tiring.

Here are some of the reasons why it's important to let your dog sniff on walks.

Sniffing:
- provides mental stimulation
- increases dopamine (boosting mood)
- gives dogs choice and increases optimism
- lowers a dog's pulse rate and increases endorphins (encouraging calmness)
- reduces cortisol levels (relieving stress)
- increases a dog's respiration rate (making it a tiring activity)

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Thank you to Jess for your expertise ❤️

16/01/2025

Gorgeous Morticia (Tish) 💜 is an Assistance Dog in Training. She passed her Novice Assessment last year and is currently working towards Intermediate (I really need to get better at posting dogs with their awards!!). I love journeying with teams through the ups and downs that training brings, and celebrating the wins.

When training an Assistance Dog, there will always be moments of difficulty, but it's okay to make mistakes. What's more important is how you respond - we can learn a lot as we work through challenges! Tish and her handler are a dream to work with and I'm very proud of this team 🫶🏼🐶

14/01/2025

Assistance dogs can be trained to support people with a wide variety of disabilities. Some disabilities are not immediately obvious to others, and are often referred to as 'hidden disabilities'. Hidden disabilities can include mental health conditions, chronic conditions, neurological conditions, learning differences and sensory impairments.

Please respect people's privacy by refraining from asking personal questions about their disability 💜

07/01/2025

Hope you've all been enjoying the snow! ❄️

I'd love to see photos of your pups! 🥰 Post a photo of your dog enjoying the snow in the comments below 👇🏼

22/01/2024

I love my job 💜

Dog training is a series of highs and lows and I often feel saddened when teams are struggling. But I get to rejoice when they're succeeding. This week it's been lovely to see the amazing progress some teams have made in overcoming training challenges. One Assistance Dog team has been learning to pick up a lead and bring it to their owner, another learnt to open and close doors! I love that I get to be a part of it.

09/01/2024

It is important to not distract Assistance Dogs while they are working. This includes not petting, offering food, talking to them, nor taking pictures without the handlers permission. Distracting an Assistance Dog could, for example, cause the dog to miss an important medical alert.