Is your dog trying to tell you something? 🐾✨
Here are 3 quick ways to spot if your dog is feeling uncomfortable. Understanding their subtle signals helps you keep them happy, safe, and stress free! 🩵
Did you know these signs? Let us know below! 👇
You don’t always get the dog you wanted, but you get the dog you needed.
They’re here to teach you patience, love, and lessons you didn’t even know you needed. I truly believe that Stanley came into my life to teach me this. 🩵
Who else feels like their dog came into their life for a reason? Let us know below!
New Year’s Resolutions are great… but dog training isn’t about perfection… it’s about progress, patience, and showing up.
Be kind to yourself, celebrate the small wins, and enjoy the journey with your dog this year. 🩵
Who’s with us?
I have a confession….even dog trainers get puppy nerves!
Bringing home a new puppy is super exciting but also a little overwhelming… even for me as a dog trainer. But the thing is… it’s totally normal to feel anxious - we want to get it right and it’s only natural to feel the pressure!
So if you’re welcome a new puppy into your life, I want you to remember… you don’t need to have it all figured out on day one. Take it step by step, and enjoy those little wins. 🐾
Have you felt the puppy jitters too? Let me know below! ⬇️
Planning for a dog friendly Christmas? 🐾 Here’s how to make sure your dog stays calm and happy with visitors this Christmas season! ✨
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Hello my lovely friends!
Let’s talk about those dogs who might bark, growl, or lunge… it doesn’t make them bad, it just means they need a bit more help making sense of this big, overwhelming world.
If you’ve got a reactive dog, remember this: you’re not failing, you’re their biggest advocate. You’re the calm in their chaos, the voice they need when it’s all too much. 🩵
Don’t forget… you’re doing an amazing job.
Tag a friend who needs to hear this today.
Oops! Do you agree or disagree? 😂
Recall shouldn’t mean the fun is over… it should be a signal that something brilliant is about to happen! 👏
If we only call our dogs away from exciting activities, like playtime or sniffing adventures, just to put them back on the lead or in the car, it’s no wonder they start making their own choices and going a bit rogue. 🤷♀️
For too long, we’ve relied on dry biscuits or a quick pat on the head as rewards. But how does that compare to the thrill of chasing a rabbit or greeting a doggy friend? NOPE even close! We need to make recall something our dogs really want to do.
Luckily, we don’t have to carry fillet steak around to make that happen. 🥩
There are plenty of creative, affordable ways to reward recall. Remember, a reward is anything your dog loves enough to make them want to come back again and again. Think treats, toys, games, tricks… the options are endless.
Here are 5 creative ways to make recall exciting 👇
🍪 Treats… delivered in a special way: Scatter them on the ground for a fun treasure hunt, throw them through your legs, or let your dog catch them. Sometimes, the delivery of the treat is more thrilling than the treat itself!
🪢 Toys: Use a super special toy reserved only for recalls. Making it exclusive keeps it extra exciting.
🪃 Boomerang game: Call your dog back, then release them to do what they love most, like playing or chasing. Use cues like “go play” or “free” to make this game memorable.
🐕 ‘Middle’ trick: If your dog loves doing tricks, call them back to dive between your legs. It’s playful and keeps recall fun!
✋ Hand touch: Teaching a hand touch is a fantastic way to bring your dog in close with enthusiasm. It’s much easier (and more enjoyable) than wrestling to get the lead on.
Mix things up to keep recall fresh and note which rewards your dog loves most. ✨ For more ways to master recall, check out our online course! 👇
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Recall can be such a tough behaviour to train. It can feel like two steps forward three steps back. 🤯
This is one of my most FAVOURITE recall games that you need to know about!
When things go wrong in training this can remove a HUGE amount of pressure because actually its really fun for our dogs.
Treats are being counted out on to the floor as Mum & Dad re counting.
Looking forward to sharing max’s progress when we take the training on the road!
Does your dog get easily distracted? Here are 5 tips to help keep them focused 👇
🐾 Management – Start with environment control, limiting distractions to set your dog up for success. For recall training, this might mean using a long line to prevent runaway distractions. Make it hard for them to practice unwanted behaviours, so they’re more likely to choose the right action.
🐾 Distance – Work at a manageable distance from triggers, keeping your dog just below their “excitement threshold.” Gradually closing this distance will improve their ability to focus and stay calm near distractions over time.
🐾 Disengagement – Train your dog to look away from distractions naturally, without cues. If they disengage on their own, reinforce it with praise. Start further from the distraction if they struggle, gradually working closer as they learn to self-manage.
🐾 Functional Rewards – Tailor rewards to fit your dog’s instinctive desires. For instance, if your dog loves to chase, use toys that mimic chasing behaviour, or let them sniff around after good behaviour if they’re scent-driven.
🐾 Appropriate Outlets – Some “naughty” behaviours stem from unmet needs. Make sure your dog’s natural instincts, such as sniffing or running, are satisfied in safe, planned ways to reduce impulsive behaviours.
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How can you tell if your puppy is actually enjoying their play session? We’ll tell you! 🙂 🩵
Get started on YOUR 200 reps!
This Thursday, 6pm, Henstridge Village Hall.
Not only 1.5 hours of tips, tricks, and training, but access to our loose lead pdf too, so you won’t forget a thing.
Link for more information here: https://i.mtrbio.com/jebiarbxpv
Award winning training & behaviour, classes & 1-1 Somerset-Henstridge and surrounding areas.
