Tarka Dog Training

12/11/2025

Hello everyone,
The email responder is on, I’ve kept this week clear for a BSc assignment deadline and my eldest is going through a round of mock exams. Thank you for your patience I will get back to everyone ASAP. 🐾

10/11/2025

Extremely happy to hear this progress from Monty and Ambers mum 🥰🙌 it was some extreme fixation!
They took everything on board and worked together as a family to support both animals and the progress has been the ultimate reward 😊

“we’ve gone from a dog who was obsessively fixated on the new cat- barking, howling, heavy panting, jumping up to get to the cat- to two friends. The house was unbearable at one point and now we're smiling watching them wander around together. My husband caught them sat together and Amber was even leaning on him! She even head bumps him now and purrs when she sees him. She is now using the cat flap to go in and out. Our next step is to get her happy to spend more time downstairs. The gate is only shut for bedtimes now and although it has meant Monty can go upstairs we're happy with this while they're getting to know eachother. He is actually already getting bored because even when it's open and she's upstairs he generally decides to stay down with us. Sometimes Amber sits on the stairs and he just walks straight past her to just go for a nose upstairs. 😆
Thanks so much for all your support and knowledge. It's was so useful to understand what his behaviours actually meant but also how to support the cat.”

09/11/2025

That was a superb recall 😁🙌

08/11/2025

Poor Dougie never liked the fireworks. But this is the first year experiencing the noises outside as a blind dog.
Our dogs can become less tolerant to fireworks as they age or health declines.
There is a significant link between noise sensitivity and pain/discomfort. Dougie also has back pain now which is managed with pain relief.
Hopefully this is the last weekend of them.

08/11/2025

06/11/2025

If your dog is stressed out by fireworks, then keep things quiet for the next few days!

Not only can stress affect behaviour in the moment, it can lower thresholds in the days that follow a significantly stressful event.

Take extra precaution, especially within social contexts:

🧒 Around children
🐶 🧍‍♂️ Unfamiliar dogs and people
💉 Visiting the vet visits
🍖 Even interactions between familiar dogs can be at more risk of conflict, especially around resources.

🪮 Stress can make dogs more sensitive to touch. For dogs with existing sensitivities, extra caution should be taken within contexts such as grooming, administering topical medications, putting on walking equipment etc.

🗣️ If your dog is reactive on walks, their threshold will likely be lower. Increase your distance from triggers initially, so you can observe if your dog’s tolerance is where it was prior to fireworks. This will help prevent you accidentally setting any progress back.

🔉 If your dog particularly struggles with fireworks, you may see sound their sensitivity generalise to other sounds.
This can commonly include the sound of building works or car doors shutting on walks or outside of the home, as examples.

🎶 Play back ground sound at home and consider walking your dog somewhere more quiet as often as possible for the next few days.

31/10/2025

👻 ABCs of behaviour! how it works haloween style! 🎃

Antecedent- trick or treater approaches house

Behaviour- barking

Consequence- trick or treater moves away from the home

Barking is negatively reinforced by the removal of strangers at the dogs home.

Barking behaviour is repeated next time under the same antecedent conditions.

Here’s what I’m doing to reduce Jess’s rehearsal opportunities for barking to is Halloween….🎃

I’m putting paper cups with a few sweeties in at the bottom of our steps and a sign saying (dog is learning not to bark at guests, please help yourselves, one each. Happy Halloween 💀👻🎃🧙‍♀️👹

29/10/2025

Back to work today and another successful session with The handsome Romey, he calmly navigated past every dog that wasn’t making any noise 😅 (and there were plenty!) we’ve cracked his reaction towards dogs unless they woof, or whine first. So now we have a plan moving forward. Such amazing progress he’s made 🥰

29/10/2025

🐶Join Tarka Vets at our first Puppy Behaviour Workshop! 🎉

Lis, one of our lovely and knowledgeable behaviourist and qualified nurses, would like to share her expert advice, answer your puppy questions, and chat about all things health, behaviour, and happy pups.

📅 When: 12th of November
📍 Where: Tarka vets. St George's House, St George's Rd. EX32 7AS
🕓 Time: 5:30pm

See below for more info!

24/10/2025

Why don’t wolves need dental work?

Chewing is a natural behaviour for canids including our domestic dogs ☺️

They help with stress levels as well as dental health!

Dentasticks and kibble often just leave slimey bits all over the teeth and gums. A breeding ground for bacteria.
Luckily loads of pet shops in north Devon selling natural dried chews.

These scrape the teeth clean naturally and increase blood flow to the gums.

The long lasting ones we love:
1. Trachea
2. Pizzle stick
3. Rabbit ears
4. Chicken and duck feet
5. Yak chew
6. Dried leather rolls (unbleached)
7. Some dogs can handle antlers
8. Raw meaty recreational bones if your dogs on a fresh/whole food diet

These chews can also keep them out of mischief for a while, prevent boredom, increase confidence and calm, help dogs to learn to not be under your feet all the time. Dog should be supervised with some chews and always check if they are suitable for your age of dog. Puppies and older dogs may need easier softer chews.

If you haven’t already check out :

Top 'N' Tails Pet Nutrition Centre (Braunton)
Ilfracombe Pet Stores (Ilfracombe)
(Ilfracombe)
Shop Raw North Devon (Landkey)
Nellies Nibbles Dog Larder (Barnstaple)
Doggie Discounts by D&S Bespoke dog coats and Accessories (south molton)
(Barnstaple and bideford
Koola Dogz (woolacombe)