Dog training with Barbara Sykes MCFBA & TLC Thinking Like Canines

18/12/2024

Wishing everyone a lovely Christmas a happy and peaceful New Year

16/12/2024

We have a new blog about family dynamics - canine and human - and how to keep siblings balanced
https://fostbcmag.blogspot.com/2024/12/family-dynamics-how-hierarchy-is.html

08/11/2024

It's time for us to sit back and put our problems and troubles to one side and remember those who gave their lives for us. Without the bravery of those gone our lives now would be very different. It's time to reflect on what we have, and to thank those who gave their lives so we could enjoy ours. It's up to us to remember, to enjoy and to reflect and celebrate those lives lost in some of our darkest hours. It’s a day plus a lifetime to thank those who risked their lives so that we could continue to live ours in safety and hope.
To all the men, women and animals we thank you. You stood in the face of evil, death and turmoil and continued to fight for your families, friends and the entire nation. Through all the pain and suffering, you brought us light and encouragement. You gave us the strength in knowing that one day we would be safe, giving your lives to save those around you in a selfless act of heroics. We shall never forget your sacrifice, we shall never forget your names, we shall never forget.
Please give this post a good share for them if you can, as they gave their lives for us
Thank you.

03/11/2024

We now have our 2025 calendar on sale on our website shop plus our Christmas cards including of course little miss Diva TJ. They can all be purchased through our website and will also shortly be available on Ebay. The link to them are below and prices include p&p. happy shopping folks.

https://www.fostbc.org.uk/product-category/christmas-cards-calendars/

Showing all 3 results Add to basket 2025 Calendar (Including p&p) £7.99 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page Christmas Cards (Including p&p) £4.20 – £7.95 Add to basket Christmas Cards (Including p&p) £2.00

30/10/2024

It's firework time again, although in a lot of areas firework time seems to be 52 weeks of the year.Keeping your dogs calm when night after night it sounds like bombs are being dropped around your home isn't easy.
You can get meds from a vet and essential oils can help to calm dogs down but sometimes it seems like nothing works and the more we stress about it the worse it is for our dogs. Think of the child frightened of thunder and a loving parent hides under the table with that child to comfort him or her. In actual fact that would be reinforcing that thunder needs to be hidden from. Far better to keep calm and tell the child its just a couple of clouds colliding so let's play a game together.
If we start preparing in advance for bonfire night we will be giving our dogs messages that something is happening. Above all we must remain calm. If meds work fine but if not the more we fuss a dog the more nervous it can become. As hard as it may seem some dogs prefer to do what they would do in the wild and what their basic instinct tells them. In the wild they would dig a hole, get in it, and keep their head down until it was all over. We can provide that by giving them a den or quiet corner and if they settle in it let them do what their instinct tells them to do. If it's a crate put a blanket over most of it. If its in a corner put something part way across the corner - dogs like to know they can't be taken by surprise so the more closed around they are the better. Some dogs prefer to be with us which is great as long as we keep them and ourselves calm. I know its a long night and it may entail an 'accident' but its often safer not to do a last minute 'let out'. Far too many dogs go missing when they've been out in the dark and sudden bang has made them bolt. Keep nervous dogs on a lead, that way you can't lose them and they will feel safer knowing you are attached to them. Take them out early in the day if at all possible, when the firework thugs haven't woken up, and give them exercise to tire them a little. If your dog loves the car you could go for a drive into the country, park on a hill and watch the pretty colours without the loud bangs.
Keep yourselves and your dogs safe and keep on campaigning for noise reduction and please share any tips you have with us.

15/07/2024

When will people actually put their hands up and say, ‘d’you know what? I’m partly to blame and money shouldn’t come first’!!!!
There is always the argument that if someone has a problem with their dog then maybe they shouldn’t have got that breed. But everyone has to start somewhere, and sensible research plus sensible experienced advice can help to put an owner and a dog on the road to happiness.
When a dog, bought as a pup, has bitten five times – and all face nips! It would make sense not to let the dog near anyone’s face or to bend over it!
Shame on the dog trainers who welcome a dog, take the money and do nothing when the dog changes from feeling fear to being aggressive to other dogs!!
Shame on the dog walker who finally confessed that a dog was getting picked on and was nervous, then started retaliating when it was in the back of her vehicle with five other dogs!!
Shame on the breeder who doesn’t interview, help or assess people buying their pups!
Shame on ‘experienced’ people who give advice based on having had one dog and it worked for them.
Shame on the ‘behaviourist’ who says ‘sit the scared dog by the busy road and keep feeding it’!!
All these people are responsible not only for dogs filling up rescue spaces, but for the death of dogs that don’t get that far.
They are responsible for giving the sensible people in their professions a bad name.
People who care, no matter what their profession, will always put the welfare of the dog before money.
This post is not to criticise the ones who care, and no doubt the ones who don’t care – won’t!
Your thoughts, opinions, and where the heck does the care of dogs in this country go to from here, are very welcome and please feel free to share.

15/07/2024

A learning curve for Jake. He's nervous around traffic and someone had forced him to 'face his fears' by making him walk on a road with moving vehicles.
We drove to the moors where there is a quiet car park used by dog walkers, near the road but not too near. We left the van door open and let him stand near it so he could see his little 'bit of home and safety'. Jen spent some time letting him settle and relax and then we waited for the cars, as you can see a white car is passing on the road and Jake is standing quite calm and trusting Jen to look after him. There is no rush, in Jake's case slow will speedier than rushing and upsetting him. we may repeat this several times before we feel his is confident enought to move that bit nearer to the road.
Watch this space, Jake's on a learning curve.

25/06/2024

Our latest FOSTBC podcast centres on dogs and children. Please feel free to share if you think it can get a message out to save at least one dog.

Good morning!
Poppy here to tell you that episode 4 of our podcast is now up!
This week we touch on something quite important which is a dog’s relationship with children. If you have kids or even just a dog and want to know more about the do’s and don’t’s of having children around our 4 legged friends, give the podcast a listen.
I’ll also be posting a visual in a couple of days to go with it so keep an eye out for that post too!!

Enjoy & as always, let us know your thoughts and experiences!

Bea 🐾

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1qVqAdYHT75ls9C1mX9D40?si=hA7Faj8PTn2AB829wzeuRQ

10/05/2024

Our first podcast for the rescue, hoping to cover all sorts of different things with our future ones

Listen to Dog and Donuts with FOSTBC on Spotify. Welcome to our podcast! The Freedom of Spirit Trust for Border Collies is a small rescue dedicated to the future of the breed. We are hoping to talk all things dog and the current issues within the canine world. Join us for fun, informative and someti...

07/05/2024

We have recently filmed a short documentary with the lovely Ellie and co from the University of Bradford! 🐾
We go into detail about who we are and what we do best giving an insight into what life is really like at the FOSTBC!

An honest look into the world of Border Collie rescue. The success stories, the heartbreak, the laughter, and the trusts dedication to the future and welfare...

25/04/2024

Sorry but been out of action for a while as had a bad fall in early Feb and been battling to do everyday stuff. But back now and cheesed off. I've just put this post on our rescue site. Please feel free to voice your thoughts on the state of rescue today.

We're gutted here today!! Every day (not every week, every day) we receive requests to take dogs in to rescue. We have to sort out if we have room, and if we have room to prioritise which dogs we can take in.
A little bitch, had three homes already and clearly not wanted. We did our bit, sorted out a space and one day after the application came in we rang to say bring her in. The reply was 'we are just back from dropping her off at another rescue'. So she's safe, that's good news. Then I see that just 24 hours after they have taken her in she is on the internet ready for a new home. From the info given to us we know she is not neutered! How can anyone tell what kind of home and person a dog needs in 24 hours?!
Statistics, number crunching? Is it not better to home fewer dogs and know they are in the right home, than home large numbers and have them passed on, taken back, sold or pts?
Sadly we can't save them all but those we can take in deserve to be in the best place ever for them, and not just become a statistic.

your thoughts are welcome. Should rescues take in and rehome dogs without health checks, neutering (and not all adopters will keep the promise to neuter) and assessments. Or should they be assessed and have any necessary vet procedures done before being rehomed? Incidently the bitch in question did not have a reduced adoption fee.

ps the dog in the photo is not the dog in question, he's one or our Sanctuary dogs.

19/12/2023

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone from Barbara and Vicki