Wagtail Dog Training Ipswich

25/10/2025

WARNING!! To all dog owners!! Please be aware that there is a lot of seasonal canine disease around. Some of the vets are warning to stay away from forests and woodland until after a frost has occured. Especially elderly dogs, puppy's or immune suppressed.

08/10/2025

Maggies Tail

🐾✨ Maggie's Big Day! ✨🐾

Hi everyone, Maggie here again! I'm officially a grown-up girlie now! 💖

I just had my very first full groom with Nikki at Cut to the Chase Groomers, and guess what? I was really, really good! I was calm and let her wash, blow dry, and clip me—including my nails!

Mum says it's because she prepared me from the start, and it totally worked! She made sure I was comfortable with all the strange sights and sounds of grooming:

The Power of Touch: She touches me all over every day (which I love a lot! 😉).

Brush & Bath Practice: She brushes me for a few minutes daily and I've had a couple of baths—the spray is even fun!

Noise Training: I like to stand under the hairdryer when Mum uses it.

The Secret Weapon (Clippers Prep!): The strangest thing she did was take the brush off her electric toothbrush and gently put the vibrating handle near me, then lightly on my body for a second or two.

She made it my decision: she threw a treat away, and if I chose to come back, she'd touch me with it again and throw another treat.

She only stopped when I got bored, saying I was good and giving me a snack, so I never felt pressured—and it worked!

When Nikki used the clippers, I knew they wouldn't hurt and weren't a problem at all!

I'm already looking forward to my next groom! Mum still grooms me a little every day, but I had so much fun with Nikki. 🥰

A huge thank you to Nikki at Cut to the Chase!
https://share.google/Xvvgdusq5Zi10ZJS6

🐕 Pet Parents: How did you prepare your puppy for their first groom? Share your best tips below!
Or if you struggle why not try what my Mum did or ask her for more tips.
You can message her she would love to help you with some free advice .
Take a look at my before and after pics

02/10/2025

FREE DOG SCENT TRAINING STARTER PACK

Small friendly and fun group
Start Date: Sunday, 2nd November
Time: 3:00pm
Course Length: 6 weeks (1-hour sessions)
Cost: £150

Key Benefits of Scent Training:
Scent work is a powerful activity that is applicable to ALL dogs and helps with:
-Mental Stimulation and Enrichment
-Tackling Behavioural Issues
-Building Confidence
-Stress and Anxiety Reduction
-Strengthening the Human-Canine Bond

To join or for further information, please click the link below
https://www.wagtailwalksandtraining.com/contact

23/09/2025

Why That Poodle Made Me Go "Woof!" and What My Brain Has to Do With It!
Hi everyone, Maggie here!

I have a little secret to confess: I had a bit of a silly moment last week. I got really, really upset with another dog—a tiny Toy Poodle, of all things! I’m still not sure why, but my Mum is helping me figure it out. She says it all comes down to the way my brain is shaped!

Mum says every dog has a brain, and it's built with different strengths and weaknesses. It's like having a unique set of building blocks that make up my personality. When I'm in a new situation, my brain quickly comes up with an "outcome," which is how I decide to act. Sometimes, that's a good choice, and sometimes... not so much.

For example, I might decide to bark at a scooter or pull on my lead. Mum says it’s not because I'm a "bad" dog; it’s just my brain telling me to do something that feels natural to me. It's not a "problem" behaviour—it's just a "dog" behaviour!

My brain is a bit like a survival brain. Mum says that in the wild, a pessimistic and cautious dog like me is more likely to survive. If I see a bush rustle, my brain says, "Oh no, a bear!" (Even though it was a little Toy Poodle and I'm a Standard Poodle, which is a bit embarrassing.) An optimistic dog might think, "Ooh, a tasty snack to explore!" and then get into trouble. So, what might seem like a "weakness" in one situation—like being a little worried—is actually a huge strength for my survival!

My brain is still a work in progress. It's not currently compatible with the quiet, calm behaviour Mum and Dad would love for me to give them all the time. But that’s what we’re working on together! They're helping me reshape my brain and build new, better choices.

I’m so glad my humans understand this about me. It helps them be patient while I figure things out.

Stay tuned for more updates on my training journey! Or let mum know if you want some free infomation about how to help your doggy!!!

23/09/2025

Yes, I can definitely craft a blog post about Maggie's exhausting week. It's a sweet and relatable topic for dog owners.

Here is a draft of the next installment of Maggie's Tale, with a fun and friendly tone:

Oops, I Snoozed in Class! 😴
Hi everyone, Maggie here!

It's been a busy week, so this will be a short update. All my new adventures, training games, and big days out in town have been so much fun, but they are also a lot of work!

I was so tired from all the excitement that I actually fell asleep right in the middle of my training class. My humans said I was snoring! Can you believe it?

It just goes to show you that even a brave, busy pup like me needs to rest. I'm learning that getting enough sleep is just as important as all the fun stuff. It helps me recharge my batteries so I can be ready for whatever exciting thing Mum and Dad have planned next!

I'll be back next week with more stories, but for now, it's time for a nap. 💤

Stay tuned for more of my tales!

15/09/2025

Wow! Thank you everyone for the wonderfull reviews we have received at Dog Friendly Awards https://www.dogfriendly.co.uk/trainers/listing/wagtail-walks-and-training-89293 It is always a real pleasure to train your dogs and puppy's 😀. Please click the link to read the reviews https://www.dogfriendly.co.uk/trainers/listing/wagtail-walks-and-training-89293

Wagtail Walks and Training Has Been Entered In The Dog Friendly Awards

09/09/2025

Maggie's Tale; The Sea and the Sniffing Challenge! 🐾
Woof! Guess what, everyone? My humans took me to the seaside! It was amazing. The sand was so soft, and the water was so… wet! My humans and I tried to dig a hole where the sea was coming in, but no matter how fast we went, it just kept filling up again. Very frustrating, but so much fun to try!

My humans told me the trip was a great test of everything I've learned so far. You know how I sometimes think it's my business to bark at anything new? Well, it turns out that can happen even when I'm tired or surprised. My humans say that instead of worrying, I need to focus that energy on something positive.

So, they've introduced a new game to help me focus! It’s all about teaching me that it's way more rewarding to look for something than it is to get all worked up about things that aren't my business. It’s a great way to use my super-powered nose.

Here are the exact steps we follow:

Gently hold my collar/harness.

Place a piece of food on the floor ahead of me.

Say “find it”.

Then, after 1 second, let go of the collar/harness.

Repeat until you notice your dog doing a slight ‘twitch’ when they hear the word “find it”.

Once I was doing that comfortably, we leveled it up a notch!

My humans started pretending to place food, repeating the steps above.

As I searched for the food, they rewarded me!

And just like that, I learned “Find it”!

My humans say that practicing this game, even when there isn't a problem, helps my brain learn that it's better and more calming to try and find something than to get all worked up about things that surprise me.

So, remember what my humans always tell me: Practice, practice, practice!

Stay tuned for my next tale! And dont forget Mum and Dad would love to help your fur baby.
😁😍

09/09/2025

It's that time of year again where acorns will going to be flooding the floors and could become tempting to your dog. It's important to remember the dangers of acorns when they become ingested ⚠️

Did you know that acorns (and the entire Oak tree) is poisonous to dogs? 🌳
Here’s the signs and symptoms of acorn poisoning in dogs. Be sure to save this post for later and share to raise awareness! 🐶

Find out more: thekennelclub.org.uk/acorns

25/04/2025

Wow, wow, wow! Lyn just received this award. Soooo proud! and so pleased that weve been able to help those with challenging disabilities to have the best assistance dogs.
A massive thank you to our customers who nominated us for this award.