Gracious Dogs Leeds

Home
United Kingdom
Leeds
Gracious Dogs Leeds

Supporting You With Your Puppy and Dog Training Challenges 🐕
Personalized Dog Training 🐾

06/12/2025

It might look like I'm just playing fetch with Hazel...

but we're actually working on something way more useful! 🐾

I'm teaching her to retrieve specific unusual objects on cue so she can bring her owner exactly what they need.

This was our first success full session of retrieving objects other than toys, which included:

A collar

A harness

A bowl

A wooden spoon

We've still got some refining to do, but this is real progress!

02/12/2025

Christmas is just weeks away, and you're already dreading how your dog will behave around guests.

Will they knock over Grandma when she arrives?

Steal the turkey off the table?

Bark non-stop at the doorbell?

Without proper preparation, your dog's excitement can turn festive gatherings into stressful situations. You'll spend the whole day managing your dog instead of enjoying time with loved ones. And let's be honest - it's embarrassing when your dog's behaviour ruins the calm holiday vibes.

Holiday Manners 121 is specifically designed to prepare your dog for the realities of Christmas in YOUR home.

Together we will work on your dogs training
🎄 Calm greetings when guests arrive
🎄 No jumping or door dashing
🎄 Table manners (goodbye food thieves!)
🎄 Settling during busy gatherings

You'll get:
2 Hour hands-on training techniques
Your own personalized plan
WhatsApp support through the holidays
Price: £75

To book and for more information feel free to drop me a message

14/11/2025

Rainy days don't mean boring days 🌧️

When it's too wet for our usual walk, we swap outdoor time for indoor training.

Sometimes you just don't want to spend an hour in the rain with your dog. A short walk plus a training session works just as well.

On super wet days like this, Lyka gets a shorter walk and we do a training session instead. This isn't just to brush up on her skills it's a great way to provide mental stimulation, getting her to use her brain, develop her abilities, learn new things, and get some exercise.

Today we practiced:

- Middle
- Paws up
- Object pushing
- Touch & targeting
- Hoopers foundational skills (as we get back on track with my Hoopers training)

Sometimes swapping long walks for a training session at home is a great way to offer calmer exercise and add variety to Lyka's day. She progresses her learning and ends up just as tired as she would be from our normal walk.

What's your go-to rainy day routine with your dog? 💭

12/11/2025

We all want a calm, confident dog who listens and makes good choices.
The secret...

Start training from day one.

When you start early, you're not just preventing bad habits. You're building the foundation for everything you want your dog to be.

You'll see better focus, less frustration, and a stronger communication with your puppy.

10/11/2025

I love training puppies to be calm, patient, and focused !

Training it’s not about perfect obedience.

It’s about teaching your puppy how to pause, think, and make good choices.

07/11/2025

Puppy Club – November to December 2025

Is your puppy going up fast?

One week they’re listening beautifully, the next they’ve discovered selective hearing and zoomies! It’s completely normal, but without early guidance, those cute puppy habits can quickly turn into a adult dog that completely ignores you.

At Puppy Club, you’ll start your journey towards a calmer, more focused puppy who can settle, listen, and make better choices even with everyday distractions. You’ll gain the skills and confidence to make daily life with your puppy smoother, and more enjoyable.

Our next 4-week puppy class begins Saturday 22nd November at Furfield Dog Park (Squires Café, Sherburn in Elmet, LS25 5LX) a safe, secure space with natural sounds, scents, and distractions that prepare your puppy for real life.

You’ll learn how to:

✅ Get your puppy’s focus outdoors

✅ Teach calmness and patience

✅ Build strong recall and lead manners

Classes are small, friendly, and perfect for first-time puppy owners. Plus, you’ll get guidance between sessions so you can keep practising confidently at home.

Only 3 spaces lefts now.

Start your training journey today and book now at www.graciousdogs.uk/puppy-classes

05/11/2025

Not every dog panics during fireworks and Lyka is one if them. She doesn’t get overly stressed, but that doesn’t mean I skip the prep.

Because here’s the thing

Even if your dog seems fine, fireworks can still raise their stress levels. They may not show the signs but they do still have the feeling. And the more we can do to make them feel safe and relaxed, the better.

So I still do all the little things to make the evening easier for Lyka

It doesn’t take much time but it means Lyka has a calmer evening.

Even if your dog isn’t terrified of fireworks, a bit of prep goes a long way towards helping them stay comfortable and calm.

04/11/2025

What do you do to help your dog feel calmer and safer on Bonfire Night?

Even though fireworks have been going off all week its officially Bonfire Night tomorrow.

Here are some last-minute and simple things you can do to help your dog feel calmer and safer:

✅ Get them out for a good walk before it gets dark
✅ Set up enrichment like lick mats, Kongs, or long-lasting chews
✅ Create a cosy safe space away from windows
✅ Turn up the TV or radio to mask the noise
✅ Play calming music (Classical FM does a special dog show tonight!)

I hope some of these last min tips help your dog get through tomorrow night and more fireworks over the next weekend.

02/11/2025

Bonfire Night is stressful for many dogs. Even if your dog isn't normally anxious, the loud bangs and strange smells can overwhelm them.

Knowing the early signs of stress and how to help can make all the difference.

Watch for these signs:

- Panting, drooling, or pacing
- Hiding, trembling, or seeking you out
- Wide eyes, pinned-back ears, tucked tail
- Refusing food or excessive whining

How to help:

Create a cosy den away from windows with familiar toys and bedding

Offer long-lasting chews or lick mats to help them self-soothe

Play calming music or TV to mask the noise

Stay calm yourself

Let them hide if they want to don't force interaction

Avoid:

- Telling them off for scared behaviour
- Forcing them out of their safe space
- Leaving them home alone during peak firework time

The day after, return to your normal routine and give them extra patience. Allow for lots of sniffing and bursts of energy to help them decompress.

Your dog is counting on you to keep them safe. Let's make this Bonfire Night as stress-free as possible.

How does your dog cope with fireworks?

31/10/2025

Welcome to A Dog Trainer’s Haunted House!

Phrases that make my skin crawl, everyday moments that give me the heebie-jeebies, and regular occurrences that send shivers down my spine…

What would be in your haunted house? 🎃

29/10/2025

1 Week Until Bonfire Night!

It's not too late to help your dog feel calmer when the fireworks start this week.

Here are some simple things you can practice over the next 7 days to make a real difference:

Desensitise to sounds – Play firework noises in the background while your dog relaxes. Start low and keep it positive.

Create a safe space – Set up a cosy spot now so your dog knows where to go when things get loud.

Stock up on calming enrichment – Licki mats, Kongs, and long-lasting chews help your dog self-soothe.

Walk before dark – Get those evening walks done early so your dog can settle in before the bangs begin.

Small steps this week = a calmer, more confident dog on the night.

What are you doing to help your dog this week?

28/10/2025

If trick-or-treaters knocking on your door this Halloween is going to send your dog into a frenzy! With barking, running to the door, trying to squeeze out, and jumping all over whoever's on the other side.

Then you need to teach your dog to go to their bed and stay there. This way, you can answer the door to trick-or-treaters with a calm, sensible dog.

Here's the 3-step process we're working through:

Step 1: Lure your dog onto their bed with a treat

As soon as all four paws are on the bed, mark it with "yes!" and give the treat

Repeat this 5-10 times until your dog starts moving toward the bed more quickly

Step 2: Add a cue word like "bed" or "place"

Continue to reward every time they get on the bed after hearing the cue

Gradually fade out the lure (treat in hand) so they're responding to the verbal cue alone

Practice from different distances and angles in the room

Step 3: Practice staying while you walk to the door and open it

Start by asking your dog to go to their bed, then take just one step away before returning to reward

Gradually increase the distance. Two steps, three steps, then all the way to the door

Once you can reach the door, touch the handle and return to reward

Build up to opening the door slightly, then wider, always returning to reward calm behaviour

If your dog gets up before you return, simply reset and try again from an easier step

Dog your dog stay on their bed when you answer the door ?

Address

Kippax
Leeds

Website

https://www.graciousdogs.uk/, https://linktr.ee/graciousdogsleeds

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Gracious Dogs Leeds posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Gracious Dogs Leeds:

Shortcuts

Want your business to be the top-listed Pet Store/pet Service in Leeds?