Dogs Made Easier

04/08/2024

As research continues to develop our understanding about our dogs, its important that we continue to evolve how we interact with them to give them their best life possible.

I really like this article which explains more about why it matters.

The relationship between dogs and humans has evolved significantly over the centuries. Once revered primarily for their practical roles in hunting, herding, or guarding, dogs have now become an integral part of many families, providing companionship, loyalty, and unconditional love. As our understan...

03/08/2024

By learning about your dog's emotions, you'll be able take a different approach to improving their behaviour.

It's not always about training.

But it's ALWAYS about understanding your dog!

01/07/2024

3 natural ways your dog is trying to releasing stress

When your dog starts to feel stressed in any way, their body is generating energy in readiness to move and protect themselves from a perceived threat.

Even if they’re a little unsure about things, which is a form of low-level stress, their body will be getting ready for action; for movement.

Their body automatically produces this energy and the dog needs to release it in some way.

A sudden release of this energy is usually what we see as ‘reactivity’; a BIG reaction to release that energy. This reaction is labelled ‘Reactivity’ and can look alarming and be difficult to manage.

It’s like when you get stressed out you might feel the need to pace around, or verbally vent how you're feeling. Afterwards, you feel a bit better and can calm yourself down.

Dogs also have more subtle ways of releasing stress which you may miss if you don’t know what to look for.

So here are 3 common signs to look out for when your dog is releasing subtle stress to calm themselves:
1. yawning when they are not tired,
2. sniffing intently when they weren't interested before
3. shaking their body when they are not wet (which is called a ‘shake off’ because they're shaking off energy).

As these actions are done out of their usual context, (yawning when tired is within context (they are sleepy), but yawning although not tired is out of context), this is called ‘displacement behaviour’.

Being aware of these displacement behaviours, you can help your dog begin to feel calmer by:
1. Looking for plenty of sniffing activities and going to areas were there might be different smells for them to investigate
2. If it's safe to do so with your dog, give them a light and gentle massage around the jaw joints to encourage yawning.
3. If it's safe to do so when you’re out and about, wait for them to ‘shake-off’ before moving onto another activity or carrying on with your walk.

Have you noticed your dog showing these displacement behaviours?

Let me know below.

27/06/2024

Do you remember when you were at school, you’d hand in your assignments or homework and your teacher would mark it with a tick /check mark against the things you got correct?

The same principle applies when teaching dogs.

Dogs respond REALLY WELL to positive feedback.
By using a specific word like ‘Yes!’ or ‘Nice’, they quickly learn what you want them to do.

And the key here is that YOU need to know what you want your dog to do!

I know it’s easy to have a list of things you don't want your dog doing! And be on the lookout for ALL.THE.THINGS your dog might be doing ‘wrong’ or that you don't like.

After all, there are a thousand ways your dog can do something ‘wrong’. How much time and energy does that use up?

It's no wonder exhaustion and frustration sets in!

BUT there is only one way to do it ‘right!’ Right!

To help you get started, think for a moment ‘What would the opposite of their unwanted behaviour LOOK like’.

Could you describe it in detail to someone on the phone? (you know the old-fashioned, talking to someone you can't see ‘talking on the phone’)

Would you recognise what you've asked for when they've done it?

It becomes a binding binary answer: Are they doing it? Yes or No?

If not, it just means you may need to give clearer, more simple instructions and /or your dog hasn't learnt it yet and you both need a bit more practise. You won't need to tell them ‘No’ because the lack of a Yes will be feedback enough.

If it’s a Yes, give them that feedback by saying ‘Yes!’
‘Yes, that's what I want you to do!’

And by following up with a treat or a favourite toy, it will SUPERCHARGE your training!

Give it a go and let me know in the comments how you get on!

24/06/2024

One of the first pieces of advice I offer new clients who contact me about their reactive dog is to increase their dog’s sleep.

The optimal amount of sleep for an adult dog is around 8 to 10 hours during the day.

And many of the reactive dogs I've worked with usually aren't getting anywhere near enough sleep!

It’s like when you're really tired, you're probably not at your best, maybe you’re a little more snappy and quick-tempered than usual. Normally a good sleep gets you back to your normal self.

It's the same with our dogs.

If they are overtired, they are more likely to be reactive, and the more tired they become, the more reactive they are; it's a vicious circle!

So here are 3 simple ways to encourage more sleep & rest for your dog.

Set up a ‘chill out zone’ for your dog, somewhere they're able to rest and sleep if they want to. Ensure they have a comfortable bed in an area that's not too busy, or too noisy, and away from the usual household goings-on so they can settle down and relax.

Create a sleep routine for them. Just as you might for a young child, having scheduled times for napping and sleeping can help your dog get the rest they need. An example could look like: Walk them, then feed them when you get home and then they will naturally want to rest!

Sometimes, you may need to stay with them so they aren’t following you around instead of settling down to rest & sleep. If that’s the case for your dog, can you find 5-10 minutes to sit down and relax so your dog follows your example?

Just increasing the amount of sleep your dog is getting throughout the day is often one of the simple ways to gradually improve their behaviour.

Reactivity doesn’t disappear overnight and there isn't a ‘magic word’ or secret tactic that will magically change your dog in an instant.

It’s small shifts in their everyday lives that bring out changes over a period of time.

Give these sleep tips a go for 7 days and let me know what changes you notice with your dog!

19/06/2024

Reactivity is a label for a series of behaviours which could be described as your dog having a BIG reaction to something going on WITHIN them because of what’s going on around them.

Their nervous system is working to identify potential threats, releasing lots of different chemicals throughout their body in readiness to defend themselves or save themselves from the perceived threat.

This happens within milliseconds!!

It’s an emotional response.

It’s an outward expression of their internal feelings & emotions.

Yes, your dog is an emotional being!

Their reactivity is ‘Just Information’ about how they are feeling in the immediate situation.

Reframing how you interpret your dog's behaviour is one of the first steps towards changing it.

15/06/2024

One of the biggest things I’ve learnt over the last decade of working with dogs and their different behaviours we as their people often struggle with, is that once we begin to understand WHY they are acting the way they are, only then can we begin to address their behaviour.

In fact, when your dog has a BIG reaction to the things around them, they are trying to tell you that they too are struggling in that particular situation.

And here’s a secret!!

It’s not always about more training!

Your dog needs something else!

Once you know what your dog needs from you, providing those needs is often the easiest and quickest way to resolve some behaviours.

For me, it’s where the path towards a calmer dog and an easier time with them starts.

Before you can have your dog behave more calmly, they need to be able to do the actions you ask of them. However, they need to be calmer before they are able to learn any training you may want to do with them.

Getting them into a calmer state isn’t always about training.

This is especially important for dogs who over-react (labelled Reactivity).

Taking a more holistic approach, looking at the dog as a ‘whole’ rather than a single aspect of their training (or lack of), you’ll discover simple ways to help them that will improve their behaviour.

This approach is what Dogs Made Easier is all about.

I believe that understanding what’s driving your dog's behaviour alongside a simple specific training plan is the most effective way to resolve your dog’s reactive behaviour; making walks easier, training easier and life, in general, easier!

If you’re interested to learn more about the Dogs Made Easier approach for you & your dog, send me a message and let me know.

08/06/2024

RE-OPENING SOON!

Send a message to learn more

28/10/2022

This is a bit of a scary post to put out because I'm deciding to change what I'm doing.

For the last three and a half years, I've been struggling to run a dog training business because, truth be told, I’ve been a reluctant business owner!

So, it’s been challenging!

But it’s scary changing direction, especially when I’ve loved helping my clients & their lovely dogs & I've built my identity around being ‘Jo the Dog Trainer’.

Over the last few months whilst I've been unable to work due to Long-COVID, I've been trying to understand marketing a bit better. Not the icky, pressure-selling, sleazy sort of marketing, but modern, customer-focused marketing.

And in finding out about modern marketing, it has reawakened an enjoyment & enthusiasm in me. That of developing processes & systems & frameworks and all that sort of stuff! These are the aspects I’ve enjoyed in my business and what I had loved doing in my career before becoming a Dog Trainer!

So for me, it’s time for a change!

I’m going to be pressing PAUSE on Dog Training for the time being.

So that's what this post is about.

I'm going see where this new adventure takes me! If it works out, great; if it doesn't, fine, I’ll try something else!

I’ll still be sharing dog training posts here because I love dogs and want to share useful info that you may find helpful.

So this page isn’t going anywhere!

If you are a Dog Trainer or Dog Professional who wants to know a bit more about marketing, just drop me a comment or a direct message and let me know as I'm setting up a private group to share what I'm learning.

Thank you for your support & much love to you all xx

19/10/2022

13/08/2022

We are big fans of elderly dogs around here! The older they get the bigger their hearts 😍

24/06/2022

Won’t a Harness make my dog pull!?

I’ve heard this urban myth for years and the truth is, if we aren’t teaching our dogs HOW to walk nicely with us, they will do what they’ve always done. And if that’s pulling on lead, then you’ll be pulled down the street every time!

It’s upto us to teach them what we’d like from them!

Prong collars, choke chains and even some types of head-collars may stop the dog pulling for a short time BUT they often cause discomfort or pain. The knock-on effect is that the dog doesn’t enjoy their walk and may even start to be fearful of going out altogether.

If we have to rely on this type of equipment to prevent pulling, then the dog isn’t learning not to pull! No piece of equipment can pre-program our dog to walk nicely!

A harness is a great piece of equipment to TEACH our dog to walk nicely as it takes the pressure off all the delicate structures in the dog’s neck.

This is a great article about why harnesses with the Y-shape across the chest are the most comfortable ones to choose.

Teaching your dog to walk nicely with you is fun and really builds up your bond with them!

20/06/2022

19/06/2022

Happy Father's Day to all our lovely Dog-Dads

09/06/2022

Should you make your dog ‘Sit’ as another dog approaches?

If your dog barks & lunges at other dogs, trying to get them to Sit may be a struggle!

Your dog may be frustrated because they are on-lead; or scared of a dog approaching head-on; or so excited to see another dog that they just can’t contain themselves!

As the other dog gets closer, having your dog in a Sit may make the encounter more frustrating or exciting for your dog.

The closer another dog gets, the more difficult it can be for your dog!

Here’s the secret!

Keep them moving!

You need to create a lot of space between the dogs!

Walk your dog AWAY from the approaching dog.

Go in a different direction!

Cross the street.

Even if your dog reacts, use their movement as momentum to move them away!

You’ll be creating space between your dog and the other dog which makes your dog’s over-reaction to be less likely or less intense.

Remember to give your dog lots of praise and a reward for moving away.

So if your dog barks & lunging at other dogs use ‘Social Distancing’ instead of a Sit!

This is just one of the techniques I cover in my Relief from Reactivity program so contact me if you’d like more information!

01/06/2022

Is your dog barking at other dogs?

Over the last few days, I’ve had a few conversations with Pet Parents who have been told to shake or drop a can full of stones at their dog in an attempt to stop barking at other dogs.

Find out in my latest blog why this won't help and what to do instead! https://josdogtrainingsolutions.co.uk/blog

08/05/2022

Prong collars: Are they the solutions to stop your dog lunging?

Your dog’s lunging & barking behaviour is often an expression of their emotions; of feeling scared, frustrated, fearful or overexcited.

Using a prong collar isn't helping your dog feel better or more secure.

It's adding pain to their emotions.

So not only are they still feeling scared, frustrated, fearful and overexcited but now they also feel pain with metal prongs digging into their neck.

Would this make you feel better? I know it wouldn't for me!

So in my opinion, No, prong collars are not the solution to stop dogs lunging!

Getting to the root cause of why your dog is lunging and barking IS.

Once we understand why they are behaving this way we can help them to begin to feel safer and cope in the situations.

If you're ready to start building a happier life with your dog, DM me today

29/04/2022

A FREE mini series on canine body language by the wonderful Sarah Whitehead!! Grab your place now!

Join the waitlist for access to my brand NEW mini-series on canine body language and facial expression!

Sign up and receive a mini video tutorial every day for ten days.... they're fast, they're fun and they're free!

As a canine behaviour specialist with 30 years' experience, I believe that learning to observe and interpret canine (and feline!) body language is essential for us in building strong, trusting relationships with our dogs - and to keep them safe and happy in our company.

Once you register, you will receive an email every day for ten days, each with a link to watch the video clip that I have specially prepared for you.

You'll need:

Three minutes! (They are all quick!)
Your sound on! (Note, the beginning of the video is muted to give you a chance to observe the behaviour before hearing some of what I see!)

Then all you need to do is:

✅ Watch the first part of the video with your 'observational' hat on! It's always less than a minute.

✅ Keep watching. You'll see the same clip again, but this time with my commentary, so you can hear me describe what I see.

✅ Compare and contrast! Did you see the same things? What insights did you have when watching through my eyes?

Join me for FREE >> https://sarahwhitehead.lpages.co/waitlist-dog-watch-with-sarah

01/04/2022

Are you confused and annoyed with your dog's behaviour?

Maybe they bark and lunge at other dogs and just wont listen to you?

Or your Puppy has taken over your life leaving you exhausted and wondering what you've let yourself in for!?

You just want a happy life with your dog!

I get it! I've been there myself with my dog!

I've worked with hundreds of dogs with a range of training needs and behaviour issues, including those in and from rescues.

I work on a 1-2-1 basis in your home so you have the individual support that you and your dog need and deserve.

DM or comment 'Help' and lets get you & your dog the help yo​u need!

25/02/2022

It’s cold, it’s dark, it’s wet and I’m standing outside in the rain waiting for my dog to have her last p*e before going to bed.

As she decides to take her merry time to sniff every corner of the garden, I can feel myself getting impatient and I start pleading with her to hurry up!

She completely ignores me and continues sniffing as I get colder and more impatient!

I notice that I sound frustrated.

So I use a little trick!

I do the opposite of how I’m feeling. Instead of pleading, I put on a playful voice!

Using my playful voice engages my dog to listen me (coz I’m obviously now more interesting than when I’m being a grumpy Mum!)

She continues to sniff but at least she starts moving more quickly and decides on just the right spot for a p*e. I tell her that she’s such a good girl and ask her to go indoors and she trots inside.

Talking to our dogs with a smile on our face lightens & softens our voice and engages our dogs.

So when you start to feel frustrated with your dog, why not talk to them and ‘say it with a smile’!

Give it a go and you may well feel lighter and happier too!

Let's see those smiles!

17/02/2022

Many dogs find windy weather exciting but some don’t.

And with stormy weather coming across the UK over the next few days, you may find that your dog starts to act a little bit differently.

Your dog may sense the change in the weather long before it arrives so you may have already noticed that they are more energetic on their walk or maybe become more clingy than usual.

You may notice that your dog is a little bit on edge or unable to settle.

So if your dog doesn’t seem to like the windy weather, here are some tips to help them over the next few days of stormy weather:

• Keep everything as calm as possible.
• Set up your dog’s favourite space so that's cosy and comfy and they can retreat to it if they want to.
• If your dog is wants physical touch or to be near you, it’s okay to comfort them and help them feel safe. Reassuring your dog when they feel unsure or afraid with the bad weather is completely fine.
• If you’ve used calming products before to help settle your down during thunderstorms or fireworks, you may find these helpful in windy weather too.
• When your dog needs to head outside to toilet, take them out on their lead so they can toilet and you can bring them straight back in. This helps prevent your dog slipping through any gaps created by blown down fences.
• Before the bad weather hits, why not make sure their microchip details are up to date with your current contact details as this will help ensure you are reunited quickly if your dog does manage to get out.

How does the windy weather affect your dog?

15/02/2022

In the last few days I’ve had a couple of conversations with people who, when they describe their dog’s behaviour, clearly have a dog who is fearful. Descriptions of cowering, rolling over onto their back with legs in the air, running and hiding under tables are all clear signs that these dogs are fearful of something in their environment.

Often we may think the best way to help these dogs is to encourage them to ‘face their fears’ as we reassure them that ‘it’s ok’ or ‘there’s nothing to be afraid of’ or ‘they’ve got to get used to it’.

Despite the best of intentions, this approach usually makes things worse and can lead to the dog either completely shut-down or even start to growl or show their teeth. We can inadvertently become part of the problem; they can become scared of you too which isn’t what any of us wants.

So, if a dog is trying to make itself smaller by cowering or rolling over or they are running away and hiding, we need to STOP, give them some space and allow everything to calm down. We need to consider what the dog is trying to tell us!

Understanding dog body language helps us to help our dogs feel safe.

When they feel safe, they will become happier too!

And isn’t that what we want for them!

(Image from Dr Sophia Yin & Lili Chin)

10/02/2022

Last week I had the privilege of doing a Post-Adoption Support visit to a lovely couple who have recently adopted a dog from our local animal charity, Wadars.

It is often the case that dogs need time to adjust to their new surroundings and get use to their new human-family. This timeframe may take longer depending on the individual dog and how much change they’ve had in their life.

Talking to these new dog-parents, I loved hearing their dedication to their new dog as they shared how they want to make her new life better than her past one.

Giving a newly rescued dog time to settle in, get used to new routines and their new environment often means we need to slow things down and lower our expectations for the first few months.

For us as the new dog-parents, this time means we get to know our new dog better. Learning to read the dog’s body language helps us to understand how the dog is coping in their new home as well as their likes and dislikes.

Introducing new experiences gradually builds up the dog’s confidence which develops trust and a bond with their new human-family.

If you’ve recently rescued a dog, how long did it take them to settle in?

05/02/2022

I’m out with my dog and I hear the words I used to dread! ‘It’s ok he’s friendly!’

My reply ‘my dog needs space, call your dog please’.

Inevitably I here ‘come here [dogs name]!’ as the dog ignores the pleas from their person and keeps heading towards us as my dog becomes more tense and uncomfortable.

Sometimes, the dog responds to their owner, sometimes the dog stops on their own accord and decides not to come any closer. And sometimes no-one hears what I say, their dog gets right up into my dogs face and that’s when she can’t handle it anymore! She may lunge or snap at them to GO AWAY! Now they listen!

My dog is uncomfortable around dogs she doesn’t know. She doesn’t like dogs approaching her head-on. She doesn’t like full eye contact. She certainly doesn’t like dogs getting too close and then in her face! She will lunge, bark and make a big display to get them to move away.

If you’ve never had a reactive dog, these reactions look aggressive and really scary! BUT it’s nowhere near as stressful as HAVING your dog react this way.
• The fear of judgement from other people can be crushing.
• Not knowing why your dog is reacting this way or what to do about it can be incredibly frustrating.
• The unhelpful comments from other people create feelings of being a useless dog-parent.

I can’t control what the other dogs or people do, but what I CAN do is create as safe a space as possible for my dog.

Fortunately I know how to manage these situations; how to keep myself calm so I can help my dog when neither the person nor their dog is listening.

Teaching my dog that it’s ok to look at another dog and that bringing her attention back to me is paid in treats!

It means that she now has a CHOICE about how to respond when seeing another dog.

It has built up her confidence as well as mine!

It takes time, patience and consistency but these are the secret ingredients to any training.

I’m SO proud of her!

27/01/2022

08/01/2022

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.

I came across this quote a little while after I had adopted Jasmin and at the time I had been really struggling with her behaviour. We had been doing training from day-one and going to classes, but things just weren't improving.

I don't know where I came across this quote, but the words really struck me.

When I changed the way I was looking at it, a change would happen! This intrigued me.

Ok, I thought, so, if I change the way I looked at her behaviour, her behaviour would change!?

Hmm, what if instead of looking at why SHE was doing this behaviour, and driving me nuts and why the training wasn't working, I looked at WHY she was doing this behaviour.

Rather than focusing on her outward displays of behaviour, I started to look at, find out and learn about the underlying reasons for her behaviour.

I wanted to understand WHY my dog was behaving the way she was, as well as why the traditional training techniques I'd been trying and I was being taught, were not working.

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at will change.

Embodying this quote opened my eyes and really did give me a completely different way of looking at my dog and her behaviour!

It completely changed the way I not only trained my dog but how I lived with her. For the first time, I could feel a bond with her start to form. Then grow. She started to respond to me and I still remember the first time I asked her for her paw (something I had been trying to teach her for about 12months so I could dry her feet on wet days) and she tentatively lifted her paw up, I nearly erupted with joy! She was listening! She was beginning to trust me! At last!

Because I decided to change the way I was looking at my dog’s behaviour, the changes happened!

So if you're in a similar position I was in, if you're confused or angry about your dog’s behaviour, why they're not listening to you, why they don't ‘respect you’, or maybe thinking they're doing things to ‘spite you’ and all those types of thoughts, I offer you this quote.

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at will change.

And if you want some help to change what it is you're seeing with your dog’s behaviour please get in touch and let’s get you those changes for you and your dog!

Email: [email protected]

29/12/2021

With NEW YEAR EVE FIREWORKS almost upon us, grab my FREE EBook to help your dog or pup cope with all the noise & celebrations.

(Link to the Free Ebook is in the original post!)

Happy New Year everyone!

COUNTDOWN TO FIREWORKS & BONFIRE NIGHT HAS STARTED!

Get your FREE EBook to help your dog cope

While Bonfire Night & Firework Displays can be tons of fun for us humans, the loud bangs and smokey smells can be terrifying for many dogs. As responsible pet parents, we all know how important it is to be prepared and keep our dogs safe and calm.

Whether it’s year-round fireworks, thunder, ambulances, balloons popping, or any other scary sounds, it’s never too early to prepare your dog. With training, you can help desensitise your dog to become less afraid.

Grab your FREE EBook now and start preparing your dog today!
Click here: https://jos-dog-training-solutions.newzenler.com/f/fireworks-dogs-ebook

20/12/2021

Help your dog feel calm and happy this Christmas!

Whether you find Christmas exciting or stressful, ensuring our dogs are calm and happy is something we can plan ahead of time.

If our dogs become worried about all the festive activities and visitors coming & going, we run the risk of our dogs growling, nipping and biting as a way of creating space away from the things that are causing them concern.

To help your dog have a stress-free Christmas, follow these 3 top tips:

1. Take your dog for a walk where they have plenty of places to sniff and investigate. Doing this before your guests arrive, means your dog has had the opportunity to toilet and had some physical and mental exercise. They are more likely to quickly settle down afterwards!

2. When guests arrive, having your dog on-lead will prevent jumping up at them. Encouraging a calmer and more polite greeting means your dog will get to say ‘Hello’ without any over-excitement!

3. Set up a Christmas Chill-Out Zone for your dog somewhere quiet and away from all the excitement. Baby-gates, a puppy pen or a crate are great ways to create a separate, dedicated ‘dog-only’ space so they can settle down if things get too much for them.

Remember, our dogs need plenty of sleep as an over-tired dog can become irritable and grumpy!

Knowing that our dogs feel calm and happy is one less thing to worry about this Christmas!

Why not share these tips with your dog-friends and family!