A Pawsitive Step

13/01/2025

✅ Part of the wonder I have about our Doggie companions is the continuing new and updated information available.

✅ Hourly rates of a good Trainer cover all that you see and learn from, as well as the hours put in to back office admin and continued professional development.

✅First 50 hours of 2025 - done!

06/01/2025

This Lady is THE reason why you have all heard about using a clicker in positive reward training.

At 93, she has had as much influence over +R (as it’s known) training as any of the operant and classical conditioning Behaviourists.

A genuine legacy. RIP Karen Pryor

Remembering Karen Pryor: The Legacy of a Trailblazer Who Ignited a Global Training RevolutionWith profound sadness and immense gratitude, we honor the life and legacy of Karen Pryor, a true pioneer in the fields of animal behavior and positive reinforcement training. Karen’s groundbreaking work re...

30/12/2024

…If could change your Dogs tune, what would change to? 😉🎤🎶

26/12/2024

Ha! What does your Dog think the true purpose of Christmas is?!

24/12/2024

🎄Wishing all Clients past and present a truly Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year. 🎄

🎄Thanks for the continued support in 2024. Looking forward to seeing you again in 2025.🎄

🎄Merry Christmas! 🎄

23/12/2024

Let them sniff! Any dog can and chooses to sniff, it’s not just information, they enjoy it too.

Sniffing is for life, not just for Christmas busy times!

New Classes starting in the New Year. DM with a 🥳 and I’ll send over the information 👍🏼

18/12/2024

Hehe - what would be on your gift list?

17/12/2024

What makes you cross and you wish people would be more responsible for?

Jokes aside, this is something we don’t necessarily see people doing but we always see the evidence… or nearly stand in it!

When you’re out with your Dog, what would you like to see changed so that there are no excuses?

10/12/2024

The Nobel Peace prize is awarded today. What would you like to see to gain a sense of achievement with your Dog? 😁

06/12/2024

😜 What little miracle would you like your dog to perform?

04/12/2024

COMING UP IN DECEMBER and BEYOND…

🎄 Excitable and over stimulated Dogs through the Festive period
🎄Dog hair of all breeds will be found under the sellotape
🎄 Waistlines will be increasing in size
🎄 Indigestion and headache tablet sales will rocket
🎄 People will be in a more cheerful Christmas spirit

🐾 Puppy FUNdamental and AdoleSENSE classes continue on a Saturday Morning
🐾 Evening and weekend Mantrailing sessions continue

🎄🐾 NEW! Scent Detection Classes will start on January 8th

Message with a 🎄 to receive more details of one to ones, classes and workshops continuing to run!

26/11/2024

😉 BLACK FRIDAY / CYBER MONDAY DEAL! 😉

🐾We're not on local chat groups, advertising discounts as we charge as little as possible all year round.🐾

🐾😉We wanted to get involved and not miss out on the fun so just for this week, we're going to put our prices up by £2 per hour 😉🐾

🐾😃😜 You can pay the regular price by entering 'NODISCOUNT' at the checkout! 😃😜🐾

25/11/2024

👀🔎 LOOK! 🔍🔍👀

Second of my three 'Stop! Look. Listen!' series.

“It’s like going the scenic route and wearing a blindfold”

👀 Look! Your dog is actually talking to you ALL THE TIME! Yes, they "talk" using their body language and are constantly showing us what they like, dislike or are confused by. No, it's not just the tail, the eyes or the head tilt - it's their entire body all at once.

👀 Look! watch their enjoyment on a walk, don't just drag them around non-stop or pull them away from sniffing 'because it's a walk'. It's their time, not yours.

👀 Look! for distraction when out on a walk. You can't blame your dog for pulling on lead or barking if you weren't trying to help them avoid or distract them from the situation.

👀 Look! at their recall language. Of course, they are going to come back to you if none of their triggers are present. Do they continue to pull when you do put them on lead? Do they pull you towards the point they know they are going off lead?

✋ It's not about 'micro-managing' them with command cues.

✅ Book time with A Pawsitive Step to learn the combinations of whole body communication. It will completely alter your relationship with your dog in a way you didnt know was possible. It's also about the context of the situation they are in, wagging tails do not mean they are happy all the time!

✅ Walks are not about physical fitness all the time. Let them sniff! Put your phones away and be present with them in the moment, watch them enjoy thier "Sniffari". It'll be far more tiring for them if you do, the mental work is harder than the physical.

✅ Recall should be about variety of reasons to come back to you as well as a variety of ways to do so. Dogs get bored of the same basic commands and think little of them the more they are used. Its why your recall seems to wear off.

✅ Look out for more in my next post.

🐶🐶

19/11/2024

Unfortunately, Anti freeze tests and smells sweet so attracts Dogs AND Cats. As we hit a cold spell, please be careful.

Once swallowed, symptoms of antifreeze poisoning can develop in as little as an hour, and tend to include:

Wobbliness and weakness – this tends to happen within one hour of ingestion and then improves again.
Vomiting
Low energy (lethargy)
Drinking more than normal
Weeing more than normal to begin, and then less than normal from one to three days after ingestion.
Difficulty breathing or fast breathing
Seizures (fits)
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Contact your vet straight away, if you suspect your dog has come into contact with antifreeze or any other product containing ethylene glycol – don’t wait for symptoms to develop.

Head over to my Blog for more information about cold weather advice: https://apawsitivestep.co.uk/the-cold-and-dog-walking/