Short Bark 'N' Strides

29/11/2025

Flo is being a tiny bit of a pain in the arse, so Ric is now showing me 'what to do' 🤷‍♀️🤣👌🐾

29/11/2025

Lola 😍 Often people contact me, thinking that the issue is one thing (recall for the lovely lola), but actually, understanding what is leading to her recall 'failing' is specifically, her desire to be with other dogs. To the point that on pavement walks, she'll lie down and refuse to move if she sees another dog! 🤣 so... actually, we need to do some training with her around this specifically. So we did. We did some stuff around helping her disengage from other dogs, worked out how we could reward her with what she actually wants, which is social contact, and how we can give her that in a safe and controlled way. Lovely dog, lovely people. Have fun.

29/11/2025

Out and about with the gorgeous Frank. He is just an all round wonderful guy, who likes to mind his own business on his walks, and does have a tendency to 'over react' when his space is invaded, like it was today by a slightly over zealous spaniel 🤷‍♀️🐾 But he handled himself well, given it seemed to come from fresh air 🤣👌. Anyway, we worked through some training games, and long line handling. He is now even going for walks with his mum, who has worked SO hard helping build his confidence with her 👏 Sometimes people REALLY 'step up' and honestly, it inspires me, as sometimes it all feels like a little too much effort. So huge well done to his people 👏

29/11/2025

One year ago today, we suddenly and devastatingly lost this little angel. I dont think Ric has got over losing her yet. Lovely Rita 😢🐾

28/11/2025

Flo does NOT like mornings! Mornings are my favourite time of day. I did have a period of thinking Flo just didnt like going out. But, she does, she loves it. At 1 ish, and 8 ish 🤷‍♀️🙈
And NOT before! And that's cool. I guess 🙈🤷‍♀️😢🤣 I'll have to learn to live with it. My early morning strolls before the world wakes, are now just a figment of my imagination 🤷‍♀️
What does your dog do, that doesn't quite fit with the plans in your head before they came to live with you?
Pic of Flo letting us know, that she is in fact ready to go for her evening stroll, right about now! This dog knows what she wants 👌🙈🤣

28/11/2025

Flo, litter picker extraordinaire 👌🐾 when she's not picking up other people's sh*te, she's deftly and expertly avoiding getting her paws wet. Ever. 🙄🌧🐾

28/11/2025

Send around games with Nellie 🐾

27/11/2025

27/11/2025

Kids and dogs 🐾 We had some visitors earlier!
So, I had a plan before they arrived. Lead on, (harness is in the wash 🙄), a job for M (4) to do to help me with Flo, spreading a licky mat. Flo greeted both children (very excitedly 🤷‍♀️🤣) on lead, and they dropped treats on the floor to encourage Flo's nose to go down, and not her paws up 😉 i think we managed it 🤷‍♀️🤣.
Then i let Flo have a short play in the garden with C (8) and Oliver, with me supervising, and C told to be as still as a statue if Flo jumped and I'd come and grab her. An enthusiastic but short game of football followed, and now Flo is in the lounge with me with a foul smelling chew and her licky mat, whilst the kids play uninterrupted.
So the kids had specific things to do with Flo, which they aced by the way. And Flo got a bit of what she wanted too, to greet and to play. There was no, or very limited jumping. No one got hurt or scratched, and Flo hasnt been 'told off' or set up to fail in any way. She's a blummin big dog already!
Happy days. I think i probably get on people's nerves with my management of kids and dogs stuff sometimes, but I'll never stop banging the safety drum 👌

27/11/2025

Freedom!!!! 👌🐾👌🐾👌

27/11/2025

Luna and Seamus 🐾

26/11/2025

Flo is NOT HAPPY! Bath after her season so we can get her back out into the world properly.
There are a lot of things Flo doesn't like. Water, cars, nail clipping! I will also continue to do some work desensitising her to the bathing process, but I dont think she's ever going to be a fan!