Foxglove Dog Trainers

20/01/2024

ATTENTION DOG OWNERS!!!

Look no further! I am an experienced dog trainer with over 25 years of expertise. I guarantee results in the first lesson or you don't pay!

Services:

Reactivity Training
Loose Leash Walking
Recall Improvement
Many More

25 Years of Experience
Ex Search and Rescue Dog Trainer
Affordable Rates – Starting at £45/hr
Location: Near Mitcheldean, FOD

Transform your walks and build a stronger bond with your dog!

Contact me now on 07709 431153 to schedule your personalized training session or visit the website at
www.foxglovedogtrainers.co.uk

19/01/2024

ATTENTION DOG OWNERS!!!
Look no further! I am an experienced dog trainer with over 25 years of expertise. I guarantee results in the first lesson or you don't pay!
Services:
Reactivity Training
Loose Leash Walking
Recall Improvement
Many More

25 Years of Experience
Ex Search and Rescue Dog Trainer
Affordable Rates – Starting at £45/hr
Location: Near Mitcheldean, FOD
Transform your walks and build a stronger bond with your dog!
Contact me now on 07709 431153 to schedule your personalized training session or visit the website at
www.foxglovedogtrainers.co.uk

At Foxglove Dog Trainers, we understand that every dog is unique, and we're here to help you build a strong and harmonious bond with your furry companion.

16/01/2024

ATTENTION DOG OWNERS!!!

Look no further! I am an experienced dog trainer with over 25 years of expertise. I guarantee results in the first lesson or you don't pay!

Services:

Reactivity Training
Loose Leash Walking
Recall Improvement
Many More

25 Years of Experience
Ex Search and Rescue Dog Trainer
Affordable Rates – Starting at £45/hr
Location: Near Mitcheldean, FOD
Transform your walks and build a stronger bond with your dog!
Contact me now on 07709 431153 to schedule your personalized training session or visit the website at
www.foxglovedogtrainers.co.uk

10/01/2024

Do you Need Help Training Your Dog, Rescue Dog or Puppy?
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Are you struggling with reactivity or a relentless lead puller, or a furry friend who won't come when called?
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Look no further! I am an experienced dog trainer, based near Mitcheldean, with over ​ 25 years of expertise.
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Services:
Reactivity Training
Loose Leash Walking
Recall Improvement
Many More
​
25 Years of Experience
Ex Search and Rescue Dog Trainer
Affordable Rates – Starting at £45/hr
​
Location: Near Mitcheldean, FOD
​
Transform your walks and build a stronger bond with your dog!
​
Contact me ​ now on ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 07709 431153 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ to schedule your personalized training session or
​
visit the website at www.foxglovedogtrainers.co.uk

28/10/2023

🐾📣 Exciting News! Help is on the way for you and your furry friend! 🐶

Foxglove Dog Trainer - 1:1 Dog Training Classes backed by 25 years experience🐕✨

Is your pup needing some guidance or a little extra obedience training? We've got you covered. Our expert trainers are ready to help your dog become the best version of themselves.

🐾 What to expect from our 1:1 sessions
🔹 Basic Obedience Training
🔹 Fun and Engaging Learning
🔹 Positive Reinforcement Techniques
🔹 Socialization with Other Dogs
🔹 Problem Solving

Imagine a well-behaved, confident, and happy canine companion that you can be proud of. Whether your dog is a puppy or a seasoned pro, our classes are designed to meet their needs.

🐾🐕❤️

For more information and to register, visit our website at [www.foxglovedogtrainers.co.uk] or give us a call at [07709431153]. Let's make this a paw-some experience together!



Regenerate

At Foxglove Dog Trainers, we understand that every dog is unique, and we're here to help you build a strong and harmonious bond with your furry companion.

18/10/2023

Hi All

"I took a little break that turned into a big break. 🙈 Please welcome Bramble into the Foxglove family - an 11-month-old Border Collie, quite the bundle of energy! 🐶 groan!!

In the meantime, I've been working on my new website. If you need any assistance with your dogs, be it training, walking, joring, running, and more, please check out the website or give me a shout. 🐕💻🐾

www.foxglovedogtrainers.co.uk

17/10/2023

🐾🚶‍♂️ "Why does your dog pull on the leash? 🤔

Leash pulling is a common challenge that many dog owners face, but there are several reasons behind this behavior. Here's a breakdown:

Excitement and Curiosity: Dogs are naturally curious and eager to explore their surroundings.

Lack of Training: Some dogs haven't been taught proper leash manners, so they pull simply because they don't know better.

Desire for Speed: Certain dogs want to move at their pace, which might be faster than yours.

Distractions: Dogs can be easily distracted by other animals, scents, and people.

Leash Length: Using a short leash can make your dog feel restricted and lead to pulling.

Building a Strong Bond: Creating a desire in your dog to be with you can be a powerful motivator for good leash behavior.

Pulling Back on the Leash: Sometimes, we unintentionally encourage pulling by pulling back on the leash ourselves.

Leash Handling Skills: Both dogs and owners need to learn appropriate leash skills.

To address leash pulling:

🐶 Invest in Training: Spend time training your dog on loose leash walking and use positive reinforcement.

🔄 Be Consistent: Maintain a consistent approach during walks to reinforce the desired behavior.

❤️ Build a Strong Bond: Strengthen your connection with your dog through positive interactions.

🚶‍♂️ Learn Leash Handling Skills: Understand how to handle the leash effectively.

🐕 Seek Professional Help: at https://www.foxglovedogtrainers.co.uk

By understanding the root causes and addressing them with patience and consistency, you and your four-legged friend can enjoy more enjoyable walks together. 🐾❤️ "

Regenerate

17/10/2023

WHY DOES MY DOG IGNORE ME?

🐶💕 "Ever wonder how to make your furry friend more aware of your presence? Building a strong bond with your dog is key, and it's easier than you might think! Here are a few tips to help you and your dog connect on a deeper level:

Quality Time: Spend quality time together. Engage in play, cuddles, and interactive activities. Dogs thrive on attention.

Training: Basic obedience training is a fantastic way to establish trust and communication. Teaching simple commands can create a stronger connection.

Positive Reinforcement: Reward good behavior with treats and praise. This encourages your dog to seek your approval and company.

Eye Contact: Maintain eye contact with your dog. It's a powerful way to communicate and build a bond.

Consistency: Be consistent with your interactions and routine. Dogs thrive on predictability.

Gentle Touch: Offer gentle petting and massages. Many dogs find this soothing and reassuring.

Speak Calmly: Use a calm and reassuring tone when you speak to your dog. They can sense your emotions through your voice.

Exercise Together: Go for walks, play fetch, or engage in activities your dog enjoys. This strengthens your connection and keeps your dog active and healthy.

Respect Their Space: Dogs need their space too. Give them room to relax when they want it.

Patience: Building a strong bond takes time, so be patient and understanding.

Remember, every dog is unique, and it's essential to understand their individual needs and preferences. By following these tips, you'll create a loving and lasting bond with your four-legged companion. 🐾❤️

12/08/2023

Is your dog unmanageable on walks?
​
Our training program can stop lead pulling and improve your dog's recall.
Imagine a happy, obedient dog who listens to you every time!

Sign up today and start bonding with your furry best friend.

11/08/2023

Does your dog pull on the lead? Struggle with recall or reactivity?
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We can help! Our expert dog training techniques are proven to improve your pup's behavior.
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Imagine a calm, happy, and well-behaved furry companion who loves to listen and engage with you.
​
Sign up now for our dog training program and start building a stronger bond with your furry friend today!

10/08/2023

Is your dog unmanageable on walks?
​
Our training program can stop lead pulling and improve your dog's recall.
Imagine a happy, obedient dog who listens to you every time!
Sign up today and start bonding with your furry best friend.

14/06/2023

HOW QUICKLY SHOULD I SEE THE RESULTS?

Within 30 minutes of being with a trainer, you should be seeing results.

Most classes last an hour and should include some quality playtime, which is also training.

What we are trying to achieve is the 3 Rs of Habit-Forming - Reminder, Routine and Reward

4 sessions are usually enough to start making life-changing results

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO ANSWER?

Please drop them on here or DM me.
07709431153
Sue

11/06/2023

FAQs - a mini-series on training dogs

I HAVE HAD MANY TRAINERS. WHAT DO YOU DO DIFFERENTLY THAT YOU THINK CAN HELP ME?

I strongly believe in Einsteins' law of insanity - "insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results"

For every problem has a solution. BUT after every solution there's a new problem to tackle, some new challenge to take on. You don't stop after you solve one thing you keep going....Marie Lu.

Dogs will throw up continual challenges - Small steps and continual change make the difference

09/06/2023

Desensitisation
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What does it mean and how can it help you
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If you have seen my previous post where Bella - bully type, who was ball obsessed and would jump, lunge and snap at a ball, was desensitised enough to be able to enjoy playing with the kids at a family BBQ.
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How is that possible in 2 training sessions?
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When you put your dog on the lead, do not let them wander around, sniff or walk off. ​ Make them stand with you. A simple check on the lead to let them know you do not want them to do anything but stand and wait for a command.
This stops your dog from wandering off in their mind as to what they want to do and gets them to focus on you and wait for the next command
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When your dog is calm, take the thing that they fixate on - ball, another dog, bike, car and find the distance that your dog will stay “with you” and get the obstacle to move around, roll the ball, roll the bike, very gently at first, using the command “leave it”.
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When the dog loses their calm, take a small step back, correct gently and use command “leave it”. ​ Continue until the dog is not fazed by the object of its desire being moved around, and slowly decrease the gap.
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This takes time and energy, but ​ IT WORKS
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As always , if you need help or would like to come and have a session or just a chat then please let me know on 07709 431153
Sue

07/06/2023

I received this comment the other day - am blown away!💝
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Hey Sue!
I have just got to say a huge thank you!!
Today we had a family bbq with all the kids and Bella was actually able to be off lead and calm around them!!
For the first time the kids played with her with the balls etc!
Normally Bella would have been too excited, jumping up at everyone and barking but she settled almost instantly and it was sooo great to see the kids play happily with her!!
Thank you for making this possible and you truly are brilliant at what you do!!!
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Thank you Ollie for your kind words
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If you would like success like this - and this was only 2 training sessions, then please get in touch and we can have a chat 07709 431153

16/05/2023

THE ONLY REASON YOU ARE NOT ACHIEVING YOUR TRAINING GOALS!!
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Your dog only knows you exist when you
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Feed them
Prepare to walk them
Cuddle them
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What do I mean
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Every time your dog ignores you in favor of a distraction, your dog is practicing ignoring you.
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By distraction I mean
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Sniffing
Peeing
Prey
Running off
Chasing a ball
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Anything but the command you have given in fact.
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If your dog ignores you and blows you off then it will never gain your respect and will never respond to a command simply because you have not made them realise that you exist and that you wish your commands to be followed.
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So how do we correct this?
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Treats - to an extent will work but given time or lack of interest in food this is a poor alternative
Toys - have the same sort of success rate as treats, they can be ignored very quickly
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Put into human terms
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If you hold a chocolate bar out and wave it at a friend, they will come and grab it if they want it. ​ If they don't then they will wave you away and carry on, especially if their phone rings or something catches their attention - sound familiar?
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So a few little nifty tips and tricks to engage your dog and keep them engaged are as follows.
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The Method
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BEFORE you even set foot outside of your house you must have a calm and relaxed dog that is sitting quietly with you.
NEVER just move off without “releasing” your dog. ​ That dog should not move from beside you until you give a command to move. This makes the dog check in with you A LOT because that dog wants to go but once you have set the boundaries that they are on the lead and cannot go until commanded, you will have their attention
STOP constantly commanding your dog. ​ If you are constantly giving directions or commands then the dog will not think for itself and will expect to be given commands all the time for all the actions it has to perform.
STOP constant chatter. ​ It is only white noise to a dog and stops any actual commands from being heard
DO NOT grab your dog when they come from recall. Make that dog come up to you and stop beside you - sitting, standing, whatever, until you again release that dog. ​ This stops them from racing up and zooming straight off again.
DO praise your dog for everything they do correctly and do not tell them off for not understanding ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​
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If you start to put the above into practice then you will have a calmer dog. If you would like some help with this then please drop me a message or give me a call on
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07709 431153
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Sue

15/05/2023

IF YOUR TRAINER SAYS YOUR DOG NEEDS TO BE ON MEDICATION

Please please give me a call. Come and have an hour in the field and a chat.

Sue n the Crew

15/05/2023

CONGRATULATIONS!!!
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To all my clients who made it to the Bark in the Park with their dogs at the weekend.
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The work you have put into your dogs to achieve the ability to mix them with hundreds of other dogs paid off beautifully and it was a fantastic achievement.
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Well Done you. 😁😁

11/04/2023

HYPERACTIVITY AND DOG FOOD - IS THERE A LINK?
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What is Hyperactivity
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The clinical term—hyperkinesis—is described as an attention deficit disorder for dogs. The signs and symptoms include inattentiveness, unable to be trained, erratic behavior, and wild energy. Potentially leading to aggressive and impulsive behaviours
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There are several reasons your dog may be hyperactive (hyper), for example, lifestyle, breed type or individual personality or experiences. ​ However, if you have a hyper dog have you considered that it may be the food you are feeding that is causing this behaviour?
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There are so many types of food to choose from, including kibble, raw food, and wet food. ​ Dogs, as in humans, will react to sugar and additives, and this could make them hyper and in turn, difficult to train as this could also affect their concentration. ​
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Also
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If your adult dog is fed a diet for a puppy for example, then they are likely to be getting too much protein and energy, possibly causing hyperactivity. The same scenario can be true for senior dogs on an adult diet. Sugar can cause peaks in a dog's blood sugar which can cause hyperactive behaviour
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If you have an excessively active or hyper dog, making a few of these simple changes may help him (and you!) get some rest and relief.
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Cut the Carbs and sugar
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Dogs do not need or require any carbs in their diet AT ALL provided they are getting the correct balance of protein and fats. So all the fillers in dog food are potentially igniting their fire.
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Sugar can have the same effect on a dog as it can on a child with ADHD -weeeeeeeeee, zip, whiz
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Lower the Protein
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Protein is energy for dogs, the lower the protein - the lower the energy levels. 18% is the lowest recommended protein to feed dogs and a lot of dog foods contain much higher protein
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Not all Protein is Equal
Protein sources react differently in the body based on unique absorption rates and differing levels of both essential and non-essential amino acids. The unique amino acid composition of proteins affects how the body is able to utilize them for growth, recovery & maintenance
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Training
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It is not just about getting your dog to respond…
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Reward based dog training makes your dog feel good every time he or she gets it right. Dopamine, the feel good chemical is released when your dog is rewarded. The brain builds an association between a cue, a behaviour and a reward. We call this a neural pathway.
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Nutrition can certainly affect a dog's demeanour (both positively and negatively), but it is pertinent to be aware that whilst a change of diet may be beneficial for a dog with a behavioural problem, it is not a substitute for training.
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Disclaimer - I am not a pet nutritionist, but have been working with hyper active dogs for many years and feel that the link between food and feisty has not been recognised sufficiently. ​ I home cook all my dogs food and live in harmony with 3 border collies and a staff

25/03/2023

HOW TO GET YOUR DOG TO CONNECT ​ ​ 💓
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Remember the saying “families that play together stay together”?
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Step one in training any dog is to get its attention.
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If your dog is off chasing squirrels or ignoring you its because you do not have enough value for them
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That sounds really harsh but the average dog owner believes that walking, feeding, and cuddling a dog is sufficient to get the dog's respect but that is simply not the case. ​ ​ Hence their dog resorts to bad behaviours, not to get attention, but because they are entertaining themselves.
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If we entertain our dogs with games, treats, and challenges, they will look at us for guidance, they will follow us around for the next challenge and they will generally be much happier to do our bidding - it sounds simple but it is the root of successful training.
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You can use all sorts of methods to try and get
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Recall - not letting them off
Loose lead walking - haltis and crossover harnesses
Stopping barking - spray collars and closing the curtains
Stopping reactivity - 3am walks and day terrors, driving to remote locations
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But the simplest and best methods are by connecting with your dog, whereby they WANT to come back to you, they WANT to walk by your side, they WANT to stop feeling fearful at passersby.
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HOW???
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Games
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Find it - throwing down food for them to discover then hiding it in various places
Hide and seek - popping up from behind a tree or bush and then running off
Searching - for food, for toys, inside and outside
Leave it - dropping food/toy and using the leave it command
Sit and stay
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15 mins of mind games and play is the equivalent of about an hour's exercise. ​
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​When you play with your dog they want to connect. ​ When they have connected they want to please, When they please it is the greatest feeling in the world, and steps up success with other training.

23/03/2023

DOG TRAINING is like running a MARATHON
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Dog Training ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
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Your end goal seems almost impossible to attain - lead-pulling, reactive, attacking passersby, barking incessantly - where do I start?
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Marathon Running
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Your end goal seems almost unattainable - ​ 23 MILES!!! ​ Never run a ​ mile in my life, and I have no idea where to start or even if I want to start…
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You start to run a marathon by
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1. Selecting shoes
2. Selecting an outfit and water bottle
3. Finding the right foods to eat and gels to take with you
4. Selecting a program
5. Starting with short runs, being persistent until one day you are…
6. Running a marathon
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Dog Training is very similar. ​ Most people are really phased by the daunting prospect of knowing which problem to start with, reading books and watching videos, and still not knowing how to achieve what the trainers manage to make look so easy.
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WHERE DO I START
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Most problems start with your dog's lack of interest in you. ​ They may love and adore you but they are not “connected” to you. ​ They will not listen and do not believe you exist other than food time and cuddles.
Once they are connected to you, your dog will adore being trained and interacting. ​
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1. Start with lead pulling and getting your dog focused on you
2. This focus will then help with reactivity
3. And will stop them lunging at passersby
4. Focus will also get them to stop barking on request
5. Being persistent and regular with training and commands
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And
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Hey presto - you have completed your marathon
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So…. How do I get this focus? ​ Watch this space

21/03/2023

LOOSE LEAD TRAINING MASTERCLASS
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If you are struggling with your dog pulling, please into my 2 Masterclasses
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Sunday 2nd April at 11 am
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Wednesday 5th April - from 5 pm - 2 hour class
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£10/per/dog/hour
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Drop me a message for further details

08/03/2023

STRATEGY RETHINK TIME

I popped into the shops the other day wearing my uniform - picture included hairs and all.

I was touched on the shoulder by an elderly gentleman who remarked

“You're not really training the dogs are you, your training the owners”

Time to get new uniform methinks

06/03/2023

FREE - TRAINING OPPORTUNITY🐶UP
​*UPDATE*

Robert, who was supposed to be helping me with the video and photographs has been taken into hospital suddenly and will have to let me know when he is well enough to do the training.
I will keep you posted with dates when I know he is feeling better

I have a professional photographer and videographer coming in March to help me do some shots for my new website.
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I am looking for some owners of naughty doggos who would be willing to come and spend some time - possibly 2 hour sessions with free training in return for their participation.
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If you would be interested would you please give me a call on 07709431153 and I can schedule the week.