Safe Space Saturday

13/11/2024

DIY dog game

Pop into the shed for a break and play with the DIY games
This one is a brilliant way to utilise boxes 📦.
They'll be the cup game out too.

23/10/2024

This has made my day ❤️ 🤣

19/10/2024

Brilliant sessions today, lovely to spend the morning with you lovely bunch.

I measure progression in a few ways, my main way is looking at tension in the dogs body. Herbie and Bella came today, both of these dogs I haven't seen in a while. Herbie was so much looser in his movements, a wiggle to his body, less upright too, it was so lovely to see, the next thing I look for is communication, Herbie is now responding to his mum straight away and voluntarily. Without that communication you have nothing, so to see this development was awesome. The other way is distance, can they get closer and stay relaxed and stay listening, do they disengage without prompting or do we need to help. Herbie distance has definitely decreased. We need to be over around 8 meters for him to still stay comfortable. But that's massive progress.

We also welcomed back Bella, who is sooo different! Very relaxed, happily rushing towards me to get treats. Our first SS she would be in the field on her own at the bottom by the shed and me in the middle.
Bella is ready for close up work on a sharing session with an appropriate buddy.
And this is the thing why SS helps so much is because we couldn't have dived right into to close up work, we needed them to feel safe, we needed the humans to have techniques, the dogs to have learnt skills and the communication to help them feel safe and be successful.

17/10/2024

Very excited for this Saturday.
We're revisiting the basics.
We're making sure our Marker word hasn't lost its sparkle and we're practicing our Touch Cue.
Its so easy to forget the little things, but "It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen."
- John Wooden, Basketball Coach

Plus of course all the stations that are available to use which offer enrichment, problem solving skills and plenty areas to practice your Sarah walk, 123, LAT and Lets Go.

After Monday, making use of spaces like our Safe Space is essential. Its Safe to make progress.

16/10/2024

After Monday's events... when I say to people, can you please call your dog and give mine space as mine struggles with off lead dogs running towards them and their responses were.. "I called it back didn't I" (after multiple attempts at recall using a very repetitive high pitched voice) or the other one from the bloke with 2 whippets was "it doesn't matter, mine won't be bothered " . All that falls on deaf ears, so next time this inevitably happens I've decided I'm going to shout "mine has ring worm and so do I , please call your dog" or maybe "mine has kennel cough" maybe, that will make them call their dog away and make them practice recall!!

04/10/2024

I've made a map!!!
Granted not the best map. Thank you to Mutts & Mischief Holistic Dog Education and Behaviour Services for the map idea.

We've moved the scent work area from the shed to the pen. And I'm being a little brave by putting 2 freework stations at the top where super bowls and chill out bits were.
The idea of 2 station's means we can utilise a little parallel sniffing in an area with plenty of exits and the grass barrier in the middle.

In what was the freework pen is nowa fun scent work with a tin with something yummy inside hidden in/on/around objects.
If you're doing scent work feel free to use odour in the shed at the bottom.

Movement puzzles pen is the same.

The lead walking strips are perfect to practice the Sarah Walk, 123 and lets go as they look straight at the pens.

The chill out station is perfect for stopping and smelling the daisy's or practice your up and down, side to side or your relaxation protocol. Karen Overalls protocol is in the hub. Of course its also a great spot for a little LAT.

Last but not least is my BAT area, Batting is Grisha Stewarts term for when 2 dogs BAT together 😀. BAT is our dogs time to take the lead.

The Superbowl alley is towards the pen on an angle and away on the other path. As most know just give a wave to anyone in the pens so their aware your doing it.

I'm also contemplating where to put a lengh of fence up for a bum sniff area, this will be for those who I feel are ready.

Looking at it, it looks alot.. although its not actually changed. Just tidied up maybe. Well, the curved calming path is new.
Of course don't feel obliged to try out all of it, take your time and just stroll if you like. Its all at you and your dogs pace.

Now to be successful at SS we need a little communication skills in first. If you've a dog who doesn't spend much time listening or responding to what you've asked of them in the home or out on walks then we'll have a few sessions beforehand.

Teaching skills gives more freedom. It helps our dogs make better choices.

21/09/2024

Morning lovely lot.
According to the met Office the rain shall stop for 10 and start again at 12.
Mother nature is being extremely kind to us.
But of course, if you hear thunder do stay at home. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🐕🐕🐕🐕⛈️

14/09/2024

Austin and his mum had a 1 to 1 this week.
We went to the Chippy in Monmouth. Now this isn't a controlled environment, its and environment where anything can happen.
Its always tricky taking the next step, the step out of the comfort zone of SS.
We knew Austin was ready, its time his world opens up. And that's important for you humans too.
Austin has had 1 to 1s in the field with a few different doggies and is making fab progress at SS.
Austin and his human do have tasks to do in the week. So I can't wait to hear how it goes.
He had a head on meet with a dog.. off lead, no recall, just the owner calling its name hopelessly 🤦🏻‍♀️. Which is fine, its expected. And Austin was an absolute super star, they briefly exchanged information. I'd say it was definitely more information gathering than an intended social interaction, that's fine too. It was brief and Austin then walked off happily in a different direction. Annoyingly the little dog followed until the owner managed to get its attention and lure it away.
So that was amazing experience for Austin and his human to see how awesome Austin handled it.
We did a little look at that with triggers. I don't use the cue in this context as so many things in the environment would have been triggers. The push chair, dogs, people, kids in the park.
We tried a little barrier game but we weren't successful, teaching something new in an unfamiliar and unpredictable environment really wasn't realistic. But we went through it and its a task for in the week.
We used BAT as much as we could, seeing him make his own decision on where he's comfortable going and what is to much is lovely information.
We practice his Lets go, this is a skill that's always useful and can get you out of a sticky situations.
Austin confidence is growing and so is his enthusiasm for life.
Watching him in the movement puzzle pen at SS was my favourite moment. The engagement with his human and the confidence to try new movements on, in and around novel objects.

12/09/2024

Sometimes there are times where your dog feels stuck. They feel like they physically/emotionally can't do what your asking of them. They try to tell us that they can't do it by gaining extra time, you may see a sit and scratch, sniffing the ground to the side of them, they may sit or lie down, their trying to deescalate tension.

They may pull you in another direction, they may cross in front of you.
You'll notice that the nose may be pointing in a different direction yet they are paying attention to the situation they want to avoid. The nose is the bit that's found the exit to safety. They may use the environment to help themselves, so walk around things to relieve the pressure from the situation.

All these things are ways of communication. Interpreting behaviours correctly means you can help and support your dogs needs.

10/09/2024

Here's the link to book for those of you that are having 1 to 1s.

Schedule your appointment online Parker's Canine Care & Training

07/09/2024

Huge thank you to Jess at Forest Canine Massage for coming along to Safe Space Saturday today.
Brilliant to look at helping our dogs and humans from a different lense.
Thank you to all the Safe Spacers that booked on.

I shall update you on what Jessica Barton and myself are planning shortly. Jess had her eyes on many and was desperate to get her hands on many too.

Thank you Jess, for sharing your amazing knowledge and being so generous with your time. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️.

06/09/2024

You'll all be meeting this lovely lady tomorrow.
Who else better to help our doggies on their Safe Space journey ❤️.

04/09/2024

Our amazing (retired) helper dog had a well deserved holiday. With all this spare time she's got, she's a few planned!

She absolutely loves the beach. She and Rose loved exploring together, very cute to watch.
What I notice about Honey's movements now she's older is the struggle with steps, she shifts her front paws, lowers her head and flings herself forward.
But there are many things we can do to helps reduce pain or to help them. We change where we feed her to avoid a step and We've re routed the front of the house so she has to use the slope instead of steps. We've a babygate on the stairs, I'd love to say to put our shoes away to avoid trip hazzards but.. that's work in progress!! 🌹.
We're teaching our Scrappy to use the steps up to the sofa as he started to bark at us to be picked up and put on. We think Honey is 15ish and Scraps is 12ish but by no means is pain and discomfort only happen later in life.

What do you notice about your dogs movements?
Any sudden changes?
Want to learn how to help your dog move more freely?
Thankfully we've a helping hand from our lovely Jess.
Forest Canine Massage