Canine Thinking

26/08/2024

Just for fun as its Bank Holiday Monday.... If you could change one thing about your dog what would it be?

For team member Kaye with her dogs Tweed and Reuben (in the photo).

"Well with Tweed it would have to be if she would focus just on going for a p*e at 4am, rather than having a p*e and then spending the next 20mins walking her boundaries on fox 🦊 patrol. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

With Reuben - he is practically perfect in every way (Mary Poppins of dogs!!!)" 😀

Let’s hear your changes below (dont forget a photo of your dog too) 👇

25/08/2024

Don't forget - our friends at Bedlington Terrier Rescue Foundation are at the Kent Country Show today and tomorrow, with over £5,000 of donated Canine Thinking prizes up for grabs in the classes. If you pop along, please send us a pic - especially if you track down team member Kaye, and can show us what she gets up to 🤭😂!

24/08/2024

FREE COURSE 3 STEPS TO A LIFE OF HARMONY WITH YOUR DOG.

So, what is your dream for life with your dog?
Think about when you first met him or her, whether a tiny puppy or an older rescue - what did you imagine?

🐶 Walks in the park?
🐶 A dog who comes as soon as you call?
🐶 A dog who loves meeting other dogs and people?

Maybe you’ve found that reality hasn’t quite matched up to the dream. This is where we can help you.

we WILL show you how to achieve them… Even if they feel out of reach for you and your dog right now.

With a FREE sneak p*ek at our new exciting self-guided course, the Canine Thinking House of Harmony! And you’ll end up with an easy-to-follow plan to set you on the right path towards achieving your goals.

These are the foundations of our work at Canine Thinking, and they have been proven to make a world of difference to EVERY SINGLE dog and guardian that we work with.

Best part…? It is FREE!

Instant access when you sign up.
https://caninethinking.com/courses/three-steps-to-a-life-of-harmony-with-your-dog/

23/08/2024

Do you and your dog fancy winning a share of over £5,000 of prizes, helping raise funds for rescue, and having a lovely bank holiday day-out at the same time?

Our wonderful friends at Bedlington Terrier Rescue Foundation are running the dog show rings at the Kent Country Show on the 25th and 26th August, so if you're in the area, please do pop in to support them. To help get entries (and much-needed funds!) rolling in, we have donated prizes for first, second and third place in EVERY class as well as first prizes for Best in Show. There is a fab line-up of classes on each day, both fun and pedigree, and we know the team will be keeping a very close eye to make sure everyone is well-looked after.

BTRF have had some very, very poorly dogs to support over the last two years, with big medical bills, so we really hope this event is a huge success for them (and all the other organisations who will be there).

All we ask is you make the day as nice for your dogs as for you:

🐾 take water and offer it regularly
🐾 give your dog plenty of breaks to just chill, sniff and watch (or nap!)
🐾 tasty snacks will boost energy and chewing can help with relaxation
🐾 listen to your dog's communication - keep them safe
🐾 give your dog (and other dogs) enough space to feel comfortable

And remember not all dogs enjoy busy environments like country shows (so might be happier staying at home), whereas others absolutely love it (bit like people really!).

Tell us what you're up to this weekend... and we'd love it if you could share this post to any of your friends who might be in and around Kent to help our beddie buddies!

22/08/2024

What are the activities you should be offering your puppy?

This is about making sure that your puppy's needs are met. It isn't enough simply to be well and safe. Dogs have a need and a right to express their natural behaviours, to be dogs. If you don't meet these needs, you're going to have a pretty stressed and miserable puppy, one that does things you're not so keen on!

It's not just about play or giving your dog things to do, it is about the right BALANCE of activities for the age, breed and personality of your puppy.

A 14-week-old labrador has different needs than a 14-week-old collie, who will have different needs at 6 months, as a young adult, in middle age, and in their golden years. And personality matters, too—dogs are individuals with preferences!

The activities you should offer include

▪ Relaxation and sleep, also including some quiet time so they can do their own thing.
▪ Exercise and physical activity, however, it is particularly important not to overexercise puppies with growing bones.
▪ Play is SO good for mood state, for use as a reward, for boosting confidence and for building a fabulous relationship with you.
▪ Thinking and brain work are a really great way to tire out puppies.
▪ Social time, with you and other dogs.
▪ Chewing, It releases lovely feel-good endorphins, reduces stress and for puppies, it helps with teething too
▪ Sniffing and exploring, sniffing is an important method of communication, it helps dogs explore their world and sniffing is a hugely valuable and rewarding enrichment activity too
▪ Doing their 'breed thing', Sometimes you need to add a little extra to make sure dogs have the opportunity to practice their inherent, essential breed behaviours...... so they are less likely to bubble out in the areas you don't want!

What does your puppy like to do?

If you would like some training support and help with your puppy, then send our puppy expert Kaye an email to [email protected]. We will arrange a free call to talk through your challenges.

21/08/2024

🥰 We're blown away by these kind comments from Beverly, Emily's lovely guardian. 🥰

"Day-to-day life with Emily was becoming quite stressful; she was constantly barking while looking out of the front window, going crazy at the door if someone called; she started to even distrust people and dogs in the street and would bark and lunge at them.

We were getting stressed, and that made Emily feel worse. We could not take Emily to any daycare places anymore and certainly not any kennels. We knew we had to do something as it was limiting our lives. Some friends asked me why we are putting up with it and told us to get rid of her. That was not an option as we love her, and it is not her fault that she is anxious.

Following the programme Lisa developed, I must admit sometimes I thought what I was being asked to do didn’t connect with our issues. We have had to take Emily back to the foundations and get her to trust that we are able to listen to her and ensure her wellbeing.

It has been hard as we both work full time and we had to change our routines and put loads of work in but we are starting to see the results.

We are definitely much calmer and slower in our approach to Emily and you can tell from everything we are doing including the medication that she is now on, she is so much happier.

We have learnt a lot about Emily on this journey, that she really wants to please and wants to learn, we just need to slow things down, watch how she responds and praise her when she does.

We have recently had a few great successes, Lisa was able to meet Emily at the dog park and in our home. She also met someone when we were on our caravan holiday, at a distance to begin with, but by watching Emily's signs that she was okay, she was able to move forward and say hello.

We are really looking forward to moving forward and achieving different people coming to the house, being able to walk Emily in public again and us all being happy.

We are also discovering that although Emily was on really good food, it wasn’t for her and we are gradually learning what suits her and what doesn’t.

If you are experiencing any issues with your doggie, I would definitely recommend using Lisa, & Kaye at Canine Thinking, they know dogs, know what they need and can create your house of harmony with you and your dog, so you can enjoy the rest of your time together. "
🐾Beverly and Emily🐾

Beverly and Emily were lovely to work with; they did the work we asked of them, and they persisted when challenged, too. It has been wonderful to be a part of their journey with Emily and see the transformations that allowed Beverly to enjoy life with her again.

If you would like help and support with your dogs behaviour challenges, email us at [email protected] and we will arrange a chat to talk.

20/08/2024

Happy Tongue Out Tuesday from Ally! 👅👅👅

Share your dog's tongue-out Tuesday photos below!

19/08/2024

How many hours of sleep does your puppy need?

Sleep is critical for your puppy's health and behaviour. it's vital that your puppy's resting space is comfortable. Offering different bed options allows your puppy the choice to pick the one that is comfy for them.

Your pup should be sleeping for a good 18-20 hours every day!!!!

Puppies that get enough quality sleep are less likely to be restless and more enjoyable. Tired puppies can be destructive, less likely to learn and much more of a challenge.

How many hours of sleep does your puppy get?

17/08/2024

Happy Gotcha Day, Daylah, aka Bug!!

It is the big boss’ special day so we will be making sure she gets to do all her favourite things…which will include lots of lovely treats!

Show us your own dogs in the comments so we can spread the love.

15/08/2024

What is a Puppy Blueprint and why do you need to know it?

It is the reference point for your expectations of your puppy's innate behaviours, both now and as an adult.

Think of it as their natural tendencies and characteristics, which include
▪️breed type,
▪️traits from parents, both physical and behavioural
▪️development in the womb
▪️their very early development period

Each of these impacts how your puppy will develop.

It's a very common misconception to think that all dogs are just 'dogs' and they all have similar needs for exercise, environment, play, cuddles, food and so on and that the difference is just appearance.

▪️Breed type - Herding breeds vs Toy breeds will have very different needs for exercise, diet and lifestyle.

▪️Traits - Consider a crossbreed, a mix of two or more breeds, which will also impact your puppy's physical needs. The behaviour of the parents and grandparents can be passed down to the puppies too.

▪️Development in the womb - Even in the womb, puppies learn from their mother and can effect the puppy blueprint. A stressed mother could mean stressed or underconfident puppies.

▪️Very early development period - the initial weeks right after birth, the environment and experiences the puppy is exposed to impact how they can cope with stress, adapt and learn as the grow into adults. Puppies who are provided with a variety of positive experiences will have a better start to their life compared to those left in stressful conditions.

By recognising these factors that build your puppy's blueprint, you will understand
✔️The activities your dog will likely NEED to do.
✔️The things your dog will likely find easier to learn.
✔️How your dog is likely to cope with stress.

And then there's the great big sprinkle of individuality because every dog is unique.

If you need support with your puppy, reach out to our Puppy Expert Kaye by emailing [email protected]

14/08/2024

Can you guess the breed?

This beautiful girl has been to see Lisa to have her new Perfect Fit harness fitted.

It's really important that a first experience of a new harness is relaxed and comfortable, so there is time to explore and say hello before we do anything hands-on.

Treats are sprinkled around for a bit of nosework to encourage relaxation and once the harness is on, there is time for a bit more exploring and fun. This allows us to see how the harness sits in place while on the move. Then we are ready for any final adjustments.

She was such a lovely, social pup that she also got to meet Bug! (Bug was also keen to show how to hunt for treats to eat, as she is a professional-treat hunter!).

Can you guess what her breed is? comment below.

13/08/2024

Contact Us!

If you are looking for support with dog's behaviour and health or to improve your own knowledge, or to grow your confidence with your dog, then reach out to us by emailing

🐾[email protected]

We will arrange to have an absolutely free chat with you and leave you with a plan for improving and changing the challenges you are facing.

12/08/2024

Who doesn't love a puppy?!

Bringing one into your family can be a mixture of exciting and nerve-wracking. To help you on the way to a calm, fun, successful life with your puppy, there are a few things you should know.

🐾Understanding what kind of dog will best suit your lifestyle is crucial. Will it be a high-energy Spaniel or a more laid-back Greyhound?
🐾Do you know where to look for a puppy and where to avoid?
🐾Do you know what questions you should ask the breeder, not only about your potential puppy but also about their parents and early life experiences?

With a myriad of factors to consider, we have developed Puppy Preparation Sessions to offer comprehensive support designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary for a successful and enjoyable journey with your puppy.

Our Puppy Expert, Kaye, is a lovely team member, ready to guide you on finding your dream dog, preparing your home for the new arrival, understanding what you need, and making a start with training.

If you'd like to have a chat about what you need to know before getting a puppy, or maybe you've just brought a new puppy home and would like some guidance, send Kaye an email at [email protected]. and she will arrange a call with you.

10/08/2024

This beautiful stripy girl is Blaniad. She is an ex-racing greyhound aged 5.

Blaniad and her guardians were working with Karen at Train Your K9. Blaniad's fear of other dogs caused her to lunge and bark, which was extremely difficult for her guardians to manage both physically and emotionally.

After starting to train with her, Karen was concerned that Blaniad's mobility was not as it should be, suspecting her behaviour might be associated with pain. So Karen recommended reaching out to us at Canine Thinking for support.

After our initial consultation with the family, we got a clearer picture of what was happening. We immediately arranged a full Dynamic Dog Assessment, during which we identified the concerns with Blaniad's movements. This enabled us to have a detailed discussion with her Vet about potential pain.

Blaniad began a pain relief trial, a significant step that brought hope to her family. This allowed us to focus on giving Blaniad and her family a much-needed stress holiday.

We stopped going for walks where there was a chance she might see another dog. We introduced enrichment activities and ACE-free work to help Blaniad relax and enjoy life. Soon, Blaniad began to fill up her ‘jar of pennies’! Until now, her jar had been very empty, which meant she had no reserves to help her deal with the things in life that worried her.

In the meantime, we started working with her guardians on some skills at home, including focus and engagement exercises, which will help her when we are ready to reintroduce bigger walks.

At the moment, we are still working to manage her pain.

Further investigation into Blaniad's pain is underway, and she has been to The Renew Centre in Gloucester to undergo a new groundbreaking procedure – pain trace technology. This enabled us to see exactly where the pain was and help guide us on how to treat it more effectively.

Blaniad is almost ready to start both physiotherapy and acupuncture - so her rehab journey continues. We will keep you posted on Blaniad's journey.

Blaniad is like many cases we see, where pain or discomfort underpins the dog's behaviour challenges. Behaviour modification alone will not be effective when a dog has pain, making it critical to check and investigate.

It is excellent that there are trainers like Karen at Train Your K9 who spotted Blaniad's mobility issues and knew it needed to be addressed in order for her training plan to work.

09/08/2024

😁 Free Work Friday! Free Download! 😁

This is the one activity we do with every single dog we work with - yes, EVERY dog - including our own. It takes only a few minutes to set up, is really easy to do and just this one exercise can

😊 improve behaviour
😊 help your dog relax and be calm
😊 improve well-being and fill up your dog’s jar of pennies

Sound good? It truly is one of the most versatile and EASY techniques to just help your dog feel their very best and to help YOU learn more about your dog too.

As you and your dog become familiar with Free Work, we can then use it as a foundation to support more specific outcomes like:

🐾 helping dogs learn to regulate themselves and building social skills
🐾 identifying early signs of health changes
🐾 overcoming fears and worries (from being touched, meeting new people, sounds to struggling with other dogs)
🐾 reducing stress at the vets, groomers and in the car
🐾 even improving loose lead walking

The list really is endless!

This is such an important and transformational activity that we offer a completely FREE introductory guide to help you get started - details in the comments as usual!

Just try it - your dog will thank you 😊

See less

08/08/2024

Have you ever given your dog's poo much thought? We at Canine Thinking are a little bit obsessed with your dog's poo, we are Poo Detectives!

Reviewing the poo your dog produces is the easiest way for us to start to assess how well your dog's digestive process might be working.

It can help us understand if the food your dog eats is tolerated or if your dog's digestive system is working correctly, and much more; you will be surprised by what we uncover just from looking at your dog's poo.

We get our clients to fill out detailed diaries, so we can review
💩Volume
💩Consistency
💩Frequency
💩Consistency
💩Colour
💩Coating
💩Plus make a note of undigested food, smell and if your dog struggles to p**p.

We also track your dog's behaviour before and after toileting to help identify patterns or possible clues that might indicate something isn't quite right with their gut health, which in turn will impact behaviour.

We put all these clues together to help your vets have a much better idea of what is going on inside for your dog.

Behaviour, diet, p**p, sleep and lifestyle are all reviewed with Canine Thinkings Very Best Paw Forward 121 behaviour programmes. If you want to chat about your dog's behaviour challenges, please email [email protected], and we will arrange a chat.

06/08/2024

Happy Tongue Out Tuesday 👅👅👅

This is team member Anna's boys Bosco and Bentley

Share your dog's Tongue Out photo below!⬇️⬇️⬇️

05/08/2024

Fancy being prescribed a Stress Holiday?

It sounds like heaven, right??

Well, this is usually the first thing we give every dog (AND their humans!) when they start a behaviour programme with us at Canine Thinking.

We do a careful review of your dog's wellbeing account and look at the things which are emptying it (and how they impact you too). Stress can rapidly empty that account (or jar of pennies as we call it) and means at best your dog won’t be capable of learning very much or find it easy to adapt to changes and at worst, they may be feeling quite unhappy.

So we put you all on a big stress holiday to allow your dog the freedom to let go of those stressors, give you a breather from having to manage them and to focus instead on filling up the jar with things that make you both happy, rather than constantly battling to fix things which are hard.

Imagine your dog free from stress, happier, calmer, and more relaxed. This state of mind allows them to focus and learn, making it an ideal starting point for us to change their behaviour positively.

If you want to find out how a stress holiday can help your dog (and you too), reach out to us at [email protected]. We're here to help.

03/08/2024

Saturday Morning Coffee read-a-long.

We came across this really interesting article about how our dogs, when exposed to human stress odours, make more ‘pessimistic’ choices than when exposed to relaxed human odours.

The researchers suggest that dogs do pick up on our stress, which can impact their behaviour. This really highlights the deep connection between humans and dogs.

Have read!

New research finds that dogs exposed to human stress odors make more 'pessimistic' choices, indicating a negative emotional state.

02/08/2024

🐾 Is it ok for my dog to sleep on my bed? 🐾

This can be such a polarising question!!! But honestly, you’ll never get any judgement from us, whatever you choose to do. We're all different and every human-canine relationship is completely unique, which is why there is rarely a simple ‘correct’ answer.

Lisa says.... "it depends....."
Bug says.... "obviously yes, and there is a beautifully comfy dog bed that Mom can use if she decides to wriggle!"

Dogs are social sleepers - they enjoy resting at the same time as their ‘group’ and often in the same space - but not all dogs, some definitely prefer their own space. And it’s the same for people - some love to have their dog close by, some prefer a bit of space to themselves.

Even with my own dogs it really does depend! Bug does sometimes hop up and sleep on the bed - but usually near the bottom, sprawled over my feet, and I love that bit of contact with her - but any wriggling and she gets off pretty quick, she doesn’t enjoy being disturbed! Huey did the best bedtime snuggles 😍 (no matter how much I moved)…. but we had to compromise a bit as he was a giant heat-seeking limpet and would happily have been under the duvet (not so much my thing - it just wasn’t very comfortable and sleep wasn’t great as a result!). Most of the time my dogs actually prefer to sleep on their own super-comfy beds (in my room), and very occasionally they might stay on one of their other beds somewhere in the house. The key to happiness here is that we both have a say in it and there are choices!

That said, do my new dogs get to sleep on the bed when they first arrive? No - they can have a space right next to the bed if they want to, but before they come up (when i’m asleep) we have to build some trust, a routine and a framework for what is ok to make sure everyone is comfortable and safe. But I love that they can have that choice later on, it just has to be introduced gradually at a pace which works for all of us.

And this is how we approach everything with our clients. Our House of Harmony model is simply based on you enjoying life with your dog, your dog enjoying life with you and everyone being safe. As long as you have those three things, what it actually looks like doesn’t matter. Dogs on beds, dogs off beds. Both are fine with us …. as long it is safe and you are both happy!

So whatever your situation is right now, however you are doing things, you'll only get compassion and understanding from our team because everyone is different. What we can do is help you make your situation better in the best way we know how.

So….. does your dog sleep on your bed? And a better question might be….. have you asked your dog what they would prefer?! 😂

Tell us below!

31/07/2024

3 STEPS TO A LIFE OF HARMONY WITH YOUR DOG.

What does this look like for you? And what would your dog say? - In fact, have you ever thought about that?

So, what is your dream for life with your dog?

Think about when you first met him or her, whether a tiny puppy or an older rescue - what did you imagine?

🐶 Walks in the park?
🐶 Playtime?
🐶 A dog who comes as soon as you call?
🐶 A dog who loves meeting other dogs and people?

Maybe you’ve found that reality hasn’t quite matched up to the dream. This is where we can help you.

Take a moment to consider the 3 things you would most love to achieve with your dog....
No matter which 3 things you thought of we WILL show you how to achieve them…

Even if they feel out of reach for you and your dog right now.

With a FREE sneak p*ek at our new exciting self guided course, the Canine Thinking House of Harmony!

This FREE module introduces you to the key things every guardian needs to know about their dog, and you’ll end up with easy to follow plan to set you on the right path towards achieving your own 3 goals.

These are the foundations of our work at Canine Thinking, PROVEN to make the world of difference to EVERY SINGLE dog and guardian that we work with.

Best part…? It is FREE!

Welcome to our Canine Thinking House of Harmony!

The tools and skills for living together in a way that meets both your needs.

You'll find it on the website under courses and free resources, or click the link in the comments below to step in and get started.

30/07/2024

When team member Kaye asked her dogs Tweed and Ruben to show their good sides for a photo.... this is not what she had in mind! 🤦‍♀️

Share your dogs silly or funny photos below to cheer up everyone up!

29/07/2024

Sleep, Red Flags!🚩🚩🚩

Have you ever given much thought to your dog's sleeping habits?

We underestimate how important sleep is to humans, let alone our dogs. We should never underestimate the impact of sleep, or lack thereof, on your dog's behaviour.

Dogs need to sleep between 12 and 14 hours per day, while puppies and adolescents need more—between 18 and 20 hours per day. We mean actual, crashed-out, restful sleep, not just dozing or watching the world go by.

Sleep is essential for processing and learning. Without sufficient sleep, your dog will struggle to retain learned information, which can easily fade or disappear.

There are some of the red flags, we look for that can tell you that your dog is possibly not getting enough sleep
🔺 Increased mouthing in puppies and young dogs.
🔺 Restlessness – unable to settle
🔺 Increased attention seeking
🔺 Barking – tiredness means dogs are less likely to be able to process things well, so their natural reaction is to bark when they are unsure of something
🔺 Increased anxiety – everything becomes slightly more overwhelming, particularly for a dog that struggles with anxiety already will be worse when they are over-tired
🔺 Over-excitable – hu***ng, jumping up and basically, they will find everything super exciting.
🔺 Lack of focus – tired dogs will struggle with even the simplest tasks.
🔺 Increased reactive responses – when a dog is tired, they have a lower tolerance for social interactions or finds it more challenging to deal with frustration.
🔺 Changes in appetite

So sleep is not for wimps; it is crucial for all living beings, including our canine companions!

Do you think your dog gets enough sleep in a 24-hour period?

26/07/2024

Why we investigate your dog's health as part of your behaviour programme.

Some clients (before working with us) quite rightly ask why we investigate health alongside behaviour when their dog has already seen the vet and been told they are healthy.

The reality is assessing dogs in a vet clinic environment is really, really hard, and here's why

🐾The effects of stress, whether it is excitement, fear or anxiety, change how your dog presents their pain and behaviour.

🐾Short consultation times mean your vet is limited by time. 10-20 minutes is not long enough to take a full history, do a complete clinical examination, and arrange tests and treatment.

🐾Limited times mean your vet can only rely on YOU to give information about how your dog is at home. Even if they have time to ask all the relevant questions, we see again and again that the answers clients give are often not the reality for the dog—and how can you know what information is important and relevant, what is normal vs abnormal?

🐾Your brilliant first opinion vet is like a GP - they have to know about everything - all the conditions in all the species and then all the breeds within the species, across all the life stages and so on. It doesn't make them specialists, which makes it harder to spot subtle signs of a problem.

🐾Vets typically receive only minimal behaviour training, making it difficult to know how to interpret body language in the context of stress, what is fear or anxiety, where there may be overlap of behaviour and pain, and so on.

You can see why it's so hard.

Vets do an incredible, vital, and really tough job. Success comes from working as a team to support your dog, which is why we create our health and behaviour assessments. We can provide your vet with all the information they need, so you can get the most use from a vet appointment.

25/07/2024

This lovely girl is called Ginny, she is young and is a true sweetheart🐾

Ginny's guardians reached out to us for help, as she is easily overwhelmed and becomes hyperaroused in the blink of an eye. Once in this state, she struggles to settle or self-regulate to calm down.

Although she loves her family, she finds being touched quite difficult. Her guardians have also noticed she is a little sensitive to some sounds.

As you can see a lot is going on for Ginny and her family.

We have given everyone a big stress holiday to help Ginny relax and decompress.

While she relaxes, we have reviewed her sleep, diet, toileting, and behaviour diaries to identify patterns and concerns that we can stop, adapt, or change.

Then, we will complete her full holistic health and behaviour assessment so we can start to implement changes for long-term success.

We will keep you posted on this lovely girl!

If you would like help with your dog's behaviour, please email [email protected], and we will arrange a free chat.

24/07/2024

A question for you🧐

What do you feed your dog, and why did you choose it?

Comment below!

23/07/2024

Happy tongue out Tuesday from Bug (I swear her tongue just grows!!!)

Share your tongue out Tuesday photos below 👇👇👇