The Dog Salon

10/07/2024

😂😂

24/12/2023

Merry Christmas and a happy new year

23/12/2023

01/12/2023

Christmas trees are now on sale at the marina Needingworth

01/12/2023

Good morning. What a lovely view we have this morning

29/10/2023

Did you know we can trim your dogs nails. During November every Thursday and Friday between 9am and 2pm you can just pop in, no appointment needed. 🐶

18/08/2023

15/08/2023

15/08/2023

Discover the 3 must have tips to train your puppy!

07/08/2023

05/08/2023

PSA: Please, PLEASE teach your dog to be okay when alone.
Every day we work with many online dog training students for a variety of different reasons. Reactivity, leash pulling, puppy training … and one big, overarching theme is that for many dogs this work does not actually start with the reactivity/leash/puppy/etc. training.
It starts with the fact that one or more dogs of the household cannot stay alone.
It is so tempting to feed into a dog that can never be by himself.
Maybe you are retired or work from home and the dog never “has to” to be alone.
Or maybe you have two dogs that have been together a long time (littermates, anyone?) and they have become so bonded to each other that one leaving is a huge issue for the other.
From a human perspective, this can seem really flattering.
“My dog loves me so much she cannot be without me” or
“My two dogs love each other so much they only stay together”
But from a behavior-perspective, this is really not healthy or beneficial at all.
There will be a day at which your dog needs to be separated from you/your other dog. I guarantee it will come.
Perhaps for a vet visit, or a family emergency, or “just” for training.
Quite a few of the online students that come to us to work on e.g. reactivity cannot start out with counterconditioning sessions at all.
They need to first figure out the seemingly impossible task of having one dog stay behind while they train the other (and then switch it up). If dogs have truly never left each other, this will be a lot of hard work before ever starting the actual reactivity training.
Attachment to the point of not functioning without someone else is NOT healthy. It is NOT cute and it is NOT a sign of amazing love.
It is a problem that will become bigger and bigger the longer it goes on.
I promise you:
If you teach your dog to stay calm when separated from you/your other dog, he will love you just as much.
He will still be just as good of a friend and just as loyal.
You will only add to his happiness and the relationship if the dog does not feel intense anxiety when separated.
Of course this does not mean that if you e.g. work from home, your dog needs to be in a crate in a different room for 8 hours.
Even 30min, twice a day with you (or the other dog) not in view is a great start. Practice these separations before you NEED them.
Helping your dog feel comfortable alone should be a life skill that you teach them *from day 1*.
Treat it as important as going potty outside.
Your dog WILL be happier … and you as well 🙂

27/07/2023

We are now closed for our annual weeks holiday. We will reply to enquiries as soon as we can. We are now taking bookings up to Christmas. Thank you for all your support this year.

06/04/2023

Good morning we have had to implement a price rise from the 1st April. If you would like any more information please ask.
Happy Easter 🐣

23/12/2022

We are delighted to announce that the Dog Salon is moving to new premises!

As from January 2023 we will be open for business at The Marina, The Pike and Eel Hotel, Overcote Lane .

We are also excited to announce some new services for 2023. Look out for more details on these.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your wonderful pooches.

Melanie and Sarah

27/07/2022

The Dog salon will be closed the first week in August. We are taking bookings right through to Christmas now and getting very busy.
We will always try to fit your dog in for a groom or offer a cancellation when possible.
Thank you for your continued support.

23/12/2021

Thank you for all your support this year. We look forward to seeing you and your pooches in the new year,
Merry Christmas

20/10/2021

We have limited appointments left for Christmas.
We will always try to accommodate your pooch when possible.

02/09/2021

Remember, Remember you can prep in September to help your dog cope with fireworks
Many dogs struggle with fear and anxiety around bonfire night but there are things we can do in the lead up to help them either reduce or manage their worry.

1) Desensitisation using sound therapy. Dogs Trust offer free downloads of the Sounds Scary sound therapy system that can be used to help habituate pups or desensitise adult dogs (Care must be taken to follow the accompanying guidance very careful to avoid accidentally increasing your dog's worry by building the volume too quickly)
https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/help-advice/dog-behaviour-health/sound-therapy-for-pets

2) Download the Fireworks leaflet for free from our website for in-depth information on Fireworks and your dog http://www.apdt.co.uk/dog-owners/puppy-dog-training-tips

3) Dogs will often seek a place to hide when stressed. Set up a den early so that it becomes a 'normal' part of the home and not a further new thing to worry about when the time comes. This could be a crate in a quiet corner or draping a blanket over a side-table or dining table and providing comfy bedding underneath

4) Turn your dog into an activity toy expert! Getting some long lasting activity toys such as Kongs or Busy Buddies and helping your dog to become expert at emptying them will give help you pair any noises with positive things and keep your dog busy when the big night comes

5) Change your dog's routine now so that they are used to an earlier walk. You won't want to risk walking them in the evening or night-time over the firework danger days. Helping them to adapt to a slightly earlier walk sets them up to succeed.

If you need any extra help and support why not contact a local APDT trainer for help in preparing your dog and additional training support face to face? http://www.apdt.co.uk/dog-owners/local-dog-trainers

22/07/2021

Due to Sarah recuperating after her operation we are trying our best to groom your dogs. As you imagine with this hot weather we are very busy. We apologise for longer waiting times. If you could please give us at least 2 weeks notice on making your next appointment it would be greatly appreciated.

14/06/2021

Due to Sarah having an operation at the beginning of July there will be limited appointments for a while. Please be patient as Melanie will be working by herself. Advanced notice for a groom or please make your next appointment while your pooch is with us. We are closed the first week in August for our annual holiday.
We thank you all for your support this year and we will be back to normal as soon as possible.