Ellingham K9 Services

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Ellingham K9 Services

Dog training and scent work in North Yorkshire
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16/05/2023

Happy birthday Gus 🥳

I can’t believe he’s 1 already

I’m not sure my parents were expecting such intense sniffing on every single walk( spaniels amirite) but what a friendly, cuddly companion he is.
He is definitely my mum’s little prince 😂

We are privileged to be Gussy’s friend!

08/05/2023

Sophie runs free thanks to an e collar 😍

Not everyone can achieve recall without further reinforcement - Sophie (a 2 year old mixed breed, originally from overseas) is one of those dogs

Sophie has genetic prey drive to small woodland animals, and can display challenging herding behaviours which are unpredictable & inconsistent in frequency.

It’s important to remember that genetics unfortunately beat your training every time - neither of my dogs are e collar trained for recall, but neither of them have genetic prey drive which takes over in a moment of arousal, risking their lives.
Ava would like to chase a rabbit but is easily recalled; neither of my dogs go wild with temptation when I leash them around sheep.

Sophie is not the same; perhaps you’re reading this and your dog isn’t either!

Allowing Sophie to display antisocial behaviours when off the lead such as nipping people, allowing Sophie to be run over when chasing prey or confining Sophie to a lead for the rest of her life are not ethical solutions.

Understand your dog - understand the e collar

Not everyone needs it, but EVERY dog deserves off-leash freedom

• you are not a ‘lesser’ dog owner if you rely on an e collar for recall

• you are not a dog abuser if you’re using it carefully
- Sophie is not ‘zapped’ until she is uncomfortable to punish her for chasing - she feels a TENS stimulation on the side of her neck which has been conditioned to mean Come

Don’t dismiss or criticise a tool you’ve never used - look at Sophie under control but running free at the same time!!!

🥰

29/04/2023

Following the e collar ban, I have a message for everyone making comments such as ‘now people will have to train their dogs rather than taking the easy way out’

….this tells me how little you know about prey-driven dogs

….and dogs with behavioural issues who would 100% be DEAD without e collars

Oh, and how long it takes to e collar condition a dog

Oh, and the fact (despite the pathetic post from the Kennel Club depicting a small dog wearing a poorly-fitting, low-quality shock collar) that the e collars used in this community are all over £200 and rely on TENS stimulation
Which is the same as we use for chronic pains for humans

All that considered, should these people make comments about e collars?

Didn’t think so.

24/04/2023

Who was happier to be reunited - me or Dolly? 🤪🥰

Another day; another Doberman reunion - Dolly has been brilliantly trained and is thriving!
She is proof that even the friendliest, giddiest dogs can still achieve a high level of neutrality & obedience without losing their affectionate side.

Ava waiting patiently for her ball to be thrown😂

19/04/2023

Just because you have multiple dogs doesn’t mean you need to treat them the same

In a lot of ways, Ava & Nina are similar
They are both (regrettably 😂) pushy, high drive, intelligent, eager dogs
They both require a lot and are capable of a lot

But I’ve raised them totally differently!

Ava was AWFUL at settling in the house and couldn’t be trusted not to chew anything until she was about 18 months old. Nina has always been an angel in the house

Nina has always been given more luxuries concerning interacting with other dogs; Ava required more neutrality work for longer because she is genetically more social (as a result, Nina is much more playful than Ava - isn’t the nature/nurture topic interesting?)

But don’t think Nina is perfect!

I have more boundaries in my relationship with Nina than I do in my relationship with Ava 🚫
Nina needs her pushiness managed every day because it can tip into over arousal; there are literal & emotional boundaries.

Even if you had 2 dogs of the same breed, they’re still going to be different
I always tell my clients I don’t care if their last collie/greyhound/Jack Russell/whatever wasn’t like this, your current dog of the same breed is!

You’re a great dog owner if your dogs are fulfilled, healthy & respectful of the outside world - that’s all that matters 👌🏻

PS yes my dogs are a bit feral 😂 but they are also all of the above!

15/02/2023

20% off everything online!*

Head to my website and use code VALENTINE20

Happy belated Valentine’s Day from Nina 👅
Enjoy the discount!

You could use it for online detection & tracking, online behavioural sessions or to book in-person lessons.

*except Board & Train

08/02/2023

good morning from the little geezer 🥰

Dexter’s ears are closer to standing every day!

He has come on a mini break with me - it’s a testament to his behaviour that I can be in holiday mode with him

03/02/2023

I’ve had the pleasure of another Doberman pup reunion recently, this time with Missy ❤️

She is thriving in her new home with - I am one happy breeder.

Missy is from the Luna Ramsey litter of October 2021

PS I love Nina’s new collar, thanks Jo & Aron 😎

02/02/2023

Pleased to share that Ava finally completed her exams today with a Pass and we are relicensed as an operational drug detection team for another year 🎉

Her fatigue was obvious by the end of today, but her commitment to so many scents & her environmental stability never fail to amaze me.

Love you baby Ava 🥰

Catello Sofia DDD

01/02/2023

because everyone seems to love the little geezer so much, he can have his own post ❤️

Dexter is such an awesome puppy! I’ve genuinely enjoyed having him. His toilet training is exemplary, he’s brill in the crate and he plays nicely with Nina & Gus 🥰

He can show frustration when he can’t access something he wants, but what puppy is perfect?!

We are working on loose lead walking, as well as some impulse control regarding objects he wants to grab on walks
I’m sure a lot of puppy owners can relate to that one 😂

30/01/2023

Happy 2nd birthday to the dog I didn’t know how much I needed ❤️

Her classic German Shepherd qualities (yes, even the arousal) have improved me as a dog trainer, a dog handler, a dog owner and a person, but it’s her individual Nina personality under the surface* which has captured me for 2 years now 🥰

I’m the luckiest person in the world to have landed such a fun, intelligent, engaging and powerful dog to learn new things with

Nearly losing Nina to sepsis in 2022 was one of the hardest experiences of my life - I had to find the strength to give her the constant monitoring and vet trips she needed without crumbling.

Nina has a long list of medical dramas but thankfully she has stayed out of the vet for 6 months now 😂

What a privilege it is to come down every morning to that happy face and learn new things together Nina my friend ###

* if you know, you know

29/01/2023

🌍

26/01/2023

reunited with Orsobianco Torvi 🥰

23/01/2023

The end of an era

Zorina has just left for her new life in America 🇺🇸

Whilst having an extra dog wasn’t on the list for 2023, it’s true what they say - it’s worth waiting for that perfect home because it will come around eventually

Zorina is going in a pet courier van to a spacious kennels down south where she’ll spend the night before her flight tomorrow

She’s a sweet dog with plenty of drive who I know is going to have the greatest life

From September 13th 2022 to January 23rd 2023, the work for the Luna Iyka litter is done 😊

Now to watch them all develop & thrive!

PS only a few days until one of the siblings comes to stay!

20/01/2023

I’m often asked how Ava lives when she isn’t at work/in the van waiting to work

She goes on walks, comes to train dogs with me, does obedience for fun, has an exceptionally high-quality diet, interacts with the other dogs, and has the cosiest bed in the house

You wouldn’t know that she is a sniffer dog unless you saw her in action

Ava is my colleague as well as my companion; for that reason, she deserves the very best care

Don’t presume working dogs sit in a cold kennel for days at a time with a bowl of kibble thrown in every 24 hours until they’re next needed - DDD Ava has everything she needs ❤️

If she was ever unable to work?
She’d be on a cracking ‘pension’ of walks, play, learning new things and sofa time, so no different to when she has a day off now!

14/01/2023

I had such an exciting win today 😁

I realised I’d lost my tab lead on a walk, so I brought Nina out to find it for me

I wasn’t expecting anything cos tracking is relatively new to her, and we’ve only recently branched away from keys to other objects with my scent

Also, it was a new place with lots of dogs around*

After about 10 minutes (that’s a long search!), Nina indicated on my tab lead

Sooooo impressed with her, especially considering I wasn’t expecting it

My DIY tracking lesson is coming soon, so check it out if you want to imprint your dog onto objects with your scent 🤓

If you can’t wait until then, go to my website and book a virtual lesson

* thankfully no rude dogs!

13/01/2023

New photos of Zorina 🐾

She is starting her new life on the 23rd of this month!

I don’t recommend exporting a dog by the way - what a lot of admin 🥴

Fortunately Zorina’s new owner is fantastic which makes all the admin worth it.

12/01/2023

What would I have done differently with Ava…

Being relatable is super important as a professional I feel
We all make mistakes - we might as well talk about them & how we improved the situation
Plus it’s fun to be nosy and see how other people have cocked up 🤣

There isn’t much I’d change about raising Ava to be honest
She’s the perfect dog - I trust her in every situation and she is exactly what I want & need ❤️ I know how lucky I am to have her.

But of course there are a couple of things…

• I would have fed her less when she was an adolescent - believe it or not, Ava was a tubby teen! I stuck too rigidly to the guidelines on the packaging.

• I wouldn’t have given her as much mental stimulation - she began to expect it and struggled to settle. However, it’s in her genetics to be very intense and her mental fitness has proved helpful for my role as a dog handler

• I should have taught loose lead walking earlier and continued practising it - if you don’t need it, fine (although I think that’s rare) but Ava needs that skill maintained or she can’t tell the difference between her work harness (you may pull) and walking down the street on a collar (you may not!)

I struggled to think of mistakes I made with this dog though - I count my blessings that I ended up with this spicy, sweet soul every day ❤️

11/01/2023

Virtual puppy training is now open again!

I’ve had lots of requests for this service recently but have been too busy. I can now take 2 new clients - good old Zoom means you don’t need to be in my local area!

Head to my website to book 🐾

and yes that is baby Ava!

10/01/2023

Nina has such beautiful structure.

Excuse the bald leg - this was last year when she was still going through her monthly injury and/or serious illness phase 😂
She also has her summer coat here - I was pleased when her beautiful winter fluff came back!

We have recently started taking things to the next level with tracking - I’m teaching her to follow a path of human scent to reach an object with human scent 🤓
This means detection (she’s imprinted onto cloves) has taken a backseat but such is life.

More than anything, it’s great to have more time to be with Nina - she was always going to be my ‘try new things’ dog, without the pressure of maintaining professional standards like Ava.

06/01/2023

Ava recently 👅

I have noticed an enormous spike in Ava’s mental fitness since we started working again; she can do a 6 hour shift with 2 breaks and expect a walk or some training when she’s home! 😂

Whilst this is exactly what I need, living with Ava can be hard
She’s perfect in the house now, but previously had to be crated or on a specific Place cue if I wanted any semblance of settling 🥴

Outside of work (she is a dual purpose drug detection dog), Ava is quite simply my best friend 🥰

She LOVES learning new tricks & competition-style obedience and we could play all day.

Recently her loose lead walking has slacked (that’s because I’ve slacked though, and because she’s rarely on a lead unless she’s clipped to a harness for work, meaning she can pull!) so I’ve motivated myself to put a glove on and train with her meals!

Regarding other dogs, Ava is exceptionally tolerant and not bothered at all about the presence of any new dog in any situation. She is almost too tolerant, which means she isn’t much use when it comes to teaching puppies body language - someone balanced needs to teach them not to hang off adult dogs’ ears 🥴

Ava is among the most stable, hardy dogs I’ve ever met which means she isn’t sensitive at all. I do NOT train like this, but I imagine Ava could be subjected to a high level of aversion and I think she’d flinch 😂

Ava isn’t as cuddly as Nina but I would still consider her a go-everywhere dog. I can’t blame her for not being cuddly - she’s a busy career woman! 😂 unlike Nina, Ava will go and sniff/run about by herself on walks (Nina trips me up!)
Her flashy recall is one of my proudest achievements though.

Ava is already 3.5 years old which baffles me. Time flies when you’re having fun ❤️

04/01/2023

Throwback to Ava’s holiday with

Hannya (GSD) being the prick-eared version of Ava in every way will always be amusing to me 😂

03/01/2023

Nina recently 🐾

I’ve recently spent more time enjoying life with Nina following a very busy period and I’ve ended up with a lot of new observations 🤓

Nina is nearly 2 now - I’m surprised with some aspects of her maturity but not others.

Nina is still very aloof - she doesn’t value strangers at all
She was like this as a puppy too, although I wish I had allowed her to make more human friends. I think she was always going to be aloof, but having more human friends maybe would have stopped her from looking downright repulsed when an idiotic member of the general public goes to touch her
We all have regrets with our dogs though and I’m not ashamed to talk about mine.

What’s interesting about Nina is that she is actually friendlier and needier than Ava once she knows you! I’ve noticed it takes her less time to make new human friends now 😊
Nina is also arguably the better dog when it comes to helping other dogs socialise: Ava is too neutral! She will allow dogs to jump all over her without a peep. Nina would correct this but she also plays with dogs - Ava does not

Nina is a FANTASTIC tracker and really enjoys bitework 😈 we don’t pursue a particular sport with bitework; we go for fun and keep things prey-based on a sleeve. I am not building a protection dog with Nina.

My favourite aspect of Nina full stop is her desire to play - we went tracking today and I had to put her in the van cos she wouldn’t stop pushing the ball into my hands whilst I was trying to listen to our trainer!
I worked primarily on play from a very young age and spent a LOT of time building & improving play so I’m pleased with the results.

Nina is fantastic in the house and has been from a young age. She has an excellent off-switch and (bar one piece of vet bed she has a strange relationship with) is a great house dog.

Being a GSD, Nina struggles with arousal - this comes out in the form of some mega irritating noises 🙃 it is limited to a few specific situations fortunately, but I genuinely find it triggering haha
The vocalising probably would be accompanied with further undesirable behaviour if I hadn’t trained general impulse control as a pup.

Waffle 🧇 over!

28/12/2022

What a lush walk just us three this morning ❤️

Swipe to the end to see Nina & Ava judging me for being too unfit to sprint up the hill

27/12/2022

2022 ✅ (nearly)

I will forget to do this post if I don’t do it now!!

This year, my clients have inspired & motivated me with my own dogs due to the commitment & dedication I have seen on a daily basis.

Many of you have battled challenging behaviour but that same group of you never complain - you stay consistent and provide your dogs with happy, healthy, safe & enriched lives (you all know who you are ❤️)

We all need to remember that dogs are increasingly complex as domestication continues - the range of roles they can carry out for us humans has widened for sure but this means the range of skills, equipment and sheer patience we need to give a dog what it needs has widened too.
I’ve travelled up & down the country seeing clients and other trainers - learning about dogs never stops. Being in awe of how incredible dogs are never stops either!

2022 has been obscenely busy, arguably too busy!
My guests have filled my days, as has the litter of Dobe puppies - more life carefully brought into the world that will have a special place in my heart forever.

I finally returned to dog handling with Ava following what can only be described as an almighty f*** up with my license!! 😂

My trusty Berghaus boots have stomped across the Yorkshire countryside with me for another year and I’ve lost probably about 20 toys (mostly new ones) in rivers and up trees 🙃😂

Thank you everyone who has trusted me with their dog in any context and I wish you all a fantastic 2023

Stay tuned for the biggest EK9 year yet 😉

PS this is an old photo but it’s a fave. Hettie has a few more grey hairs now but they only make her more lovable.

19/12/2022

I’ve enjoyed less time on social media a bit too much 🙈

We are still here - we’re in Norfolk catching up with family, friends & clients

Riley has finally gone to her wonderful new home .thedobe
Ollie has gone home after a super couple of weeks learning & going on walks together

Moving forward, I think my social media content will be Zorina training (she is with us until about mid January) and training my own dogs, something I’ve long neglected due to being so busy with pups & guests.

Ava is beside herself with joy at being in Norfolk, her favourite place - someone pass me a bucket of patience for the whinging 😂😂

15/12/2022

Ollie’s second stay with me is coming to an end, so naturally I’m reflecting on my observations this time round 💭

I’ve seen more frustration than anxiety this time - I think this means I’ve done my job of building confidence around other dogs!
Ollie’s owner has always observed frustration but because he’s exposed to sooooo many dogs during his stays with me, I guess it took a while for him to be confident

It’s interesting that there can be anxiety and frustration for the same stimulus; nonetheless we want that golden middle ground of neutrality so that’s what we’ve been working on this time

Having said that (why are there always so many nuances in dog training?!), I have made a point of having Ollie around types of dogs he’s particularly fearful of (trustworthy ones, of course), encouraging him to interact if he feels comfortable
I’m not sure Ollie knew how to play - whilst a dog doesn’t NEED this, it’s lovely for the dog to experience providing a few conditions are met, so he has enjoyed playing with my other guest.

Resilience will always be a project of Ollie’s, but eradicating the anxiety (and occasional frustration) are possible I believe 😁

Also - what a good boy! Ollie’s behaviour in my house and on walks has been fantastic 👌🏻
Ollie is welcome here any time 🥰

13/12/2022

Recipe for walking 3 x high drive dogs

• a large helping of knowing your limits ✅
- Nina could play too boisterously, Lottie could steal toys
• a dose of sit or down stays (it’s useful to be able to temporarily immobilise one or more of them!!) ✅
• a tablespoon of staggered releasing if necessary ✅
• a hearty sprinkling of recall ✅
• a reliable toolkit ✅ (long line, prong, food, e collar, toys, whatever YOU need)
• a dollop of neutrality to others ✅ (imagine if all 3 of your insane dogs ran up to an innocent jogger or something)
• a sprinkling of the ability to respond individually to cues (even if the others are doing something else) ✅

Lottie’s holiday has finished now - she fits into our household like one of our own (especially after her original B&T) and I hope she comes back again soon ❤️ her infectious springer energy never fails to revitalise and entertain me! We love you Lottie!

12/12/2022

Is your dog currently less fulfilled than usual because you’ve been busy?

Do you feel guilty every day about the current lack of activity mental stimulation in your dog’s life?

Are you excited to finish a few projects soon so you can put more time into your dog?

If you’ve answered yes to any of the above, same!!!!!!

This month, I’ve been struggling with a lot of guilt when it comes to Ava & Nina in particular

They’re both high drive dogs, and are therefore definitely missing their usual training sessions & training clubs and they don’t currently have as many walks either

I’m okay with admitting that - social media is toxic in that it leads us to constantly compare ourselves to others & feel guilty for being insufficient

Well, I’m not insufficient and neither are you

Busy periods are normal

This too shall pass 😊
I refuse to beat myself up for being busy - I’m busy trying to maintain a career so they can have the best possible life! I don’t know about you but my money doesn’t go anywhere else but my dogs & all their hobbies 🙃

Once the pups & guests have gone, I’ll have hours more every day and our favourite things can resume

I’m even going to resume my old habit of creating a weekly checklist, and I’m going to start attending a couple of clubs again for accountability 🤓

So, please, take it from a professional that busy periods do happen and it’s okay to slack on some things. I’m writing a post about where I currently lack, not where I currently excel and that you should be doing XYZ a week, blah blah 😴

You don’t even need to join a club or do 5 x 2 hour walks a week - it’s the ten minute sessions of key tracking & trick training that I look forward to resuming!

12/12/2022

Pleased with the official photos of the race weekend in Scotland 💪🏻

The huskies have barely left their kennel all day! and frankly I’m surprised Daniel hasn’t been in there napping with them 😂

Darnaway Forest 2022

Address

Nunthorpe
TS6

Telephone

+447597132562

Website

https://www.ellinghamk9.com/

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Videos

We are so pleased to share that our Doberman, Luna, is expecting another litter. Dam: Manrio del Dimetra (BH) Sire: Cato Carlos Bohemia (5 time-IGP3; IDC Hungary 2019; ZTP SG1A) This litter would be available approximately mid November. Proof of health tests on request. More details to come. If you are interested in a Doberman, please EMAIL [email protected] We will be happy to answer any questions you may have. This litter require working homes. They would be suitable for a range of disciplines & activities but are not suitable for a sedentary lifestyle.

What do your walks consist of? We like doing lots of different things. Running around, swimming, tug, fetch, sniffing, obedience One of Nina’s favourites is a ball search It’s a very informal type of detection, and works the brain as well as the body 👌🏻 It’s also a great opportunity to practise those sit stays & impulse control whilst you hide the ball! Nina doesn’t have a cue word for a ball search and she doesn’t have to indicate either. Sometimes I make the searches short, sometimes they’re the perfect length for a reel 😉

I challenged Bear yesterday by having a large number of dogs in the house at once - much less frustration and minimal vocalisation as you can see 👌🏻 Our dogs are great with guests - they crack on with their lives and leave the guest alone. Perfect if you want your dog to learn to chill around others! I’m not rushing this, but Bear has also managed to come back into the room and be more interested in the smells of the room than the other dogs. Don’t forget - you can’t change genetics! Learn to decide what your dog can change and what they can’t. Work with what’s in front of you 👌🏻

Cuba, 6 months, has been taught not to go through thresholds until hearing a Release Marker Word 🤓 This means • she doesn’t barge through the door before a walk • she doesn’t dash out of her crate • she doesn’t charge into the living room if the door has been left open - disastrous if she’s muddy! • she doesn’t come out of the van crate until told, giving me more time to grab our gear and attach her lead Imagine if Cuba was having a toilet break on a busy road and hadn’t been taught impulse control around doors opening. Threshold boundaries can save lives! Contact me to learn how to improve your dog’s impulse control around thresholds ✅

An imperfect video of an evening mess about with Ava. My goal at the moment is to reduce speed and increase steadiness. I love Ava’s speed - it looks flashy but it reduces mental clarity 👎🏻 PS I know I know, I’m a fashionista 💁🏻‍♀️

Dog neutrality 🐕 I’ve been overthinking recently (no surprise there) Nina used to have a few friends she loved playing with As she’s matured, I’ve noticed her desire to play has severely decreased She might have a chase at home with one of the other dogs but hasn’t been arsed otherwise! She’ll still go on a walk with anyone, but I was especially surprised yesterday how puppy-like Pax @kaliandpax_thegsds seemed compared to her - it doesn’t seem so long ago that Nina was a licky puppy!! I guess I was humanising her - ‘surely she wants to play with that dog?!’ It’s lovely for 2 dogs of similar energy levels to play (if appropriate) What I should have done from the start is feel proud of the neutral, mature, highly engaged dog she is becoming ❤️

Do you want your puppy’s recall to be as awesome as this? Do you want to have worry-free walks in the future, with your puppy’s eyes only on you and the games you play together? Do you want your puppy to not care about other dogs? Check out my online puppy training course - link in bio ⭐️ Well done Nico 😍

The slatmill/treadmill is a great way to keep your dog as fit as Luna! Don’t forget to warm up before and cool down after sprinting though ⚠️ This sort of exercise is great cardio for sure, but I wouldn’t recommend it if your dog has a physical problem which might be affected by sprinting on a treadmill. You might be able to keep things at a slow pace instead though. #workingdoberman 💪🏻

The one time he’s supposed to pull!🏃‍♀️

Waiting for that ‘yes’ 👂🏻 These small moments come together to build great foundations.

Why do I do obedience & trick training? • it’s fun* ✅ • it’s mentally stimulating ✅ • you can use skills such as a down stay in real life ✅ • it might allow you to participate in sport trials (watch this space!) ✅ Ava’s obedience never fails to impress me - I love polishing things and I love working her. This video isn’t perfect - we are still working on stand in motion Annoyingly, Ava did the best rep ever before this one but I didn’t manage to capture it - typical! * any form of learning should always be as fun as possible. The most successful dog-handler teams are the ones who have fun 🤩

I found this lovely video of Nina & Mishka on the beach 🌊 I remember Mishka standing in the sea squawking & singing when Nina was swimming - good old vocal huskies 😂 I couldn’t fathom why though - barrier frustration? She could have gone in! Maybe she didn’t know that. Analysing dog behaviour is fascinating 🤓