Roxanne Fontanarosa Dog Behaviour Consultant

19/11/2024

Tongue out Tuesday!

Show me your dog’s with their tongues out 👅 🐶

Credit:

13/11/2024

Do you see the little black dog in the background? This is Toby a Romanian rescue and he struggles to remain relaxed around other dogs, and was really reactive on walks.

He would pull his owner and could not eat food for training as he was too busy scanning the environment, and barking. This was of course really difficult for his owner to deal with and walks were stressful.

We’ve been working hard on helping Toby to change how he feels about dogs, and to offer alternative behaviours to barking and lunging. We also had to teach him to feel able to focus and feel able to eat food outdoors! He has still has lots of learning to do, which is normal for reactivity.

But look at him with my Fig (behind a fence for safety/ to err on the side of caution)!! He was able to take food, listen to his owner’s voice, and offer alternative behaviours to barking etc 👏👏👏

What a fantastic achievement 🌟

13/11/2024

Teddy’s family came to me for help with teaching Teddy to come back when called, and to stop him from jumping up at visitors ✋

Firstly we worked on:

🌟the marker word and how it can help with motivation for training
🌟 focus and attention as this is required before any other training can be done

Then we practised:

🌟 Teddy keeping all paws on the floor even when someone walks through the front door and says ‘hi’ 👋🏻
🌟 coming back when called consistently
🌟 building confidence so he’s ready for walks and happy to have his lead attached

He did amazingly!! Super impressed 🤩

13/11/2024

A nice trip out to the pet shop with Fig today. She chose her own Christmas present 🎁 🐻

12/11/2024

Did you know that I offer 30 minute telephone appointments? 📞

I will give behavioural management advice to prevent escalation of behaviour such as anxiety and aggression to enable instant improvements for you and your dog.

The journey to change behaviour and help you and your dog feel happier starts here…

Book now 👉🏻 https://dogtrainingandbehaviourconsultant.as.me/?appointmentType=65515540

12/11/2024

Pennine Pen’s Christmas Fair is on Sunday 24th November.

Please come along and support this amazing animal charity, they need all the support they can get 🐾 🐱 🐶

It's not long now until our Christmas Fair Spectacular!! Come and join us on Sunday 24th November 12-3pm and get some early Xmas bargains. Get into the Christmas spirit and enjoy hearty traditional food & drink 🐾🐾❤

11/11/2024

Thinking of all those people and animals that gave their lives for us ❤️

🌹

10/11/2024

Fig being trained by Kat. Fig was learning to move away from the Kong piece and while remaining focused on it. The next step is to build duration in being still and focused without trying to sn**ch the Kong.

As a dog professional, it’s important for me to practise new training skills with other professional trainers that are skilled in their field.

Photo of Kat from K9 Behaviour Consultancy

06/11/2024

Henry had another puppy package session with me today to work on his confidence outdoors, getting used to wearing a lead, and self control around objects that he has been stealing.

It’s important for puppies to learn skills from an early age so that good habits are formed going forward.

05/11/2024

It’s important to keep our dogs fit and healthy. Jo from JW Physiotherapy does a sterling job!

🥶Calling all senior small animals. If you have a senior that is struggling in the colder weather, is starting to stiffen up and slow down, is loosing their footing and balance or who has a diagnosis of arthritis then we are running an offer for discounted block booking for Physiotherapy

✅Physio initial assessment, and 3 treatment sessions normally would cost £210 but throughout the winter months this is reduced to £185 payment required on the assessment session, bookings are flexible but need to be used within 6 months.

🐾Full physiotherapy assessment to help identify pain, joint problems, stiffness, muscle weakness and proprioception problems. Age affects animals in similar ways, due to the changes that occur with ageing we can potentially loose muscle mass and balance abilities. This can also be accompanied by stiffening joints. But there is something we can do about it. At the very least we can try and slow down the affects of ageing by maintaining muscle mass and preventing further loss of joint movement and balance reactions and by providing pain relief. where we can we can try and improve all of these things too to ensure our animals have the best qualify of life for as long as possible.

💪You will get an exercise program this will be specific to your pets needs and also to their lifestage.

💆‍♀️Other treatments may include where it is indicated pain relief in the form of electrotherapy, joint mobilisations, soft tissue manipulation, and lots of useful advise on how to help our older pets the ebst we can.

‼️Senior lifestage is individual to each breed and species so please get in touch for more information. If you have an animal with a diagnosis of osteoarthritis and they are not in their senior years then they can also have this current discount

01/11/2024

Fig is my beautiful 9 month old yellow Labrador. She enjoys walks in the woods, training, winding up her pal Pippin the chihuahua cross, and playing tug games. 💛

Show me your dogs and tell me what their favourite activities are 😀 🐶

29/10/2024

🎆🐾 Helping Your Dog Through Fireworks Season 🐾🎆

Fireworks can be a lot of fun for us, but they can be really scary for our furry friends! If your dog gets anxious during fireworks, here are some first aid tips to help keep them calm and comfortable.

* Not a substitute for behaviour change.

1. Create a Safe Space 🏠
Set up a cozy spot in a quiet room where your dog can retreat when they’re scared. Use their favorite bed, blankets, and toys to make it feel familiar and safe.

2. Block Out the Noise 🎶
Close windows and curtains to reduce the noise and flashes. Play calming music or turn on the TV to help drown out the sound of fireworks.

3. Distract with Toys & Treats 🍖🎾
Give your dog a special treat or a puzzle toy to keep them focused on something other than the loud noises outside.

4. Stay Calm & Comfort Them 💖
Dogs often take cues from their owners, so try to stay calm and act normally. If your dog seeks comfort, offer gentle petting and reassurance.

5. Use Anxiety Wraps or Weighted Blankets 🧥
Many dogs find comfort in the gentle pressure of a snug-fitting wrap or weighted blanket. These can help them feel more secure.

6. Consider veterinary support 💊
If your dog is especially anxious, you might want to have a chat with your vet about options to rescue anxiety and distress. Always consult your vet before trying new products.

7. Plan Ahead for Toilet Breaks 🚶‍♂️
Take your dog for a walk and toilet break before fireworks start. This way, you can avoid having to go outside when the noise is at its peak.

8. Stay Home If Possible 🏡
If you know fireworks will be happening nearby, try to be home with your dog. Your presence alone can be a big comfort to them.

Fireworks can be stressful for dogs, but with a bit of planning and some extra TLC, you can help your furry friend feel safe and secure. 💕🐕

Stay safe and have a great time with your pets! 🌟

25/10/2024

Fabulous Fig 💛

18/10/2024

Happy Friday everyone!

What are you up to with your dogs this weekend?

I’m looking forward to a lovely walk with mine tomorrow while the weather is dry. 🍂

15/10/2024

Eric! 🩵

Ah you little beauty!

Eric has been learning to have self control around different objects that he would normally take. He has shown some great steadiness today 👏

He has also displayed resource guarding behaviours, and his owners have reported that these have now reduced massively due to careful management and the training that I have set 🤩

15/10/2024

‘Ahhh, I’ll just have a rest after my training session’ 🥱

Did you know that training your dog tires them out mentally?

This can help give them a feeling of satisfaction (from having done a fun activity and working their brain) 🧠 and help facilitate a restful state afterwards. 😴

14/10/2024

Belle enjoying her training session today with a spring in her step! 🫶🏻

14/10/2024

Louie has recently moved in with his new family. Louie’s family have been proactive in asking me to help with his transition in settling in and learning good habits. 🤩

We focused on:

⭐️ the settling in routine
⭐️ crate training
⭐️ check ins
⭐️ recall
⭐️ dog body language

I’m looking forward to our next training session!