Completely Canine

06/11/2024

I've been about picking all i can out, but the fields are full of these. Please, please be careful letting your dogs run about today

13/10/2024

Rodger is 15 months now and still very immature, but i was super proud of his walking in a very distracting area today. He has *never* been walked on a collar, only a harness. Harnesses do not make your dog pull! This is loose leash walking, not walking to heel, which is a different skill. Rodge can sniff freely, and I'm not concerned with his position relative to me as long as the leash is loose and hes not getting in anyones way. He is only cued to change sides a couple of times to avoid tight spots on the path or other pedestrians.

03/10/2024

From the sublime to the ridiculous. Clipper for scale.

14/08/2024

Its a common myth that groomers clip everything off because it's the easiest option. Its really not. A neat, short clip takes a lot of skill. You know what's easy for both the groomer and the dog? A dog that is regularly groomed, who is well used to the routines around grooming, and who is on a regular, appropriate schedule of professional grooming.
The glorious Lexi has a great, full coat, as is correct for her breed. It takes care to keep her long like this, especially as she has a bit of seasonal allergy which can make her quite itchy at times. She is an enthusiastic participant in grooming sessions, I have to be careful as she has realised she can open my treat bag and help herself! Isn't she beautiful?

03/02/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/cmN97gqEjFdgQusJ/

Sheep and Horse Desensitisation Workshops. A couple of spaces still available.

Would you like to be able to walk your dog on lead near livestock and not get your arms pulled out of the socket?

You will learn how to use positive reinforcement to teach your dog how to be relaxed around big, exciting distractions like sheep and horses.

Sheep - Feb 18th

Horses - March 19th

Learn how to teach your dog to walk calmly onlead near sheep and horses.

Improve your own observational and training skills.

Fun exercises that will benefit any dog who struggles with livestock/wildlife.

Link in comments

22/01/2024

It's Monday, and Buster does not approve..

04/01/2024

I'm going to own up to it. I'm am a lazy trainer. At nearly 7 months old Rodger only knows at most 5 actual verbal cues. Terrible for a trainers dog, right? My training ethos though is that at this point I want the environment and context to provide most of his cues. I want this for a number of reasons;

He sees, smells, and hears way more than me.

Hes much, much, quicker than me.

I'm not always going to be there to tell him what to do.

As mentioned, I'm lazy.🤣🤣

This means I want him to perform behaviours the same way, on his own cognizance, without me having to be there to cue it.
In this video, you can see our “going out the door” behaviour. I want the open door to cue him to move away from the door so he doesn't dash out by himself. I also want him to wait at the bottom of the stairs outside, or at least not pull me,so I have time to lock the door and get down the stairs safely. I don't verbally cue this behaviour, the cues are the door opening, and me stepping out the door. ( I'm loaded with the cold by the way, so all the sighing and huffing is me trying to breathe!) You can hear I don't give him any verbal cues other than releasing him to actually step out the door. This means he should do the behaviour the same way whether I'm taking him out, The Boss is taking him out, or if someone is just nipping out to the bin. The cue doesn't come from me telling him what to do, but the environment and context of what is happening round him.
As he gets older I will teach him more verbal cues, but for now, for safety, most of his day to day behaviours are cued by the environment.
Laziness rules! 😁😁

03/01/2024

I've just signed up for Jill's class starting next week. Online suits me well, and I think I need a wee kick-start to a training year with the boy!
Jill is a fab, kind, and compassionate trainer. I know this will be an excellent class.

📸 Look at this post on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/ECh6yUZ2XEddJGW5/

**sold out**

Want to kick start the new year by improving your dog's behaviour AND your training skills?

I have two online classes starting next week.

Do More With Your Dog - Mondays at 6.30pm

I will coach you and your dog through a series of fun exercises that provide mental and physical challenges for your dog while helping improve their focus and love of engaging with you.

Leave it and food manners - Tuesdays at 6.30pm

This class focuses on teaching your dog how to respond to you around distractions. Want to feel safe leaving food on the table? Want to walk past "street pizza" without having to wrestle your dog away? If so, this class is for you.

This classes delves into the details of how to teach your dog to confidently leave abd ignore distractions/food.

Click on the link in comments/bio to book, or message me if you have any questions.

31/12/2023

This year started on a low, and it's odd to think about now. I still have physical challenges, but we finished the last day of this year doing one of my favourite walks. It's feet up, fire on and a glass of wine in hand now!

Huge thanks once again to the wonderful clients who patiently waited while I couldn't work, and helped in many different ways when I started to find my feet again. I'm so lucky to have such wonderful people in my life.

Best wishes from my home to yours at the turn of the year. I hope 2024 brings you all you wish for and more.

Happy New Year!

23/12/2023

Poodle flavoured last day of work.

20/12/2023

When the bathroom bulb is blown and you have to shower by candlelight! 🤣🤣

15/12/2023

Seems a shame to wake Kenji for his groom!

28/11/2023

As I hand in two lost dogs at the Police office, just a reminder to put tags on your pups! Also make sure your microchip details are up to date.

24/11/2023

One thing I think a lot of people don't realise is that dog trainers consult other dog trainers. A lot. For serious issues, definitely. Also for general help, support, and to be a sounding board for ideas and training plans. I'm very lucky to have some wonderful trainers close to me, who I can also count as friends.

Jill O'Sullivan - Busy Bee Dog Training & Behaviour is a fabulous trainer, supportive of what a client needs, and what they want to achieve with their dogs. She's also one of the nicest people I know, and has been so generous with her time while I have been socialising Rodger. Her lovely dog Otto has great body language skills, and has been patiently helping Rodge learn that just barking at another dog doesn't get them to play!

Tracey McLennan is another dear friend, who runs brilliant online courses from her Best Dog Learning and Stuff by Tracey McLennan platform to help with many aspects of dog behaviour. Her specialty is prey drive and helping owner and dog partnerships work through the problems that owning a dog with a strong desire to chase things can potentially cause. Her calm and reassurance have been invaluable when dealing with puppy mayhem.

I'm also lucky to have some wonderful clients and friends who have welcomed Rodger into their homes and let him play and socialise with them and their ever patient dogs.

They say it takes a village to raise a child, and it's taking a fantastic support network to raise Rodger. Thanks to you all, and his exceptional start with his breeder Dawnbloom Standard Poodles , Rodger is a joy to have in our lives.