West Cornwall Dog Training

11/10/2025

Your relationship with your dog isn’t built in training sessions.

It’s built in the hundreds of everyday moments — on walks, at home, in the quiet times. Training is just how we learn to make those everyday moments easier.

10/10/2025

Where's the line for dogs? This is well worth a read.

Where’s the line for dogs?

Sometimes the most important work we do is noticing when they need someone to hold the line.

A long-standing client asked me that once.
“Where’s the line for dogs?” she said.
Then she answered herself: “You stand up for them. Every dog that walks into that field — you stand up for them.”

She didn’t mean politics or organisations. She meant the small, minute-by-minute moments where we decide whose comfort comes first.

One dog stands out.
A bright, determined lad came for tracking — an outlet for a difficult past and some pain.
On arrival there was a bit of a bunfight on the lead, so, we have a rule: new arrivals go onto the field alone, no pressure. Amble, sniff, run, feel safe — do what feels right.

He began tracking beautifully — relaxed, stretched, alive.
Then, after each track, he’d find a tree and swing from a branch. His person called him off. He stopped instantly. Beautifully trained. But there was something else there....

Next time, I asked "please can we leave him be?" We watched him hanging there, twisting gently. It wasn’t mischief. It was relief.

A vet check confirmed it — serious spinal issues. That branch was his physio.
He couldn’t track again, but he and his person left us with comfort and dignity, never scolded for the thing that helped him feel better.

That’s where the line was for that chap.
That’s why we stand up for dogs.

Because sometimes the “bad behaviour” isn’t bad at all — it’s the truth, spoken the only way a dog can.

Standing up for dogs and their people isn’t about doing something dramatic. It’s about being there, watching, and knowing when to protect their space and their choices.

08/10/2025

Got a dog with big feelings? 💥🐕

Some dogs find the world harder to handle. They might bark or lunge on the lead, worry about strangers, or get over-excited when they see other dogs.

It can feel stressful and isolating — but you’re not alone, and neither is your dog.

This sort of reaction, in my experience, is rarely about aggression. It often comes from fear, frustration, or just being overwhelmed.

Every week I work with dogs that struggle in this way. Often by giving more space, staying calm, and teaching some simple foundation behaviours, we have the tools to help.

Progress is never going to be instant, but it is steady. And that steady change makes all the difference — to both dog and owner.

When we work together, we look at what’s really going on for your dog, put simple management in place so life feels calmer straight away, and teach practical skills that help you both cope in real-world situations. Step by step, at a pace that works.

These aren’t “problem dogs”. The work is often about problem solving for us humans — finding better setups, clearer routines, generous reinforcement, and ways to create space so our dogs can cope. When we make those changes, everything starts to feel a little easier.

If this sounds familiar, send me a message and I’ll send you the link to book your initial consultation or a free call to chat first.

07/10/2025

What’s in this month’s My Dog Monthly? 🐾

This month I’m talking about instant expectations: why real progress in dog training takes time, and how the small, steady changes are often the ones that really matter. There are also some practical tips to help you with your own training.

My Dog Monthly is where I share the kind of thoughtful, problem-solving approach that underpins my work — looking at what’s really going on for each dog and their person, rather than chasing quick results.

It’s honest, real-world content that doesn’t appear on social media. It’s written for those who like to pause, reflect, and think about life with their dogs a little more deeply.

If that sounds like your kind of reading, you can sign up to receive My Dog Monthly straight to your inbox.

📬 https://www.westcornwalldogtraining.co.uk/signup

04/10/2025

Not all progress is obvious.

Or exciting.

Or something to do a whizzy reel about.

Sometimes the biggest change is your dog choosing not to react, or coping just a little better in a tricky moment.

It actually looks a bit boring, but it is everything.

It's real progress to celebrate — even if nobody else sees it.

02/10/2025

🍂🐾 Autumn Reset 🐾🍂

After a long, hot summer, many dogs (and owners!) eased off on training — and that was the right choice. But now the cooler weather is here, it’s the perfect time for a reset.

Windy days, autumn scents, even the joy of chasing leaves — this season brings fresh challenges and opportunities for training.

In my latest blog, I share why autumn is such a good time to get back on track, plus some simple tips you can use straight away.

👉 Read it here: https://www.westcornwalldogtraining.co.uk/blog-post/autumnreset/

01/10/2025

Living with an older dog? 🐾❤️

As dogs get older, things change. They might slow down on walks, struggle with joints, or become less tolerant of busy environments. Hearing or eyesight can fade, and suddenly everyday life feels different for them — and for you.

It can be hard to know how best to support them.

Do you push on with the same routines, or adapt to keep them comfortable and confident?

I’ll never forget an older collie I worked with who loved training games but was slowing down on walks. His owner thought training was “over” now that he couldn’t manage long distances. In fact, it was the opposite. We swapped high-energy activities for puzzle feeders, scentwork in the garden, and tracking sessions. The joy on his face when he nailed a new track said it all.

That’s the shift older dogs need — not less, just different. With some 1-to-1 support, we can look at:

🐾 Adjusting exercise and routines to suit your dog’s energy levels.
🐾 Keeping their mind active, even if their body is slowing down.
🐾 Spotting early signs of stress, discomfort, or anxiety.
🐾 Helping them feel safe and supported as their world changes.

Every older dog deserves to enjoy life with dignity and comfort. With the right adjustments, their later years can be some of the best.

If you’d like help finding the right balance for your older dog, send me a message and let’s talk it through.

30/09/2025

Here's a little of what I get up to when I go up to Dorset. Take a look. Let me know what you think ☺️

Here's what I shared on my other page ... thought it would show that here, but FB has stripped it out 🙄

I thought I’d share this little clip from my trip to Dogtaggs last week.

I’ve been going to Dogtaggs Shepherd School, and Tracking, for around 9 years now. It’s been a huge part of my education — not just for my dogs, but for me too.

The video is of the glorious Chunky, a German Shepherd. It always makes me smile how many people are surprised when they hear about herding with GSDs. But the clue is in the name - German Shepherd!

Take a look. What do you see?

And maybe ask yourself - what don’t you see?

After watching, we worked with our own dogs on a similar exercise. Not directly with the sheep, but they were nearby, calmly watching us from the other side of the hedge and no doubt judging our efforts!

This is one of the experiences we really value at Verity Farm. The chance to step into herding activities like this is a privilege - one minute you’re watching a calm, skilled dog working the sheep, the next you’re helping a lamb or putting up fencing for the next exercise. Then it’s time for us to step up. Shepherd School is about walking the walk… the Shepherd walk. That’s a core skill. Then there’s the crook. Moving with purpose. And then you are thinking about how much of dog training is about controlling the dog rather than concentrating on controlling yourself.

All of it matters.

And here’s the thing: those skills don’t stay in the field. They live in my body, in my handling with my own dog, and in the way I guide clients. My dog may not be a German Shepherd, but she is a shepherd, as am I. That is revealed in the way we move around the environment, past or through distractions, stopping with purpose, or simply leaning on a stick and watching the world move around us.

Those are life skills for EVERY dog and their person.

I don’t always shout about this part of my journey, but being a shepherd has shaped the way I train, the way I value my dogs, and the way I support my clients every single day.

And if you ever get the chance to learn from Pat at Dogtaggs, you’ll see why I keep going back. It isn’t about exercises with sheep or even just about herding dogs (Jess is a lurcher and we also have a terrier in our group!) It’s a whole way of living alongside your dog, paying attention, moving with purpose, and building a relationship that feels right.

27/09/2025

I talked a bit earlier in the week about multi-dog households. Adding a second dog doesn’t just double the joy — it doubles the juggling too. Adding a third… well, that can be fun!

When we added Jess, we’d already worked hard with Stan, who struggled around other dogs. Ben was pretty easy-going by that point. The process of choosing the right dog was extensive, and the introductions took time. Even then, it was a careful balancing act because Jess was a whirlwind and the boys were, by that time, in the senior years.

In the house, time was managed with kiddy gates and a play pen. Sometimes Jess had a house line on. In the garden, time was carefully supervised so each dog had space to toilet without being disturbed.

Walks helped build relationships too — swapping which dogs were off lead so they could get used to each other.

Feeding was always done separately, so there was no competition for food.

There were moments of tension, of course, but simple foundation training meant we had ways to interrupt before things escalated.

None of this was about “bad behaviour” — it was simply dogs working out how to share their space. Sometimes they just need us to step in and make it easier for them.

25/09/2025

We often ask: “How do I stop my dog doing this?”

A better question is: “What do I want them to do instead?”

Because when we focus only on stopping behaviour, we leave a gap. Stop doing that… and then what? And your dog will always fill that gap with something — not always what you’d choose!

For example: instead of “How do I stop my dog jumping up?” try “I want my dog to sit when people arrive.”

Clarity for you = clarity for your dog.
And now you have something to train.

24/09/2025

Adding a new dog to the family? 🐕🐕

Bringing a second (or third!) dog into an established home can be exciting — but it can also stir things up. Even the friendliest dogs need time to adjust to sharing their space, their people, and their routines.

Sometimes it goes smoothly, but often there are bumps along the way: tension over food or toys, struggles on walks, or just the challenge of balancing everyone’s needs.

That’s where 1-to-1 support can really help. Together we can look at:

🐾How to make introductions calm and safe
🐾Ways to manage resources and prevent conflict
🐾Building positive routines so all the dogs feel secure
🐾Making sure your new dog settles without upsetting the balance of your existing household
🐾Every dog (and every household) is different, so there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. But with the right support, it is possible for everyone to find their place and for harmony to return.

If you’d like some help smoothing the transition, send me a message and let’s chat.