Hound & Herder

08/11/2024

My coworker having some cooperative play after helping me work a few of the dogs today. She loves nothing more than throwing me around like a kite 🪁 🤭

08/11/2024

Dreaming of a hike like this one, I’ll definitely be ticking a couple off when I go back up for a visit 😍

07/11/2024

I absolutely adore this beautiful girl!

07/11/2024

Today was Bonnie’s first “walk and train” session, she is unbelievably sweet! We’re focusing on building her confidence and helping her respond calmly around other dogs. Since it’s only been a couple of days since fireworks night, we took it slow and kept things calm and low-stress. Bonnie showed lots of curiosity in some new engagement games. I’m looking forward to seeing more of her 💛

07/11/2024

🐾 individual Five-Week Puppy Block Classes 🐾

Are you ready to start your puppy off on the right paw? Our five-week intensive puppy block is designed to give you and your pup a strong foundation, with individual blocks of sessions focused on your puppy’s unique personality and needs. Each session adapts to where your puppy is in their learning journey, ensuring they get the most out of each lesson.

What to expect:

•Personalised Training: Every puppy is different! We tailor each class to suit your puppy’s specific behaviors, breed characteristics, and temperament. •Focused Attention: A dedicated time each week for you and your puppy to learn new skills, build confidence, and create positive habits away from a class environment.
•Real-World Preparation: Our classes cover socialisation, essential commands, and behavior building that will help your puppy thrive in any environment.
• Practice the appropriate socialisation styles with experienced stooge adult dogs. •Learn the science behind the techniques, to fully develop your puppy into a confident, content adult dog.

Let’s work together to build a happy, well-adjusted puppy ready to take on the world. Book your five-week puppy block now and see the difference personalised training can make! 🐶. (Availability for 2024 is extremely limited. Please contact today to secure your session’s)

06/11/2024

“ Practice makes progress, not perfection”. The importance of continuous improvement rather than an unreachable idea of flawlessness. Every effort brings us closer to our goals. There is no such thing as being perfect but by sure… if you really want something. You can get pretty damn close!

05/11/2024

Miss - I really love pigeons - Nala 🤣 This girls confidence is starting to unfold and today for the first time she playfully interacted with me and showed some intense interest in the pigeon population on her walk 😆 she’s unbelievably sweet, I’m really enjoying her journey ✨

04/11/2024

Maddie by name, mad by nature 😆 looking forward to our journey together hopefully into something new 😬 ✨coming soon✨

04/11/2024

Nala had her fourth training session today, and she’s making fantastic progress. With myself and her owners! We’ve worked hard to build a clear picture for Nala, guiding her through her initial insecurities around other dogs. Now, our focus is on building her confidence, and she’s responding beautifully.

We’re using a mix of sharp, fun exercises, blending luring and free shaping to keep her engaged and motivated. With each session, she’s becoming more relaxed and less adverse towards triggers. Soon, Nala will be ready for her introduction to my girls for some appropriate socialising! 💛

04/11/2024

Meet Heidi! A Malinois puppy, who joined us for her first day train today! She did an incredible job, showing resilience and focus during short sessions in busy environments. These early experiences are all about building her neutrality around people and other dogs, which is so important for her development.

We kept things light and fun while also working on obedience drills and introducing her to lead pressure—a vital foundation for her to learn calm and responsive behaviors on the leash. Each session brought new challenges, and Heidi met them all with enthusiasm. We’re looking forward to seeing her progress as she continues to grow and learn! Go Heidi 💛

31/10/2024

🐾 5-Week Intensive Puppy Course! 🐾

Start your puppy off on the right paw! Our upcoming 5-week puppy block is designed to give you and your new best friend all the essential skills for a happy, confident future.

What We Cover:

• Leash Skills & Recall: Build reliable responses and a positive leash experience.
• Foundation Skills: understanding the conditioning paths of training and how to achieve the best results.
• Training Techniques: Learn about the art of luring and techniques to apply to your puppies learning.
• Socialisation: Understand appropriate socialisation to help your puppy grow up well-adjusted.

Our small group size means plenty of one-to-one time and personalised attention, so you’ll get all your questions answered directly - along with an invite to our puppy school group chat. Where we will share relevant information, added extras and tips.

📅 Duration: 5 weeks
📍 Location: Plymouth

Give your puppy the best foundation for success—reserve your spot for November/December today! 🐶

31/10/2024

Well… standing on the table isn’t very lady like is it, girls! 😆This morning we opted for a paddock, well to quite frankly just let the dogs be dogs ✨

31/10/2024

Desensitisation is a term used often in dog training… but what does it mean? - it’s a process in which we help a dog become less sensitive or reactive to a stimulus after repeated exposure to it. In psychology, it’s often used to reduce fear, anxiety, or emotional responses to certain situations, objects, or experiences. The generalised term states that this can happen naturally over time or be facilitated in therapeutic settings, such as in exposure therapy, where someone gradually confronts a fear-inducing stimulus in a controlled environment to reduce their response. Though conditioning and exposing any worries gradually to our dogs; along with a heavy emphasis on reinforcement. We have the ability to alter the response to something much more pleasant 🐾

30/10/2024

🐾 Today was a big day for Nala the Corso! 🐾 She had her very first walk and train session, focusing on trust-building through plenty of reinforcement. Since Nala can be a bit nervous around other dogs and unexpected noises, we took it slow. Concentrating on shaping a confident heel position and strengthening her stays. I’m really blown away with her today, she was absolutely fantastic. I’m looking forward to building her up alongside her fantastic owner who has already implemented such a good picture for her💪🐶

30/10/2024

Far from being a lack of significance, doing “nothing” often becomes the foundation for something—whether it’s discovery, creativity, or a deeper understanding of individuality. We often get caught up aiming to teach tricks of all sorts, when in reality a lot of unwanted behaviours stem from the inability to do nothing at all. Never underestimate the power of practicing stability in your training 🐾 We had the boys out for their walk today, the first time in a couple of weeks so naturally they were both absolutely buzzing! In-between lots of sniffs, we practiced low arousal exercises to keep things calm and focused 😁

29/10/2024

🐾 Client Walk, Chat & Train🐾

With lots of success and positive feedback from our clients in the North. We’re excited to announce our first walk, talk and train in Plymouth!

What to expect :

This walk will be led by two fully qualified and experienced trainers. Who will take the time to speak to everyone individually, discussing any concerns; or to share any helpful tips to take away and work on. This will be on-lead, structured walk which allows a fantastic opportunity to work on foundation skills, practice good behaviour and build a stronger bond with your dog in a calm, controlled environment.

Note :

• Structured Walk = No balls, tug toys or sticks; the focus is on connection, not distraction.

• Be open minded, Walks like these are for everyone; it’s a completely no judgement zone. Offering support and to connect with other like minded dog owners.

The Aim :

Whether you’re deep into your training journey or struggling on where to start. We are here to help build your confidence along with your dog. Through our reinforcement based methods, Zoe and Dawn and able to assist throughout. With plenty of opportunities to ask questions, learn new exercises and stabilise your dog. Creating harmony and neutrality between you, your dog and the public.

📅 Date: Sunday the 8th December
📍 Location: Dartmoor (contact for a pin drop)
⏰ Time: 10am
💰£10

Bring your dog, your lead, and a positive attitude— please no flexi leads.

Please contact Zoe on 07568478158 to secure your spot and to added into our WhatsApp group.

24/10/2024

A fantastic post 💥

Genetics

It’s widely known that genes influence each individual’s behavioral and psychological characteristics, including intellectual ability, personality, and risk for mental illness. Genetics do not specify behaviour directly, but rather encode molecular products that build and govern the functioning of the brain through which behaviour is expressed. The same is true of dogs!

A dog’s temperament, meaning its general disposition and behavioural patterns, is largely determined by genetics. Some dogs are naturally more outgoing and friendly, while others are more reserved or timid. This temperament can greatly impact how a dog interacts with external stimuli - other animals, people, environment etc

Remember the age old phrase nature vs nurture.. both play apart. One is the loaded gun, while the other is the trigger - whether or not it gets pulled. A lack of understanding combined with an unfortunate and excessive sense of optimism and sheer ignorance is why we see so many reactive dogs these days.

The truth is, your dog’s genetic background plays a tremendous and often under-valued role, not only in what skills your dog may have, but in who they are – whether friendly or reserved with strangers, tolerant of other dogs or not, a high-drive athlete or a couch potato, easily startled by loud noises or relatively “bombproof.” In multiple studies, canine behavioral genetics have consistently shown that traits such as fearfulness, impulsivity, problem-solving ability, working drive, and even tendencies toward aggression are strongly influenced by breeding. Correct socialising and early learning/training can certainly sway things in one direction or another, but these forces are operating on a pre-existing genetic level, they will out eventually.

Perhaps it’s time we as human paid far more attention to what lays in our dogs genetic background rather than pretty or unusual colours, how nice it would be to have a snuggle companion or living in a fantasy world where everything will just work out if we love them enough.