Helping Hounds Dog Training Academy

28/01/2025

**EDIT - there is only 1 space left for the March course**

Here it is! 🎉🥳🎉🥳

The first Trail Hunt International foundations course for 2025.
Commencing Saturday 1st March, 1.15pm at Midge Hall Secure Dog Field for 4 consecutive weeks.

If you have any questions, please contact Lisa via WhatsApp 07974 993171

And to book your place, click the link:
https://www.helpinghoundsdogtrainingacademy.com/service-page/thi-foundations-course-march-2025?referral=service_list_widget

28/01/2025

Team Helping Hounds are participating in the Trail Hunt International February team challenge!

And we're not one bit competitive at all, are we team? 😉😆💪

Fiona Horton Kirsty Burns Rachelle Robinson Jane Clayton

🌟 Trail Hunt Team Challenge 🌟

Our first team challenge starts this weekend with 8 teams entered!!! Can’t wait to see the videos coming in.

We will have three more Team Challenges this year so there is plenty of time to join if you have missed this one.

27/01/2025

And here's another workshop....wow I'm spoiling you all! 😉

Line handling skills!
Saturday 22nd February, 10.15am - 12pm
Venue: Nell’s Pet Care and Hydrotherapy , Tarleton

Refreshments will be provided ☕
Only £12 per person (no dogs required for this one)

Click the link to book your spot!
https://www.helpinghoundsdogtrainingacademy.com/booking-calendar/line-handling-skills-workshop?referral=service_list_widget

27/01/2025

And this is one of the MANY reasons I adore Trail Hunt International !

27/01/2025

Do you want to develop your knowledge & skills in all things scent work? Then this is the workshop for you!
No dogs required for this one...this workshop is just for the humans 😉

Saturday 15th February 10am to 12pm held at Nell’s Pet Care and Hydrotherapy in Tarleton.

Limited number of places available and refreshments will be provided!

Click the link to book your place:
https://www.helpinghoundsdogtrainingacademy.com/booking-calendar/mastering-odour-dynamics-workshop?referral=service_list_widget

Helping Hounds Dog Training Academy provides dog training and canine behaviour coaching throughout Lancashire and South Merseyside. We deliver workshops and classes, in person and offer a range of online education packages.

26/01/2025

Our Trail Hunt International Club team undertook their most challenging trail to date today!

- Longest distance they've attempted (355 meters)
- 2 components (gap in the trail & high find pod)
- Cold conditions (about 2 degrees)
- And a high volume of people about which meant the trail was disrupted multiple times!

All 3 teams completely nailed it as you can see from the pictures (the blue line is the trail that has been laid and the red line is the route the dogs took)!

Very proud instructor ☺️🐾❤️

22/01/2025

*EDIT* This has been snapped up! Thank you 🙏
Do contact me if you're interested in being added to my waiting list though 👍

Due to a last minute cancellation, I have a space available on my Trail Hunt International taster session this coming Saturday (25th) at 9.15am.
Venue is Midge Hall Secure Dog Field

* ONLY £5 *

Come along and try out this very popular, new scentwork sport!

Contact Lisa on WhatsApp 07974993171 to claim the spot! 😉

21/01/2025

I'm very much looking forward to holding classes at Nell’s Pet Care and Hydrotherapy starting in February, but I'm also very much looking forward to learning stuff from Amy too!

Collaboration in the dog world is extremely important in my humble opinion and can only serve to support our clients even more!

Sharing this GREAT post with you all for information - go give the page a follow for more handy hints & tips 🙏🐾❤️

🐾 Helping Dogs with Arthritis: A Guide to Alternative Therapies 🐾

Did you know that arthritis is one of the most common conditions affecting dogs, especially as they age? But there’s good news—alternative therapies, combined with the right care plan, can make a world of difference! 🌟

💧 Hydrotherapy: Gentle, low-impact exercise in water helps to strengthen muscles, improve mobility, and ease joint pain. It’s especially great for older dogs or those with limited mobility.

🛋️ Physiotherapy: Tailored exercises and manual therapies can help reduce stiffness and improve overall movement.

💊 Supplements & Pain Relief: Joint supplements (like glucosamine and chondroitin) can support joint health over time, while pain relief from your vet offers more immediate comfort. These work best when used together for long-term results.

⏳ How Long Does It Take? While pain relief may work quickly, supplements and alternative therapies often take several weeks to show noticeable results—patience is key!

💡 Insurance May Help! Many pet insurance plans now cover treatments like hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, and prescription pain relief. Check your policy to see what’s included—you could save significantly while helping your dog live their best life.

If your dog is struggling with arthritis, don’t wait to explore these options. Contact your vet or give us a call to learn how we can help! 🐕❤️

20/01/2025

*COMING SOON - Companion Dog International*

This brand new scheme is more than just a training course for you and your dog!

Each level has six essential behavioural elements, six foundation building obedience exercises and one full workshop!

You can work through achievement tests for each element and then the all important Graduation test to move to the next level. You will also have access to an app that allows you to track your progress AND a dedicated registered members Facebook group where you will have access to lots of resources and help & support!

Companion Dogs International is designed to teach all the essential elements to dog ownership in a fun and interactive way.

I will be delivering this course at Nell’s Pet Care and Hydrotherapy in Tarleton.

Keep your eye on the page for updates and if you want to be added to my early bird sign up list, drop me a message via WhatsApp 07974 993171

These are all the Certificates you can work towards in your level 1. Along with our dedicated App to record your progress.

19/01/2025

And the Helping Hounds - dog training and behaviour management family would like to offer a HUGE congratulations to Team Theo who couldn't join us today as they were off being assessed for another scentwork sport! And as expected Theo absolutely smashed it 🥳

He did get a special pupachino as his reward 😉

Well done guys and we're looking forward to having you back in the fold next weekend 🥰

Rachelle Robinson

19/01/2025

I've been doing a bit of updating over my little break!
Proving that an old dog (me!) can learn new tricks!!! I've built my own website 🥳
It's still a work in progress but it's now accessible for you to have a look, learn more about me and the services I offer.

https://www.helpinghoundsdogtrainingacademy.com/

19/01/2025

I've added Level 1 components instructor qualification to my portfolio now which means I can add in some great progression workshops to help you and your dogs develop your Trail Hunt International skills even further!

Huge thank you to all of my wonderful THI team who helped with the assessment videos! ❤️

04/01/2025

For any of you reactive dog guardians out there that may need to hear this....
Keep going - your dogs appreciate you ❤️

Today I heartily celebrate you dog guardians dealing with canine reactive behaviour!

Because (and bear with me)

Loud reactive behaviour is telling us clearly what our dogs need, how they feel and when they feel it.

These dogs are actually the positive reactors because they can’t be ignored, they are confident to be demanding the space they need.

They are amazing canine communicators in a situation they simply cannot feel safe in.

We are seeing a dog who is not afraid to show us their feelings, because while the situation itself doesn't feel safe, our presence doesn't stop them having a voice.

And

If your dog reacts with fear, tries to run away or hide when something particular comes into their environment I want to commend you for reading this.

The internal reactors, the dogs who freeze, they are less of a problem to us but actually, they are having more of a problem.

They feel helpless, they hide inside and expect to be hurt, with no control over the environment at all.

These dogs are much worse off than the ones who shout and holler for their space, because their fear is often ignored.

Yet the fact that you’re reading this means that your scared friend is being empathised with, and being understood by a person who really wants to help them recover.

They while they might feel helpless, you have got their back!

Very special people understand that reactivity is a coping strategy.

Very special people work day after day to help their dogs feel safe and heard.

Special souls don't give up on dogs with reactivity, don't expect it to be trained out in no time, don't blame the dog and don't give in.

Whether your friend is scared and shouty, shut down and silent or a mixture of both.

I thank you for being their friend.

You're doing something magnificent.

You are amazing!

26/12/2024

Great post from The Mutty Professor explaining why your dogs may be a bit out of sorts over the next couple of days!
Decompression time is essential, so some "Netflix & chill" time for your dog is a great excuse to have some downtime for you too 😉🐾🥰

⚠️ BOXING DAY : EXTRA CAUTION REQUIRED ⚠️

Your dog or puppy may be over stimulated, tired, sore and irritable 😠 🥱 😩 😵‍💫

Take extra care today, please keep in mind that sometimes the first symptom of a dog or puppy being too tired, sore or over stimulated is behaviour change. Behaviour change which, in some instances, can appear to come from nowhere.

‼️ A dog’s usual levels of tolerance may be at risk of lowering.
‼️ Their startle responses may increase.
‼️ Their sensitivity to stimuli, including being touched, may heighten.
‼️ Their ability to recollect prior learned information (their training) may decrease.
‼️ Their social skills may become compromised, which may result in them failing to read the room or being more irritable.
‼️ They may be quicker to fatigue on walks.

Nick and I travelled to see my step mum on Monday. Christmas Eve, we spent the first part of the day cleaning the house and Christmas Day we travelled to see Nick’s parents.

My dogs don’t sleep deeply in the car and despite taking their beds to both family homes, they didn’t sleep for as long, nor as well as they would have at home. They were understandably easily disturbed by the activity and were even following me to the bathroom each time.
Our cleaning related hustle and bustle on 24th would have also interfered with their usual sleep quality.

Yesterday Amigo also dedicated a good hour of his day on his feet putting pressure on kitchen door activity - hoping for a management slip up that would get him access to the food being served and the plates being cleared away from the dining room. You can take the stray off the streets…… 😆

So all in all, across three days- I would guess that my dogs are about 15 hours in deficit (of sleep).

During sleep, stress hormone levels are lowered, the brain’s toxins are removed, cellular repair across the body occurs, and the immune system gets a boost. The body is given an MOT that helps regulate its responses to stimuli the next day.

This includes regulating the perception of pain and of course, quality rest supports the reduction of any inflammation.

My dogs were on their feet - getting up and down more than normal - across the past three days. Any muscular or skeletal pain can become heightened- especially for my senior dog Kanita.

Additionally, during sleep information is processed and stored. Whilst relevant for all dogs, those with young puppies should be especially considerate to the fact that there’s only so much sensory stimuli the young brain can process. A high intensity of stimuli (noise, sights, scents, and touch!) parallel to compromised sleep can lead to an over stimulated puppy- this usually results in a puppy that jumps and mouths more!

Lastly, most of us humans get tired from all of the activity. The usual level of management and ‘tolerance’ of our dogs and puppies may start to slip.

Contexts in which to be cautious:

☑️ Visitors arriving to the home- caution letting dogs greet them at the door or in narrow hallways!

Also be cautious of your dog accidentally escaping out the door or gate left open. Stay vigilant and remind guests to keep the usual doors and gates closed.

☑️ People touching your dog or puppy! Does the dog WANT to be touched? Have they asked to be touched? Is touching the puppy leading to them jumping and mouthing? Is the dog and puppy being touched and/or picked up too often?

Make sure everyone, especially children, leave a resting puppy or dog well alone and that there's understanding of what 'no thanks' looks like (they don't approach to interact when asked, or look away, move away or tense up when being interacted with).

☑️ Monitor anyone playing with the dog/puppy very carefully. Normally, it's the humans that struggle to regulate their behaviour intensity or duration - and the dog/puppy simply responds to that.

☑️ People (including children) behaving in an animated way (loud noises and sudden or unusual movement).

☑️ How WE humans respond to undesired behaviour. Are we appearing confrontational? Are we intensifying the level of stimuli or calming things down?

☑️ Leaving dangerous foods and items around. Keep things out of reach of your dog or shut them away from your dog.

If your puppy or dog 'steals' an item that they 'shouldn't have', trade it for treats. Don't rush to grab things off them and ensure everyone present knows to do the same (or better yet, alerts you to do it). You'd be suprised how many bite incidents happen towards people who aren't the dog's primary carer and who go to take things off the dog/puppy.

☑️ Interacting with unfamiliar dogs on walks (or even their buddies!). Dogs who are tired or in pain may be more quick to be defensive, over stimulated dogs and puppies may be more likely to socialise inappropriately- which may result in them being the target of defensive behaviour.

☑️ The walk itself! Pay attention to the environment, something that’s harder to do when walking in a group!
Be aware and considerate of others, but also towards livestock and wildlife if you’re walking somewhere different to usual.

Keep your dog on lead if you’re not sure their recall is up to the usual standard! Remember, memory recollection AND sensory processing is compromised when dogs are tired.

Lastly, if your dog doesn’t normally go on epic, long hikes, then stick to a distance similar to their usual walk duration. Please don’t exhaust your dog by taking them on an endurance hike they’ve not built the fitness up for, or that they may be too old or less physically able to enjoy.


Today we are meeting my brother, his wife and my two young nephews at the pub for lunch. Kanita doesn’t like children too close and Mohawk gets a bit nervous of their excitement- so we have opted to meet away from the home so my dogs aren’t put in a situation they may struggle with more than normal.

It’s just not worth the risk! I’d rather be labelled as too cautious than there be a concerning or serious incident. My dogs will be happier at home resting.

Be your dog's advocate ❤️

24/12/2024

Wishing all of the Helping Hounds - dog training and behaviour management crew (in person or virtual) a very Merry Christmas and I am so excited for all the new things to come in 2025!

Huge thank you for all of the love, support, commitment & dedication you have all shown me and your dogs!

❤️🧑‍🎄🎄🎉❤️🐾