K9ology - Dog Psychology & Training

10/03/2025

We have a beautiful new recruit! 🥰🐾

We had so much fun at our first session last week. This little girl is super clever, but can be anxious and fearful too at times, so we’re helping her with this.

Can’t wait to catch up in a couple of weeks to see how they’re getting on ☺️🐾

10/03/2025

New class block! 📣🥳

K9ology & Solo Pet Services are again joining forces to bring you another fab block of classes! 🥰🐾

Starting on the 5th April in Ashingdon! 🥳

Come learn skills to help you and your Pup/Beginner start on the right path! 🙌

Classes are taught by fully qualified & accredited IMDT trainers. Classes are also kept smaller so everyone gets 1-1 attention when needed 😊

We use only scientifically backed methods that are truly ethical and kind too ☺️

Here’s the link below to book ⬇️

https://k9ologybookings.as.me/

08/03/2025

What a beautiful day! ☀️🥰🐾

Happy weekend to all our lovely clients & followers,
from all at K9ology ☺️🦮🐶🐈‍⬛🐾

06/03/2025

My stance is exactly the same as Victoria Cooper - Certified Canine Behaviourist & Mentor 👏

Please beware of people who use these things in the name of training 😖They’ve usually no formal education nor qualifications, and certainly not accredited by anyone.

It’s just a quick fix that can do so much damage!

01/03/2025

It’s been a very busy but fantastic week here at K9ology! ☺️

Here’s a few pics to show you all. We’ve some newbies begin this week, a couple have finished their program’s and the rest doing really well on theirs 👏🥰🐾

Happy weekend everyone & huge well done to our pooches and their fab families! 🙌🫶🏻🐾

28/02/2025

Our next episode at our We Love Dogs Podcast is now live! 🥳🐾

If you want to know more about positive reinforcement do have a listen to Cheryl Marney Imdt from Chel's Tails Canine Coaching and I discussing this 😊🐾

25/02/2025

Great post! Thanks Aggressive Dog

We as behaviour consultants definitely do not need to see the dog going over threshold and stressed, and certainly wouldn’t set them up to ‘show’ us unwanted behaviours, for many reasons!

Tv and things online have a lot to answer for unfortunately 🤦🏼‍♀️😔

“Do you want to see what Fluffy does when I...?”

No, we don't need to! While it’s a common assumption that trainers or behavior consultants need to witness aggression firsthand, a well-trained professional can assess a case without putting anyone at risk.

Here’s why seeing aggression isn’t necessary:

1️⃣Historical Patterns Tell the Story
A detailed history—gathered through interviews, observations, and past incidents—paints a clear picture of what’s happening. A skilled consultant will ask the right questions to identify triggers, patterns, and antecedents that contribute to aggression.

2️⃣Recreating Aggression is Dangerous
Intentionally provoking aggressive behavior can create reinforcement loops, where the dog practices the behavior and learns that aggression "works." Worse, it can escalate the response, making things more severe over time.

3️⃣Behavior is Predictable When You Understand Triggers
Instead of waiting for aggression to happen, a behavior consultant will analyze:
✅ Past incidents (when and where the aggression has occurred).
✅ The dog’s body language before an escalation.
✅ Environmental triggers and stress factors.
✅ What the dog does instead of being aggressive (avoidance, freezing, tension).

4️⃣Real-World Context Matters More Than a Single Moment
Aggression isn’t just about what happens in a session—it’s about what happens daily in the dog’s environment. A consultant will assess:
- The home setup and routines.
- How the dog interacts with family members.
- What management strategies are already in place.

What Should a Trainer or Consultant Do Instead?
A behavior consultant will work with you to set up a safe, structured training plan without exposing anyone to unnecessary risks. They will observe behavior without escalating it and provide solutions that address the root cause rather than the symptom.

A good detective doesn’t ask a suspect to commit the crime again—they gather evidence to understand what happened. The same applies to aggression cases.

25/02/2025

There’s so many excuses that fly around for hurting, creating discomfort and scaring dogs, all in the name of ‘training’ 😳

If a ‘trainer’, ‘behaviour consultant’ or ‘behaviourist’ (remember anyone can call themselves these things too, with no formal education or qualifications), they cannot truly understand the way dogs think and learn. After all, if they did they wouldn’t be using these methods! 🤯

As well as all of the above though, the bottom line is also who in their right mind thinks it’s ok to inflict pain, discomfort or fear on a sentient being?! It’s actually very worrying! 😱

Please check your ‘trainers’, ‘behaviour consultants’ and ‘behaviourists’ thoroughly. Look for IMDT, APDT, ABTC are just a few organisations to look out for.
If the person is properly accredited they will be on their website. Anyone who isn’t is NOT a member and may not have sat any examinations etc either.
Many ‘trainers’ popped up in the lockdowns and unfortunately around that time there was awful advice circulating 😔

Let’s look after our dogs properly! 😊🐾

Thank you Shay Kelly 👏

24/02/2025

Bit late in the day, but weekly challenge day is here again! 🥳🐾

Last weeks challenge was to really get to know your dogs body language 🤔

For those that joined in, this week by using what you’ve learnt about your dogs body language, I’d like families to notice what their dogs seem to really like, what they don’t seem to like and what they’re a bit wary of, and help them of course if they need it.

If we know our dogs body language, their likes and their dislikes, our dogs can trust us even more to make good decisions for them, and in turn their confidence in us grows too, as they know we take care of things if they’re unsure, so they don’t have to! 😊🐾

24/02/2025

I’m back in the office today after a lovely break away in the Cotswolds 🥰 I will get back to all emails etc today! Thanks for your patience 😊🐾

18/02/2025

!!! ONLY 1 space left!!! ☺️🐾

K9ology & Solo Pet Services have joined forces to bring you a fantastic Recall & Loose lead Workshop on the 15th March! 🥳🐾

If you’d like to come along and perfect your skills, or just need help with these generally, below is the link to book ⬇️

Our workshops are taught by 2 FULLY qualified & accredited IMDT trainers and are also smaller so everyone gets 1-1 help when needed too ☺️🐾

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17/02/2025

I absolutely love my job, my clients and their gorgeous pooches 🥰🐾
But sometimes it’s hard 😔

It can be hard for many reasons; clients are understandably overwhelmed at times, some call when things are already quite bad, some get contradictory ‘advice’, some don’t follow what you advise and see quick fix ‘results’ as the way forward, without thinking of the dogs wellbeing. Being an unregulated industry you also see some things that just tear your heart out at times too, where dogs are being treated cruelly in the name of training 😔

Getting this text this weekend was therefore just lovely 💛
We only had a quick chat on the phone, but it really seems to have helped this family.

This helps makes everything well and truly worth it! 🥰🐾

17/02/2025

The K9ology Monday challenge! 🥳🐾

Each Monday now K9ology are going to give you an optional weekly challenge! 🐾

This weeks challenge is to really study your dogs body language and in turn, learn what they’re communicating to you! 🤔

To decipher what is going on with your dog and what they are trying to communicate, remember you have to look at their WHOLE body, not just one part, so look at their eyes, ears, body stature, tail, everything! ☺️

If we really know our own dogs body language we can calmly help them if they’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed, anxious, very excited etc, before they go over threshold ☺️

If we are able to help them in a kind and ethical manner by either calmly taking them away from something they’re feeling anxious about or creating distance etc, before going over threshold, their trust will then grow more in us and their confidence grow as well.
They also never then need to escalate anything, as they know their family who they trust has got this! 👏☺️

Infographics are in the comments sections too to help with this 😊

Feel free to report back either in the comments or pm me what you notice about your dogs body language and how you were able to help them! 🥰

Really enjoy getting to know your dog that little bit more this week and have a fab Monday all! 🥰🐾

16/02/2025

So very excited for our chat at We Love Dogs with the fab Jamie Pound from UK Sniffer Dogs 🥳🐾

Do send us in any questions you may have for Jamie ☺️🐾

16/02/2025

Definitely worth a read! 👏🐾

Thanks ABC Dogs NZ 😊🐾

This is one of those "tricky" subjects 😐
One that needs to be bought up delicately to some clients.
It can be a real shock to some people that their dog doesn't really like being hugged.
"How can you tell, are you sure ?"
This graphic is then pulled out or a link to the videos given.
"Oh wow !!! I had no idea !" is then usually the statement that follows.
But guess what ❗
It can INCREASE their bond.
Dogs can start to initiate affection and for some their consent is given MORE.
Win, win win!!!
There will be videos linked in the comments about ways we can look at our dogs behaviour when hugged a bit differently.
This dog training graphic is available from https://www.abcdogsnz.com/product-page/abc-dogs-is-your-dog-enjoying-that-hug?srsltid=AfmBOor7HIHLrfRYXOjDXelpiLVEyu5y28ebZP_fL8gAT08F1Z2kOKsx

15/02/2025

Can’t wait to see everyone at classes today! 🥰🐾
Pls remember your pooches beds again this week

15/02/2025

Huge shout out too to this beautiful girl and her family! 🥰🐾

She’s adolescent so of course has all of that stage to deal with, but on top of that can sometimes get overwhelmed and over excitement with certain things when out. She’s been doing fantastically well though and even grandad walked her this week, with no problems at all! 👏☺️

We’ve now some inside work, mainly around the doorbell and visitors. Again for the first session she done brilliantly! ☺️🙌

Looking forward to catching up again in a couple of weeks ☺️🐾

Huge well done guys! 👏🙌