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Ravenpaws Training & Behaviour

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Ravenpaws Training & Behaviour

Ravenpaws Training & Behaviour Full IMDT Accreditation
Force-Free
Cover All Aspects of Training
Therapy & Assistance Dog Training

01/02/2025

Did you know that studies show up to 80% of behavioural changes in dogs can be linked to pain?* 🤯🐶 Pain isn’t always obvious—dogs are masters at masking discomfort, and what looks like stubbornness, reactivity, or even aggression can actually be a sign that something hurts.

I attended a fantastic event on Tuesday hosted by Charlotte from .vetphysio and Marianne from where we explored just how often pain is the missing puzzle piece in behavioural issues. So, how can you tell if your dog might be struggling? Watch for these signs:

🔹 Slowing down on walks or hesitating before jumping into the car.
🔹 Sudden changes in mood—“grumpiness”, avoiding touch, or reactivity.
🔹 Stiffness, a hunched back, or shifting weight onto one side.
🔹 Licking or chewing at one area of their body repeatedly.
🔹 Loss of enthusiasm for play, training, or usual activities.

What can we do to help prevent injuries and keep our dogs comfortable? 🐕💙

✅ Say no to ball throwing! Repeated high-impact chasing is tough on joints. Try scent games or controlled fetch instead!
✅ Use ramps to help dogs get in and out of cars or onto furniture safely.
✅ Add joint supplements to support long-term mobility and reduce inflammation.
✅ Regular vet & physio check-ups to catch discomfort before it becomes a bigger issue.

Understanding the link between pain and behaviour can be life-changing for our dogs. If something feels “off” with your pup, it’s always worth looking deeper! 🐾

*(research by Dr. Daniel Mills MD FACS, published in Feb 2020 “Pain and Problem Behaviour in Cats and Dogs”)

28/01/2025

Walks aren’t just about getting from A to B - they’re an adventure for your dog! 🦴 But if your dog tends to pull, zone out, or get a bit too excited, here are some creative ways to keep them engaged and focused:

🎾 Peanut Butter Ball Chucker: Yep, you heard that right! Dab a little peanut butter inside the scoop of your ball chucker and hold it in front of your dog’s nose. It gives them a tasty reason to stick by your side and focus on YOU. Bonus? Loose lead walking gets a lot easier and it saves you having to bend down for shorter dogs!

🍖 Scatter Treats: Pause during the walk and scatter treats on the ground. Not only does this redirect their attention, but it also gives them a fun sniffing challenge—perfect for calming anxious or reactive dogs.

🧠 Mix it Up: Add mini training moments! Practice sits, downs, or eye contact during the walk and reward like crazy. It keeps their brain engaged and strengthens your bond.

With these simple tricks, your walks could go from chaotic to calm in no time. Plus, your dog will have fun and learn important skills along the way! 🐕✨

22/11/2024

🐾 Understanding Dog Reactivity: You’re Not Alone, and Help is Here 🐾

Does your dog bark, lunge, or get overly excited around other dogs, people, or new stimuli? This is called reactivity, and while it can feel isolating, it’s much more common than you think - even I have a reactive dog (yes, I’m photo-shaming him 🤣), and I do this for a living! 🤪

💡 What is Reactivity?
Reactivity is your dog’s heightened response to specific triggers, often due to fear, frustration, or overstimulation. It’s not “bad behaviour”—it’s communication! Your dog is saying, “I’m uncomfortable or unsure about this situation.”

🌟 Causes of Reactivity:
• Lack of socialisation during critical periods
• Traumatic experiences or fear
• Frustration from wanting to interact but being unable to
• Breed tendencies (some dogs are naturally more vocal or alert)

💬 You’re Not Alone:
Having a reactive dog can feel overwhelming and isolating, especially when it feels like everyone else’s dog is calm and easy-going. But trust me—it’s more common than you realise. With time, patience, and the right approach, reactivity can improve, and you’ll strengthen your bond with your dog along the way.

💪 How Can You Help?
1️⃣ Identify Triggers: Observe what causes your dog’s reactivity—other dogs, strangers, loud noises?
2️⃣ Create Distance: Give your dog space to feel safe. Move away from triggers before they get overwhelmed.
3️⃣ Reward Calm Behaviour: Use positive reinforcement to reward calm reactions, even at a distance.
4️⃣ Practice Counterconditioning: Pair triggers with something positive, like treats, to change your dog’s emotional response.
5️⃣ Seek Professional Help: A dog trainer or behaviourist (like me!) can design a step-by-step plan tailored to your dog’s needs.

✨ Remember: Reactivity doesn’t mean your dog is aggressive! With the right tools and support, even the most reactive dogs can learn to feel more confident and relaxed.

You’re not alone in this. I understand because I’ve been there too—and I’m here to help! DM me or visit www.ravenpaws.co.uk to learn more about my training programs 💕

15/11/2024

🐾 I’m Back—With Exciting News! 🐾

Hey, everyone! You might have noticed it’s been a bit quiet here lately, and that’s because… I GOT MARRIED! 💍💕 Jordan and I tied the knot, and it’s been such a joyful whirlwind. Thank you to everyone who’s supported us along the way—it’s been an unforgettable time.

But now, I’m back and ready to help YOU and your furry friends! 🐕 With the holidays fast approaching, I only have a few training slots left until Christmas. If you’ve been thinking about booking, now’s the time to secure your spot!

Let’s make sure your pup is ready to be on Santa’s “Nice List” this year 🎅🎁—whether it’s lead manners, basic commands, or behavioural challenges, I’m here to help!

📆 Reach out today to grab one of the last spots before the new year. Let’s end 2024 with wagging tails and happy homes!

13/07/2024

We’re at the Lawford Festival today! 🥳

Come and enter your dog into the dog show at 2pm 🐶🐕 or find me for a chat if you need any training advice, want to find out more about what we do or you’re thinking of booking a session! 💕

22/06/2024

Does your dog pull on the lead? Maybe you’re having trouble with teaching a reliable recall? Or perhaps your dog can be reactive to other dogs/people 🐶

I’m Jo, a full and qualified member of IMDT & the UK Dog Behaviour & Training Charter. 👋🏻 I’m also DBS checked, fully insured and dog first aid trained. I offer 121 sessions at your home (or a local park that’s familiar to your puppy/dog, depending on what you need help with!).

I help dog parents to understand what their dog is trying to tell them. Dogs aren’t ‘naughty’ because they just feel like winding us up (although sometimes it does feel like that!), but because there is always a reason. Whether it be anxiety, frustration, fear, unmet stimulation needs - working out the root cause is essential before tackling the issue! All my methods are force-free and kind - dogs no longer need to learn through fear of a consequence (dog training methods have thankfully moved on quite a bit since what was taught in the 80’s/90’s! 😅), but rather by encouraging them to do the right thing and getting rewarded for making the right choice!

For more info, or to get in touch about booking a session, please visit my website www.ravenpaws.co.uk 🐾

11/06/2024

Hi! 👋🏻 It’s been a while since I’ve posted on here! Wedding planning, settling into our new house and area, booking 121 sessions with clients, and all the admin that come along with running a business has left me with no time to even think about social media! 🤪

So I thought I’d write a post on the realities of rescuing a dog, as it’s something I’ve seen a lot with clients recently!
For those who have followed me for some time, know that we rescued Gilbert last June (a year ago tomorrow! 🎉🥳). He’s a Sloughi (I had to Google the breed too) from Qatar, found as a stray at about a year old.

So, what has 12 months of Gilbert looked like? Well, it’s been one of the best decisions we’ve ever made! But it’s also not been easy sometimes!

Gilbert has come from living on the streets, where resources are scarce and he’s clearly had to be quite firm with other dogs. There’s been months of feeding Gavin & Gilly in separate areas of the kitchen with someone standing between them to ensure no fight broke out. There’s been times where he’s has reacted at Gavin causing a small fight which can look and sound terrifying (nothing that has caused injury thankfully). We’ve learnt not to raise our voices around him or wave our arms too much near him, otherwise he’ll shrink to the floor and cower. We also recently discovered that he’s triggered to the smell of cigarette smoke (which ties into the circular scars on his body). He’s also become lead-reactive to some dogs in the past month, meaning he will now bark (pretty menacingly!) at some dogs if he’s held on a tight lead (known as lead frustration).

But, he’s also been an amazing friend to Gavin - they play really nicely together, he does this brilliant dance whenever he’s excited to see you, and he’s such a gorgeous, cuddly boy who makes us laugh every day 💕

We’re still working on the lead frustration (cheese & cocktails sausages are helping 😁), but he’s already come SUCH a long way in 12 months, and we’re very very proud of him.

If you’re thinking of rescuing a dog, please do consider just how hard it can be at times, but with the right support around you, it can be so incredibly rewarding! 💕

29/01/2024

We’ve been nominated for Dog Trainer of the Year with 🎉🤩

I’m so grateful for all the lovely clients I work with - 2024 is going to be an exciting year for Ravenpaws Training & Behaviour, so watch this space! 😁🐶

22/01/2024

Gavin is 3 today! 🥳🎉 so far he’s spent his day doing his favourite things - eating lots of treats, learning some new tricks and playing with his big brother Gilbert 🤣 now we’re off for a nice long walk where he’ll no doubt get extremely muddy (the joys of having a white dog 😆).

05/01/2024

It’s the start of a new year and a great time for a reintroduction post. 😘

If you’re new to my world, I’m Jo and I’m a qualified IMDT Dog Trainer. 👋🏻

I help dog parents to understand what their dog is trying to tell them. Dogs aren’t ‘naughty’ because they just feel like winding us up (although sometimes it does feel like that!), but because there is always a reason. Whether it be anxiety, frustration, fear, unmet stimulation needs - working out the root cause is essential before tackling the issue! All my methods are force-free and kind - dogs shouldn’t have to learn through fear of a consequence, but rather by encouraging them to do the right thing and getting rewarded for making the right choice! 🐶

Ravenpaws Training & Behaviour was born in 2021, after my own dogs, Sable, who is sadly no longer with us, & Gavin, inspired me to leave behind my career in Accountancy and follow my calling in Canine Behaviour.

After these last few years of doing what I love, I wouldn’t change it for the world! 🥰

So, I now live with my fiancé Jordan, Gavin the Cocker Spaniel and Gilbert the Sloughi (scroll right for pictures 👉🏻) in a village near Rugby. It’s been daunting coming to a completley new area and starting my business essentially from scratch! But I always love a challenge! 🤣

I always love getting to know other dog lovers in my audience. So please do introduce yourself and your dog in the comments below.

We’d love to hear more about you. 💖

Photo credits to and ☺️

02/01/2024

🥳 Happy New Year to you and your woofs! 🥳

I’ve had an absolutely lovely festive break - it was super relaxing and peaceful (well-needed!). But today is my first official day back ‘in the office’ and we (“we” being me and my faithful, if not a little lazy…, employees Gavin & Gilbert) can’t wait to get stuck into serving our fabulous clients again. 💕

But first, here’s one of my favourite pics that perfectly sums up our Christmas celebrations at Ravenpaws Training & Behaviour HQ.

Now some of you keen-eyed clients may notice that our HQ has changed somewhat compared to previous pictures… well that’s because it has!

Ravenpaws has officially moved to Rugby in Warwickshire! 📣 😁

I’ve absolutely loved my time living and working in and around Tring, but we’ve decided it’s onto pastures new! I’m still accepting a few new clients in Beds, Herts and Bucks, but sadly this is only for a limited time as I build up my business around here. But those clients who have existing packages or regular clients will be contacted separately to make a plan going forward ☺️

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year 🐾

Let’s see your best festive pics of you and your pets in the comments below! 👇🎄

Address

Main Street
Rugby
CV239BB

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 6pm
Tuesday	9am - 6pm
Wednesday	9am - 6pm
Thursday	9am - 6pm
Friday	9am - 6pm
Saturday	9am - 6pm
Sunday	9am - 6pm

Telephone

+447704663523

Website

http://www.ravenpaws.co.uk/

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Videos

I’m taking Gavin to the vets later today (just for a check up), but it made me think about recording this. We regularly practice with him as being a spaniel they’re so prone to ear infections! 😖 He’s never had one yet, but it’s always best to be prepared! It’s also helpful for him to know how to stay still in general, as he finds vet trips stressful, so having him be able to focus on a particular cue such as this can help him to manage his “big feelings” while the vet checks him over! 💕 #dogtraining #dogtrainer #cockerspaniel #cockerspanielsofinstagram #dogtricks

Our first training session using a clothes rack! I’m always looking for ways to improve perfect training techniques - and Gavin is a massive help when it comes to testing new tricks 😁 this one is particularly useful for clients with assistance dogs who need help picking things up and putting them away! 🦮 #dogtraining #dogtricks #assistancedog #assistancedogtraining #cockerspaniel #showcocker #cockerspanielsofinstagram