Mind and Tails

24/06/2023

!UPDATE! - Pancake has been found and is home safe and sound 🙌🏻

*MISSING HOUSE CAT*
Pancake the house cat has escaped and is loose in Sheffield General Cemetery.

Hi guys. This is a plea for help 🥺 Pancake the cat has gone missing in the Cemetery and his mum Ying, is out looking for him at the moment.

Pancake is a house cat who occasionally goes on walks in his stroller but has managed to escape. He has no collar or harness but is microchipped. He was last seen this afternoon in the grassland before he ran off.

Please, keep your eyes peeled and if you see him or hear any information on FB or through word of mouth, please contact Ying on the below details: +44 7421 306086

Please share. Any information is greatly appreciated!

08/05/2023

Discount code incoming……

Put a spring in your dog’s step with a brand new tuggy, ball toy or food toy from Tug-E-Nuff and watch your pup’s happiness bloom.

Get 15% off any two toys >>>> just hit the link below and get shopping!

As a Tug-E-Nuff partner, I’m so happy to be able to share this with you. Their toys are AWESOME training aids and can be used in so many ways.

From supercharging recall to scentwork and confidence building, there really is so much you can achieve with your dog through the power of play.

Full transparency: I do earn a small commission from any purchases, but you pay no more and I’d recommend them even if I didn’t!

So go on, hop on over and find something new to inspire more play and training with your dog.

Snap up a saving in the sale. Put a spring in your dog’s step with a brand new tuggy, ball toy or food toy and watch their happiness bloom.

11/01/2023

06/01/2023

We know times are hard at the moment but if you have a young dog we can help you. Don't leave your dog's training until you have problems, teach them the foundations to enable you to give your dog the life they deserve.

Our Puppy Lifeskills course starts next week. We take dogs up to 6 months old from their first vaccinations.

Our new term starts soon. Book online now.

https://www.sheffielddogtraining.co.uk/classtimetable...

19/11/2022

01/10/2022

Understanding fear and trauma in dogs is complicated! We are still learning about the canine brain, but if you take a moment to read this.. I think it could help you make better decisions for your furry friend 🐾

I'VE CHANGED MY MIND: PART ONE.

((I don't know yet how many parts there will be to this. It's so important in our practice to keep reflecting on our beliefs. I've decided to share my reflections as a way of helping others see that it's ok to let go of past assertions and it's ok to own that! Sometimes we try to hide who we were without appreciating that who we were is the reason for who we are.))

For my diploma I'm currently doing I recently did a 3000 word essay on fear aggression. It was a lovely release and validation of everything we do in practice for those dogs who are truly fearful of other dogs. It was graded at 95%. The marks dropped were for one main reason, and it jarred me, because in all my years I hadn't fully appreciated how I was expecting more of dogs than I expect of myself.

In truth we are still learning about the canine brain but one thing is for sure, memory is memory. For dogs who have had significant trauma (or at least what feels like significant trauma for them) - can they ever truly forget and move away entirely from that fearful state?

In the same way trauma in my teenage years has shaped my needs in my current relationship, I've changed my mind in the last 2 years. You can't always expect to heal a dogs trauma in all its complexity. In reality helping a dog to cope with their anxiety, which can mean a lifetime of minimising exposure to that thing, can be the reality of what some dogs need. And that's ok.

It's not okay to see an attempt at alleviating fear as a "failing" if it doesn't fully go the way we'd like in an ideal world. To put those kind of expectations on a dog, "you WILL overcome your trauma, you WILL stop being scared", is expecting them to reach levels of healing that sometimes we as humans can't achieve! And we have the forebrain to reason! Dogs live through their emotional responses and it's naive of us to assume we can always turn an extreme negative (as fear is) into a neutral, let alone a positive.

This is where aversive trainers try to take the glory. "Failed by positive reinforcement trainers" is a title that seems to be given to dogs like the above, who simply cannot move out of their trauma as much as we'd hope for them. "But look at them now" they'll continue as they force them past their fears, yanking at their neck if they so much as look at it.

Shutting down a dogs fear response by punishing them everytime they express it is not dealing with their fear response. The uneducated eye may see a dog "behaving" but look at the dogs body language and you'll see a dog who is now too scared to express anything. They probably want the ground to swallow them up because not only has their initial trauma not gone away, they now have the confusion of being an emotional being who is not allowed to express any emotion at all. How is that fair?

There is no behavioural technique in the world that will lift every dogs trauma away from them. And the sad reality is trauma in dogs is becoming more and more common. We expect more and more from them, putting them in situations that dogs in the "golden olden days" would never have ended up. Instead of allowing dogs to be dogs we put them on short leads and ask them to be little robots by our sides. How many dogs take their strain out on each other because of this pressure, I wonder? The end result is trauma. Just one example of trauma too.

Take from this reflection what you will. But I hope that if you have a dog with a genuine fear of something as a result of trauma you can take a second to look at them and let them know that you've got their back. If they need a lifetime of protection from having to face their trauma memory day after day, then that's what you'll do. That's what I needed to write in the essay. I didn't specifically write it because I always wanted to carry that little hope. But maybe it's time to acknowledge that hope can do more damage if we blindly hold onto it without acknowledging the unfair expectations it can put on our traumatised dogs.

A scar on the inside may not be directly visible but it's still there. It's very very much there 🐾💜

29/09/2022

Just doing our thing 😌

We love finding new, exciting places AND love it even more when little sausage Molly overcomes her fear of bridges 🤩🥳 Go Molly!!

24/09/2022

How lovely are these two 😍

Esme and Bear met for the first time today and they walked wonderfully together ❤️ new buddies and new woodland walks to explore in the sunshine!

24/09/2022

Fun Fridays 🤩

It’s feeling super autumnal now 🍁 Can’t believe we’re nearly in October 🫢 but what a beautiful day for a walk ☀️

22/09/2022

This lot 😍

As you can see.. We’ve worked really hard at our confidence in front of the camera 📸😉 and reinforcing with lots of tasty treats as soon as my phone come out!

Either that, or they are just natural posers 😂

22/09/2022

Happy 2nd Birthday Cooper 🥳🎉 We loved having you join our group walks today for the first time on such a special day!

Mummy and daddy think you look super cute in your birthday bandana and I’m glad you had a blast today with Larry, Babs and Lyra.

What a happy boy! Looking forward to seeing you next week! 💙

17/09/2022

Thanks to everyone that came to say hi today Peaks PawFest]. 👋 It was so lovely to meet you and your wonderful pooches!

We still have some must have Dirty Dawg shampoo and irresistible dog cologne scents from HBVS, if you weren’t able to get your hands on some today! Get in touch and we can always post them out to you 🎁

Use our Partner discount code on your next toy order: MINDANDTAILS
Your dogs will love you for it 😍

Thank you to those who took part in the Scavenger Hunt. All proceeds will be donated to Support Dogs]. We hope you enjoyed it.. and the sweeties! 🔍🍬

A massive shout out to the Peaks PawFest] team for making this event possible and raising lots of money for Support Dogs]. 👏🏻

We will draw the raffle winners tomorrow for those of you that entered! 🤩 Keep an eye on our story as we will announce the winners at midday but we will also contact you by phone. 📱

1st Prize: Freddie the floppy dog
2nd Prize: Wash Bundle consisting of the Dirty Dawg Shampoo in 450ml, C’est Chic Cologne & Classy K9 Cologne both in 250ml
3rd Prize: Squeeky toy and chew gift bag

Good luck everyone! 😍🤞🏻🐾

15/09/2022

The girl gang 🎀 Smartie being sassy and Daisy [literally] drooling over the yummy treats in the last photo 😂

14/09/2022

Meet Douglas! 🥰 I mean.. those eyes. He has totally stollen my heart ♥️

Douglas is a 12 week old miniature dachshund and as he grows into a confident little pup, we will be helping his mum and dad with puppy drop in’s during the day.

Puppy drop in’s last for 30 minutes and include lots of play, comfort, confidence building, yummy snacks and clearing up any mess of course!

Douglas is going through toilet training currently, and as soon as he gets the all clear from the vets, we can start puppy socialisation walks! The world is big and scary for our little ones, so spending time going at their pace will ensure they get the best start in life.

14/09/2022

Glorious morning walks with Ellie. Heading out early means we get some quiet time to explore and start the day off right! Ellie can be reactive towards dogs and bikes, so managing the environment is the key to success 👏🏻

She was calm and relaxed, able to engage and listen to cues with ease AND had a smile on her face the whole way 😁

Oh! And we saw some furry friends in the field! 🐄

13/09/2022

How adorable are these two 😍 thanks Rachael for all your help. We tested them out today on our lunchtime group walk, and it’s safe to say there were both loving their new harnesses!

18/08/2022

It's official! I'm so pleased to announce that we are now a Tug-E-Nuff Partner and can offer our amazing clients discount on online Tug-E-Nuff toy orders!

They have a fantastic selection of training toys for dogs of all ages, sizes and breeds. Kickstart your training today!

Use the referral link: https://tug-e-nuff.co.uk/?ref=mindandtails
Discount Code: MINDANDTAILS

16/07/2022

Next time you head to the park with your dog, really listen to what people are saying about their dog. There are many misconceptions along with old and outdated training methods that many people fall into the habit of doing. What do you say about YOUR dog?

Listen in at the dog park and you’re likely to hear all kinds of words used when people talk about their dogs. By tuning into what they’re saying, you can get a pretty good idea about the way they view their dogs, and what kind of relationship they have with them. Here are some terms to listen f...

11/07/2022

Are you looking for a professional dog walker to provide extra help to care for your dog during the day? Does your dog need some exercise and company whilst you are at work? Then look no further.

Hi! My name is Stephanie and I'm the owner of Mind and Tails. We specialise in enriching and memorable group walks in and around Sheffield, only ever taking 4-5 dogs at a time. Meaning your furry loved ones get lots of attention and fun interactive play time on every walk.

To enquire, head over to www.mindandtails.com, to book in your 15-minute Intro Call, where we can discuss your needs. We can then schedule in a free meet and greet at your home so we can get to know one another and ensure we are a good fit. Rest assured, we are fully insured, DBS Checked and are Pet First Aiders.

We offer group walks, private 121 walks, pet sitting for dogs, cats and other small animals, and now offer overnight sitting in your home! Whatever your reason is for looking for pet care services, we would love to hear from you.

Check out what we’ve been up to on our Instagram page: www.instagram.com/mindandtails

09/07/2022

There are lots of reasons why a dog can be reactive. With the ever growing dog population, most people are likely to experience what is means to have a dog go over their threshold in one way or another.

It can be very stressful for you AND your dog and can be the difference between a nice walk in the park or a nightmare.

It doesn’t take much to make someone’s day a little easier. Please be mindful of others and be prepared to give some space ❌

06/06/2022

30/05/2022

If you have a reactive dog, or if you don’t.. this is a good read! Don’t forget to be kind to yourselves too ❤️

Jen, can you do a post on trigger stacking in the human on dog walks? My fiancé said.

Here we go.

River is our special girl, you'd say she was "reactive" to other dogs and cars. She's big (doberman x GSD), very strong and her reactivity, especially with cars, is very engrained. She would get herself very injured if she was able to break free and Adam carries that risk on his shoulders with every walk. Whilst we walk her quiet places to make it as easy on us as possible in managing her, cars are unfortunately everywhere and we do come across them now and then.

River has rest days. That isn't just to ease her own stress levels, but Adam's too. The responsibility he has in keeping River safe and under threshold is huge. All of us with reactive dogs know that responsibility. We can get just as trigger stacked on walks as the dogs can. He had a nightmare walk with River the other day where he slowly got sandwiched between dogs and cars. The quiet place suddenly became busy and he was literally stuck in the middle. He identified the effects of this trigger stacking of stress is similar in dogs as people.

*His heart rate rose
*His breathing became quicker and more erratic
*He became hot and unpredictable in his movements
*His "thinking brain" to work out how to get out the situation struggled to stay dominant over the emotional brain
*He didn't leave the situation and immediately calm down. Those stress effects lingered for the rest of the walk.

With Adam in stress escalation we know for sure River was too. Dogs feel our stress, smell our stress, and this has a knock on effect to their emotional experience too. With our human world, trigger stacking may not just be what we experience in the moment either. We could be already trigger stacked before we even left the house. We could be carrying an argument with a friend, an unpaid bill, an upcoming hospital appointment and a headache. This could mean just a relatively minor situation to handle with your reactive dog could become a huge deal. Any frustration you feel at being "at the end of your tether" could be transferred to the dog, maybe even through our responses to their difficulties in the moment.

It's normal to get frustrated and that intense emotional experience can lead you to temporarily forget how to constructively handle the situation. Maybe you automatically hold the lead tighter and more forceful than you usually would. Maybe your voice is lower and more authoritarian than supportive. Maybe you forget the cue word for emergencies and resort back to old behaviours to manage these situations. These are all possibilities given our human experience.

It's ok to check yourself before going out with your "reactive" dog. Have you got the emotional space to deal with what might lay ahead of you? If not, perhaps organise a rest day indoors or in the garden. Calming but enriching activities for your dog, and perhaps some constructive self care for you too 🐾💜

25/05/2022

👏🏻 ❤️ Knowledge is power. Do right by your animals and choose kindness!

I heard that someone in town was saying something nice about my dog behavior coaching skills and someone else retorted that I have a crazy dog so how good can I be?

At first I felt defensive, you know how we can get. Then I thought that this can be a great teaching moment. So here you go.

My dog Fitzy, he is anxious and uncomfortable away from home. His leash states that he needs space.
He is a very smart 7 year old. He learns all things quickly and is a great communicator to those whom he is comfortable with.

I tell clients who need help with their reactive dog that I too have a guy who is reactive. They appreciate that I understand what life can be like when you were hoping for a hiking buddy but instead ended up with an alert system.

Here’s the deal though. I love him for who he is. I would never try to change him to fit into the plans that I had.

As I do with my clients 4 legged loved ones, I help him to feel more comfortable in his world and when he doesn’t and chooses to opt out, I have his back. I always always think about him and what he is saying, feeling, conveying through his actions. We are not all social butterfly’s after all and that is ok!

When I see dogs wearing shock and prong collars it breaks my heart for them. I lose sleep over it. For the life of me I can’t figure out HOW it can be ok in anyones mind to inflict pain, fear and intimidation onto any creature, especially one in your care, someone who you committed to love.

Listen. Learn. Hear what your dog is saying. Don’t blindly follow anyone who tells you to do something that you know in your soul just doesn’t feel right.

I could put a shock collar on Fitzy and walk him through the center. I could ignore his feelings and do it because I can. What choice would he have? Listen to me, even if your heart is beating and it terrifies you to do it, you must or I will hurt you. Your choices are anxiety and fear or fear and pain which increases anxiety and shows him how correct he was to be afraid of this world.

Be your dogs advocate.
Care enough to say no to pain and intimidation. Love them for who they are. Use kindness always.

Fitzy made me learn and grow and learn some more. All I can. I learn it and I share it with you. I help you to understand your dog’s perception of the situation. Sometimes we help them to see that it can be ok to take that hike or meet a new friend. Sometimes I help you to see that this is simply not who your guy is, and though it’s not the way you pictured it would be, it’s ok because he has you. ♥️

Get a dog because you want to give a beautiful creature a chance to live their best life possible, whatever that may mean for who they are.

29/04/2022

We are taking a short break from walking and pet sitting services on Monday the 2nd May and Wednesday 11th-Thursday the 12th May.

If you have already booked in with us have have received a confirmation, then worry not! You're pet(s) are all booked in!

Watch this space for some exciting news regarding our new and improved Dog Training Service!