Happy Henry’s Grooming and Training

29/12/2024

🎶On the 5th day of Christmas, Happy Henry’s! gives to you…..🎶

CONE GAME

You’ll need:

⭐️A plastic cone or similar (large yoghurt pot or plant pot, for example)
⭐️Tasty treats

HELPS BUILD

🐾Optimism/Confidence
🐾Focus
🐾Engagement
🐾Flexibility

Cones are great because it’s unlikely your dog will have any prior association with this object.

Although this game is a great starting point for training a dog to wear a muzzle, it’s much more than that. The Cone Game will help your dog with confidence and flexibility.

DON’T start training this game with a muzzle, though. If the game doesn’t go as planned when you start it with a cone and your dog chooses to disengage, you will have not poisoned the muzzle.

This game is a shaping exercise, which means we break the process down into micro steps and “shape” desired behaviour we’re seeking.

Place the cone behind your back and have your dog in front of you.

The goal is to reward any focus or movement towards the cone. After each presentation of the cone, if the dog shows any interest or movement towards the cone, mark it (“good”, “yes”, “nice”) and then reward away to reset the dog.

Present the cone to your dog, and if:

🐶they look at the cone, mark & reward
🐶they move towards the cone, mark & reward
🐶they touch the cone with their nose, mark& reward
🐶they put their nose in the cone, mark & reward

To spice things up and help your pup become more flexible and focused, switch up which hand presents the cone. This will help prevent them from predicting where the reward is coming from which may take their focus off the target.

TROUBLESHOOTING TIP

If your dog tries to mouth and grab the cone, ignore it (don’t react) and reset them by throwing a piece of food away. If they continue to try and grab the cone, pause the game and when you return to it think about presenting the cone with both hands close to the base opening of the cone, or put the cone underneath your arm.

Happy Henry’s!, where happy dogs are made🛁🐾

28/12/2024

🎶On the 4th day of Christmas, Happy Henry’s! gives to you🎶

NOISE BOX

Helps build:

🐾 Confidence
🐾 Optimism

TOP TIP: remember to go at your dog’s pace and not rush to move along at a faster rate than they can cope with, otherwise they’ll disengage, get frustrated, or just give up.

🐶Grab a box (plastic tub, cardboard box, suitcase) appropriate in size/height for your dog.

🐾 Gather together a load of items you can use
to create the noise box. To start with, think of lightweight things that are easy to move and make little noise. Examples include: Light plastic balls (you can usually get from supermarkets in the toy section), aluminium foil, cardboard, empty yoghurt pots, milk cartons (minus lids).

🐶 Consider what is suitable and safe for the dog in front of you. Don’t leaves lids on cartons or balls that could easily be swallowed and become choking hazards.

🐕 Place one or two of the items into the container with a few pieces of their daily food or tasty treats, and send your dog to “go find” it or “get it”. Make it easy for them to begin with, even help them out by pointing out the food out to them. Make it a team effort. We want them to succeed.

🐾When they’ve found the food, throw a piece of food away from the box for them to search for and reset themself. While they’re away from the box, reach over to your extra items and place one or two more in the container along with a few more pieces of food.

🐶Watch how your dog responds when they return to the box and find the new items. Do they jump in with absolute abandon, not caring a flying hoot about any new items you’ve added, or do they hesitate or back away? This will help you decide at what pace you should go for your dog.

🐕Keep on resetting your dog and gradually adding more items. The more items, the more noise will be created as your dog searches for food.

🐾It’s important with this game to let the dog go at their own pace. We don’t want to rush the process. If they want to walk away or disengage at anytime, that’s fine.

The cool thing about Noise Box is that the dog is in complete control. They are making the noise with their own movements, and they can move away at any point they’re uncomfortable.

Have fun!

Happy Henry’s!, where happy dogs are made 🐾🛁

Pic of Bolli nailing paws up on a wrapped present recently 💕

27/12/2024

🎶On the 3rd day of Christmas, Happy Henry’s! gives to you…….. 🎶

MIDDLE

Helps with:

🐕Proximity
🐩Flexibility
🐕Focus
🐩Disengagement

This game is perfect for providing your dog with a safe place in any situation and gives an alternative recall method. It’s also the gift that keeps on giving because you can find numerous reasons to grow the behaviour and use it.

From puppies to seniors, dogs of all ages and abilities can enjoy this game

🐾 With your dog in front of you lure your dog around your leg and into a ‘Middle’ position between your legs, feed in the ‘middle’ position so they’re facing in the same direction as you.

🐾 Toss a piece of food away. Your dog will more than likely orientate back to you as soon as they pick up the reward. As your dog returns, lure again around and through your legs.

🐾 As an alternative to middle (if you have a large breed dog or you’d like to be seated for the exercise) you can lure around to your side and feed in position at your side.

🐾 Remember to play the game in both directions and both sides.

Santa’s reindeer charging by? No worries, call your dog into safety between your legs.

Happy Henry’s!, where happy dogs are made 🛁🐾

27/12/2024

Alfie hopes you all had an amazing Christmas 🎄.

Best wishes for 2025. We’re excited to see what’s in store for Happy Henry’s!

⭐️Games⭐️Grooming⭐️Growth⭐️

26/12/2024

🎶On the 2nd day of Christmas, Happy Henry’s! gives to you🎶

BOUNDARY GAMES

Helps build: Confidence, Self Control, Calmness

🐶 Place a boundary (bed, towel, blanket, etc) on the floor. Reward with tasty treats or some of the daily food allowance any movement your dog makes towards the boundary.

🐾 If they then place their paws on the boundary, reward them. TOP TIP: reward the bed, rather than taking the food to the dog’s mouth. Build value in the boundary, the place we want them to ultimately enjoy being.

🐕 After rewarding several times to the bed to keep your dog engaged, throw one piece of food off the boundary and let the dog leave to go and get it.

🐾 When your dog orientates back to the bed, reward as soon as they have paws on the bed, mark (with “yes!” or “Good!”) and feed the boundary.

🐩Release off the bed again by throwing a piece of food away. Repeat several times.

🐾Once they understand the concept of the game and are constantly returning to the boundary/bed, start to introduce a release cue. A fraction of a second before throwing the reward off the bed, introduce a cue word of your choosing (such as “break” or “free”).

🐶When your dog returns to the boundary, reward the bed once more.

🐾 Build duration on the boundary.

This game can be developed and can help with the following scenarios:

⭐️ Putting your Xmas shopping away without having your dog trying to help themselves to the turkey and trimmings.

⭐️ As you drop a champagne flute and glass goes everywhere, your dog can be directed to their boundary where they are happy to stay until the coast is clear.

⭐️You’re heading to the pub for your Christmas dinner your dog happily jumps on the blanket you brought and remains while you eat, drink, and be merry.

Take the game out and about to find new boundaries to try.

Have fun!

Happy Henry’s!, where happy dogs are made 🐾🛁

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26/12/2024

Oops! Should have started this on Christmas Day😯

🎶On the 1st day of Christmas, Happy Henry’s! gives to you🎶

TWO PAWS UP

Helps build:

🐾 Confidence
🐾 Optimism
🐾 Focus

🐶Find something your dog can put their front paws on—a book, a yoga block, a foot stool, a saucepan, get creative!

🐾 Using some of their daily food or high quality treats. As your dog approaches the platform you’ve chosen, mark their movement with “yes”’or “good” and throw a piece of food/treat away from the platform.

🐕 More than likely, your dog will orientate back towards the platform. When they get closer or place a paw onto the block, mark again and theow a piece of food away again

🐾 When they place two paws on the chosen platform, mark it and this time give them a couple of treats while they’re in the desired position. If they stay in place, reward a little more and then release off the block by throwing food away again.

🐩Once they’ve got the two paws up down pat and are doing it consistently, try taking the block out and about and see if your dog can still do the same exercise.

Trouble shooting tip — if your dog doesn’t seem to “get it” when you change the environment, don’t panic, it’s totally normal. Go back to the first step and act as if you’re teaching it for the first time.

This little game packs a mighty punch and can be used to help with confidence, recall, reactivity, vet visits, and grooming.

Give your dog the gift of a superpower in the form of a platform. Superpower outfits are optional 😁

Have fun!

Happy Henry’s!, where happy dogs are made 🐾🛁

Pic of Bolli nailing paws up on a wrapped present 💕

25/12/2024

And we’re done!

We’ll be back January 5, 2025, with lots of plans for the future.

Stat safe, have fun, and remember, your dog doesn’t need to be involved in everything. Give them the gift of a long lasting chew and a rest.

Best wishes,
Vic, Henry, Stanley, Alexander and Harper 🐾

25/12/2024

Last clients of the year, Chester and Tilley, wishing you an amazing Christmas and Nee Year.

Happy Henry’s!, where happy dogs are made 🐾🛁

24/12/2024

🎄Best wishes for the holidays from Charlie 🎄

Happy Henry’s!, where happy dogs are made 🛁🐾

⭐️Games⭐️Grooming⭐️Growth⭐️

24/12/2024

Very happy Christmas and New Year from one of our lovely regulars, the gorgeous Maisie 🥰, who’s been coming to see us for a couple of years now.

If you have a dog that struggles with being groomed and handled, or you’re interested in signing up for short monthly or weekly sessions, we’d love to help. Book a FREE meet and greet today to find out more.

Happy Henry’s!, where happy dogs are made 🐾🛁

⭐️Games⭐️Grooming⭐️Growth⭐️

23/12/2024

“I do not want to show my eyes!”

(Not so little) Miss Dolly has had a few struggles over the last few months, and due to one thing or another her last few appointments have been quite stressful for her.

In consultation with her guardian we therefore decided to go back to basics and let her guide her session this weekend. I expected nothing of her and just worked within her limited zone of comfort.

Did we get far in one hour? No, not aesthetically. But by letting her lead and going at her pace, taking into account everything that’s been going on in her every day life, I did start to see signs of the more confident and optimistic Dolly l’d gotten to know previously, which to me means so much more than a perfect groom.

We are now hopefully back on track and I look forward to helping Dolly (with the help of her amazing guardian) grow her confidence further.

Happy Henry’s!, where happy dogs are made 🐾🛁

⭐️Games⭐️Grooling⭐️Growth⭐️

23/12/2024

This young lady made me so proud this weekend 🥰

Mabel has historically struggled with grooming and handling and it’s been necessary to use minimal restraints with her so that she can have the option to make a safe exit when she feel uncomfortable, which has prevented her from making what some would see as poor choices.

During our session with week, Mabel allowed me to lightly hold her face to carry out more detailed scissor work. If she had wanted to move away, I would have let her, but by paying close attention to her body language and understanding the trust she has put in me to not push her more than she can cope with, it seems we’ve shifted to a new level🥳.

I don’t believe any of this would have been possible if her guardians had not also been ensuring Mabel has not been getting overwhelmed with every day activities.

If your dog struggles with being touched or handled, whether it be at the groomers or vets, let us help you.

Book a free meet and greet at Happy Henry’s! today,

Happy Henry’s!, where happy dogs are made🐾🛁

⭐️Games⭐️Grooming⭐️Growth⭐️

23/12/2024

Here comes trouble!

Little Miss Willow was really not sure about having her photo taken this week…..

and her older brother Barney just didn’t think the camera deserved his focus 😝. Nope, it’s none of my business.

Best wishes from both of these beauties for Christmas and the new year.

⭐️Games⭐️Grooming⭐️Growth⭐️

23/12/2024

Brilliant advice here. Adding onto this:

There is absolutely no rush to get your new family member clean and tidy and rush them to the groomers because “it will make them feel better”.

No. It. Won’t.

You might feel better because you genuinely believe that it’s the best thing for them or you want them to not be so whiffy 😷, but pushing them into the hands of a stranger and have them restrain the dog to do things they’ve probably never experienced before (doubly so for street dog rescues), more often than not it will back fire.

I see it a lot. Numerous dogs have come to me because they were taken to the groomers as soon as they were rescued (and “did really well”) but on their second visit to the same groomer, the dogs were like “hell no! I’m not going through this again!” and will do whatever it takes to get the groomer to stop. The groomer then has to call the guardian to come and get their new family member because they cannot be groomed safely.

More than likely, on their first visit, right after they were rescued, they were unsure and overwhelmed, with the process completely overloading their system which caused flooding, helplessness and shutdown.

As ABC Dogs NZ advises: SLOW DOWN. give your new family member a few weeks to acclimate to their new home and you. By all means do your research and find a gentle groomer that you can take them to in a few weeks. Even better, seek out a groomer who has behaviour knowledge and experience so that stress signals from the dog can be noticed and acknowledged, ensuring they will not be pushed too far too soon. Emotionally trauma is real in dogs as well as humans and we need to respect and understand they may be struggling and require a little more support.

If you have questions or need help, don’t hesitate to contact us. Whether you’re located in Staffordshire or elsewhere, we’d love to give you guidance and point you in the right direction. (Also check out Taking the Grrr Out Of Grooming Dogs and The Holistic Dog Groomer to find other approved professionals)

Book a FREE 30-minute virtual meet and greet today to find out more. No dog required 😊🐾

Happy Henry’s!, where happy dogs are made 🐾🛁

⭐️Games⭐️Grooming⭐️Growth⭐️

For everyone that has welcomed a new family member or are helping out your local rescue at this time of year.....
Too much too soon WILL cause issues.
It is a really common occurrence with newly adopted dogs.
Congratulations on your new dog.
I know you want to take them to the beach, the pet store and your café....however can I ask for a few minutes so I can explain just what your dog has gone through.....and why you need to take the next few weeks SLOW.
Your new dog has had it's whole world turned upside down.
They don't know you.
They don't know if they can trust you.
They don't know if they are with you for an hour or forever.
They may have been in various scary places.
Other houses, rescues, the pound and likely ALL of these in the past few days or weeks.
Your dog has stress hormones surging through their brain, they are STRESSED....they need to decompress, they need STABILITY in their environment and from you.
They need time with you and their new environment.
They need to know that the tree outside may rustle against the house and that's OK.
They need to know that those normal creaky noises in your house are OK and that at 3.45 the neighbours bang their door shut.
They need to know when it rains that tapping sound is OK.
They need to know that when the door opens they won't be moved somewhere else again.
They need to trust that YOU are safe even when you have had a bad day, you will still give them food and that they can close their eyes around you.
You know what your good intentions are with your new dog, your dog however has NO idea what is happening.....only that everything has changed and it is scary.
They do NOT need other new environments yet. Take it SLOW.
Dogs that have just been adopted need TIME. There is no need to rush out the next day and take them to all the places you want to go with them.....They need the opposite.
Let them decompress, let them inspect a new area of your house or yard every day or two. Walk them up and down outside your house for a few days (and only there), let them sniff, and sniff some more. Let them p*e freely.....it may be boring for you, but not for your dog. They need to know what is happening around them and they learn that through their nose, eyes and ears.
They NEED this.
They need to learn to TRUST you.
The long walks can wait, the café will still be there in a few weeks and you can visit the pet shop alone until they are ready.
Your bond together is the MOST important thing to concentrate on right now.
You will never regret taking it slow and it can save your dog and yourself from making the very same mistakes that can lead to people rehoming in the first place.
All the very best with your new dog.

22/12/2024

Holiday hours UPDATE

Now back on site at Amerton on Sunday, January 5, 2025.

An amazing gift from my regular clients is being given the opportunity to take a few extra days off over the holiday season.

Thank you to everyone who has offered to delay their scheduled appointments by one week. Can’t thank you enough for giving the boys and I the gift of catching up on sleep and doing nothing for a few more days 💕🥳

Best wishes for then holidays and I look forward to working with you and new clients in 2025. I’m excited to see where the New Year takes us.

Watch this space for updates 😉

Happy Henry’s!, where happy dogs are made 🐾🛁

⭐️Games⭐️Grooming⭐️Growth⭐️

20/12/2024

🎄Happy Christmas from Elsie🎄 🥰

Another one of our monthly visitors, Elsie started out with our 6-stage Puppy Programme and has been coming to us every month for a little tidy up ever since.

If you have a new puppy or a dog that struggles with being groomed and handled, and you’re interested in finding out more, we’d love to help. Book a FREE meet and greet today!

Happy Henry’s!, where happy dogs are made 🐾🛁

⭐️Games⭐️Grooming⭐️Growth⭐️