Lucy Bingley - Clinical Animal Behaviourist

17/01/2025

Here are the latest graduates of adolescent training classes: Lottie, Lola and Evie. All three of these lovely young ladies made amazing progress and it was a real pleasure to work with them!

The next adolescent class is in March - the first class has already fully booked and there looks to be some demand so I have added a second class on a Satruday morning (11am) starting on 1st March.

These classes are for dogs aged 6-24 months and aim to help you with common "teenage" issues such as frustration, pulling on the lead, lack of focus on walks, and recall. If your dog has previously attended a puppy class you are welcome to book a place using the link below.

If I haven't yet met your dog, please contact me before booking as we will need to arrange an additional one-to-one session to make sure classes will suit your dog, and to introduce you to the training we'll use in the classes.

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/dafe003b/?appointmentTypeIds[]=73225829

17/01/2025

Here are the photos from the last puppy gang of 2024 - pictured are Marley, Luna, Mack, Winnie and Mabel, not forgetting Arthur too! A lovely group and I look forward to seeing some for adolescent classes in a few months!

January puppy classes are in full swing, and I'm currently taking bookings for March-April classes which will be on Tuesday evenings at 6.00pm (starting indoors until the clocks change!) starting from 11th March. This class is for puppies under 5 months old on the start date and you can see more info, or book a place, here:
https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/dafe003b/?appointmentTypeIds[]=71293463

03/01/2025

New puppy class starts tomorrow (11.00-12.00) and due to a cancellation a space has just become available!
If you, or a friend, have a puppy who is under 20 weeks old and has had their primary vaccinations, and you would like to snap up this place or want to know more, please email me: [email protected]

Puppy classes are local to Stowmarket and are £90 for 6 sessions, focusing primarily on social skills and confidence but with lots of training and behaviour advice included. Classes are either outside in my secure field or in a nearby barn (which is the case for tomorrow's session as it's going to be chilly).

23/12/2024

Wishing all my clients, colleagues and referring vets a very happy and relaxing Christmas. Thanks to everyone for the support this year. I'm back to work on 7th January and will pick up messages after the holiday.

13/12/2024

📢NEW PUPPY CLASS
The first puppy classes of 2025 will start on 4th January: Saturday mornings 11.00-12.00 in Onehouse near Stowmarket, £90 for six weeks.

Suitable for vaccinated puppies aged 10-22 weeks (born September to November).

Join us for socialisation, confidence building, basic training and behaviour advice from a qualified and experienced behaviourist.

Book here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=15074902&appointmentType=71293369

08/12/2024

Very sad to hear this news x

21/11/2024

Just a reminder, especially for all 2023-24 puppy class grads, that the adolescent class is intended as a follow on from the puppy classes to help you to build on your relationship with your young dog and help you to navigate the tricky teenage stage! Don't miss out - this is the last adolescent class before March 2025 and there is only one space left 😀

19/11/2024

I've had another really lovely client review for classes (and one-to-one sessions) today - it's fantastic to see dogs benefiting and enjoying the sessions, and to hear how much this can help owners.

There are still spaces in the class for adolescent dogs (aged 6 months to 2 years) which begin THIS SUNDAY morning! This is the last class before March 2025; if you would like to book in please use the link below, or email / message me for more information.

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/dafe003b/?appointmentTypeIds[]=63058706

04/11/2024

I have the most wonderful clients😍

"I would enthusiastically recommend owners to seek Lucy’s advice & guidance..."

04/11/2024

"I can thoroughly recommend Lucy and her adolescent dog training classes..."

[see comments for the rest of this lovely review]

25/10/2024

Here are the latest puppy class grads: Luna, Lilly, Willow, Xena and Archie! Such a lovely group - well done and thanks to you all!

My November puppy class is fully booked, but there will be more in the new year - watch this space or check back at this link: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/dafe003b/?categories[]=Puppy%20Classes

25/10/2024

Huge thanks to the latest group of graduates in adolescent class: Luna, Molly, Pip, Freddie and Odin. They all made super progress with their focus and their training!

The next class for adolescents (aged 6 months - 2 years) begins on 24th November and runs on Sunday mornings 9.30-10.30 for 5 weeks at £75 - there are still a couple of spaces available so if you have been to my puppy classes with your young dog please feel free to book your place! If I haven't yet met your dog, but you are interested in this class, please contact me so that we can arrange a private session ahead of the classes.

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/dafe003b/?appointmentTypeIds[]=63058706

12/10/2024

This very sweet piece about Sophie From Romania highlights just how much time and patience can be needed when working with dogs who have a trauma history.
Rory C-J explains how he has had to alter his expectations of what his rescue dog would bring to family life, and how hard they work to accommodate Sophie's needs.
Sophie is a rescue from Romania, but dogs from any part of the world, including our own doorstep, can have a history of trauma for various reasons, and it's great to raise awareness of these dogs' very special needs, and to start to change the narrative, no longer expecting them to become the typical family dog (whatever that is!) but instead valuing them as they are and celebrating the little wins.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/nXY54m9V24mibCXb/

17/09/2024

Catching up with puppy pics from recent classes, we have:

Odin, Mabel, Sirius, Luna and Gus

Nancy, Winnie, Gus and Gus again! (missing Poppy and little Winnie)

Elsie, Barley, Nala, Pickle and Thelma (missing Cassie at the last session).

All pups (and people!) did brilliantly in these classes - hope to see you all again!

There are still spaces in the next puppy classes which start THIS SUNDAY. For more info or to book a place please visit
https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=15074902&appointmentType=63058589

17/09/2024

Recent graduates of adolescent classes: Boba, Mavis, Nellie and Stanley, and Maya, Marley, Millie and Molly - Well done and thank you to you all!

My next adolescent classes with availability are starting on 10th November. For more information or to book a place please visit https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=15074902&appointmentType=category:Young%20dogs%20class

17/08/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/nuXiefPDpkrK6pyn/

Sharing this excellent post as promised to my puppy class this morning :-)

SMALL DOG, BIG SCARY WORLD

People often think of very small dogs as being anxious and reactive and to be honest, quite a few are. It’s easy for people to ‘blame the owners’ or say that they have ‘little dog syndrome’ or even that they are ‘bossy’ 🙄 Really though, we need to be understanding of what life is like for really tiny dogs.

Tiny dogs often don’t have much control over their lives- they can be picked up easily (even if they don’t want to be) and they can be made to do stuff as they are small. People notice if a 40kg dog is worried about going into a busy park or a cafe and plants their feet and refuses to move but with a tiny dog, you can just make them do it even if they don’t want as you can pull them or pick them up ☹️

Tiny dogs often get overwhelmed before they’ve even got through puppyhood and many are fearful by the time they are 4 or 5 months old 😢 Big dogs may run up and knock them over, even in play bigger dogs can be overwhelming if you are 50 x smaller. Lots of hands reach down to touch them and yes, there it is again, strangers may also pick them up (whether they like it or not). Physically they may be delicate (my yorkie’s legs are made from matchsticks 😂) and may be hurt accidentally during normal dog interactions.

Everything is big and potentially dangerous when you weigh a couple of Kg and are about 8 inches tall. The world can be a scary and overwhelming place.

It’s easy to see then why so many littlies end up worried by the world and particularly by other dogs.

Tiny dog’s signals that they need space are also ignored often; people take notice of a GSD showing it’s teeth or growling and give them space but many people would laugh or totally ignore a tiny dog’s identical communication asking for space. How many ‘funny’ videos are out there that show tiny chihuahuas showing all their teeth and people are laughing at them? 😢 It’s not rocket science that they may then escalate to actually biting if their warnings are ignored - and they get called ‘snappy little dogs’ and again, misunderstood 😢

Small dogs can often miss out on having their species-specific needs met: their need for exploratory behaviour, for social contact; their needs for enrichment and physical exercise too and this impacts on them and their ability to cope. They are still proper dogs with the same needs.

I’ve been really lucky with my handreared yorkie, she’s fabulous with people and absolutely loves dogs but it’s been a bit of a mission to make sure things have gone right. It’s taken time to get her comfortable around bigger dogs on walks and I haven’t socialised her in the same way I have my other dogs as she could easily have become fearful (and then reactive).

When she was a puppy I did let her meet loads of dogs but I was been really careful and it was almost all onlead and with dogs I know and who I knew would be nice to her. Even now she’s an adult I continue to make sure she meets nice dogs and we frequent loads of national trust places as she can meet lots of sociable dogs there who are all under control. The last thing I wanted was for her to be really scared by another dog or physically hurt (she has deformed back legs that put her at huge risk of injury). She goes to offlead places too, but generally with one of my big dogs there too (she has big body guards) 😄

I’ve had to make adjustments to life to keep her safe and make sure she has a happy life and that she doesn’t become reactive. It’s been worth it as she has stayed so sociable (but as an adult she loves small dogs best). If I’d just walked her where I walked my big dogs all the time I would think that by now she would have been flattened or overwhelmed and may have become dog reactive. It’s totally understandable why so many tiny dogs are fearful.

My tiny dog also wouldn’t have had enough repeated, safe and positive controlled interactions with friendly dogs right throughout adolescence if I hadn’t carried on with all the cafe/pub/NT visits and that would have been detrimental. It’s not enough to just do this stuff when they are tiny puppies and then stop at 14 weeks old as adolescence is when if can often all start to go wrong. (It’s also a good justification for my many pub and cafe visits with Twig 😂)

We can’t forget the impact of genetics too and that’s a factor in why many small dogs are reactive; some genes for small body size are linked to fearfulness and reactivity and there may also be epigenetic factors too.

We can all be a bit more understanding too with small dogs and their owners. Don’t berate them for picking their dogs up if that’s what makes their dog feel safe- it won’t be what’s caused their anxiety and it might be what they need to feel safe right now. Don’t let your dogs overwhelm them (even in a friendly way). You’d also think it’s common sense to not pick strangers small dogs up without asking but people try to do it all the time 🙄

We have lots of anxious tiny dogs who absolutely thrive in our reactivity classes, we can keep them safe and make sure they aren’t overwhelmed and also help them to feel more confident around other dogs again.

Laura McAuliffe 2024
Photo shows my yorkie meeting two other small dogs in a cafe

15/07/2024

Exactly this! See link and comments for further explanations for barking 📣

https://www.facebook.com/share/MLY7ydEqtR1iLBkr/