Train with the Flo

12/09/2024

Happy 4th Birthday to us! ❤️😍🥰🥳🐕🦮🐩🐕‍🦺🐾

30/08/2024

However, there’s more to this . Not in terms of where my ethics lie. That’s very clear. I’m 100% force free and believe that there is no need for methods which cause dogs fear, pain or purposeful discomfort.

However, as a school teacher, I feel that there is a calling for us, the force free advocates, to do more. For us to listen. To empathise. To educate.

Because if we only ever stay routed in the ‘I’m
Force free I won’t speak to anyone that uses aversive methods’ camp, we never help the transformation that could happen within the dog world.

We can apply empathy, kindness and compassion to dogs.
Then why, when it comes to humans can we not do the same?

Don’t get me wrong, the person on the other end needs to be just as open to this, to listen and to understand.

But if we only ever stay in the same 2 camps, we never progress.

And the dogs deserve for us to all progress. To be better. And to do better.

Now before you jump on me, this doesn’t mean I’m going to be best friends with an aversive trainer, or train alongside them or start recommending them.

But what it does mean is that I’m open to helping the dog training world to grow and to progress into something better. Because the dogs of the world deserve something better.

And ultimately, just because there are 4 quadrants doesn’t mean we should use all 4. I (and all teachers), would never dream of using them to teach children in a classroom, yet it seems okay for animals. Despite there being massive similarities between children and dogs (but that’s a conversation for another time).

So for those that are a little intrigued about the force free world, welcome that. Strike up that conversation, share how you train, why and what it can do. Be the teacher. But do it with empathy. Understand where they are, because when you begin at their starting point, you have more chance of them leaning into growth.

And if they’re not open, then move on. Don’t waste your energy getting into an arguement which will just show you in a bad light. Move on, do your thing, but be ready to listen to those that are interested in why we do what we do. Because they’re the ones that can held change the outlook of the dog world.

21/08/2024

The lovely scottyscartoons has featured us in their newsletter!
Thank you for such a lovely write up 🥰

18/08/2024

Spending a Sunday at Poodle Fest. Poodles of all shapes and sizes, what more could a girl want?! 🐩❤️🐩

13/08/2024

So lucky to be apart of the PPN 🥰 Pet Professional Network

19 DAYS UNTIL OUR BIRTHDAY - CELEBRATING OUR MEMBERS AND THEIR SUCCESS STORIES 🎉🎉🎉

Meet Shelina Carpenter, our incredible Member who's dedicated to poodles! Passionate about training and animal welfare from Train with the Flo.

Hi, I’m Shelina, a dog trainer, poodle enthusiast and lucky enough to spend my life with my 8 dogs.

My business is Go with The Flo, named after my first dog Florence. This is split into 2 parts; the first being in person training. This includes group classes, 1 to 1 training sessions, behaviour coaching and agility training and is what Go with The Flo is most known for. Then there is the second part, which focuses on poodles and poodle mixes.

Comprising of online training memberships and programmes, The Poodle Training School is accessed all over the world, with majority of members being in the USA. This is ever growing thanks to the support of PPN.

PPN has helped me learn how to engage my audience and grow my free group. I started at around 200 members and now have 14K and counting! It’s helped me sequence my thoughts and create a membership that works for me. With support on pricing, emails, conversations and set up, PPN has been invaluable to me and my business.

🐾🐾🐾

Thanks to Shelina for taking part in our birthday celebrations!

You can join Shelina in our kind and safe community towards the end of August or at one of our birthday meet ups.

Keep your eyes peeled for opening and meet up announcements.

'Together we are stronger'

12/08/2024

Happy Monday ❤️ it’s a new week so time to set your goals for this week. No matter how small!
Mine is to do some filming with Arthur, I might even do some with Albert.
Tell me yours ⬇️

08/08/2024

Arthur’s back in his favourite position! ❤️

Just 10 days until Poodle Fest and we can’t wait!

04/08/2024

It’s bath day for the boys. Albert is apparently very keen to have his bath as I turned around and there he was on the table waiting for me 😂

Being dirty can make them bark more, especially with hairy or curly dogs.

The Poodle Bark No More programme is open and accepting new members until Friday midnight. But if you join before midnight today, you can save £150 😱

https://mailchi.mp/withtheflo.co.uk/bark-no-more-poodle

31/07/2024

Just finished a live in the stop barking challenge and look at this photo taken by one of the challengers. Ollie was being a good boy and has taken my advice about calmness 😂

29/07/2024

It’s Day 1 of the Stop Barking Challenge for poodles and poodle crosses! 🐩

I’m talking all about barking and the emotions that drive it. When we understand these better, we can choose the appropriate training games needed to help overcome the barking.

Tag your poodle friends!

If you have a poodle or doodle and would like to join the challenge, put ‘challenge’ in the comments below

27/07/2024

Good morning from Arthur

What do you have planned with your dogs this weekend?

24/07/2024

I almost forgot to post… happy 3rd gotcha day to Dolly and Stan
It’s taken me 3 years to realise they are ‘Dan’ 😂

24/07/2024

Received this today. Pleased to say I’m always learning 🧠👩🏽‍🏫

23/07/2024

This little minx is (was) extremely reactive to people and dogs.

Our walks were a nightmare.

Barking.

Lunging.

Slobbering at the mouth.

I dreaded them.

So much so that I stopped taking her on street walks.

We’d been doing (not a lot, I’ll be honest) reactivity training at home.

At home? You say!

Yep, boosting her confidence, building her optimism, growing her disengagement

And…

When we went for a street walk the other day, there was not one single bark or lunge!

She walked past people and dogs and nothing!

I didn’t need to do a thing.

She totally had this!

You see the key to reactivity isn’t about putting them in that situation more and more or giving them
more socialisation. It’s about preparing them for that situation.

Helping them learn how to cope with that.

And it’s fun, because you’re not in a stressful situation!

If you’re wanting to transform your dog’s reactivity, I have limited space, DM the page and let’s get your journey to cool, calm and sophisticated started!

19/07/2024

Seems like ages since we’ve posted on here but Arthur is excited to say we are back! 😍🥳

05/06/2024

This little dog has left a massive whole in our hearts. Muffin sadly passed away Monday night after a very short bout of pancreatitis and heart issues. After a day at the vets, and only 1 bite attempt, we brought her home for the night.

She passed away peacefully in her sleep, on her favourite bed, with me and the pups next to her.

It’s been a strange few days, everything revolved around the Muffinator and now we’re all feeling a little lost without her.

She came on Mary’s🦄gotcha day and left on Lola’s 🦄gotcha day.

RIP my little Muffin 🐶💔