Ceri's Canine Companions

23/08/2024

Does anyone else play hide and seek with their dogs?
I play it with my own dogs and have recently discovered that Vinnie also loves it. 🥰

21/08/2024

🐾 What Rewards Are Best for Dog Training? 🐾

Choosing the right rewards for your dog during training can be a bit tricky—it all depends on your dog and what they find most rewarding. The two main types of rewards are food and toys, but here’s a closer look at how I approach it:

✨ Food Rewards: I primarily use food when training my dogs, and the type of food can vary depending on the environment and the task at hand. My favorite is JR Pate—it comes in different flavors, can be diced into small pieces, and freezes well so I’m always prepared. Plus, all my girls love it! 💕

🍎 Willow’s Favorite: Willow will work for any type of food, especially if it’s new! I’ve trained her with fruit and veggies during a whole puppy class, and she loved it! 🥕🍇

🍖 Betty’s Choice: Betty, on the other hand, needs higher-value treats. She wouldn’t be as motivated by fruit and veggies like Willow!

🎾 Toy Rewards: Pebbles and Betty are all about toy rewards, while Willow isn’t as into play outside the house (we’re working on that!). 🧸

💡 Tip: If you’re unsure what food your dog loves, try a taste test! Place different treats in separate containers and let your dog decide. 🐕‍🦺

If your dog refuses food during walks but usually gobbles it up at home, it might be a sign they’re feeling overwhelmed outside.

Happy training! 🐕✨

13/08/2024

Pebbles and Willow had so much fun SoftPaws Adventure Park the other day, so posing was on the cards with the pretty flower arches covering the benches. Betty was having too much fun hunting balls in the longer patches of grass to even think about posing for a picture.
I love an enclosed walking field as Betty can't go off the lead as much as I would like. Enclosed fields mean that she can have freedom to run whilst I have peace of mind that she can't go far.

10/08/2024

What is an indication?

🐕‍🦺In canine scent detection, an "indication" refers to a specific, behavior that a dog exhibits when it identifies or "alerts" to the presence of a target odor. This behavior is a clear, reliable signal to the handler that the dog has located the scent it has been trained to detect, such as drugs, explosives, or even a particular human scent. In our classes we train dogs to indicate on Kong or Gun oil.

🐕‍🦺There are different types of indication in our classes we work on training passive indications

🐕‍🦺 With a passive indication, the dog exhibits a non-intrusive behavior, such as sitting, lying down, or freezing in place near the source of the scent.

🐕‍🦺 An active Indication the dog performs a more dynamic action, such as scratching, barking, or digging at the location where the scent is strongest. This might be used in situations where more assertive behavior is acceptable or necessary.

🐕‍🦺There are also retrieves not necessarily an indication but the dog will bring back and present the handler with an item that has a particular scent. You will see this during obedience competitions where an item has the handlers scent on it.

🐕‍🦺The choice between passive and active and retrieve indications is usually based on the specific context and safety requirements of the detection work the dog is involved in. The reason we work with passive indications in our classes is that most competitions held require a passive indication with active indications being deducted points.

09/08/2024

Scent Identification in Detection Dogs

Scent ID in dogs taps into their incredible sense of smell. Here are the key points:

🐕Olfactory Abilities
💜Sensitive Noses: Dogs have up to 300 million olfactory receptors, allowing them to detect odors in extremely low concentrations, like a teaspoon of sugar in an Olympic-sized pool.
💜Brain Power: A significant part of a dog’s brain processes smells, enabling them to distinguish even subtle differences in odors.

🐕 Training Detection Dogs
💜Conditioning: Dogs are trained by repeatedly exposing them to a specific scent and rewarding them for correct identification, strengthening the association.
Studies have shown the the more positive repetitions dogs have the stronger the relationship with the scent becomes
💜Discrimination: They learn to differentiate the target scent from others, ensuring accuracy.
💜Generalization: Dogs recognize the target scent in various environments and concentrations.

🐕 Challenges
💜Scent Contamination: Preventing contamination of the target scent is crucial. Also ensuring target scent is not spread around the environment unintentionally through correct handling.
💜Environmental Factors: Temperature, humidity, and wind affect scent detection.The dogs Olfactory system will humidify, and warm odour to the best possible conditions, to be able to make the most of the scent they take in.
💜Handler Influence: Handlers must avoid unintentionally signaling the presence of a scent to prevent false indications. This is why we practice blind searches once the dogs have a good Scent ID in place.

01/08/2024

With the heat this week all my walks and classes have been cancelled. So I have been entering my trio whilst keeping them in the cool.
Willow doing what she loves the most having a swim 🥰
What have you guys been up to with your pooches to keep them cool and occupied during the heat?

31/07/2024

Monday's Loose lead walking session was amazing even if we did have to finish up early due to the heat. We had a young handler in the class who did a fantastic job.

29/07/2024

Choosing a dog walker can be a bit of a minefield. Here’s why Ceri's Canine Companions stands out:

🐩Professional Qualifications
Qualified RVN (Registered Veterinary Nurse)
IMDT Certified Trainer (Institute of Modern Dog Trainers)

19 Years in Veterinary Clinic

🐩Hands-On Experience: Nearly two decades working in a veterinary clinic provides invaluable experience with a wide range of medical and behavioural scenarios.
🐩Ensures your dog receives thorough care, from health monitoring to behavioural training, if requested.
🐩Familiar with the specific needs and behaviours of different breeds.
🐩Ability to handle multiple dogs simultaneously and adapt to various situations.
🐩Personalized and Professional Care
🐩Combines veterinary knowledge and training expertise to provide customized care suited to your dog’s specific health and behavioural needs.
🐩Qualified to administer first aid and manage emergencies, ensuring your dog’s safety at all times.
🐩Passion and Dedication
🐩Commitment to Animal Welfare: A career dedicated to working with animals reflects a deep commitment to their welfare and well-being.
🐩Continuous Learning: Ongoing education and certification indicate a commitment to staying updated with the latest in pet care and training.

🐩Conclusion
Choosing Ceri's Canine Companions means entrusting your dog to a highly qualified, experienced, and dedicated professional. With a background as a Registered Veterinary Nurse and an IMDT Certified Trainer, combined with extensive hands-on experience, Ceri provides top-notch care, ensuring your dog's health, happiness, and safety.

27/07/2024

🐶✨ Did you know that brachycephalic dogs, like pugs and bulldogs, can excel in scent detection work?
Despite their adorable squishy faces, these pups have impressive olfactory abilities! 👃💪
Scent detection isn't just for the traditional breeds; our flat-faced friends are proving they're up for the challenge too. Whether it's locating hidden objects, detecting specific scents, or even participating in search and rescue missions, brachycephalic dogs are showing their sniffing prowess. 🌟🕵️‍♂️

So next time you see a French Bulldog with its nose to the ground, remember, they're not just sniffing for fun—they might be on a serious scent detection mission! 🐾🔍

26/07/2024

Why Scent Work?

🐶Mental Stimulation 🧠
Scent work challenges a dog’s brain, providing essential mental exercise.

🐶Natural Instincts 🌿
Dogs have an incredible sense of smell. Engaging in scent work taps into their natural instincts, offering a rewarding and calming experience.

🐶Boosts Confidence 💪
Successfully finding scents boosts a dog's confidence, helping them feel more secure in their environment.

🐶Energy Outlet ⚡
It provides a positive outlet for pent-up energy, leading to a calmer and more relaxed dog.

🐶Strengthens Bond ❤️
Working together on scent detection strengthens the bond between you and your dog, fostering trust and companionship.

🐶Portable and Accessible 🏡
Scent work can be done anywhere, from your living room to your backyard, making it an easy and accessible activity for any dog owner.

🐶Fun for All Ages 🎉
Whether your dog is young or old, scent work is a low-impact activity that can be enjoyed by dogs of all ages and sizes.
Ready to help your dog find their calm through scent work? Start simple with a few treats hidden around the house and watch as they engage their nose and mind!

🐕🌟

18/07/2024

Blind searches for our Sleuthing Hounds Intermediate class last night. All of the dogs worked fantastically and so did their humans.
We worked on building and route searches putting new skills in place for handlers as well as the dogs.

15/07/2024

Today I got to take Arlo and Nova for their first proper walk with me. The weather may not have been very good but I think we all still enjoyed our walk. Even if we all had webbed feet by the end of it 😂

12/07/2024

I feel like I need to start the Vinnie diaries 🤣. On yesterday's walk we practiced a bit of posing as well as doing lots of sploshing, zoomies and sniffing.
I'm pretty sure we can get him started with his modeling career 🤣
I'm all ready looking forward to next week 😘.

11/07/2024

Last night was the final session in our Sleuthing Hounds Beginners Scent Work class. We had a fun night with some timed searches and a game with blind searches to finish off the evening.
All the dogs absolutely smashed it.
Lottie the beautiful collie had the quickest time of the evening with Milo and Layla following just behind. The biggest star of the night though was Layla the enthusiasm she puts into searching is amazing and the improvement she has made since week one has been phenomenal. I hope you have all enjoyed the course as much as I have and I will see you all at club soon 😁.

10/07/2024

On Monday I met up with Arlo and Nova for the second time, as Arlo had been a little worried about a stranger coming to his house the first time. Well I was greeted with a bear hug and kisses to my glasses so instead of spending time in his house as part of the meet and greet we went for a mini walk just down the road so we could all get used to each other.
Looking forward to our proper walk next week you beautiful pair.

09/07/2024

🚨 Exciting Update! 🚨

I'm thrilled to announce that my new insurance now allows me to work with XL type dogs! 🐕✨

To ensure everything runs smoothly, here’s what I need from you:

A copy of your exemption certificate
Your public liability insurance
It's important to note that I'll be adhering to the exemption rules:

For dog walks: Your dog must be on a short lead and muzzled.
For training sessions: We'll follow the specific guidelines based on the location and type of session.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation! Let’s keep our furry friends happy and safe! 🐾💖

08/07/2024

07/07/2024

Keep your furry family members active and happy with our specialized dog walking services designed for dogs from the same household. Whether it's a pair of pups or a trio of tails, we ensure a fun and safe walking experience for all!

🐶Experienced Walker: Ceri is passionate about dogs and has years of experience handling multiple dogs from the same family.
🐶Personalized Attention: We walk dogs from the same household together to ensure they enjoy their time with their favorite companions.
🐶Affordable Rates: Quality care at prices that won't break the bank, with special discounts for multiple dogs.
🐶Scheduled Walks: Available every Monday and Thursday to fit your routine.

📞 Call us today 0n 07910738992
🌐 Visit our website at https://ceriscaninecompani.wixsite.com/ceriscaninecompanion
📧 Email us at [email protected]

Double the fun, double the love—every Monday and Thursday!

06/07/2024

Our Sleuthing Hounds Beginners class has been working incredibly hard! Here are some snapshots of Team Sleuthing Hounds in action during their week 2 class.

26/06/2024

Dog walking is available on Mondays and Thursdays starting the 1st of July. Bookings being taken for meet and greets now.
Meet and greets are free of charge so that your dog/s can get to know me before we start walking together.
£15 for 1 hour walk for the first dog and then £5 per dog, if more than one to be walked.
I will only be walking dogs from the same household.

22/06/2024

This beautiful trio had a lovely time on their walk even having a dip in the reservoir.

21/06/2024

This week was week 3 of our beginners scent work class. All of the dogs are complete novices to scent work. The last 2 weeks we have spent time introducing the dogs to scent and working on the start of an indication. Up until Wednesday we had only worked with a maximum of 3 pots or pipes but this week we introduced a slightly longer search. All of the dogs worked so well. All of the dogs showed interest in the pots and pipes with odour in. I'm so excited to see these beautiful teams develop over the next 3 weeks 🥰.

09/06/2024

What an amazing day we had today. Lots of beautiful dogs came to visit me to try out their noses in the Sniffari. We also got to see lots of dogs that have already started their scent work journey and had some fun hunting out the gun oil hides.
On top of all this fun myself along with Thereza Rees of Hoopers & Hounds managed to raise £78.20 for West Wales Poundies Dog Rescue

06/06/2024

Areas Covered with my dog walking service.
🐶 Morriston
🐶 Llansamlet
🐶 Birchgrove
🐶 Clydach
🐶 Glais
🐶 Winchwen
🐶 Bonymaen
🐶 Plasmarl
🐶 Brynhyfrd
🐶 Llangyfelach
🐶 Penllergaer
🐶 Skewen
🐶 Neath Abbey
🐶 Llandarcy
🐶 Pontardawe
All walks will be with your dogs only and there will be no mixed groups. All walks will hold your dogs well-being at the forefront, ensuring we cater to their needs.

20/07/2023

Some exciting news. For those who have already completed the Bronze Scent work course I am going to be starting a monthly scent work club. If you would like to know more drop me a message 😁.

24/06/2023

We had a lovely morning for the start of the Bronze Award Scent Work Classes at Bluebell Paddock. I was concerned about it being too warm. Instead we had to deal with very drizzly but warm weather.
The dogs all had success in sniffing out the Kong and even moved on to finding a piece of Kong that is around 1 cm square.
Thank you all for venturing out in the rain and looking forward to seeing you all next week 😁

01/06/2023

This is Betty enjoying a bit of scent work on my car.
The picture shows her indicating on a piece of Kong that is roughly half a centimetre in size. Every dog's indication will be different. During the bronze scent work course we will learn to watch our dogs body language as part of training an indication.
Want to know more about scent work feel free to drop me a message.

29/04/2023

This is amazing news for dogs in England. Welsh dogs have had 13 years shock free already I'm glad England will now be catching up.

Dogs all over England are smiling today. As of Feb 1st 2024 remote electric (shock) collars will be banned in England. Thank you to everyone who campaigned for 10 years to get this done! The dogs thank you!
https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media-centre/2023/april/cruel-electric-shock-collars-banned-in-england/

28/04/2023

Some fun facts about our dogs nose from the founders of UK SNIFFER DOGS.
This is why dogs are amazing at finding the smallest amount of scent 🥰

What's your favourite fact?Web: https://www.uksnifferdogs.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uksnifferdogs/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uksniffer...