Torquay Dog Training

08/10/2025

🐾 Happy National Dog Obesity Awareness Day🐶
Today is a great day to celebrate the love we have for our dogs, which means focusing on their health and happiness! We all know our furry friends bring so much joy, and as their guardians, we're always doing the very best we can for them.

Let's be clear: This day is not about body shaming or dog parent shaming. We understand that seeing our dogs be overweight can cause health and physical problems down the road, and sometimes it can feel tricky to manage their weight, especially when we want to train and reward them often! It's a balance we all work to achieve. Me included!

Here are a few gentle suggestions to help keep your pup in top shape while still enjoying training and cuddle time:

Smart Snacking for Training
Use Their Daily Food as Treats! If your dog absolutely loves their daily kibble or food, use a portion of this for your training and rewarding behaviours throughout the day. This way, you're totally aware of exactly what your dog is consuming, and you won't accidentally overfeed them.

Deduct the "High-Value" Treats. If your dog isn't keen on their daily food, or you choose to use higher-value treats for tough training, that's okay! Just be sure to deduct that amount from their daily allowance of food. Think of it as an exchange, not an addition.

The Hands-On Check
The best way to tell if your dog is at a healthy weight is to get a hands-on feel!

Gently but firmly bring your hands down your dog's body. You are looking for a noticeable incline or "tuck" where the hips are (their waist).

You should be able to just feel the last two or three ribs without having to press hard. If you can see the ribs easily, they might be a little underweight; if you can't feel them at all, they may be carrying a few extra pounds.

A healthy dog is a happy dog that can enjoy more long walks and exciting adventures with you! ❤️

What's your favourite healthy, high-value reward for your pup? Share your tips below! 👇

05/10/2025

Dogs are Amazing🥰
I was so emotionally touched watching this...

Learn more about Kuno: https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/animal-awards-programme/pdsa-dickin-medal/kunoRetired Military Working Dog Kuno has been awarded th...

14/09/2025

Why scattering treats isn't bribery...
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/178qJbQbuZ/

08/09/2025

"Dog's Jus Wanna Have Fun"🐾🌞
I think we should all be a little more dog😁

05/09/2025

I almost went down a very different path with my first dog… and this photo reminds me how lucky we were that I didn’t.”

Someone recently reached out to me feeling really worried about their 17 month old dog’s behaviour. They’d already had another trainer in, but things didn’t seem to be improving, in fact they appeared to be getting worse. When they voiced their concerns, they were told they weren’t doing the training properly and that maybe an electric collar should be used. When they hesitated, they were reassured it was “just a little feeling” and “not hurting the dog, just getting them to listen.”

I want to be really clear – I’m not here to judge trainers, or owners who may have thought about using these tools. I completely understand how easy it is to feel overwhelmed and desperate when your dog is struggling.

I’ve been there myself with my first dog Shadow, 18 years ago. He was my first dog and I assumed that all I had to do is train him, exercise him and feed him how difficult could it be?

In reality, I was living with a whirlwind of reactivity – towards dogs, people, cars, bikes… you name it. He was destructive in the home, stealing from bins! I tried everything I was told might work, seen on tv or read in books (internet wasn't such a big back then) such as spray bottles, shake cans, choke chains, being more “dominant.”

Honestly, I would have dressed my dog in purple if someone had promised it would stop the behaviour. But the truth? Things only got worse.

My lowest moment came when my boy was aggressive to a dog on a walk and I was shouted at quite aggressively, followed by a day of constantly saying "No", "Off" and "Stop" I finally went off on my own to the garden and cried for about 2 hours feeling a complete and utter failure.

Then I met a trainer who explained something that completely changed my perspective: my dog wasn’t being “difficult” – he was scared. And the one person who should have been his safe place (me) was instead adding to that fear. That realisation hit me hard and the guilt..... but it was also a turning point.

With support and understanding, I started to see my dog’s behaviour shift, because he finally felt safe.

The photo I’ve shared here is a quiet, tender moment with Shadow. It’s a reminder of the bond we finally found and that true change starts with connection and helping our dogs feel safe.

What I’m saying is this: it’s so easy to go down the route of quick fixes or band-aid solutions when we’re desperate, which I could have so easily done and so thankful and grateful that I didn't.

But our dogs don’t need to be subdued or controlled – they need us to look deeper, to understand why they’re behaving the way they are, and to help them feel safe in their world.

💚 And if this is you right now – please know you are doing the best you can with the information you have. There is no guilt, no judgement here. What matters most is being open-minded, willing to see things from your dog’s perspective.

You may sometimes feel judged by family, friends, or even strangers and feeling pressure for quick change.
But this is your dog – and you know them better than anyone.

Whenever you’re exploring different training methods, if you get that subtle feeling in your tummy that something doesn’t feel quite right… listen to it. Your instincts, and your dog, are guiding you.

💚 Our dogs don’t need us to be perfect. They just need us to be their safe place.

27/08/2025

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNvt8dSZI0S/?igsh=MXFjcWkxeDlicWxhbw==

26/08/2025

🐾💚 Happy National Dog Day! 💚🐾

Today’s the perfect day to celebrate everything that makes our dogs so wonderfully unique – from their funny little quirks to the big personalities that brighten our lives every day. 🐶✨

👉 I’d love to see your dogs! Share a photo in the comments and tell me what makes them truly special to you – and how you’re celebrating with them today. 🎉

Let’s fill this space with waggy tails and happy faces!

01/08/2025