Mindful Paws Dog Training

16/08/2024

Meet the angel Polly pocket 👋😍🐾

This little bundle of joy is a beautiful example of how wonderful staffies really are - friendly, sweet and sensitive 💖

Polly has done incredibly well over the past few months with her training thanks to her fab family's hard work and dedication 🥰

Her biggest obstacle has been the outside world, which she has found quite daunting. But her family have given her so much support and patience on walks she's beginning to enjoy them and look to them for guidance when she feels a little unsure 🫶👏

Amazing work Polly ⭐️😁 Looking forward to catching up soon 💜

13/08/2024

Want to make your dog walks count even more next month? 🐶

Challenge yourself to walk 100km this September with your 4 legged friend whilst raising money for Phyllis Tuckwell hospice 🥰

Follow the link below for more details or scan the QR code. Happy walking! 🐾

07/08/2024

I’m excited to announce a new service for previous/current clients: one-to-one training walks!

Training walks are perfect if you need extra help with issues when walking your dog, such as reactivity, lead pulling, recall problems, and outdoor anxiety.

During a training walk (either 30 or 45 minutes), I’ll:

◽ Pick up your dog from your home and take them to a nearby walking spot that’s suitable for their issues.
◽ Work on their issue(s) using positive training techniques, while also giving them a fun walk. The training will be completely bespoke to your dog’s needs, previous training, and the environment.
◽ Drop them back at your home ready for a nap!
◽ Send you photos/videos of the walk, along with a progress update to let you know how they got on.

The full details of training walks can be found on my website: https://mindfulpaws.co.uk/training-walks/

At the moment, I’m only offering training walks to dogs who have had at least an initial assessment (in person) with me. This is to ensure their safety on the walk, as it’s vital that I fully understand their behaviour and triggers.

If you’d like to book a training walk (either a single walk or a block of regular walks), send me an email on [email protected] or text on 07539 044449.

Mindful Paws Training Walks are currently available in the following locations: Ash, Ash Vale, Ash Green, Aldershot, Farnborough, Farnham, Badshot Lea, Normandy, Frimley, Tongham, Seale, Runfold, Mytchett.

05/08/2024

Did you know today is national work like a dog day (a celebration of the English language phrase, 'working like a dog' meaning to work very hard)? 🐶

Ironically it sometimes feels like our dogs ARE the hard work 😅But here at Mindful Paws, a big emphasis is on making training as easy and fun as possible for both you and your dog! 🤩

You don't have to 'work like a dog' to make changes to behaviour- contact Mindful Paws today to find out how simple it can be 🥰🐾 (offering 1-1 sessions across Surrey and surrounding areas)
https://mindfulpaws.co.uk/

30/07/2024

It can be the little things that make a BIG difference when we communicate with our dogs 🐶

There are times when we need to ask our dog to do something for their own benefit or those around them. We have been traditionally taught to raise our voices and put a little more 'authority' into them to make sure a dog listens 🫵

But for most dogs this can actually be very worrisome and they will be less likely to respond to our demands. Instead asking them in a happy, lighter tone will make them feel less threatened and more likely to listen 🐕

24/07/2024

Is walking to heel necessary? Well sometimes it can be great for 10 seconds whilst we are walking past a dog or person on a narrow path, but for the duration of the walk - no 🐕

When I work with families who want to focus on lead walking skills, our main aims are:
- The person is comfortable and safe 🚶
- The dog is comfortable and safe 🐩
- Walks are as calm as possible 🧘‍♀️

None of this involves the dog walking in a heel position. In fact most dogs find matching their pace and constantly looking up at their guardian, really uncomfortable! 🐶

Although heel is something that is still regularly taught in obedience classes and seen as the 'ultimate' competence - it's not natural or needed. So please don't worry if your dog walks behind or in front of you 🥰🐾

16/07/2024

Sometimes it can feel very isolating if you have a reactive dog 🐶

There are 1000s of reactive dogs out there, all with their own individual triggers, many with amazing parents like you trying to help them. It's just that they are not represented on TV or social media and can't be in busy public places either 🏫🐕

Please know that if you do have a reactive or anxious dog, you are not alone and your dog is not broken 🐾💜

02/07/2024

“Everyone is taught that angels have wings - the lucky ones of us find that they have 4 paws.”
― Jury Nel

Nutmeg came to us over a decade ago and changed our lives forever in the best way possible. Without her there would be no Mindful Paws. Her quirks and special character taught me things that books and courses could not.

She passed away peacefully a few days ago after developing a heart condition last year. As I'm sure many of you will sadly understand, life without her seems unfathomable right now. She was my little shadow, my best friend and my inspiration.

Our time with our dogs goes far too quickly. Life gets busy, but please give yourself a moment each day to be with your dog, appreciate them for who they are and tell them how much they are loved 🩷🐕

26/06/2024

Why do we find barking so aversive as humans? 🤔 It's something almost every dog does (some more than others) but if barking is excessive this can be very stressful for the dog and their family.

🐶Barking is often not tolerated by humans because:
- We don't like knowing our dog isn't feeling calm
- It can be embarrassing (fear of others judging us/our dog)
- It can lead to fall outs with neighbours
- Startling and disturbing (especially with sleeping babies or work calls)
- It's associated with being untrained or 'badly behaved'

The way it is most often dealt with is by shouting back or telling them 'no' because we are frustrated. But this doesn't work! 🙈 We need to understand the root cause of the barking and help our dog feel calmer around that particular trigger 💜

10/06/2024

Despite living with dogs for thousands of years, we still need so much more education about their behaviour 🐶. Not only to keep everyone safe but to ensure the happiness of dogs 💜

Over the weekend I witnessed a puppy parent walking their very bouncy puppy on lead down the street. Another dog parent approached them to say hi to the puppy and the puppy bounced all over their dog 🫣🐾 The dog understandably gave a little growl and tried to move away.

At this point the dog parent told their dog off, dragged them closer to the puppy and held them in place telling them 'nicely'. This isn't the first time I have seen this sequence of events and it probably won't be the last 😕

The dog parent was likely embarrassed at their dog growling and responded in a way they thought would help. Although forcing their dog back into reach of the puppy and holding them in place is the worst thing they could do, I don't blame them 🐕

There is so much misinformation out there which focuses on repressing a dog's behaviour and emotions. There is also a lot of judgment from other people if our dog is not 'social', as if it is merely a training issue and not because they are naturally introverted or fearful 😶‍🌫️

Our understanding of dogs has significantly improved over the past few decades, but there is still so much information that needs to be readily available to every pup and dog parent 🐶

Let's help spread the word 'force-free' 🥰

04/06/2024

Meeting your dog's needs does not equal being too soft 🥰

28/05/2024

What is a 'well-trained' dog? 🐶

For many people who have a dog, especially a new puppy, their main goal is they are well trained 🐕‍🦺And why wouldn't we want this to be the case? A 'well-trained' dog is one we can imagine taking anywhere, happy to be left at home and is easy to walk etc 🐩

However, for the majority of families who contact me, their dog's difficult behaviour is rarely ever because they have not been trained. It's because their dog struggles with big emotions or because they have suffered some kind of trauma in the past ❤️‍🩹

Often dogs we see out and about who appear very 'well trained', are either shut down, or have a naturally calm demeanour. This isn't to say that they haven't received any training, but it's unlikely been to the same level that many reactive/easily overwhelmed/fearful dogs need to step out of their own front door🐕💕

Even with all the training in the world, there will be some dogs that just won't ever enjoy sitting in a pub, meeting up with a group of dogs, or walking through cities. That isn't because they aren't 'well trained', they just aren't wired for that kind of life - and that's OK 🥰 They can still make progress and reach milestones that are individual to them 🐾

24/05/2024

Wishing everyone a very relaxing Bank Holiday weekend! 😊 Nutmeg is already showing us how it's done 💜🐶

20/05/2024

Every dog deserves a home and it is estimated that there are still over 100,000 dogs in the UK alone who don't 😞

These two gorgeous dogs in the photos (Dougie left and Stella right) were the biggest inspiration for setting up my own business to help keep dogs out of shelters and support families who were adopting from shelters too 🐶

When I worked in rescue, the most likely reason for a dog to come in was because the family were not equipped with the knowledge and understanding of how to meet their dog's needs 🐾 This often resulted in behaviours they struggled to cope with such as reactivity, aggression or high anxiety ☹️

I am now lucky enough to work with incredible dog parents who have either given a dog a second chance or are dedicated to seek help first rather than rehoming 🫶

A very happy national rescue dog day to everyone and wishing those dogs without a home that an incredible one comes along very soon 💜

13/05/2024

There seems to be a very high rate of ticks around the Surrey area at the moment! 😧 This is not only because of the warmer weather but more cases have been reported in the South than anywhere else in the country.

Please be aware that although they mainly live in long grass and woodlands, there have also been cases in parks and gardens. Long haired dogs are more prone to tick bites because the tick can easily grab onto the fur and stay better hidden 🐶

Check your dog (and yourself regularly) especially if you have been for walks in fields or woodland 🐾

If you do find a tick on your dog, here is advice from the RSPCA about how to handle it:

How to remove a tick
Tick bites can carry diseases, so it's important to remove them straight away. When removing a tick, make sure not you don't squeeze the tick's body or leave the head in. If you squeeze its body or leave the head in, this can push blood back into your pet, which will increase the chance of them getting a disease.

Tick removal tool
To avoid squeezing the body or leaving the head in, you'll need to twist the tick off. This can be done using a tick removal tool, which can be picked up at pet shops or the vets. Your vet will be able to show you the best way to remove a tick by twisting.

If you're unsure how to remove a tick, please speak to your vet first. Don't try to burn them off or use lotion to suffocate them, as this won't prevent your pet from picking up a disease.

02/05/2024

Have you ever found yourself suddenly wondering if your dog is actually worried or anxious, when perhaps you thought they were originally boisterous or feisty? 🤔

A lot of dog behaviour can be confusing for us because it does not necessarily match our expectations. Here is a list of some commonly misinterpreted things dogs do along with the actual reason in brackets: 👇

🐶 Jumping up - Excited to greet (Overwhelmed)
🐶 Barking - attention seeking (Overstimulated)
🐶 Pulling on lead - Excited to walk (Overwhelmed)
🐶 Growling/barking at dogs - Overly confident (Fearful)
🐶 Lunging at traffic - Wanting to play & chase (Scared of vehicles)
🐶 Biting lead - Playing tug (Overwhelmed/overtired)
🐶 Destroying items when alone - Being cheeky (Separation anxiety)
🐶 Toileting inside - Protesting (Very worried or overwhelmed)
🐶 Constant yawning - Tired (Stressed out)
🐶 Squinty eyes and looking away - Guilty (Afraid)
🐶 Licking their lips without food present - Hungry (Stressed out)

If your dog displays any of these behaviours regularly it is likely they are suffering from anxiety. If you are worried, don't struggle alone, always reach out for help 💜

23/04/2024

It's easy to take offence when someone actively avoids letting their dog say hello to yours 🫤 We automatically worry that they think we have an unfriendly dog. But 99% of the time, this is just because their dog does not enjoy meeting other dogs 🐶

Please avoid letting your dog approach another dog on lead. Even if it doesn't escalate into a snap, it's stressful for both the nervous dog and their guardian 😓

It's important we support each other and help all dogs enjoy their walks 💜

26/03/2024

What are boundaries to a dog? How do they know when they have crossed a line? 🧐

These are some questions I get asked a lot. The term 'boundaries' gets banded around frequently both in social media and general conversations when it comes to dog behaviour 🐶

And whilst we need to supervise our dog, guide them into behaviours we want to see more of and prevent those we don't - they will never understand 'boundaries' because:

- A boundary is a limit of what an individual considers acceptable behaviour (dog's don't have language or psychic abilities)

- Even if we tell them off for doing something 'unacceptable' they only stop temporarily because they are scared, not because they understand they have been 'inappropriate'

Dogs are intelligent of course, but they aren't capable of thinking in the complex ways we do. They are the only species we place unreasonable expectations on and project our thoughts as if they were thinking the same thing 🐕

If you are struggling with your dog doing a behaviour you don't want them to do, think of ways to prevent them doing it in the first place so they aren't rehearsing the behaviour 🤔

If it's something that can't be avoided (like reacting to other dogs on walks), it's always OK to ask for professional help 💜

11/03/2024

The dog training industry is shady 😎😶‍🌫️

There are no official regulations which means anyone can label themselves a 'trainer' or 'behaviourist' without having any qualifications or scientific understanding about dog behaviour 😞

This is keeping outdated theories and unethical practices in heavy use across the globe including the UK. How can we help minimise this?

- Be OK questioning the person you are hiring to help with your dog's behaviour. What are their qualifications and what is their stance on positive reinforcement? 🤔

- Don't believe quick fixes exist 🧚‍♂️

- Understand that dog behaviour is complex and can't be learned simply by having raised dogs in the past (this would be like calling ourselves a dentist because we have always had teeth) 🐶

- Know that just because someone has a huge following on social media, this is more likely because they are amazing at marketing than anything else 📈

Dogs deserve so much more than archaic and forceful methods 💜🐕

04/03/2024

When does asking our dog to sit move from useful to unnecessary? 🤔🐶

Sit is a behaviour we tend to teach from the get go. And for good reason! It's a great incompatible behaviour to lots of things we don't want our puppy or dog doing such as jumping up, mouthing or pulling on the lead 🐕‍🦺

But sometimes we can get so bogged down in having our dog sit just because it's what we've always done, we don't think about how unnecessary and sometimes a bit mean it can be. For example:
- Asking them to sit at every kerb especially if they are worried by traffic🚗
- Asking them to sit before you put their lead on especially if the grass is wet and cold ❄️
- Asking them to sit before you give them their food or toys especially if they are old and arthritic 🧓

So whilst sit can be a really handy skill in certain situations, consider why we are asking it of them in the first place and if it's necessary 😃🐾

20/02/2024

Being National Comfy Day today (who knew there was such a thing?!) it seems as good a time as any to reassure anyone experiencing challenging behaviours with their dogs that it is not caused by 'over indulgence' 🐶

There are no downsides to making your dog comfortable whether this is:
• Putting them in an extra layer if cold
• Having a bed in every room
• Being allowed on the sofa/bed
• Being carried if they feel scared
• Arranging your day so they are never alone for long periods

Comfort is a basic need of all animals, give it to your four legged friend without an ounce of guilt. And whilst you're at it, give yourself plenty too! 💕

14/02/2024

Did you know love is the key ingredient to training? 🥰
LOVE 🟰
🩷 Positive reinforcement
🩷 Trust
🩷 Strengthens bonds
🩷 Empathy
🩷 Patience
🩷 Increases motivation
🩷Accepting
🩷 Focuses on the good

22/01/2024

Good and bad news for dogs around the nation 🤔🐾

A recent study found that parents of pandemic puppies struggled with behavioural issues including separation anxiety and reactivity to dogs. Whilst this comes as no surprise, what was shocking is the high use of punishment to try and solve this.

🐶The study, received 1,007 valid responses through an online survey of UK residents who got a dog during the first nine months of the pandemic. Dr Packer said although such behaviours could be frustrating for owners, "they are often a sign a dog is struggling to cope or that they haven't been taught an appropriate response in a situation, rather than dogs intentionally behaving 'badly'"

🐶The most commonly used aversive training methods were moving the dog or shouting at them. Other owners reported using rattle bottles, water pistols and choke chains 🔫⛓

🐶 Only 18% of owners who took part in the survey used no aversive training methods or aids 🫨

On the flipside of this news, the distress punishment causes dogs is finally being spoken about openly in the media. This is one of the first major articles I have seen that condemns the use of aversives such as choke chains - progress 🙌

You can read the full article here https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-67800895

15/01/2024

Changing our dog's behaviour and habits takes time! 💪🕓 🐶
We can all relate to this in January whilst we are trying to stick to our resolutions. It doesn't happen over night. Keep reminding yourself of this. Consistency + Time = Progress 🤘

04/01/2024

A very happy new year to everyone! 🥳🎊

Now is the time many of us are reflecting back on 2023, making resolutions and looking to the year ahead. But what do our dogs want most from 2024? 🐶🤔

On a superficial level - food and play! But beyond that, isn't it what we all want...to be accepted for who we are? 🦄💜

If we accept our dog, quirks and all:
- We will have a stronger and more meaningful relationship with them
- We won't compare them to other dogs
- We won't resent their behaviour
- We won't set them up to fail
- We will feel less stressed
- We will practice empathy and compassion
- We won't focus so much on the negatives
- We won't blame ourselves when we are trying our best
- We can ask for help without feeling ashamed

Make 2024 the best year with your dog 🥰🐩

22/12/2023

A very Merry Christmas to you all! 🥰🎅🎄🐩

And a huge shout out to all the incredible families that have made a difference in their dog's lives this year with their dedication and positive training 🐶🤩

Looking forward to catching up in the New Year 🎉🐾

06/12/2023

What do Scooby Doo, Robodog, Clifford, Snoopy and Pluto have in common? 🤔

THEY'RE NOT REAL DOGS! 😁🐶

Real dogs; resource guard, eat poo, roll in mud, bark at the doorbell, jump at people, love puddles but hate the rain, walk in the road, ingest poisonous substances...and many more things that seem totally illogical to us! 😵‍💫

We'd be forgiven for seeing this behaviour as 'unacceptable' because to humans it is. But for a dog they are just being a dog 🐕 If we want them to behave differently, it's up to us to teach them how 🥰👩‍🏫

16/11/2023

Christmas seems to be sneaking up on us fast!🎄🫣

As things can suddenly get very busy in the next few weeks, now is the time to start planning for our dogs and how we will keep them safe and occupied during Christmas celebrations 🎅

We all know to keep our dogs away from chocolate and mince pies and putting the Christmas Tree out of reach from little puppies! But 2 things I find invaluable this time of year for any dog are:

- Prepping activities, chews and enrichment in advance to keep them entertained and calm around the chaos 🦴

- Training them to be comfortable and calm behind a barrier 🚧 (this keeps young children safe, prevents conflicts between dogs sharing small spaces and gives our dog a place they can be undisturbed) 😄🐶

Any Christmas related questions please feel free to comment! Enjoy the festive build up 🐾💝

07/11/2023

If we use punishment to stop our dog doing a behaviour, can this really be defined as training? 🐶

It all comes down to our interpretation of what training actually means. Of course there are many dog 'trainers' out there that use punishment in their general practice (such as a prong collar to stop pulling), so it would seem that this is just a different method of training...right? 🤔

For arguments sake let's look at the Cambridge Dictionary definition of the word training: "the process of learning the skills you need to do a particular job or activity" 📖

Does our dog learn the skills needed to loose lead walk with a prong collar? No, they just stop pulling because they are in pain 🐾

We can only hope that someday we live in a world where this is recognised by everyone 💜 Thank you to all the amazing families that put in the hard work and choose training over punishment everyday 💪

23/10/2023