Jenny Gould Sports Dog Training

24/02/2025

Magic Wand?

Of course! One wave and all of your problems will disappear!

Whether sports training or every day pet training I invariably meet endless owners who come to me and expect me to wave my magic wand.

Now sometimes I can. Sometimes I can provide advice which negates whatever is the owners frustration. It could be as simple as to put a stairgate up to prevent your adolescent from stealing from the kids bedrooms. Management for sure certainly improves a huge amount of behaviours we perceive to be 'problems'.

However will my wand change an adolescent into an adult? Will it be able to change your 2 year old dog from one who pulls like a steam train into one who wanders along meekly by your side? Can my wand change your dog who is anxious around people and/or other dogs into a social butterfly? Can it teach your dog to do sports heelwork to competition standard overnight? No my wand's magic does not extend to these areas.

These type of situations take time and they take patience. They also take realistic expectation from the owner together with a positive and proactive mindset.

I can most certainly provide you with the skills, knowledge and support to be able to work towards all of your goals but YOU have to be prepared to invest time and commitment to get there....and if you do it will be so worth it!

The biggest bonus of all is the relationship you build with your dog whilst investing that time and commitment!

Off to grab my fairy dust before I end up on the streets.

23/02/2025

The Jenny Gould Dog Training Obedience Demo is back at Crufts 2025!!!

It was our last rehearsal today and all I can say is that these guys rock!

This video is just a small part of our display...this is the 'Super Six' doing what they do best......

22/02/2025

Pressure .......

It is a familiar scenario...you have a new puppy and from the second you bring him home you worry about getting it right. Am I moving too slowly? Am I rushing things? Should I be doing more or am I expecting too much? There is a natural inclination to feel that pressure right from the beginning of this new and wondrous journey.

To make things worse you are in touch with other owners from your puppy's litter or you are in a training group where other handlers have a puppy of a similar age.

To top it all off social media cruelly pops videos and posts daily into your news feed....videos and posts which taunt you into believing that you are somehow flailing behind because you see reels showing dogs of "only X months old" doing all sorts of advanced exercises.

Well here is the good news. Pressure is entirely self driven. This is YOUR puppy in your hands and the path your journey winds is entirely up to you. You are driving this wagon. Each puppy is different, each owner is different and each lifestyle is different. There is no perfect puppy!!!

Do not compare yourself or your puppy to others. Get to know each other and build your relationship for those are the foundations on which all journeys are built. Enjoy watching those videos and posts....by all means take ideas from them but do not allow them to pressurise you into guilt at feeling that you should be doing anything differently.

It is your race, run it at your own pace and stop and smell the roses along the way....your puppy will thank you for it!

21/02/2025

The Social Media Show

The dog training industry has evolved. No surprise there. Everything in life evolves over time.

Years ago when I first started teaching you found out about local trainers through word of mouth or possibly through a local noticeboard. You went along to watch the classes and observe how the trainer taught and handled dogs.

How times have changed. Today we are surrounded by slick marketing and super expensive campaigns featuring fashion models and fitness fanatics.

Since when did our industry become all about the face (or the body) or the size of pixels on the videos.......and not about the knowledge?

Those meticulous in their marketing are the industry front runners. Marketing talks! Can those who talk the social media talk actually walk the real life walk? What skills exist underneath the fancy facade?

In my opinion dog training has evolved for the better. We know more and we, mostly, do better.

Times change and social media has become a way of life. We must move with the times.

There are some great dog trainers out there with great marketing but not all that glitters is gold and one does not define the other.

We must look further than the fancy and delve beneath the surface. Do not let the art of dog training become swallowed up in a sea of social media sexiness.

We owe it to our dogs to keep it real.

Is my day full of gym sessions, hairdressing appointments, meetings with my marketing manager?

Nope it is "just" full of dog training ❤

18/02/2025

🐾When working with my litters in their individual sessions I always bear in mind what type of home the puppy is going to. For example if it is a sports home I will interact/play/train in a way that would be beneficial and not conflict in their future lifestyle.

🐕With my own puppies I never undertake early formal sports training. I prefer to get a real "feel" for my puppy before attempting to teach formal exercises. However, there are many foundations skills which are hugely advantageous when it comes to teaching those future exerices.

🐒Here is my own little Tove (Zakanja Funky Monkey)learning to take food without disengaging from my hand. A vital skill required for any form of heelwork training and one I see consistently lacking in any new student.

17/02/2025

Why do the basics take so long??

They actually don't.....at least not compared to undoing poor basics, letting go of the wrong muscle memories and building the right habits.

Learning anything new is a process. During that process we will make errors. Not knowing what is required is the biggest stumbling block.

The more experienced we become, the more we understand the value of basic foundations.

Trust the process, trust your trainer and do not be in a hurry to get into that ring to compete.

Remember the right basics take time to teach but the poor basics take a hell of a lot longer to unpick.

Take your time to ultimately take the fastest route!

16/02/2025

❓Dog Sports are all about fun and 'sexy' behaviours right?

❌Wrong!

Social media encourages eye candy. It lures prospective customers in with flashy content. For sure our training should always be fun and motivating for both dog and handler.

🐶However there is a 'boring' exercise that really needs to be taught also.....a settle! I am not talking about a down stay. I am talking about a bog standard basic settle behaviour.

This behaviour is where the dog can get up and change position, check out their surroundings and wait patiently until their competing 'slot' arrives.

🕣In most sports there will be a waiting period at various times throughout the competition. It will not always be appropriate to be working your dog during this waiting period and it is not always conducive to a good performance to be constantly working the dog during this time interval.

🧰Dogs are individuals. Ensure you have a variety of skill sets in your tool box to be able to utilise depending on your dog and what works for them best.

💙This is a tiny part of a video I filmed for my GSD Club showing how to begin a social settle. Isn't little Mo so cute???

12/02/2025

⛓️Baby Chains

Chaining is a huge, but vital, subject in dog sports!

🐶 Reward based trainers often want to reinforce EVERYTHING! In order to be able compete however our dogs must be taught about chaining in training first.

Top tips

✔️ Plan!
✔️ Keep them simple
✔️ Know your 'release' cue
✔️ Ensure the behaviours included are well taught
✔️ Ensure the behaviours included have a strong reinforcement history
✔️ Keep it lighthearted and FUN!

💚 Here is young Chitta having fun with baby chains!

10/02/2025

👀Looking to improve a sports exercise?

🗃️Then take it out of it's box.....

All too often we attempt to fix an exercise whilst training the exercise itself. The risk here, of course, is that we could 'poison' that exercise whilst fiddling.

Whenever possible find an informal way. A fun game that does not involve clicking or marking.....it is simply set up in a way to help the dog begin to solve the puzzle. No criteria and no pressure.

⚽️This little session with Chitta today was merely her learning to place the ball in my open palms on my lap when thrown in any direction.

💚What better way to help with angled presents and she had a great time doing it!

09/02/2025

Sports heelwork?

Starting point.....statics!

Training for an event such as the Crufts Obedience Championships means going back to basics...including at the beach!

07/02/2025

So much in this equine post that directly relates to sports dogs.

I believe it is so important to let them be dogs. Whether it be a regular week off, a few days off or a few months off at the end of the season... just let them be.

You will be amazed at how much learning happens during their time off.

Give them time to consolidate their learning, time to mature and time to relax.

The results will go on to speak for themselves.

Give your young horse’s time off to be a horse every year 🥰 Rough them off, turn them out in a herd and leave them alone! 😁

Tom has a holiday in the winter every year, this year he had 3 months off as I was busy planning a wedding and had lots of horses in so I decided to give him more time off than usual (he usually has 6-8 weeks).

He always gets turned away whilst he’s at peak fitness and performance, and I have absolutely no problem with “starting again” with him every year, he always comes back stronger!

He’s been back in work now just a couple of weeks with hacking work. Yesterday I took him in the arena for a little trot round as I was short on time to hack him. Before I turned him away we had just started to work on medium trot, and he had done just a couple of strides which was great! Yesterday I asked for medium just to see what would happen, and he produced the most beautiful medium trot across the whole arena!! WHAT! 😍 still in all his winter woolies 😂 and BIG smiles from me on my fluffy pony 😁🩷

Turn your horses out and let them be horses at least once a year people 🥰🥰 it’s so good for them. 🤍

02/02/2025

The Heelwork Conundrum!

Sports heelwork is subjective and some sports are most definitely more subjective than others!

Competition Obedience is probably the most subjective sport and this is why I always recommend my handlers teach heelwork to THEIR preference (dependent upon the dog's conformation of course).

For me, I strive for...

🐾 balance
🐾 expression
🐾 attitude
🐾 drive
..all wrapped up in the most technically accurate bundle!

Pictures can deceive. Videos often show a truer picture. However when multiple pictures showcase the same attributes you know you are on the right track.

Here is Queenie from her winning Class B round last week.

Balance ✅
Expression ✅
Technical accuracy ✅

Thank you so much to Daren Cantrell for these absolutely super piccies.

30/01/2025

❓ Can You Handle Your Sports Dog???

I do not mean in their sports training..... I mean in every day life.

I take a fully holistic approach to life with my sports dogs. My relationship with my dogs in every part of their lives will spill over into their sports training.

First and foremost they are my pets and not simply a tool for boosting my ego with their accolades.

If my dogs do not trust me to handle them anywhere any time then I have work to do.

I start early and maintain this part of our relationship throughout our lives together.

Here is one of my Christmas Krakas, Mr Sprout, first learning about handling and grooming at around 6 weeks old.

❤️❤️❤️ Isn't he just so damn cute???

26/01/2025

🏠 Happy Homecomings!

🐾 Do you have a new puppy joining you soon?
🐾 Are you concerned about getting it right?
🐾 Making plans for that first 24 hours?
🐾 Excited but nervous?

Whether you are an experienced owner or a first timer. Whether this is going to be a pet or a sports dog. If you have a new puppy arriving.....then this live is for you!

❤️❤️❤️ This was filmed live from The Christmas Krakas den...enjoy

22/01/2025

Huge congratulations to Shelly on winning Beginners with her beautiful girl!

Shelly is one of our NZ members and is a member of both the GSD Club and The Sports Edition.

Chuffed for you Shelly! Onwards and upwards ###x

22/01/2025

Do you ever find that you teach your dog something and then the next time you ask them they look at you blankly as if they have never heard that word before? Yet you know they know it right?

The odds are that generalisation...or lack thereof...has come into play. Dogs do not generalise easily. They are mostly very context specific.

If you teach a behaviour stood up at home in the corner of your kitchen that is their understanding of the exercise. If you then take them out to the park and even worse with distractions then do expect to be greeted with that blank stare.

Before you label the dog as naughty or stubborn ensure you have taken that same behaviour through a methodical generalisation process.

The following is a list of variations you can try before you even take this outside of your home environment.

* You standing, sitting, kneeling, facing and side on

* Same room but different areas

* Different rooms

* Garden

* Front garden

* Distractions of family members, other dogs, the family rabbit

Each time you change something temporarily go back to the beginning of the exercise. You should find that your dog progresses more quickly on each change. Then take the dog out in the big world and go through the same process.

Teaching at home is the ideal starting place but be aware it comes with an illusion. Turn the behaviour from illusion to understanding to create a more reliable behaviour you can achieve anywhere any time any place.