Adhara Dog Training

12/12/2025

⚠️ The New Livestock Law: A Clear Message to Dog Owners 🐑

I’m very pleased to see the amendments to the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Bill moving towards Royal Assent. It’s a much-needed reminder that responsible dog ownership isn’t optional – it’s essential. The updated law recognises that it’s not just chasing or injuring that harms livestock – even the stress caused by an uncontrolled dog can have serious welfare and financial consequences for farmers.

Living in rural Dorset, I see firsthand how important this is. When I walk my own dogs around farmland, they are always on the lead anywhere near livestock. It’s simple, it’s respectful and it keeps everyone safe.

Unfortunately, I see far too many photos and videos on social media of dogs with zero recall chasing sheep, and even worse, the heartbreaking images of sheep and lambs that have been killed. It’s distressing, it’s avoidable and it absolutely needs to change. That’s why I welcome this stronger legislation.

One of the biggest improvements is the removal of the old £1,000 fine cap. Courts will now be able to issue penalties that genuinely reflect the severity of the offence, and police will have greater powers to gather evidence. The days of minimal consequences for irresponsible dog handling are, thankfully, coming to an end.

And let’s be clear: no matter how solid you believe your dog’s recall is, livestock areas are different. Instinct can override training in an instant. The rule is simple – always keep dogs on a lead around livestock. A lead isn’t a sign of poor training; it’s a sign of respect for farmers, livestock and your own dog’s safety.

At the end of the day, it’s on us as owners to prevent harm – and this law makes that expectation crystal clear.

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10/12/2025

✨ Client Update - Maggie ✨

When I receive photos like this from clients, I honestly burst with pride 🥹

This is Maggie, a 2 year old Sprocker Spaniel. Her owner, Aleasha, sent this photo today with the caption “First water and duck retrieve. She was an angel today! 🦆”

Maggie and Aleasha have been training with me since May. I remember their first session well – Aleasha was feeling deflated and unsure of where to go next with Maggie. Despite attending gundog training since Maggie was a pup, they had hit a wall. Their relationship wasn’t at its best, Maggie had lost interest in retrieving, she hunted too far ahead, and her heelwork was inconsistent.

My advice was simple – go back to basics, take the pressure off, and have fun with your dog. And that’s exactly what Aleasha did!

Heelwork improved, Maggie hunted much closer, and she began enjoying retrieving again. Aleasha started turning up to sessions genuinely happy with their progress, and I remember her saying, “I actually love spending time with Maggie now.”

Aleasha has listened, taken everything on board, and worked incredibly hard – and today’s success is proof of that!

Struggling with your gundog? Whether they’re a pet or a working dog, we can help get you back on track

📞 07799 732194
✉️ [email protected]
🌐 AdharaDogTraining.co.uk

05/12/2025

I really enjoy a frosty morning training session with my girls, and it’s even better with my new vest from . The pockets and space for training dummies make my busy days with clients so much easier! Many thanks to for the excellent detailing with our APGI logo!



👉 Have you got a gundog breed and want to bring out their full potential? Get in touch - I’d love to help you and your dog get started!

📞 07799 732194
✉️ [email protected]
🌐 AdharaDogTraining.co.uk

03/12/2025

03/12/2025

Today, this rainbow appeared over the training ground – one of those big, bright, perfect arcs – and it got me thinking.

🌧️➡️🌈 Dog training really is its own little weather system – some days feel bright and effortless, and others feel like you’re slogging through a downpour wondering if either of you remembers a single thing you’ve practiced.

There are the everyday obedience bits – heel work, recall, steadiness – the things that feel rock-solid one day and wobbly the next. And then there’s the gundog side – retrieving, hunting, the stop whistle, steadying to game, keeping focus when working in cover, and so on. Some sessions feel beautifully smooth… and others make you question every choice you’ve ever made.

But just like the weather, the rain has its purpose. Without the wet, muddy, slightly chaotic days – the messy retrieves, the ignored recalls, the ranging too far when hunting, the sit-stays that somehow turn into full-on zoomies – you don’t get those incredible rainbow moments where it all comes together.

That retrieve to hand, the neat hunting pattern, the calm heel, the instant recall – they shine so much brighter because of the struggles that came before.

So if you’re in a rainy patch, keep going. Keep showing up. Keep taking the small steps. They count more than you think. The rainbow always arrives for those who stick it out – and when it stretches over your training journey, it’s worth every soggy, muddy, frustrating minute 🌈🐾

If you need a hand navigating the rainy bits or want help bringing out those rainbow moments, get in touch 👇🏻

📞 07799 732194
✉️ [email protected]
🌐 AdharaDogTraining.co.uk

25/11/2025

A great post 🙌🏼

𝕎𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝔻𝕚𝕕 𝕊𝕥𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝔹𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕒 𝔻𝕚𝕣𝕥𝕪 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝔻𝕠𝕘 𝕋𝕣𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘?

I am honestly sickened with this fantasy world where trainers that push the positive-only and force-free agenda to the extreme, brag about offering your dog “stress free training” while working with dogs who are already mentally overwhelmed. If it wasn't such a serious issue, it would be laughable. It is an emotive based slogan, not a solution. And worse, it keeps dogs stuck in the very problems we’re trying to help them escape.

This propaganda is even being pushed by some vets now. “We provide stress free care and medical assistance for your pet.” Really? Try saying that to a dog getting a thermometer shoved up its backside, a syringe punched into its muscle, or going through medical procedures or surgery that leaves them in pain or serious discomfort for days or even weeks!

There is nothing “stress free” about necessary medical intervention. It is just another emotive slogan designed to tug at pet owners hearts while pretending reality doesn’t exist.

Here’s the truth that nobody in the “all positive, no pressure” bubble wants to say out loud:
‼️Nothing changes without stress.
‼️Nothing heals without stress.
‼️Nothing meaningful is learned without stress.

We know this from science, not opinion. Managed stress has shown to strengthen the immune system, sharpen cognition, and build emotional resilience in both dogs and humans. It is the same biological mechanism that helps athletes get stronger, helps people recover from trauma, helps us work through fears, and helps kids grow into confident adults. Stress (the right kind) is what creates competence and builds self confidence.

Think about it in human terms.
A child doesn’t learn to swim by sitting on the edge of the pool wrapped in towels. A student doesn’t build mastery without struggling through hard lessons. An athlete doesn’t grow by avoiding resistance. Fear doesn't simply disappear without confronting it. Growth demands effort, discomfort, challenge , the exact things these “stress free” trainers insist we must avoid with dogs.

It makes no sense.

Real behavioural change requires a dog to work through pressure, not be sheltered from it. Fear doesn’t disappear because we choose not to confront it. Insecurity doesn’t resolve because we keep everything “comfortable.” Confidence is built by confronting difficulty, navigating stress, and coming out the other side stronger.

✅This is how character forms.
✅This is how resilience develops.
✅This is how dogs, humans, and ALL living creatures learn, that by working through stress they can overcome anything they put their minds to.

So when a socalled professional warns you that “stress will damage your dog and your relationship,” and that's why we offer "stress-free" training, understand that they’re lying to you and pushing a feel good narrative that protects human emotions, not canine wellbeing. That mindset is exactly why so many dogs today are anxious, fragile, and unable to cope with real life. Wrapping them in cotton wool doesn’t keep them safe. It keeps them weak.

Used properly, stress does not break a dog.
✅It builds them.
✅It strengthens them.
✅It frees them to become the best version of themselves.