Adhara Dog Training

01/10/2025

🍂 𝒪𝓊𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝒪𝒻𝒻𝒾𝒸𝑒 🍂

I’m signing off until 14th October.

It’s been a fantastic spring–summer training season, making the most of the longer days, but this break is definitely needed. Time to switch off, recharge, and spend some quality time with my husband and our dogs, so I’m back on top form for you all (and ready for shooting season too!).

All messages will be replied to when I return.

(And if you want to keep an eye on our Scottish adventure, follow along )

Over and out 🫡

30/09/2025

This weeks The Girls with Gundogs Club Training Tuesday Challenge set by me! Read the caption on how to enter for your chance to win a fabulous L*z Graham The Pet Gundog : The Pet Gundog Club Squinty Bird Dummy from Gamekeepers Goods.

Give it a go (and I hope to see some of my clients taking part too 😜)

25/09/2025

🪶 Cold Game Training 🪶

A brilliant cold game session with Ned today! We worked on retrieves with partridge, hen, and c**k pheasant, and he absolutely smashed it.

In today’s session we started with L*z Graham Retrieving Roll as a transition tool, which really helped Ned practice picking up birds confidently and carrying them the correct way.

I’ve been training Ned since he was 8 months old, with the goal of getting him ready for the shooting field. It’s been about 18 months of hard work - with training guidance from and, more importantly, from his dedicated owner - slowly building up his training step by step. Our focus has always been on keeping him steady while still encouraging that natural drive to retrieve.

Ned is very much a pet gundog - he’ll work during the season but the rest of the year he’s a much-loved family dog, enjoying holidays, home comforts, and sleeping by the fire.

He’s already done a few days out beating to get used to the excitement of live game and the atmosphere of a shoot. But today was his very first time actually retrieving game, and I couldn’t have been prouder to watch it all come together.

The real test will be his first full season, and I can’t wait to hear how he gets on!

If you’d like to give your dog the same opportunity, I’m running cold game training sessions all through the season - just drop me a message to get booked in.

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

22/09/2025

I know this picture looks a little weird - and I promise I haven’t gone mad 😅 but this is a collection of treasures my Cocker Spaniel, Olive, picked up in the garden today: a feather, a twig, a random bit of wood… all proudly delivered to me to hand when I asked.

Gundog breeds like Spaniels love to pick things up and carry them in their mouths - it’s in their DNA. If that instinct doesn’t have an outlet, it can often show up as:

➡️ Stealing socks or other items
➡️ Running off with things
➡️ Refusing to give items back
➡️ Even resource guarding in some cases

That’s why it’s so important to teach your dog to retrieve and release items freely. Not only does it give their natural instincts a healthy outlet, it also means they’re happy to bring things to you instead of playing keep away.

The best part? You can make this training fun, light-hearted, and rewarding for both of you.

So next time your Spaniel proudly shows up with a feather, stick, or even your slipper… remember: that retrieving instinct is gold - all it needs is the right direction.

Need help with your Gundog breed?

Whether you’re hoping to work your dog in the field or simply want a well-mannered, responsive companion, our training approach offers structure, clarity, and results. Using principles from gundog training, we help dogs of all breeds build focus, self-control, and strong handler engagement.

We offer Accredited Pet Gundog Training through one-to-one sessions and small group classes, from puppy foundations to advanced levels. Our training is effective, educational, and motivational—for both you and your dog.

To find out how we can support you and your dog, get in touch with Lucy Nolan—the only Accredited Pet Gundog Instructor in Dorset 💫

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

21/09/2025

🎉🐾 Big News! Bella & I Passed Our Beginner Mantrailing Assessment! 🐾🎉

Today we completed one man trail and one pet trail and I’m absolutely delighted to share that we passed ✅

Bella and I started our mantrailing journey back in January, and we’ve well and truly caught the bug! It’s been amazing to watch her confidence grow as she tackles longer, more complicated trails.

As a dog trainer, I’m always fascinated by what dogs are capable of and their olfactory system never fails to blow my mind. Mantrailing has been such a rewarding way to explore that.

A huge thank you to Jas from What The Woof .woof 💜 Your patience, kindness, and guidance - especially during those wobbly moments when Bella loses confidence - have made all the difference.

I’m so excited to see what we can achieve next! 🚀

20/09/2025

✨ Puppies ✨

It’s been a busy week for puppy home visits!
Say hello to Jasper and Frankie, who I had the pleasure of meeting this week.

🐾 Jasper is an 11-week-old Working Cocker
🐾 Frankie is an 8-week-old Labrador

During our visits, we covered:
💤 Crate training and why puppies need 18–20 hours of sleep
🗓 Establishing a consistent routine
🚽 Toilet training
🦴 Nutrition and feeding guidance
✨ Introducing some foundation training and play

Both sets of owners told me how helpful they found the sessions. Welcoming a puppy into your home is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. With so much (often conflicting) information online, it’s easy to question whether you’re “doing it right.” It was lovely to reassure them that they’re on the right track and give them confidence moving forward.

One important topic we also discuss is puppy guilt. This is a very common experience, as raising a puppy is demanding and many owners put pressure on themselves to get everything perfect. It’s important to remember:
✔️ It’s normal to feel this way.
✔️ It’s also normal to find the puppy stage really tough — or even not to enjoy every moment.

The good news is that, while those early months can be challenging, they are absolutely worth it — and the effort you put in now sets you and your pup up for a lifetime of success together.

I’m really looking forward to seeing Jasper and Frankie again soon for their follow-up sessions and when they join my puppy class.

17/09/2025

✨ Mistakes aren’t failures - they’re feedback ✨

When it comes to training your dog, it’s important to remember that mistakes are part of the process - not only for your dog, but for you as the handler as well.

We will make mistakes along the way, including myself as a professional. The key is not to avoid mistakes entirely, but to recognise them, learn from them, and adapt your approach as you go.

⏳ Take your time. Training is not a race, and every dog learns at a different pace. Patience allows your dog to build confidence and prevents unnecessary stress for both of you.
💡 Mistakes are lessons. Each one provides valuable feedback that can help refine your technique and improve communication with your dog.
❤️ Prioritise the relationship. A strong bond built on trust and consistency is the foundation of all successful training. Without it, progress will always be limited.

Remember: aim for progress, not perfection.

Dog training should never be about getting everything right straight away. Instead, it’s about steady improvement, clear communication, and creating a partnership. When you focus on connection first, the training naturally follows 💫

Struggling with training or unsure where to start? I’d be happy to help - just drop me a message

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




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13/09/2025