Blue Dog Canine Services

19/06/2024

Do your dog a favour - leave the ball thrower at home

While playing fetch with your dog is a wonderful way to bond and have fun together, using a ball thrower has many hidden dangers.

19/01/2024

14/01/2024

“If your dog was trained, you could just tell them to sit and be quiet!”

This is not how reactivity works. It’s a fundamental misconception that a well-trained dog is not a reactive dog … or that a reactive dog is not well-trained.

Whether or not a dog is reactive tells you nothing about the amount of skill training they have received. A dog can *both* be able to perform challenging and complex behaviors … and have intense responses towards certain triggers.

Skill training cannot always overwrite a dog’s emotional state. A dog may be able to “sit and be quiet” with food distractions, while you’re throwing a toy or even in the presence of wildlife … but not be able to do this at all in close proximity to a trigger.
This is really important to understand for both owners of reactive and non-reactive dogs:
If you own a reactive dog, your dog is not missing “obedience training”, as reactivity is not a lack of obedience … it’s a surplus of stress.
If you do not own a reactive dog and think that reactive dog owners just don’t know how to train their dogs to behave … that is also not true. The dogs are *not* poorly *trained*. The dogs are *feeling* poorly near triggers.
Reactivity (or lack thereof) and skills (or lack thereof) are not inherently linked.
There are …
💙 Reactive and very well-trained dogs
🩵 Non-reactive and very well-trained dogs
💚 Non-reactive and poorly trained dogs
💛 Reactive and poorly trained dogs

Don’t discount a reactive dog as one who just didn’t get trained … the topic is much more complex than this.

12/01/2024

exactly🤣🤣

11/01/2024

🥳 Amazing news! Thanks to our incredible supporters, over 106,000 people have signed our petition urging the Government to on vet services, including medicines, and pet food during the cost of living crisis.

These measures would make an enormous difference to dog owners around the country, helping make sure that more dogs can stay with their families where they belong 💛

We have now handed in the petition to Government, so will keep you updated when we receive a response!

Image description: A scruffy cream coloured dog is sat outside 11 Downing Street next to a sign that reads '106,361 people say '

25/12/2023

We hope you have a pawsome day 🐶 a very Merry Christmas from Karen, Phil, Pickle and Pablo 💙

Pickle wasn’t in the mood for a Christmas photo and left it to Pablo this year 🤣

11/11/2023

📣 From 17th November, the way we rehome dogs is changing.

We want all dogs to have a loving home, and we know you want that too 🏠💛

We regularly review how we work, and we’re always listening to your feedback, and we know many people are often left disappointed when they haven’t been successful in adopting the dog they want.

With years of rehoming experience behind us, we’re moving to an exciting new process which will mean an equal chance for all dogs to find a family and more dog lovers able to welcome to a Dogs Trust dog into their home 🐶

Find out more 👉 https://bit.ly/47eZlRa

Share this with your friends and family to let them know, too.

Please note, while we change over to our new system, rehoming applications will be paused from 10th-16th November and our rehoming centres will be closed from 14th-17th November, reopening on 18th November.

Image description: an infographic informing people how to apply for a dog with Dogs Trust. It features 3 stages:
1. Create an account on Dogs Trust's website and fill in a form
2. Dogs Trust will start looking for a match and keep application open for 3 months
3. Post-adoption, Dogs Trust will keep in touch for advice and support

03/11/2023

Want to give your furry friend the best nutrition possible? Butternut Box has been a game-changer for our pups and dogs, and we can't recommend it enough.

Their products are simply pawsome, featuring fresh, human-grade ingredients with no nasty additives. Plus, you have the flexibility to customize your dog's menu based on their unique needs, from health to activity level and treat preferences.

To share the love for Butternut Box, we've got a fantastic deal for you. By clicking the link below, you can enjoy a whopping 50% discount on your first two Butternut Boxes! Treat your four-legged companion to the best, and take advantage of this special offer.

www.butternutbox.com/BlueDog50

Don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to provide your dog with top-quality, tailor-made meals. Give them the nutrition they deserve with Butternut Box! 🐾🐶

01/11/2023

Are you longing for the day when your dog can enjoy off-leash freedom, but struggling with their recall? The solution is simpler than you might think – a training line. ...

Are you longing for the day when your dog can enjoy off-leash freedom, but struggling with their recall? The solution is simpler than you might think – a training line.

27/10/2023

27/10/2023

Do you plan on sharing your pumpkin with wildlife after Halloween? Here are a few things to remember this 👇

🎃 Chop the pieces into small chunks
🎃 Remove it before it gets mouldy
🎃 Keep it high up as it's harmful to hedgehogs
🎃 Discard pumpkins with candles, soot or ink residue

** Please share to spread awareness! **

🏆 If you're up for a challenge, we would love to see your animal-themed pumpkins in the comment below ⬇️

26/10/2023

Prong collars are not ethical, kind or nice to put on dogs. There is absolutely nothing that can be taught using a prong collar that can't be taught using ethical dog training. Don't let anyone ever convince you that any dog ever needs a prong collar on. Dogs deserve our kindness and understanding, not people who want to stick metal spikes on their beautiful tender necks and throats.

24/10/2023

🤣🤣🤣

Off The Sofa

24/10/2023

🤣🤣🤣

It’s that time of the year again where our dogs provide us with enrichment.

23/10/2023

This 💙💙💙

Should be social, but not obsessed with people and dogs.
Should be house-trained quickly, but not wake us up in the middle of the night to go outside.
Should be motivated to train with food, but not so much that they snap at our fingers.
Should play fetch with us, but not chase the cat.
Should be fun when we have time, but calm when we don’t.
…
Aren't we expecting a bit too much, too soon?
Dogs are not born knowing how to navigate our world. We have a lot of rules that make no sense to them (such as chasing a ball yes, chasing a cat no). There are a lot of things to learn and it is OUR task to teach them gently.
If you get a puppy, do not expect them to fit into your life seamlessly. There will be a lot of management and training involved in the first 6-12 months. Adapting to all the (pretty random) rules we have for them takes TIME.
I see so many requests from frustrated puppy owners who really did not consider that puppies do not come knowing how to be a “good dog”. They are annoyed by the potty training, worn down by the chewing and biting and irritated by the amount of supervision the puppy requires.
They may even feel like the puppy is antagonistic - always doing what they do NOT want.
Think about it: The puppy didn’t ask for any of it. Didn’t ask to be separated from the littermates, didn’t ask to be placed in this or that family, and didn’t ask to be taught our 100s of rules. Still, they are just happy to be with us and go along with everything.
It is the LEAST we can do to give them the time and patience to fit in!
The next time you are frustrated by your puppy, think about how complex our world and rules must be for them. How different from the first 8 weeks of their lives. And how they still wake up with a smile every day and want to be our friends.
And just be their friend and guide in this complicated human world! 🐾

15/08/2023

Nosework games are pawsome! Give your pup or dog's feelgood a boost, and reduce many unwanted behaviours too, by teaching them to find it...

Searchy dogs are happy dogs! Sniffing and searching makes a dog feel good, so give your puppy or dog as many opportunities to engage in these natural behaviours as you can!

13/08/2023

I love this 💙

Those who know me know I used to be an army dog trainer. I learned two things while I was in the army working with dogs, both are still a daily part of my life.

First: you always sort your dog out before you sort yourself out.

Are they thirsty or hungry? Do they need anything at this point? Every day without fail, I follow this rule that I learned so many years ago. Dogs’ can’t just fill up a water bowl, they can’t stop a griping hunger in their stomach on their own, but we can. So I choose to meet their needs before I work on my own, and I always will.

Second: you always move at the slowest man’s pace.

This lesson taught me everything about living with older, slower dogs. As dogs get older, they run less. Older dogs sniff more. They sniff everything. Senior dogs might be stiff and achy and need to cover less ground, but they cover that ground at a slower pace.

Please consider their needs and go at their pace.

It’s not fair to leave them behind or pull them along.

05/08/2023

This 👇💙

28/07/2023

Twiglet is home, I can’t imagine how his hoomans felt when he was stolen, thank goodness for a happy ending 💙

Twiglet the dachshund is returned after a distressing video of her being snatched is widely shared.

25/05/2023

Wasp or bee stings are common in cats and dogs. 🐝 If a bee stings your pet, the sting will usually be left in the skin. Wasp stings don’t have this tell-tale sign, and they may sting your pet more than once. Common areas for pets to be stung are on the nose and paws 🐾

If the sting is in your pet’s mouth, nose or near their throat, contact your vet immediately as allergic reactions can cause swelling, which may cause problems with breathing. If your pet has an allergic reaction and the area starts to swell, take them to your vet immediately.

Read our Vets' guide on what to do if your pet is stung or bitten this summer: http://pdsa.me/Aq6G

25/05/2023

💙

Love this ...
Credit: Image from Curly Girl Design
You can find this and more over on their FB page Curly Girl Design - defo worth a look!

18/05/2023

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