Happy Buddies - Dog Training & Walking

01/07/2025

🐾 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗜𝗣 𝗧𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗗𝗔𝗬! 🐾

✨ 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙣'𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙗𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙗𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 – 𝙞𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. ✨

Sometimes, people can focus too often on getting their dogs to listen and forget to take the time to truly understand them. This can lead to unsuccessful training sessions and both handler and dog getting frustrated.

So, before a training session with your dog, take time to ask yourself:

🐾 Is your dog calm and focused? If not, try and work out why.
🐾 Are you working in the right environment for the level of learning they are at?
🐾 Are your expectations at the right level? Are you expecting too much too soon?
🐾 Does your dog understand what you're asking of them; are you giving clear, concise and consistent cues?
🐾 Are your rewards motivating enough or are they too high value?
🐾 Are you rewarding the behaviour you want?

Remember, every 'sit,' 'stay,' or 'come' is a conversation and just like us humans, dogs learn best when they feel safe, heard, and understood.

💬 Post in the comments one cue your dog is rock solid on and one cue you're still working to achieve? Let's celebrate the wins you've achieved and the training you are continuing to work on 💪! 🐶

01/07/2025

I've been featured in the APDT - Association of Pet Dog Trainers Members Spotlight!

I'm very proud to be part of a community that shares a passion for positive, science-based ethical training.

Member Spotlight: Amanda from Happy Buddies Dog Training

Based in Surrey, Amanda supports dogs and their people across Reigate & Banstead, Tadworth, and Mole Valley — helping them build strong, trusting relationships through kind, ethical, and effective training.

She offers:
Group Training Classes
1:1 Private Sessions
Canine Hoopers Courses
Dog Walking
An Online Dog Shop

Amanda’s journey began in 2016 when she left her HR career to follow her passion for dogs — inspired by her own dog, Buddy. She’s never looked back!

At home, Amanda is proudly wrapped around the paws of her two beloved companions — a 12-year-old Lhasa Apso and a 10-year-old Cockapoo.

If you're looking to strengthen the bond with your dog in a positive, supportive way, Amanda and the Happy Buddies team are here to help!

Serving Surrey and surrounding areas

29/06/2025

🚀 £𝟱𝟬 𝗟𝗔𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗛 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧 𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝟭 𝗝𝗨𝗟𝗬! 🚀

🩺🐾 𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗩𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲? 🐾🩺

Or do you know someone who does?

Puppy School have just launched a brand new CPD course designed specifically for veterinary teams, all about supporting puppies and their people during those crucial early vet visits.

🐶 𝙋𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙮 𝙎𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙨: '𝙋𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙮 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨' 𝙍𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 is a practical online course created to help veterinary professionals run calm, confidence-building puppy socials that genuinely support early development, strengthen client relationships and set strong foundations to help prevent veterinary visits from being stressful for all involved.

𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙚’𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙙:
✅ Written by Clinical Animal Behaviourists, RVNs and ABTC Accredited Trainers
✅ 50 Behaviour Handouts (many customisable and you can add your practice logo)
✅ 10 editable templates, forms and checklists for fast, easy administration
✅ 5 Hours CPD
✅ Tutor support from Frankie Lees RVN
✅ CPD certificate and badge
✅ Lifetime access – study anytime, anywhere.

I 💯% recommend this course to any veterinary professional looking to run high-quality puppy socials within their practice. It’s full of practical tools and thoughtful guidance.

For my clients, attending these puppy socials with you would perfectly complement what they learn in my Puppy School classes. It's a great way to start puppies off on the right paw in a way that I can continue when I see them in class. 🐶

🚀 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿:
Save £50 with code LAUNCHOFFER – valid until 1 July 2025!

🖱 𝗘𝗻𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆:
https://puppyschool.thinkific.com/courses/puppy-parties-for-vets?ref=0e9923
(𝘐’𝘮 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘶𝘱 𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬)

29/06/2025

The message is simple:

𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝘁, 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗴𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁!

Be smart, be kind, be a sensible human - the next few days are going to be hot 🥵. 🐶

28/06/2025

🗣 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘃𝘀 𝗖𝘂𝗲𝘀 🤫

For those who have trained with me, you might have noticed that I never use the word 'command', instead I use the word 'cue'.

Why? Because 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙡 and the words we chose when training our dogs can define the mindset we are in and this can have an impact on the effectiveness of our training, the methodology we use and the relationship we build with our dogs.

The term 'command' comes from more authoritarian styles of training, where the dog is expected to obey and comply, often sadly under pressure or the risk of correction/punishment. A command is often delivered in a firm or stern tone, implying that your dog must do it or there may be a consequence.

To use the term 'command' puts you in the mindset of being in charge and having the expectation that your dog’s role is to comply - there is less focus on your dog’s emotional state or choice.

When you 'cue' a behaviour though (such as a word or hand signal) you are indicating to your dog that a certain behaviour - one which you've previously taught and reinforced - will now be rewarded if offered. You are essentially inviting your dog to perform a known behaviour in exchange for a reward and this encourages cooperation, choice and engagement, rather than compliance out of fear or pressure.

Unlike commands, cues are given in a calm, neutral and cheerful tone and encourage a cooperative interaction between you and your dog.

When you cue a behaviour, you're in the mindset of asking your dog to participate voluntarily and to think for themselves. Your dog is seen as a learner and a partner in your training together.

If you shift to the mindset of cuing, you'll experience better relationships, more reliable behaviours and a more enthusiastic learner. Dogs trained with cues tend to be more engaged and responsive because they associate training with positive outcomes, not avoiding negative ones.

Amanda Childs
Happy Buddies - Dog Training & Walking 🐶

27/06/2025

🤓 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗗 𝗙𝗢𝗖𝗨𝗦 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗬 🤓

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝘁𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗿

This week's Breed Focus Friday post is about one of my favourite large breeds; the Rotweiller.

𝙊𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙨
The Rottweiler is one of the oldest working dog breeds with roots dating back to the Roman Empire. The breed gets its name from the town of Rottweil in Germany where they were used by butchers to herd cattle, pull carts and protect property. Their strong work ethic, intelligence, loyalty and protective instincts have made them a popular choice for police and military work as well as search and rescue operations.

𝘼𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚
Rottweilers are large, powerful, muscular dogs with a compact, robust and stocky build. They have a broad head, deep chest and an athletic frame with deep-set eyes and strong jaws. Their coat is short, dense and straight, typically black with distinct tan markings on the face, chest and legs. Males are larger than females with a typical height of between 24 and 27 inches at the shoulder and a weight range of 50 to 60 kgs. Females are slightly smaller between 22 and 25 inches tall and weigh between 35-48 kgs.

𝙏𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩
Rottweilers are known for their loyalty, courage, confidence and protective nature. They are affectionate and form strong bonds with their family members. Although naturally reserved with strangers, Rottweilers are not typically aggressive unless provoked. Early socialisation is crucial to ensure they grow into confident, well-rounded and well-behaved dogs. They are known to be calm and good-natured with those they trust but they do have a natural instinct to protect their territory and their family.

𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚:
Rottweilers are highly intelligent dogs. They are quick learners and excel in a variety of tasks that require problem-solving. Their intelligence, combined with their natural working instincts makes them ideal candidates for training in various roles from service dogs, police dogs and search and rescue. They excel in obedience training and enjoy being mentally challenged. However, their strong-willed nature can sometimes make them act independently, so consistent, positive reinforcement training is important.

𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙨:
Rottweilers have a very strong loyalty to their families, often forming strong bonds with one or more members of the household.

Due to their natural guarding instincts, they are highly observant, alert and watchful, making them naturally inclined to defend their territory. They are quick to notice anything unusual in their environment and will alert their owners to any potential threats.

While they may appear intimidating to some, Rottweilers are often calm, composed, gentle and affectionate with their family, particularly children, when raised in a positive environment.

𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮:
Rottweilers are generally easy to train due to their intelligence and eagerness to please. They respond well to positive reinforcement techniques such as treats, praise and toys. Early training and socialisation are key to preventing undesirable behaviours, such as territorial aggression or overprotectiveness. While they are quick learners, Rottweilers can also be strong-willed, as mentioned, so consistent and structured training from an early age will help them reach their full potential as a well-behaved adult. With the right training they can excel in obedience, agility, hoopers and service dog roles too.

𝙀𝙭𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙈𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙎𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙉𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙨
Rottweilers are an active breed with high exercise needs. They enjoy outdoor activities like running, hiking and playing games. A minimum of 1 to 2 hours of exercise per day is ideal to keep them fit and prevent boredom. Additionally, because they are highly intelligent they will benefit from mental stimulation in the form of puzzle toys, obedience training and tasks that challenge their problem-solving skills. Fun activity's such as tracking or scent work can help keep them mentally sharp! Without adequate physical and mental stimulation, they can become bored and develop undesirable and destructive behaviours.

𝙎𝙪𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙋𝙚𝙩 𝙃𝙤𝙢𝙚
Rottweilers can make excellent pets in the right environment and with the right family scenario. They are particularly well-suited for families or individuals who are active and who are experienced dog owners who are capable of handling strong, confident dogs. Rottweilers thrive in homes where they are provided with plenty of space, consistent training, socialisation and a healthy outlet for their energy. Because they can be protective and wary of strangers, it's important for owners to be proactive in socialising them with other people, pets and new experiences. Rottweilers are generally good with children but supervision is always advised, especially due to their size and strength.

𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨
Rottweilers are generally a healthy breed but like all dogs, they are prone to certain health conditions such as hip and elbow dysplasia, cardiac issues, bloat (Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus) and cancer.

𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙣:
The average lifespan of a Rottweiler is between 8 to 10 years. With proper care, some Rottweilers may live slightly longer but it's important to be aware that the breed can be prone to age-related health issues. Regular exercise, a healthy diet and routine veterinary care can contribute to a longer, healthier life.

So, there you have it - the Rottweiler! A confident, loyal, and intelligent breed with a strong work ethic and a loving, protective and devoted family member. 🐶

Let's see your gorgeous Rottie's! 🐶

27/06/2025

🎓🐾 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀! 🐾🎓

It's time for another huge round of applause for our next set of clever puppies and dogs (plus their amazing humans) who completed their Puppy School course and our very first Dog University course yesterday! 🐶👏

First up, this Puppy School group were so sweet and it was an absolute pleasure watching their skills develop, their confidence grow and their keeness to enter the training venue each week! 😀

And then to our Dog University students - who completed our first-ever Dog University course! I couldn’t be prouder of how each team tackled the exercises and mastered the advanced challenges with focus, fun and enthusiasm! This of course includes Team Frank who sadly couldn't attend the final class.

Thank you all for making the last few Thursday's so enjoyable - watching the bonds between you and your dogs strengthen and develop has been the best part, well that and all the doggy cuddles! 🥰

Keep practicing, keep playing and keep enjoying your journey together. 🐾🎓

26/06/2025

I was asked today whether I match dogs for my group walks by breed and colour 🤪. Can't think why they asked me that can you?

𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦, 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘥𝘰𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 ... 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 ... 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨! 🤣🤣