Calvert Canines - Dog Behaviour Specialist & Dog Walking Service

26/08/2025

Our second special walk today was for Pebbles 🥹

I walked into Pebbles' home two years ago today at a time her people couldn't understand her behaviour around dogs. Did she want friends or not? What was making her react at times?

We feel we have the answers now. We know how to fulfill her social needs in a way that she appreciates. We have done it every week since, starting with buddy dog work, then in our group walks.

Being able to understand our dogs and what situations they can and can't deal with can go such a long way in helping our life run smoothly with them. It's not all about reaching perfection, and the best clients live and breathe the reality that we aren't perfect, so why should our dogs be forced to be? It's actually impossible. Every single dog has their "things" and acceptance of who our dog is leads to a much more fulfilled life than constantly striving for change.

Not everything is a behaviour problem to be changed. Sometimes it's just a foible to keep in mind. Happiness is in making peace with who your dog is.

Pebbles, we love you lots. We are proud of where you've come in these 2 years. It's a pleasure to bring you out to play with some of your favourites every week. We love that you enjoy play now. We love that we've seen you lean into dog interactions and become confident in them as much as you can. We love the joy you have on every single walk. We love that your chosen best friends include 3 of the CC canine household 🥹

Here's to another chunk of time together.

Lots of love,

Jen & Adam 🐾💜

With Pebbles, Bella, Eddie, Molly, Lily, Bilbo, Sherlock, Yoda.

26/08/2025

Two very special walks today 🥹

First up - Wilfs final play date with us 🥹

ALL YOUR FRIENDS are going to really miss you Wilf. I never would have known under that fearful reactive dog was such a fun lover with other dogs. You've made SO many friends of all different shapes and sizes it's unbelievable really. You are one cracking boy ⭐

I'm going to treasure my very own Wilf cushion. Best present ever 🥹🥹

Go be wonderful and never ever change.

Last play date with best friend Kneeca and new friend Rowdy. One last friendship developed just before the finish line.

Wilf, you're phenomenal. Never forget that.

All our love,

Jen & Adam 🐾💜

25/08/2025

A bank holiday Monday spent with a puppy & family?
Don't mind if I do!
If you're a first time dog owner and getting extremely confused with a load of conflicting advice online, you're not alone!
My 1-1 sessions tailored specifically to you will cut out all the noise of what Tom, Jim & Lindy does and suggests you do.
Let me focus on YOU and YOUR PUPPY with YOUR FAMILY'S needs and goals in mind 🐾💜

This little lady has a FANTASTIC family behind her. Such a pleasure to work with 🥰

23/08/2025

Dogs can feel:

🐾 Nausea
🐾 Itchiness
🐾 Joint pain
🐾 Headache
🐾 Toothache/earache etc
🐾 Stomach distress
🐾 Fatigued
🐾 Startled
🐾 Hormonal changes
🐾 Hot/cold
🐾 Hungry
🐾 Feverish
🐾 And more

All these physical sensations are things that affect our behaviour as humans.

They may affect our ability to focus, pay attention, remember things, deal with stressors, learn, process the environment, feel confident, think clearly etc. Essentially it all affects our ability to DO OUR BEST.

We expect our dogs to be what we are not: completely stable and predictable under any and every circumstance. We expect our dogs to give their best selves every single day. If they don't, we consider it to be a lapse in "training". We might jump to conclusions like: "needs more work around distractions", "needs more motivation to work", "training schedule isn't working".

Dogs give their best everyday. But their best is variable. It's part of being an animal, a living being, to be affected by internal factors. They can't get away from that anymore than we can.

This is further complicated by the fact dogs can't directly tell us what is happening for them in the moment. A lot of internal factors are by definition hidden out of sight. We can't see them in another.

Show your dog you're listening by allowing their "performance" daily to be variable without putting unhelpful labels on them like "stubborn" or "unpredictable".

We can ease a lot of strain by simply allowing ourselves to watch and alter what we are doing/expecting to allow for possible internal factors.

Being mindful of how our human experience of the world can provide insight into our dogs' experience is important at times. It isn't anthropomorphic to acknowledge that they're living, breathing, feeling and ageing creatures, just like we are 🐾💜

22/08/2025

THURSDAY & FRIDAY DOG WALKING PICS 🐾💜

We've had quite a strange summer this year in that a lot of our walks have been out of action for the majority/all of it. Between road closures & sheep who seem to be on public footpaths more than ever this year we've been quite limited in where we can walk.

Thankfully for us, it's not about where you go in life, it's who you have around you. The dogs have enjoyed each others company and THAT'S the important thing 😁

Have a great weekend all,

Lots of love,

Team CC 🐾💜

22/08/2025

I am so proud of you Harry.
Everything you are.
Everything your people have fought to achieve.
It takes unbelievable strength to be against aversive use in a world where you only have to say "shepherd" once and you'll be handed a prong.
The closest we ever got to aversive use with Harry was a headcollar. We tried it for one session (after wearing it loosely for walks) and he HATED it. Ten mins into the session it was off.
He's big, he's strong, but what is bigger and stronger is his peoples dedication to not harming him in the name of training. That is a powerful ethic that has got them all far as a team. It has just taken a bit of time.
But with no aversive use we have not altered at all his innocent friendliness. Even with a dog (Lucy) that isn't even the size of his head, he gives nothing but friendly love and respect.
I admire Harry and his people, I really really do. A joy to be around 🐾💜

22/08/2025

This 👇🏻

Understanding Fearful Dogs: The Fluid Nature of Personal Space Dynamics

Traditional approaches to canine fear and anxiety often rely on concepts like thresholds, critical distance, and comfort zones. While these can offer a starting point, they tend to oversimplify the complex reality of how dogs experience space.

Fearful behaviour isn’t governed by a single “safe distance” that can be gradually reduced. Instead, it’s shaped by ever-changing personal space dynamics—a fluid, multidimensional zone that shifts from one interaction to the next. This zone isn’t defined solely by proximity; it’s influenced by movement, intent, and the dog’s emotional state.

Supporting a fearful dog means learning to read these subtle shifts and responding with empathy and precision. It’s not about pushing boundaries—it’s about supporting them, and creating an environment where trust can grow at the dog’s pace.

21/08/2025

I think what grinds my gears more than the use of aversives like shock collars in dog behaviour circles, is the ease with which those NOT trained in dog training/behaviour e.g. your generic dog owner can obtain them.

Shock collars are really NOT bits of equipment to just buy off the shelf and apply to dog after a quick read of instructions.

Did you know that a lot of trainers who use aversives like shock collars/lead jerking etc actually do work first to desensitise/soften the effects of the aversives on the dog? A fact that baffles me because if you acknowledge aversives need some sort of acclimatising/desensitisation for the dog then why use them in the first place?

Trust me when I say the end result of a dog owner using a shock collar with no professional guidance can be really catastrophic. "It didn't work" is something I hear often after these tools have been used but I'm afraid it DID work. The fact your dogs behaviour is presenting WORSE doesn't mean it didn't work. It means it had the effect that aversives can often have - make the dog even MORE emotionally distressed around the trigger, make them react with even more strength to keep the trigger away, make them even more determined to react in a way that keeps themselves feeling safe.

It did work. Because applying a negative to an already negative situation is of course going to make the situation more negative. Depending on the severity of the fear and tendency of the dog to either quietly shut down or simply become more and more aggressive, the end result can be life restricting at best. Life threatening at times.

Euthanasia isn't ever something you want to discuss in dog behaviour assessments but when it's become an option because of worsening aggression AFTER the use of aversives, it is hard to stomach. Thankfully a lot can be done to try and salvage things so euthanasia isn't necessary but smash a plate and it will always have cracks. I don't have a time machine unfortunately. My goodness a lot would become much easier if I did!

No accompanying picture today. This job isn't all puppies and successful training examples. It's bearing the reality of an industry that still thinks very ugly aversive use is a constructive use of our power over dogs and their people.

20/08/2025

WALKING WEDNESDAY GROUPS 🐾💜

Group one: Piper, Peanut, Max, Ziggy, Zane, Bella, Coco, Lucy, Raggy, Dutch

Group two: Butch, Skip, Sherlock, Pebbles

Bonus pictures of Ben on his woodland adventure with Sura 🤩

19/08/2025

MONDAY & TUESDAY DOG WALKING PICS 🐾💜

🐾 Puppy Rowdy had his second socialisation walk with us and this time made good friendships with both Jet & Honey in particular. Such a lovely walk. I only teared up a little with it being Wilfs penultimate 😭
🐾 Oscar also is fairly new to his socialisation walks and this week concentrated on being less over stimulated in play. He was fantastic!!
🐾 Super proud of our River today who was one of 8 dogs. Phenomenal girl. You're doing so well girlie!

Let's see what the rest of the week brings 😁🐾💜