Happy Hounds Dog Training

21/08/2024

I am a 1-2-1 dog trainer and I work with dogs and their humans to help them understand their dogs and to train them using kind methods that take their needs into account. My relationships with my clients are based on clear ethics, understanding, compassion and trust. I don’t use harmful techniques. I stand up for dogs.

17/08/2024

PUPPIES 🐶

Puppies bite, they chew stuff, they can keep you awake at night and take time to learn a sleep routine, they p*e and poo and sometimes do it inside. It can take time to house train, some more than others.
They can easily get confused about our expectations, they can get frustrated when learning about life and get shouty and bitey, they get tired and bitey and don't want to sleep.

They go through different development stages as they grow having constant new and different experiences, sometimes they deal with these changes sometimes they don't. They make mistakes, they get overaroused, the arousal makes them behave in certain ways like, barking, grabbing, lunging.
They just act on their impulses and they need us to guide them. We need to be kind, understanding and tolerant.

They're beautiful little beings, learning every day, having new experiences every day. Humans brought them into the world, humans give them a home. We have a responsibility to guide and support them through their development with kindness and compassion.
Puppies are hard work but I love the experience, the good and the bad. They are all individually beautifully unique.

We NEED to meet their NEEDS.

They are never with us long enough, before you know it you'll be walking out of the vets with nothing but a collar, lead, a broken heart and loads of memories ...

Enjoy your puppy, embrace the journey, make beautiful memories, even if they're dicks sometimes 🐾❤️

Jane Ardern BSc (Hons) Dip Cabt
Kennel Club Accredited Instructor in Working Gundogs
The Gundog Club Accredited Instructor and Assessor
Member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers 1058

07/08/2024

It's essential to discuss a serious issue: unethical training practices in various fields, including dog training. Despite significant progress in the UK towards positive reinforcement methods, some so-called experts still use harmful techniques, causing distress to pets and their owners.

All dog trainers are not equal. Finding a genuinely qualified trainer is challenging amidst numerous professional bodies and acronyms. Most people rely on recommendations or online searches rather than verifying qualifications.

Good trainers maintain their ethics and continuously improve their skills. Let's prioritise our pets' well-being by promoting ethical training and raising awareness about proper practices.

26/06/2024

Great article if you’re thinking about another dog and also if you’ve just got a new puppy and you’re unsure of how they should behave around your older, established dog 🐾🐾🐾

Written by Katy Guy

I get asked all the time how I cope with 5 dogs. I hear things like.. “I bet they’re a handful”, or “which one is the boss”?

I often get told that someone is considering buying or getting a second dog to keep their original dog company. I hear this, and I instantly feel nervous.

My advice to anyone considering adding a dog to their family is always this. Only get another dog if YOU want another dog. Obviously we have to consider the original dog but we also have to make sure we are not applying human emotion onto them. “He gets lonely” .. “he gets on so well with dogs at the park” … “ he misses his pals at daycare when he comes home”. I’ve heard them all. My advice is still the same. The primary reason to add another dog should never be because we think we know what our original dog wants. He may well be all of those things above, but he cannot tell us, so we don’t know for sure.

What we do know for sure is how we feel. So if a person really wants another dog then get another dog. If only it was that simple!

Once the decision has been made to add another dog, the work begins. Deciding whether to add a girl to an original boy or vice versa, or whether to get the same s*x. If one or either of them is or will be neutered. All of that has a part to play in the successful addition of a new canine family member and should be researched thoroughly before hand.

You can read the full post here>> https://sarahwhitehead.com/another-dog-by-katy-guy/

14/05/2024

https://www.happy-hounds.me.uk/post/simple-ideas-for-playing-with-your-dog

Why play games with your dog? • Games help build a relationship, they are fun for both human and dog and can also be used to practice your training cues. For example, sits, downs, stays, fetch, take it, drop it etc. This mean that whilst your dog is playing and enjoying himself he is also learning...

15/04/2024

https://www.happy-hounds.me.uk/post/dog-walking-etiquette

We all want to enjoy calm, walks with our dog. We have this picture in our head of walking through beautiful countryside, dog rambling alongside the family and generally having a lovely time with a well-behaved dog. In reality, you arrive at the park with the kids in the car, kids shouting, dog bark...

08/03/2024

Struggling to understand what you need to do to socialise your new puppy? Look no further for my advice on how to get this difficult process right.

What is puppy socialisation?Socialisation starts before you bring your puppy home. It starts with the breeder (at roughly 3 weeks), which is why it is so important if you are to have a well-rounded puppy, that you pick the right breeder (that's for another blog). One that does all they can with both...

22/02/2024

Struggling with house training your new puppy? Don't worry, here are my top tips to make this as stress free as possible!🐾

Training a puppy to toilet outside can seem tiresome, frustrating and never ending. Often our expectations of what a puppy should and shouldn't be able to do are mismatched. This type of training is not a single learning event, just like with children, puppies need to learn gradual control and their...

17/02/2024

🐾Wicket likes to blow the cobwebs away with a windy walk on the beach🐾 💨🌊🐚

14/02/2024

💕Happy Valentines Day from Jo and Wicket💕 Here you see Wicket ‘doing the Snoot or Boop’. This is a fun little trick which has the added bonus of looking super cute. If you’re looking for something fun to train then see the video below and also my troubleshooting information in case thing...

14/02/2024

Happy Valentines day from Jo and Wicket 💘💘💘
post https://wix.to/yoJupNE

💕Happy Valentines Day from Jo and Wicket💕 Here you see Wicket ‘doing the Snoot or Boop’. This is a fun little trick which has the added bonus of looking super cute. If you’re looking for something fun to train then see the video below and also my troubleshooting information in case thing...

08/02/2024

Have you got a new puppy and you're struggling to understand why they are constantly biting? Has your cute sleepy puppy suddenly turned into a ravenous beast, more like an alligator or shark than the lovely puppy you were expecting?

You're not alone!! - click below to read Jo's Blog post on why your puppy is biting and what to do about it!

Has your cute, sleepy puppy turned into a bitey land shark? Is your puppy hanging from your trouser legs or ‘picking’ on one of the kids? Read on for Jo's best advice on how to deal with this. . . Did you know . . . Puppy biting (mouthing) is a completely natural behaviour for a puppy. It is not...

06/02/2024

Jo at Happy Hounds 1-2-1 Dog Training offers tailor made packages to suit your needs, in the comfort of your home (Based in and around Croston, Lancashire - see website for more details). Ideal for those unable to attend classes.

Jo prides herself on using positive reinforcement based force free methods (with both dogs and their humans!) and sees it as her mission to help humans understand their dog so that they build a strong relationship and live a long and happy life together.

If you have a new puppy or rescue dog, or simply need some help with your family dog, then take a look at Jo's website, where you will also find her qualifications and experience, along with packages and pricing. Feel free to contact Jo via her website if you have any questions about her methods or wish to enquire about a training package.

Happy Hounds: Leading the way in family friendly, one-to-one, dog training. one to one dog training, Croston, Leyland, dog training. one to one puppy training

30/11/2023

Gotta love that tongue 👅 snoozy dog on this frosty day 🥶❤️🥶

05/08/2023

Beautiful Fleur 🐾❤️💕❤️🐾

05/08/2023

I'm very excited to announce my BRAND NEW Webinar...

'Socialisation in Adolescence'.

The webinar has come about as a result of being asked so many questions on this topic, and - of course – it’s top of mind at the moment as my puppy, Bliss, becomes a ‘teenager’!

In my hour-long webinar:

✅ Why I believe that adolescence is an even MORE critical phase in forming canine behaviour patterns than puppyhood

✅ The crucial differences between adolescence and puppyhood in terms of brain development

✅ Why ‘socialisation’ as a goal for your adolescent dog might be the opposite of what they actually need right now

✅ How YOUR behaviour affects your dog's confidence, security and social communication

✅ And, how I'm managing my own dog's behaviour and learning during this sensitive phase.

If you are someone who has an adolescent dog, helps those that have, or are simply curious and interested in canine behaviour, then this is for you.

Sign up now! It's Launching 15th August 7pm UK!!

It’s also completely free (for now!) so do sign up to register your place.

https://sarahwhitehead.lpages.co/socialisation-in-adolescence

29/06/2023

Puppies are not clean slates !
You often hear people say 'get a puppy they are a clean slate'

As a behaviourist and breeder I can confidently tell you this is not true. Both nature and nurture has a huge impact.
A puppy will inherit genes from its parents and these genes will impact the puppies genetic potential to behave in a particular way.
Such as :
Using aggression as a strategy to deal with difficult situations
Sociability towards people and dogs
Fearful responses
Strong instinctive behaviour to hunt, chase, grab and hold.
Trainability including the ability to learn self control as humans desire it
When people breed dogs they sometimes select for specific traits and sometimes not. If someone is breeding for a particular look or just money then these traits can become altered becoming stronger or weaker or unbalanced.

Then the puppy is born and the first 8 weeks learning with the breeder will have an huge impact on the development of all these genetic traits.

My six puppies have all come from the same parents and been reared in the same environment. They have very individual personalities. The training and socialisation they receive in their new homes will only influence the genes and first learning, it won't change their personalities.

So if you are looking for a puppy
Firstly learn about breed traits and instincts and make sure you pick a puppy that will suit your lifestyle. For example there no point getting a breed that is 'aloof with strangers' if you have 3 young children and lots of friends visiting.

Secondly meet the parents or (genes), see what they are like. Make sure you are meeting the actual parents, some people buy in puppy farmed litters and then 'hire' an adult of the same breed to pretend the puppies were bred there!!

Thirdly make sure the puppy has had plenty of early neurological stimulation and learning before it leaves the litter. Ask these questions.
1) What have the puppies seen?
2) Who and what have they met?
2) What have they learnt?
3) How have they learned to play?
4) What do they do if they get frustrated?
5) What do they do if they get bored?

A professional trainer can help support and guide you on the process of looking for a puppy. Don't wait till afterwards for help.

Prevention IS better than Cure. This goes for training and socialisation too, get a professional to help and guide you.

Puppies are building neural pathways with every experience, every day, make sure they're building ones you like.

First Learning is the strongest, make sure you get it right first time.


Written by Jane Ardern BSc (Hons) Dip.CABT
WaggaWuffins Canine College
Bury Lancashire

*Permission to share this post. No cutting and pasting please.

28/06/2023

I recommend scent-work as a training exercise to soooo many of my behaviour clients, you wouldn't believe....

Why? Here are my top 8 reasons!

🐶 Scent-work is super-easy to set up - you can start in the comfort of your own front room.

🐶 The dog is the running the show when it comes to scent-work! This is not only hugely confidence-building for them, it also gives the dog a real opportunity to problem-solve and focus.

🐶 Scent-work allows humans to become masters at reading their dog's body language. It improves the bond and communication between the dog and its handler, and it's fun!

🐶 Scent-work and searching can be done anywhere. Maybe you have a dog who struggles to focus in the park? Take scent-work with you and give your dog a job of locating the hide and you'll see their focus grow.

🐶 Scent-work is a great way to satisfy and tire a dog out, as sniffing and problem-solving are naturally tiring.

🐶 Scent-work gives the dogs a perfect outlet to use their best asset, their nose! A dog's sense of smell is 100,000 times better than ours!

🐶 Scent-work is a great activity to do with young puppies, it is also perfect to get client's children involved, as it's a fun non-contact game that they can play together.

🐶 Scentwork is a perfect activity for dogs who may be on restricted exercise, and for dogs that are reactive and need a break from the usual walking routine.

And for a few days only, the online course, Staright-forward Scent-work by specialist Jemma Milne is available at ONLY £55.00

Find out more and sign up for Straight Forward Scent Work here> https://sarahwhitehead.thinkific.com/courses/straight-forward-scent-work

29/04/2023

🎵Tiptoe, through the bluebells🎵. Wicket and Fleur enjoying their woodland walk. I heard them saying how happy they were that electric shock collars are finally being outlawed in England next February. About time too they woofed ❤️

27/02/2023

I ❤️the way Fleur knows how to get what she wants, and why not?

27/01/2023

Useful information to ensure you aren’t putting your dog into a situation he/she doesn’t want to be in. So important to look at each individual dog’s body language.

https://fb.watch/ijjdtGkwO_/

28/12/2022

Such a simple idea to use up any leftovers and also to make your dog very happy 😊 🐾

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=5556792941109352&id=758403700948324

Lots of leftover food from your roast dinner yesterday?

This delicious recipe will help you transform waste into taste- your dogs will love these homemade treats and you can even try one yourself if you fancy! 🤤

08/12/2022

Rocking their Christmas jumpers brrrr!

31/10/2022

Monday, Monday. No time for feeling blue when you’ve got these two. Have a lovely week everyone 🐾🐶🐾

04/09/2022

I spy a meerkat on the beach 🐾🐾💕

31/08/2022

Lovely walk this morning 🐾❤️🐾

21/08/2022

Easy like Sunday morning . . .

23/07/2022

Sleepy Saturday for the dogs this morning. Fleur using her favourite toy as a pillow 💕🐾💕

22/06/2022

Lovely walk this morning with these two 💕

29/04/2022

Join the waitlist for access to my brand NEW mini-series on canine body language and facial expression!

Sign up and receive a mini video tutorial every day for ten days.... they're fast, they're fun and they're free!

As a canine behaviour specialist with 30 years' experience, I believe that learning to observe and interpret canine (and feline!) body language is essential for us in building strong, trusting relationships with our dogs - and to keep them safe and happy in our company.

Once you register, you will receive an email every day for ten days, each with a link to watch the video clip that I have specially prepared for you.

You'll need:

Three minutes! (They are all quick!)
Your sound on! (Note, the beginning of the video is muted to give you a chance to observe the behaviour before hearing some of what I see!)

Then all you need to do is:

✅ Watch the first part of the video with your 'observational' hat on! It's always less than a minute.

✅ Keep watching. You'll see the same clip again, but this time with my commentary, so you can hear me describe what I see.

✅ Compare and contrast! Did you see the same things? What insights did you have when watching through my eyes?

Join me for FREE >> https://sarahwhitehead.lpages.co/waitlist-dog-watch-with-sarah