Harmonious Dogs

24/08/2024

18/08/2024

Star of the week has to go to Spock and his guardians! This dog has come on leaps and bounds, his guardians have done everything we have asked and the last two sessions have really paid off. This boy could not cope with people or dogs. This week we walking in the woods with him off lead and he was also happy to take treats. He had a wonderful calm conversation with little Daisy and even managed to pull himself out of his uncomfortable moods.
His guardians came to us with an open mind and have supported him in every way. They have reported how he is calmer at home, he can manage to walk past people without reacting, His relationship ship with his dog “brother” has improved.
This family have given their all and this little man is much happier and relaxed, this will be life changing for them.
He was a very complex case, each dog is an individual, we can only work at the dogs pace, this is proof of what can be achieved when guardians and Behaviourist work together. 🥰

18/08/2024

Wonderful new puppy started. Stunning Skyla. Looking forward to starting groups 🥰

17/08/2024

Today these three families passed out of puppy pre school they were all amazing and a pleasure to work with Naomi and Anne

17/08/2024

With all body language (whether canine or human), context is everything. Paw lifts can indicate concern, but also be a positive sign and used in anticipation of play or food. If you're holding a treat and your dog is looking at you with a wide open mouth and relaxed body language, whilst doing a paw lift, it is probably anticipation.

The next post will show a paw lift in anticipation.

17/08/2024

So true the best listeners ever.

14/08/2024

If your dog turns their head and averts their eyes to the left or right, yet the rest of the body remains stationary, this is them saying, they need a break or they feel concerned. By averting their eyes with a head turn, they are communicating that they are not a threat. The dog in the photo is also doing a nose lick.

If your dog turns their head while keeping their eyes focused on a trigger, this communicates a higher level of stress or fear - you’ll see the side of their face and the whites of their eyes.

13/08/2024

These can occur in a split second and you may not notice them.

Take note of the context in which they occur, if your dog yawns when they are all snuggled up and sleepy, it is a simple yawn, but if they yawned as another dog approached or when you touch them in a certain place then it is communication, as well as a decompresser. Studies have also shown that dogs can show contagious yawning where they yawn on seeing you yawn.

Similarly if they do a nose lick because you are holding a tasty treat in front of them, then it is not a sign of stress. Dogs will often do nose licks when you go to take a photo, (because they are unsure) and it is the camera that picks this up, or if you lean over the top of your dog, for example.

With blinking, note whether your dog is blinking faster or slower than usual.

10/08/2024

05/08/2024

Congratulations to the three of you for passing puppy pre school 🐕

03/08/2024

Some fun in group building on partnerships and working togther around distractions. 👏
What superstars they all are. 🩷

02/08/2024

01/08/2024

Amazing advice.

24/07/2024

You will see on the internet it suggests 5 mins walks per month of your puppy’s age. So, for a 3-month-old puppy it would suggest walking them for 15 mins twice a day. There is no scientific evidence to support this advice, and this will not allow us the time for socialising and helping to build muscle strength to support a young dog growing bones. The 5-minute rule may be a good guideline as we don’t want to encourage over exercising either.

So, let’s look at this in a different way, it is far better for a puppy to have 45 minutes of sniffing in the park than 45 minutes of chasing a ball. The sniffing will encourage slow movement and engage a puppy’s sniff system working on the olfactory receptors. Ball chasing will create repetitive movement patterns and cause joint development dysfunction.

Now let’s look at breed specific a toy breed puppy may not be able to run or walk more the 15 minutes, but then think about a working breed puppy, 15 minutes may not be enough physically exercise.

Socialising with other puppies can get out of hand too, if play is not supervised this can lead to over stimulation and too much physical exercise, which will impact a puppy’s growth.

So, the conclusion is, think about breed specific and how much is too much for that individual rather than one size fits all. Also think about the mental stimulation that is being put on that individual every time they have a new experience in a new environment.

24/07/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/9nDZ5rXtyaAzUq3U/

Dogs Detect Human Stress Smell, Affecting Their Mood and Choices

Research shows dogs exposed to human stress odors make more pessimistic choices, indicating a negative emotional state.

The study highlights that human stress smells affect dogs' learning and perception of rewards.

This finding can improve the care and training of companion and working dogs.

The deep connection between human emotions and canine responses is more profound than previously understood.

https://neurosciencenews.com/human-stress-dog-emotion-26471/

23/07/2024

If the weather is warm, please bring a cooling jacket for your dog when coming to the field.
Mika is modelling an 'aqua mat dog' size 65cm.😎
www.aquamatdog.com

16/07/2024

Piper had a therapy session today with Alison to help her feel more comfortable & address any issues. 💪🐕💆‍♀️

16/07/2024

www.canine-wellbeing.co.uk
For those who don't know Alison is our Canine Rehab Therapist and can give suppport to dogs who have mobility issues and puppy growth.

At Canine Wellbeing, I believe in the power of touch to promote healing and wellness in dogs. As a skilled and compassionate Massage Therapist, I use a range of holistic therapies to address your dog's physical and emotional needs. Whether your dog is recovering from an injury, managing a chronic co...

15/07/2024

We managed to have some fun today before the rain set in. Well done Gizmo, Maverick & new student Millie. 😀

14/07/2024

Congratulations to Anna and Rupert for successfully completing their Level One yesterday! 👏🐾

14/07/2024

When a dog does a shake off, this can mean different things, in a different context.

If a dog has encountered a stressfully situation and once removed, may do a shake off to release the tension or stress they felt, & the shake may be all the way down to their tail.

If a dog has an ear infection, this can cause repetitive head shaking, but not necessarily a whole body shake.

The obvious shake off is when wet, to remove excess water from their coat.

12/07/2024

Congratulations to Toffee & Jayne for successfully completing Harmonious Dogs Level One. 🎓
Well done 😍

11/07/2024

The lovely Piper came for her social time with Ace this morning. She comes to hang out with Ace as Ace is the only dog she feels safe with.

We did some freework in our quiet area using snuffle mats, licky stations, which they both loved & Piper was so happy to share treats with Ace too. 🩷

09/07/2024

⚠️Do you walk your dog everyday❓️NO

Why not❓️Because they are chilled & happy to hang out with me at home.

Society tell us we need to walk our dogs twice a day everyday, but no one bothers to ask the dog what they would like to do.

My dogs are clearly telling me, I do not want or need a walk today. All they want is a duvet day at home.

Rest days are important to help a dog reset mind and body.

I challenge you to not walk your dog for 3 days, but instead do some scent searches in the garden or home once a day. Give your dog a few days reset. 🐶🐕
Alison😄

06/07/2024

Ellie and Cass today after passing their puppy pre school.