The Original Pet Dog Co.

29/07/2024

Guide Dogs Cymru are looking for more volunteers to help visually impaired people live the life they choose.

We are holding a volunteer taster day to allow you to learn more about what these volunteer roles may entail and how you can get involved at our Cardiff Centre in St Mellons.

Check out more details and RSVP on Eventbrite here:

Do you love dogs? Come and meet our amazing guide dogs at the Cardiff Training School, and find out how you can get involved!

22/07/2023

I'M BACK!!

I have decided to re-open my books for selected appointments only for the time being.

I will be offering:
- Perfect Fit Harness Fittings
- One to one training for existing clients ONLY
- Reactivity packages for new and existing clients

Spaces will be very, very limited so please don't be offended if we are unable to accommodate you. I will be juggling these appointments around a full time job.

You can book via this link: https://originalpetdogco.as.me/

Can't wait to see you guys :)

18/04/2023

Hello everyone,

I am writing to you all with a very bittersweet message.

I have been incredibly fortunate to have been offered a full time role with Guide Dogs Cymru as a Puppy Development Advisor. This has been my dream job for as long as I have been working with dogs and I am extremely excited to get started soon.

Unfortunately, it does mean that I will be unable to continue my business, at least for the moment. I may start to do some bits again once I am settled in, but it will take me some time to get used to my new routine. For those of you who have outstanding sessions with me, they will still be honoured but I may need to ask you to be a little flexible with dates/times. All group classes will finish at the end of this month. It has been really tough to let go of my business as I have worked my butt off to keep it going through a pandemic, but I feel like now is the right time to progress my career. I have some wonderful memories of all the crazy dogs (and some crazy owners 😂) which I will never forget and I have made some great friends along the way.

It also means I will be leaving my role with Canine Partners, working with the Aftercare team. I cannot thank them enough. The team have been incredibly inviting and supportive throughout my short stint with them. The partners have been lovely and I will miss them and the dogs greatly. I have loved seeing working dogs in action and it has given me a whole new perspective on the world, especially in terms of accessibility and inclusivity. It is truly incredible the difference these dogs make to people's lives and I am so excited to be able to contribute to that further in my new role.

Thank you very much to all my clients, past and present, and hopefully I will see you all again at some point in the future 🥰🐶🐾

17/04/2023

DID YOU KNOW?!

Do you love those doggy kisses? Well, Brandy has got you covered! Literally!

Her tongue was the longest recorded dog tongue in the world at 43cm. Woah!

14/04/2023

🇬🇧 LET'S SAVE OUR VULNERABLE NATIVE BREEDS! 🇬🇧

The UK is, historically, very rich in their dog breeding history. Many of the most popular dog breeds in the world started right here on the Great British Isles. There are many native breeds that are very similiar to other popular breeds at the moment, but they often get overlooked for one reason or another. Our aim is to raise awareness of these vulnerable breeds and encourage potential puppy owners to do some research into them and see if they would be a good match for their family.

Adding one of these breeds to your family will help to increase the gene pool and secure the future safety of the breed, allowing them to continue to thrive as an important part of our history, present AND future.

You can find out more information about the Norwich Terrier on the Kennel Club website here: https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/terrier/norwich-terrier/

10/04/2023

DID YOU KNOW?!

Salukis are the world's oldest dog breed!

And they certainly know it! These dogs ooze grandeur and class💁‍♀️

Do you have a saluki? Comment below ⬇️

07/04/2023

🇬🇧 LET'S SAVE OUR VULNERABLE NATIVE BREEDS! 🇬🇧

The UK is, historically, very rich in their dog breeding history. Many of the most popular dog breeds in the world started right here on the Great British Isles. There are many native breeds that are very similiar to other popular breeds at the moment, but they often get overlooked for one reason or another. Our aim is to raise awareness of these vulnerable breeds and encourage potential puppy owners to do some research into them and see if they would be a good match for their family.

Adding one of these breeds to your family will help to increase the gene pool and secure the future safety of the breed, allowing them to continue to thrive as an important part of our history, present AND future.

You can find out more information about the Irish Water Spaniel on the Kennel Club website here: https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/gundog/spaniel-irish-water/

05/04/2023

🌟 FAQs 🌟

We understand it can be difficult to know what to do if your dog comes in to season during classes.

We do ask that you don't attend classes whilst your dog is actively bleeding and also for 48hrs post bleeding.

The reason for this is that your dog is often fertile for up to two days AFTER the bleeding has stopped.

Not only is there a risk of intact males beng in your training group, but it can also be extremely distracting for the other dogs in the room. Our training space is relatively small and the scent can be overwhelming for some dogs.

If you wish to cancel your membership whilst your dog is in season then you are welcome to but please be aware that your spot will become available to the general public so you do risk losing your spot.

03/04/2023

DID YOU KNOW?!

Dog's nose prints are unique to each individual, just like human fingerprints!

You can find the study below:
Coldea, N. (1994) “Nose prints as a method of identification in dogs,” Veterinary Quarterly, 16(sup1), pp. 60–60. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/01652176.1994.9694497.

02/04/2023

So, I finally got around to watching The Dog Academy last night on catch up.

I spend so much of my time trying to convince people to NOT listen to what they hear on TV, so it was lovely to watch something that is giving the correct information to pet dog owners out there. I have been a fan of some of the dog trainers on the show for a long time so it was exciting to see them getting the airtime they deserve.

Dog training is not exciting or sexy, especially when it comes to complex behaviours, like with Bear. However, the show managed to make it interesting and easily accessible, whilst also keeping it informative and scientifically focused.

One of the biggest causes of poor understanding in the dog world is the proliferation of bad advice in the media. If we want to improve the state of dog training in the UK, then we need to push more programmes like this.

So please watch, like, comment, and share The Dog Academy as much as possible so they can continue making fabulous episodes which educate the nation on how to train dogs the right way! 🐾🐶💕

Channel 4

31/03/2023

🇬🇧 LET'S SAVE OUR VULNERABLE NATIVE BREEDS! 🇬🇧

The UK is, historically, very rich in their dog breeding history. Many of the most popular dog breeds in the world started right here on the Great British Isles. There are many native breeds that are very similiar to other popular breeds at the moment, but they often get overlooked for one reason or another. Our aim is to raise awareness of these vulnerable breeds and encourage potential puppy owners to do some research into them and see if they would be a good match for their family.

Adding one of these breeds to your family will help to increase the gene pool and secure the future safety of the breed, allowing them to continue to thrive as an important part of our history, present AND future.

You can find out more information about the Mastiff on the Kennel Club website here: https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/working/mastiff/

29/03/2023

🌟 FAQs 🌟

What will you need in preparation for a traing session?

I personally would recommend having the following ready:
- High value treats. What your dog likes normally probably wont cut it when we are training difficult things so ditch the dried treats and grab yourself a packet of cheese, chicken or ham.
- One or two of their favourite toys
- A standard collar (no slip, check, half check, martingale, etc)
- A harness is preferred but not essential
- A standard lead (Training leads are fine but no chain, slip lead or flexi leads please)
- A long line if you want to practice recall training. These are extra long flat leads which can be used to keep control of your dog whilst still allowing them to move a large distance away from you. We recommend 20-40ft for recall training.
- Treats! I cannot stress this enough. You will need at least double the amount that you think you will. Have a variety of options available in case your dog decides they don't like what you've got on the day.

Seriously though, more treats!

28/03/2023

🐶🐾 WE ARE FULL!🐾🐶

Hello everyone,

I'm afraid we are currently fully booked on many of our services which includes;

Start Right Puppy
Happy Hound
Reactivity Training
Workshops

We do still have some spaces on our Puppy and Adult group classes. Please check out the website for more info: https://www.originalpetdog.co.uk/training-classes

Thanks 😊

27/03/2023

DID YOU KNOW?!

The biggest dog on record was Zorba the mastiff who weighed 343 pounds and was 8ft long!

That is one big dog! Imagine the food bill 🤯

24/03/2023

🇬🇧 LET'S SAVE OUR VULNERABLE NATIVE BREEDS! 🇬🇧

The UK is, historically, very rich in their dog breeding history. Many of the most popular dog breeds in the world started right here on the Great British Isles. There are many native breeds that are very similiar to other popular breeds at the moment, but they often get overlooked for one reason or another. Our aim is to raise awareness of these vulnerable breeds and encourage potential puppy owners to do some research into them and see if they would be a good match for their family.

Adding one of these breeds to your family will help to increase the gene pool and secure the future safety of the breed, allowing them to continue to thrive as an important part of our history, present AND future.

You can find out more information about the English Toy Terrier on the Kennel Club website here: https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/toy/english-toy-terrier-black-tan/

24/03/2023

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to say a big thank you to all my wonderful clients who have been so supportive over the last six weeks or so. It has been a very turbulent time with getting married, followed by being quite poorly for the last few weeks. I am happy to say that (hopefully!) I am now on the mend.

If you have had a session booked with me over the last few weeks which has had to be cancelled, please can you send me an email so we can get you booked back in. My phone is still quite glitchy so is not the best way to contact me. I can’t wait to finally start seeing some more dogs again!

Thanks
Hannah

22/03/2023

🌟 FAQs 🌟

So, you've just brought home this cute little bundle of fluff but, when should you start training them?

In short, straight away!

Every moment of their life is an opportunity for training. Now, I don't mean you should be getting your dog doing backflips in their first week with you, but it's important that you start as you mean to go on with your pup.

So what does this look like?
- Decide what your house rules are going to be before your puppy comes home and implement them from day one. e.g. are they allowed on the sofa? Are they allowed upstairs? Are they sleeping downstairs, in a crate, in a bed, in your bed? etc.
- Start building good habits straight away e.g. calm greetings, self control around food, toilet training, etc.
- Begin bond building straight away. Spend plenty of quality time with your puppy creating positive memories (both for you and your puppy, they aren't so small and cute for long!). Having a strong bond with your pup will aid in your training later down the line.
- Socialise your puppy as much as possible. Introduce them to different noises, textures, objects around the home even before they can go outside. Carry them outside so they can begin to get used to 'real world' things like traffic, construction, livestock, children, etc.

But also, don't forget to just enjoy having a puppy around. It can feel like such a whirlwind of things to do and remember but the most important thing you can do is spend good, quality time with your new family member so you can both create great memories to look back on 💕🐶

20/03/2023

DID YOU KNOW?!

Greyhounds can outrun a cheetah!

Although cheetah's top speeds are around 65mph, 15mph more than the Greyhounds 40mph top speed, Greyhounds can maintain this speed for much longer. Cheetahs can run at their fastest speed for around 30 seconds, plenty to catch their prey, but a greyhound can run for up to a whopping 7 miles!

So, if you give a Greyhound a good head start, they can easily out run a Cheetah!

17/03/2023

🇬🇧 LET'S SAVE OUR VULNERABLE NATIVE BREEDS! 🇬🇧

The UK is, historically, very rich in their dog breeding history. Many of the most popular dog breeds in the world started right here on the Great British Isles. There are many native breeds that are very similiar to other popular breeds at the moment, but they often get overlooked for one reason or another. Our aim is to raise awareness of these vulnerable breeds and encourage potential puppy owners to do some research into them and see if they would be a good match for their family.

Adding one of these breeds to your family will help to increase the gene pool and secure the future safety of the breed, allowing them to continue to thrive as an important part of our history, present AND future.

You can find out more information about the Sussex Spaniel on the Kennel Club website here: https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/gundog/spaniel-sussex/

17/03/2023

Apologies for the lack of replies to messages/emails everyone. I’ve been struck down with Bronchitis and feeling incredibly rough 👎🏻 I’ll get back to everyone as soon as I’m feeling better (hopefully from Monday) 😷🤧

15/03/2023

🌟 FAQs 🌟

This is a lengthy one so I hope you stay with me!

Often, dog owners are worried about feeding their dogs during training as, traditionally, this was very frowned upon. It has been drilled in to our brains for many decades that we need to be the strict 'leader of the pack' if we want our dogs to behave. In those decades, our knowledge of behaviour has improved drastically and what we have discovered is that our previous thinking was, unfortunately, very misguided. Sometimes, people use degrading language around treat based training such as 'bribing' them which simply isn't helpful.

When we look at behaviour in a scientific way, we now assess all behaviour based on a cost/benefit model. This means that all behaviour must serve a function which has benefits that outweigh the costs, otherwise, it is not a behaviour worth exhibiting. When an animal makes a decision about what behaviour to perform (whether consciously or unconsciously), they are weighing up the cost/benefit balance from past experiences or perceived expectations.

When we want to change the behaviour of a dog, we first need to determine what is driving the unwanted behaviour (i.e. the benefits) and then we need to look at how we can build experiences where the benefits of the desired behaviour outweigh the benefits of the undesired behaviour. This will ensure the dog performs the desired behaviour more frequently as it is more beneficial to their wellbeing.

That was pretty complicated! But let me explain it in simple terms;

If you went to work one day and your boss pulled you aside and said "Congratulations! You are now fully trained in your role and therefore, we aren't going to pay you anymore but we will expect you to work just as hard, if not harder, and your reward will be the sense of acheivement and loyalty to the company!". You would most likely say "Thanks, but no thanks". We would all love to work our dream jobs for free, but unfortunately, we all have bills to pay.

Our survival is highly dependant on money because that is what gains us shelter, food, water, enrichment, etc. Dogs don't need money, but they do still need those vital needs to be met so we can use them to enhance our training. It is unfair on our dogs to ask them to perform behaviours we want if we aren't giving them sufficient reward for it. As your dog gets better at exhibiting specific behaviours, we can expect more complex behaviour for that reward, just like at work you are expected to do more in your role as you progress through a company, but we still reward them for doing what we ask them to do. This method of training is used across all species of animals, whether that be human, dog, or cheetah!

So, in short, yes, you should always be using treats in your training if you want it to be successful!

13/03/2023

I think it's so interesting to see the different trends in dog ownership. Here are the top 7 breeds which have seen the highest increase in popularity in the last 10 years. Do you see your dog on the list? Let us know! 🐶🐾

10/03/2023

🇬🇧 LET'S SAVE OUR VULNERABLE NATIVE BREEDS! 🇬🇧

The UK is, historically, very rich in their dog breeding history. Many of the most popular dog breeds in the world started right here on the Great British Isles. There are many native breeds that are very similiar to other popular breeds at the moment, but they often get overlooked for one reason or another. Our aim is to raise awareness of these vulnerable breeds and encourage potential puppy owners to do some research into them and see if they would be a good match for their family.

Adding one of these breeds to your family will help to increase the gene pool and secure the future safety of the breed, allowing them to continue to thrive as an important part of our history, present AND future.

You can find out more information about the Deerhound on the Kennel Club website here: https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/hound/deerhound/

09/03/2023

Merry Cruftsmas!

Hope all my friends and clients who are competing this weekend have a fabulous time 💕

Wish I could have been there to cheer you all on but I was selfish enough to go get married instead 🙄

I am still cheering you all on from afar though! 🤩👏🏻👏🏻

08/03/2023

🌟 FAQs 🌟

A common question is what kind of service do you need for your dog?

This one is fairly simple.

If you are looking for general obedience for your dog then a group class is the right setting for you.

If you are looking for training on a specific issue, such as barking in the house, then one to ones would be the best fit.

Hope that helps 😊

06/03/2023

The Kennel Club holds a list of 'Vulnerable Native Breeds'. These are breeds of dog which originated in the UK and are under threat of being lost due to low breeding numbers. Would you own one of these breeds? 🐶🐾💕

03/03/2023

🇬🇧 LET'S SAVE OUR VULNERABLE NATIVE BREEDS! 🇬🇧

The UK is, historically, very rich in their dog breeding history. Many of the most popular dog breeds in the world started right here on the Great British Isles. There are many native breeds that are very similiar to other popular breeds at the moment, but they often get overlooked for one reason or another. Our aim is to raise awareness of these vulnerable breeds and encourage potential puppy owners to do some research into them and see if they would be a good match for their family.

Adding one of these breeds to your family will help to increase the gene pool and secure the future safety of the breed, allowing them to continue to thrive as an important part of our history, present AND future.

You can find out more information about the Skye Terrier on the Kennel Club website here: https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/terrier/skye-terrier/

01/03/2023

🌟 FAQs 🌟

When you are training your dog, it can be a real struggle to sort out childcare, and I completely understand.

I always recommend bringing the whole family along to classes. One of the biggest factors which affects your dog's training is consistency so it is really important that every member of the family is on the same page. Quite often, when messages are passed on after class, it can become a game of chinese whispers as bits of important information can be forgotten or get missed out. I also find that family members are much more likely to listen to me than their spouse, parent, etc.!

All I ask is that children are always supervised in classes and don't disrupt the class too much. There is always a bit of chaos involved in dog training but we want everyone in the class to be able to succeed. 🐶🐾

27/02/2023

These breeds had NO registrations in 2021. Have you got one of these breeds? We would love to see them! Comment below ⬇️🐾

24/02/2023

🇬🇧 LET'S SAVE OUR VULNERABLE NATIVE BREEDS! 🇬🇧

The UK is, historically, very rich in their dog breeding history. Many of the most popular dog breeds in the world started right here on the Great British Isles. There are many native breeds that are very similiar to other popular breeds at the moment, but they often get overlooked for one reason or another. Our aim is to raise awareness of these vulnerable breeds and encourage potential puppy owners to do some research into them and see if they would be a good match for their family.

Adding one of these breeds to your family will help to increase the gene pool and secure the future safety of the breed, allowing them to continue to thrive as an important part of our history, present AND future.

You can find out more information about the Smooth Collie on the Kennel Club website here: https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/pastoral/collie-smooth/