Cariad Dog Services

Home
Cariad Dog Services

Home of the original Mindfulness With Dogs. Offering Freework, our unique Calmness Protocol, Confid

19/04/2023

Cynders, following Miss Penny, enjoying the plentiful sweet, spring shoots

19/04/2023

Lils enjoying a roll in what I assume was a dead worm (there was certainly no p**p on her afterwards 😂)

18/04/2023

Miss Penny took great delight in munching the spring shoots today ❤️

17/04/2023

⭐️ANNOUNCEMENT⭐️

After four years and unprecedented time after unprecedented time, our rehabilitation walks will be ending this week!

Unfortunately, the lasting effects of Covid have affected how much I can do in a day! Although I love all of the clients as much as my own dogs, my own dogs have to be my priority.

I've loved the past few years with all of the rehab dogs, and it does make me sad to be closing this chapter for now.

But of course, I'll still post about training and the shenanigans with my own beautiful trio ❤️💚💜

Thank you all so much!

17/04/2023

Mr Derpington, Spike, was very excited today 😂 But once the giddiness subsided, he found his brain and was excellent!

17/04/2023

Roodles and I found an abandoned spot today that apparently had all the good sniffs . . . But we're no trespassers so we lurked about the boundary

17/04/2023

Lils once more dug herself in and didn't want a walk so we had a look at impulse control and fun tricks!

There are some tricks Lils won't be able to do due to her conformation so we were mindful of what we asked ❤️

12/04/2023

I had no hope of getting Lils out today despite my best efforts 🙈

So, some more impulse control games!

10/04/2023

Shared post today as both Lils and Spike were all about those sweet, spring shoots today 😂

It was like walking merle cows!

06/04/2023

Lils three times in one week!

Little Miss was fresh today so some time spent chilling on her walk was most useful!

05/04/2023

Of course, Cynders loves walkies in any weather!

05/04/2023

After some persuasion as the floor was wet, Miss Lils made it out!

And we needed some refreshers on impulse control today 😅

04/04/2023

Miss Penny was absolutely entranced with something in the bushes today 😅

04/04/2023

Young Donnie was brave enough for a garden trip and to come back in with no worries today!

03/04/2023

Probably not Roo's best angle but I needed to capture her fabulous collar decoration 😅

03/04/2023

Practicing some Paws Up with Lils to help give her some focus and engagement (and some easy wins!) when out and about

30/03/2023

Double walks with Spike this week! What an honour!

The young man looked very distinguished on our woodland wander today! Though he still acted the same goofball we know and love!

29/03/2023

I think Spike might like some sausage . . .

29/03/2023

Miss Cynders was on fine form today!

28/03/2023

Miss Penny was especially enjoying the spring shoots today!

28/03/2023

Roodles on a Tuesday this week! The excited little miss did fabulously when that braincell was engaged

28/03/2023

End of an era with Dutch today on his last walk with us!

His human is retiring making us surplus!

No dodging the training despite it being his last walk though!

27/03/2023

Miss Lils was an immediate nope to a walk today - we didn't even make it to the front door!

So we worked on some manners around food and impulse control!

27/03/2023

RAISING WANDA

The Wait

I'm back from my first period of illness since starting Cariad in 2018. I was useless and unable to do a lot last week whilst i was ill. This gave me lots of time with my own thoughts - which is a dangerous thing 😂 But it did spark some ideas for some posts. One of which will follow now as I wait to head off for the day.

Something I rarely, if ever, see discussed is waiting for your new puppy.

Admittedly, with the lads, there was no wait and no thought. My partner said he really wanted a Jack Russell, I thought he was bluffing. We did a quick search on Gumtree, found a litter and off we went. Just a few hours later, we were home with two terrier puppies.

Terriers were not the right choice for our first dogs nor for our lifestyle at the time. I was lucky that I was able to change my lifestyle to give them the best I could. Littermate terriers of unknown background were just a double whammy in the litany of poor choices. But I've hashed over the boys' tale time and time again. This is about Wanda!

When I was ready to add another member to the family, I had no breed in mind. Certain breed groups were out of contention, but I wasn't set on any others. Health and temperament were my priorities over breed. I also knew we had to have a girl - two boys are plenty! I am in the enviable position to adjust my life to what my dogs need which meant taking on a breed that needs a lot of exercise and training wasn't an issue.

I did, however, have to factor in not only what would be best for me but also, what would be best for the boys with the new addition as we all live together.

Steve ultimately chose for me when, on meeting Wanda's mum, he was enamoured. He, and Kev, adore the whole family - all three generations they've met and walked with.

I had been training with Wanda's breeder for some months at this time, so I knew how much her dogs meant to her and how amazingly they were cared for. When talk of a planned litter surfaced, I eagerly asked if I may be considered.

She rightly gave me a good grilling on all things dog and me - how I raise, train, exercise, etc before I went on the list.

This was back in the autumn of 2020.

The puppies were born at the end of 2020, and it was a very boy heavy bunch. Which meant no puppy for me.

So, what did I do? Asked if I may be considered for any potential future litters and I waited. And I waited. And waited.

Getting a puppy from anywhere else didn't ever cross my mind. Wanda's breeder ticked every box and then some. And I was in no rush. I wanted to have the right puppy from the right breeder.

Then, in the early spring of 2022, Wanda came home. We were kept up to date with everything with the litter from the moment every pup was born up until they were ready to come home.

And Wanda's breeder continues to be there for not just me but for every dog she has ever bred. No question is too dumb (and I've had some doozies 🙈). When I said I'd been to the vet with Wanda when she injured her eye, she was on the phone with me immediately to see if both of us were OK.

All in all, I waited nearly 18 months for Wanda and my word, it was more than worth it. She is an easy, healthy, fit for purpose and temperamentally sound dog and I have unending support from her breeder for life.

When picking a new family member, expect to be grilled and expect to be turned down. Research the breed and pick what suits your lifestyle realistically. If you're choosing a working breed (which I have done both unknowingly with the lads and knowingly with Wanda), know that you will have to give them a job over and above walks. Research the breeders and the health tests. Ask questions.

Waiting for your puppy should be normal and talked about more, especially in today's world of impulse and instant gratification where the rescues are in crisis. Bringing a sentient being into your life for at least 10 years, a being who depends on you, demands research and patience.

15/03/2023

Miss Cynders having a good old nosy down a new street! A change up in walking routine is always welcomed

15/03/2023

Bin day meant stalking men in hiviz. I can only apologise! 🙈

14/03/2023

Miss Penny had a fabulous time in the spring sunshine ☀️

Nibbling on grass and sniffing to her heart's content with one rule - loose lead!

14/03/2023

A Dutch amongst the daffodils

Working hard on his lead walking and impulse control meant we had a thinking Dutch when three dogs passed us in quick succession and rather close with zero reaction - but instead Dutch choosing to watch and then engage with me!

13/03/2023

And we're still recovering from Crufts today after a fabulous few days!

On Thursday, after setting off at 5am and driving in snow, we had the pleasure of taking part in two demos for Jenny Gould Sports Dog Training in the Good Citizens ring. Steve did amazingly, both in the ring (where he was confident and cheeky!) and in the halls, where he practically dragged me! And we were in a particularly busy spot - right by Discover Dogs and some rather large trade stands. We had people and dogs passing en masse constantly.

But my boy was simply amazing throughout it all! And he enjoyed belly rubs from Carrie from Canine hoopers world and Ema from Paw by Paw Training & Behaviour (he even gave Ema all his sass whilst she watched him when I ran to the ladies'). It was a pleasure to see his massage therapist, Laura from Laura Pye Clinical Canine Massage who came to cheer us on despite competing herself at the agility.

I'm hugely proud of how far my little man has come in terms of confidence and resilience. He is still reactive but much more able to make better choices. He's come so, so far!

A huge thank you to everyone on (a hashtag given to us three years ago by the judge at our first-ever obedience competition) and also my long-suffering husband who, whilst isn't sure what we do, is ever so proud to see what the dogs get up to and does finance our expeditions from time to time

13/03/2023

The walk was thankfully dry if still windy for young Spike today! And we were most grateful for the gift from his human as a congratulations for Steve and I's Crufts appearance

Address

Opening Hours

Monday	08:00 - 16:00
Tuesday	08:00 - 12:00
Wednesday	08:00 - 16:00
Thursday	08:00 - 12:00

Website

http://cariaddogtraining.co.uk/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Cariad Dog Services posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Cariad Dog Services:

Videos

And we end the week with some easy training! This isn't fun or sexy stuff but life skills bits, which Wanda, being a teen now, needs more than anything. Being a happy, herdy girl, the hoover can be very exciting naturally! There's a load of different ways I could have trained her to chill when the hoover is about but I'm all about easy for us both and encouraging her to make good choices! So, when I hoover, I utilise my older version (vital as she is smashy!) of the Treat and Train/Manners Minder. I keep hold of the button to dispense the snacks and when she's being a good bean, snacks appear! So far, this method has proved incredibly successful and allows me to carry on with boring household stuff whilst training the behaviours I'd like to see!

And over the Christmas break, we celebrated a few firsts! It was Wanda's first Christmas and her first birthday! Enjoy the glow up from tiny mouse to the beautiful, little (large) princess

Young Wanda had her very first show yesterday! We did a training round where the only expectation was for her to have a fabulous time playing with me! She was truly excellent. Given that we haven't seen much over the past few weeks due to her season and she is still swimming in post-season hormones, she stepped into a new place after a very long drive, teeming with dogs (some of whom were her litter sisters, mother and big brother) and she was fabulous. Wanda's sports future is still undecided as we're seeing what she enjoys the most. But it's always important to make sure the ring is the most exciting place first and foremost before building in anything else. When you compete in Kennel Club Obedience, you aren't allowed to carry any food or toy rewards so the ring can quickly become soured particularly with a sensitive dog. If you are training your at a KC Obedience show, you are allowed to carry toys but still no food. Yesterday, we attended a British Competitive Obedience show, where food rewards are allowed between exercises at a set point in the ring (which was fabulous for Steve who is learning to chain the behaviours needed for a full round). Super proud of both Steve and Wanda yesterday! And of course, Kev (who can find show environments a bit overwhelming hence why he doesn't compete) accompanied us all and did an excellent job choosing toys for everyone.

IT'S ALL IN HOW YOU RAISE THEM . . . Or so we're so often told! But this does a massive disservice to the science of genetics (and what a lottery this can be!) and also causes masses of guilt. Now, I'm not going to talk about genetic drives in this as those posts are plentiful. But I am going to talk about temperament! My boys, Kev and Steve, are brothers. Full brothers. We got them at the same time, they've had the same first few crucial weeks with the home we got them from, they've had the same training and experiences with us. Yet you will never see a video below of Steve. This is Kev at the vets a few weeks ago. He desperately wanted to go say hello to some people in an adjoining booth. He adored the vet when we went in the exam room and happily allowed them to shave his leg and carry out a biopsy on a lump via fine needle aspiration (where they stick a needle into the lump to extract a sample for testing) with nothing but licks for the vet and vet nurse. Steve on the other hand requires sedation for the vets, regardless of the procedure. And no amount of training has changed that. Despite both of them having had exactly the same experiences at the vets, both have very different reactions. You see, Steve is, by nature, a pessimist if you will. He is anxious and suspicious - a real 'worst case scenario' kind of dog (much like me 🙈) And this is how he is genetically hardwired. Kev, by some good grace, is an optimist. He lives in his own happy, little world. And this is how he is genetically hardwired. But they both have the same genetics, I hear you say! Well, genetics are a lottery! Their mother, from memory, was also suspicious and we only briefly saw her before they had to put her away as she didn't like strangers (yes, red flag - I know. But we really didn't know much back then!) Their father is an unknown. I can surmise that Steve inherited the lion's share of his mother's genes. Everything from structure to drive to temperament can be inhe

Miss Penny and her overjoyed smile 😍 We've been trying to capture this in a photo for a few weeks and finally realised a video would be far easier!

And we are now CLOSED until Monday 22nd August, taking the week off to recover from all these heatwaves (this human struggles in the heat more than my dogs do 🙈) We'll most likely do some posts over the next week and a half as we're giant dog nerds, naturally, and like to write. Until then, enjoy Stevie and I at our last Competition Obedience training session. I absolutely adore working with a terrier in any sport, but particularly this sport ❤️

After a wonderful weekend of dog shows travelling from home to Solihull to Paignton and back again, we're faced with another melting week! So once again, for good measure, here's our Hot Weather Policy! 🌤 When temperatures reach 25° or higher, walks will be cancelled. We will substitute these with training sessions for those who want/need them. This temperature may be lower for those who are anxious, excitable or struggle in the heat 🌤 Walks may be cut short if I believe it to be in your dog's best interests. Each dog copes with the heat differently and their welfare is always my top priority. If a walk is cut short, the remaining time will be spent training in your garden/home 🌤 Training sessions may be postponed at short notice 🌤 The situation may change at short notice as the day develops but we will always keep you informed As always at Cariad, #dogsbeforedollars Enjoy a video of Wanda and I at training, working on holds, hand touches, play and releasing her toy when I ask as well as learning to settle inbetween exercises!

And double whammy of videos as we're going to be missing the walks early next week! Enjoy young Miss Wanda getting her first taste of some sports foundations! It's messy and fun as it should be for a baby dog!

MINDFULNESS WITH DOGS Launching on Friday 5th August! This six week course will increase your bond and relationship with your dog, increase their confidence and improve both dog and owner's sense of wellbeing. Combining Mindfulness, TTouch and Canine Massage, we will take you from introducing touch to forming a full mindfulness routine for you and your dog. The course takes place fully online within a private group exclusively for enrollees for this round with no time limit - move at yours and your dog's pace! The cost is £75 for the six weeks of lessons and lifetime access to the videos and group. Spaces are limited. Drop us a message to find out more! Please note that your space will not be secured until payment and form have been recieved. Payments are non-refundable but may be transferable to another date in extenuating circumstances.

RAISING WANDA Part 10! We're back to socialisation because it's such a huge thing that can massively impact your dog's life! And in a surprise to noone, another thing I royally messed up with Steve! Wanda, thanks to her amazing breeding and genetics, came to me already confident and a social butterfly. So my job wasn't so much in building her up around new situations, people and dogs - she had that down already! My job was teaching her about appropriate interactions and how to settle in different places. We've been to Mayday Fairs, adventures with friends of the two and four legged variety and even Badminton Horse Trials! Now I've written previously on socialisation with puppies, as can be found here https://fb.watch/dOUmku5hRj/, referencing the one in three rule. Now it would be easy for me to let Wanda interact with every person and dog we saw. She wants to and hardly anyone can resist a fluffy pup. But this will bite me in the butt in the future when we see a dog or person who is less than keen on a 28kg Shepherd coming over to say 'Hi!'. Then I'll end up with a frustrated Wanda, barking and lunging on the end of a lead because she can't go see who she wants. And coming from the end of the lead of a fearful reactive dog with my Steve, I understand fully the effect another dog's body language can have on a worried dog. So where possible, we've been watching some things from afar, learning to pass people and dogs and focus on me after a little look (instead of letting the hard herding eye develop - which a lot of other breeds find inappropriate) and greeting a few people and dogs after focus on me. And I do have to advocate for her to help her succeed. At Badminton, and in general, I have to tell a lot of people to ignore her and leave us be as we're training. Socialisation also isn't just about people and dogs. It's about novel situations. It's about exposing your pup to new things in a positive manner! In the video, you'll see us on the edge of a fair

Look at Dutch's nose go! My walks by and large look pretty boring to the bystander. And that’s because they are! My aim is always to get the dogs to actually take in and process the world around them, to be able to think without feeling overwhelmed.

We are now CLOSED for the long weekend, reopening Tuesday at 8am! And it's time to reveal our last secret! Meet Wanda, the newest member of the Cariad Crew! She's been with us for nearly two months now so if you've noticed me looking a bit tired over the past few weeks, this little fluff is why! I'll be posting over the coming days and weeks about raising Wanda and all that involves - from the decision to bring home a German Shepherd pup to integration with the lads and everything in between! And it'll all be in my typically honest style 🙈 Have a wonderful weekend!

We are now CLOSED for the weekend, reopening Monday at 8am! Enjoy a little montage of Steve doing his thing at Crufts, wonderfully captured by one of our biggest supporters, @manda_manda1979 Have a wonderful weekend!

MINDFULNESS WITH DOGS Our first date for 2022! This six week course will increase your bond and relationship with your dog, increase their confidence and improve both dog and owner's sense of wellbeing. Combining Mindfulness, breathing exercises, TTouch and Canine Massage, we will take you from introducing touch to forming a full mindfulness routine for you and your dog. The course takes place fully online within a private group exclusively for enrollees for this round. The cost is £75 for the six weeks of lessons and lifetime access to the videos and group. Spaces are limited. The course will start on Friday 4th March 2022. Please note that your space will not be secured until payment and form have been recieved. Payments are non-refundable but may be transferable to another date in extenuating circumstances.

We are now CLOSED for the weekend, reopening Monday at 8am! Enjoy what my dogs eat in a day because I'm a huge nutrition nerd! If you have any questions about the food and supplements, drop a comment! Have a wonderful weekend!

Do I 'indulge' my 'diva dogs' by allowing them to move freely and comfortably around our house? You bet ya butt I do! Whilst I generally do not speak about others in the industry as I believe the training will speak for itself, this was lack of care of duty and mislabelled a dog in pain as 'stubborn'

We are now CLOSED for the weekend, reopening Monday at 8am! Enjoy Kev and I just playing around with his tricks. It's not pretty or precise but we had fun! Have a wonderful weekend!

We are now CLOSED for the weekend, reopening Monday at 8am! We will be conquering the absolute mountain of enquiries tomorrow however so hold the line if you've text/emailed/messaged/called! Enjoy Steve working on environmental confidence at the NEC! Have a wonderful weekend!

And we are now CLOSED for the Christmas and New Year period, reopening Monday 3rd Jan 2022 (because I'm bad at calendars and didn't realise it was a bank holiday 🤣) Have a great Christmas and New Year and spoil those pups (safely!)

🎄CHRISTMAS🎄 Christmas is fast approaching and it's been another interesting year! We'll be taking the following dates off over the festive period to recharge for the New Year so make a note in your diary! We'll be closed from 12pm on Thursday 23rd December 2021, reopening on Monday 3rd January 2022.

Shortcuts

Address
Opening Hours
Alerts
Contact The Business
Videos
Claim ownership or report listing
Want your business to be the top-listed Pet Store/pet Service?

Country:

City:

Dog Training With Love

Cariad is Welsh for love and love is woven throughout everything we do with dogs and seemed the perfect name for us.

We started Cariad in 2018 after studying with a dog training organisation.

But what started us on that journey? We wanted to work with animals for as long as we can remember but life gets in the way! Then along come Kev and Steve, littermate terriers with a whole host of quirks, who turned our world upside down! Kev and Steve were our first dogs as adults away from the family home - and trust us, we made the same mistakes all first time dog guardians make.

Kev and Steve both grew into fairly worried and anxious dogs who struggled to switch off and we struggled to find the right help for us. So this led us down the path to learning more, and eventually becoming an accredited trainer, in order to help our dogs overcome their fears and become calm, happy dogs. We also began our mission to help dogs and guardians who found themselves in the same position we did all those years ago.