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Axe Valley Dog Training

Dog training that promotes positive, fair and force-free methods, specializing in terrier breeds. https://mailchi.mp/axevalleydogtraining.co.uk/newsletter

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19/05/2026

This might surprise you.

I’ve worked with a lot of dogs who struggle to focus once they’re out and about. And I often get the same slightly confused look when I ask…

“Have you ever tried agility?”

Because on the surface, those two things don’t seem connected at all.

But for many dogs, focus isn’t about more control, it’s about having a reason to engage.

When you introduce something like agility, even in a simple, informal way, your dog suddenly has a job.

Something to do.
Something to figure out.
Something to do with you.

And that changes things.

Instead of competing with the environment, you become part of it. You become more relevant, more interesting.

And the best part?

You don’t need a full agility set-up to get started.

Tree stumps.
Logs.
Benches.
Low walls.

There’s so much in the environment you can use to start building that engagement.

I’ve got a small agility class starting in June with a couple of spaces left if you’d like to explore this properly with your dog.

17/05/2026

“Let them work it out” is something I hear a lot.

And I get why. On the surface, it sounds natural. Let the dogs communicate. Let them figure things out between themselves. But it can be a lot to expect.

For dogs to “work it out”, they need to have the skills to communicate clearly, read each other well, and respond appropriately. And not all dogs can do that.

Puppies and adolescents are still learning. They can be impulsive, a bit pushy, and not always great at listening to other dogs’ signals.

Older dogs often have less tolerance for that kind of behaviour.

So when we put them together and step back, we’re relying on both dogs being able to navigate that interaction safely. And sometimes, they can’t.

Signals get missed. Boundaries get ignored. Frustration builds. And that’s when things can escalate.

Even if it doesn’t lead to a fight, it can still create negative experiences. Dogs can learn that other dogs are unpredictable, overwhelming, or uncomfortable to be around.

Most dogs will try to avoid conflict if they can. They’ll look away, move off, give subtle signals.

But if those signals aren’t respected, they may feel like they have no choice but to escalate.

That’s where we come in.

Our role isn’t to leave them to figure it out alone. It’s to support them. To step in when needed. To help create interactions that feel safe and manageable.

Because good social skills aren’t just something dogs “have”. They’re something we help them develop.

14/05/2026

If your dog struggles to focus… this might be for you.

You know the ones.

Always on the go.
Easily distracted.
Finds everything in the environment more interesting than you.

You try to work with them, but it feels like you’re competing with the world.

For dogs like this, more control isn’t always the answer. Sometimes they need an outlet.

Something that channels all that energy into working with you, not against you.

That’s where something like agility can make a huge difference.

It gives them a job. A purpose. A way to use their brain and body at the same time.

And suddenly, you’re not competing for their attention anymore… you’ve got it.

There are a couple of spaces left in my next small group starting in June if this sounds like your dog.

12/05/2026

Most of the lovely people and dogs I work with come to me with similar struggles. Loose lead walking. Recall around distractions. Feeling like their dog just doesn’t listen outside.

One of the first things I often ask is what things look like outside of walks.

What do you do together at home?
How does your dog choose to interact with you?
What does your relationship look like day to day?

And I often get a bit of a surprised look.

Not because anyone is doing anything wrong, but because it’s not something people have really been asked to think about before.

It’s so easy to fall into the routine of clipping the lead on, heading out for a walk, and hoping that’s where everything comes together.

But for a lot of dogs, that’s also the hardest environment to learn in. There’s more going on, more distractions, more excitement.

So if we jump straight into asking for them to listen there, without first building engagement, it can feel like we’re asking a lot.

That’s why I start in a slightly different place.

I focus on helping the dog want to check in. Helping them find value in being near you. Building that sense of connection in easier, calmer moments first.

Because when a dog is choosing to engage with you, everything else becomes easier to teach.

It’s not about doing more. It’s about starting in the right place.

10/05/2026

Confident searches, clear indications, and handlers who know exactly what they’re looking at 👏🐾

08/05/2026

No, they're not dead...

This was at the end of a 1-1 session during a lovely sunny day where one of them had slightly exerted themselves doing a spot of agility.

Not much, mind you. It was decided very early on in the session that today was a day for sunbathing and cuddles.

So we did what we could in little bursts inbetween periods of lounging around in the sun 😆🌞

06/05/2026

One of my lovely clients made me think about this today. Not all dog training has to feel like… training.

For some dogs, the real magic happens when they’re given something to do.

Running. Jumping. Thinking. Figuring things out alongside you.

That’s why I love agility so much.

It’s not just about obstacles, it’s about building confidence, focus, and a really strong connection between you and your dog.

You start to see them light up in a completely different way.

And for a lot of dogs, especially the busy, easily distracted, “always on the go” types, it gives them an outlet that actually works.

I’ve got a small evening class starting in June, and there are just a few spaces left.

If you’ve ever thought about giving agility a go, this could be a really nice place to start.

04/05/2026

When I’m driving between clients or popping to the shops, I’m always watching the dogs I pass. I can’t help it, it comes with the job.

And sometimes, it makes me a bit sad.

Because on the surface, they look like the “perfect” dog. Walking neatly beside their owner, loose lead, matching their pace, not pulling, not stopping, not “misbehaving”.

But what I often see is a dog who looks a little too careful.

The ears sit low. The head is slightly tucked. There’s no pausing to sniff a lamppost or a patch of grass. No curiosity. No glancing around at the world. No changes in pace.

They’re not exploring. They’re not making choices.

They’re just… plodding.

And that doesn’t feel like a happy dog. It feels like a dog who has learned that being a dog comes with consequences.

Maybe they’ve been pulled along when they stopped to sniff.
Maybe they’ve been rushed with a frustrated “come on”.
Maybe anything other than walking in a straight line has been met with tension on the lead or pressure from their person.

So they stop trying.

And that brings up a bigger question.

Why are we going on the walk in the first place?

Is it for the dog to explore, decompress, and engage with the world in a way that feels natural to them?

Or is it just about getting from A to B with a “well-behaved” dog?

Because those two things don’t always look the same.

01/05/2026

I have a thing about people coming to the door. I get a sudden spike of anxiety. They same feeling I get when the phone rings.

That sudden feeling that you have to respond - whether it's to answer the door NOW or answer the phone NOW.

It makes me tense. It’s over quickly, but I’ve been conditioned by the sound of knocking and ringing to have that instant “oh my god, I must answer” reaction.

It took me a long time to learn that I didn’t actually have to.

And I see something similar in a lot of dogs.

You know that moment when someone is about to arrive, or knocks on the door, and everything just… kicks off.

The barking starts before they’re even properly inside. Then the jumping, the rushing, the overexcitement, trying to hold a conversation while also managing your dog, apologising, moving them away, asking people to ignore them…

And instead of a calm visit, it becomes something you brace yourself for.

Most people assume it’s just “bad behaviour” or excitement.

But for a lot of dogs, visitors are a big emotional event. New people, movement, sound, energy, it’s all happening at once.

If they haven’t learned what to do in that moment, they don’t just switch off and ignore it. They respond in the only way that makes sense to them in the moment.

And that’s usually a lot louder and more chaotic than we’d like.

The good news is, this isn’t something you just have to “put up with”.

Dogs can learn what to do when people come over. It just needs a bit more guidance than hoping they’ll figure it out on their own.

29/04/2026

If dogs could talk, they've love for you to know this:

Taking your puppy’s food away doesn’t teach them to be “okay” with people near their food.

I’ve had a few people recently tell me they’ve been doing this, often with the best intentions, thinking it will prevent guarding later on.

But then I hear this:

“They’ve started growling at me when I walk past while they’re eating.”

Here’s what’s actually happening: Your puppy is learning that when a person comes near their food, it disappears.

That’s it. That’s the lesson.

Imagine you’re starving, you’ve just sat down to a big roast dinner, and just as you start eating, someone comes over and takes your plate away.

No explanation. No idea if you’re getting it back.

You’d be pretty annoyed too. I know I would be.

Food isn’t just “nice to have” for dogs. It’s a basic need, it keeps them alive.

So if it keeps getting taken away, they don’t learn to relax… they learn they need to protect it.

And because it only happens when people are around, the association becomes clear.

People near food = trouble.

That’s when you start to see freezing, "whale eye" or growling around the bowl.

And this can become even more risky in homes with children who follow your lead.

If you want a dog who feels comfortable with people near their food, the goal isn’t to take it away.

It’s to teach them that people approaching makes things better, not worse.

Instead of teaching your dog that your presence near them when eating is something to be wary of, instead teach them that nothing happens, or better stuff happens.

Let them eat in peace.

We do it with cats all the time. Why do we feel the need to do it with dogs?

If you have a dog who already guards food or items, please get in touch and drop me a message.

27/04/2026

Take a look at these tails. What words would you use to describe these pictures?

A waggy tail doesn’t always mean what you think…

It’s one of the most common misunderstandings I see.

A wagging tail doesn’t automatically mean a dog is happy, friendly, or wants interaction. It just means they’re feeling something.

To really understand what a dog is telling you, you need to look at the bigger picture.

What is the rest of their body doing?

Are they loose and wiggly, or stiff and tense?
Are they leaning in, or holding themselves back?
How are they moving?

Then look at the context.

What’s happening around them?
What just changed?
How is their body language shifting in response to that?

Dogs are constantly communicating, but it’s rarely just one signal on its own.

And every dog is an individual.

A puppy won’t communicate in the same way as an adult dog.
Breed, age, health, physical build, and past experiences all play a part.
Two dogs can be in the exact same situation and feel completely differently about it.

The more you start to notice the whole picture, the easier it becomes to understand what your dog is really saying.

And that’s where things start to change.

If you’d like a simple, visual way to start learning more about your dog’s body language, Doggie Language by Lili Chin is a brilliant little book to get you started.

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Monday	10:00 - 18:00
Tuesday	10:00 - 18:00
Wednesday	10:00 - 18:00
Thursday	10:00 - 18:00
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Website

https://www.axevalleydogtraining.co.uk/

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