HBK Dog Training

09/12/2025

The roads leading into Overton are beginning to flood again so I have made the decision to cancel all classes tonight, stay safe wrap up warm and play indoor games with your dogs.

08/12/2025

There is a chance tomorrow's classes in Overton may be cancelled, we have significant flooding on both routes into the village and I don't wish to put anyone or their vehicle in any risk.
Will update tomorrow dinner time.

07/12/2025

🚨 Important update on the UK Livestock-Worrying Law 🚨
(Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 + 2025 Amendment)

If you walk your dog in the countryside, this is something you really need to know..

🐑 What counts as “worrying livestock”?

The law is very clear — and it’s much broader than many people realise.
“Worrying” includes:

🔴 Attacking livestock
– Any physical harm, biting or grabbing.

🔴 Chasing livestock
– Even if the dog never touches the animals.
– If the chasing could reasonably be expected to cause stress, injury, exhaustion, or pregnant animals to abort, it is an offence.

🔴 Being “at large” — not under close control — in a field with sheep
– A dog doesn’t need to bark or chase.
– Simply being loose around sheep (off-lead or not listening) can legally count as worrying because livestock may panic, run, get injured or become distressed.

💡 Animals don’t have to be harmed for the owner to be prosecuted — the risk and the stress alone are enough under the law.

🦮 What “under close control” means in practice

This is where most people misunderstand the law.

🚫 “My dog is friendly”
🚫 “He’s never chased before”
🚫 “He only wants to say hello”

None of this matters legally.

Under control means:
✔ Your dog stays with you
✔ Your dog responds immediately when you call
✔ You can prevent your dog approaching livestock
✔ When needed, they are on a short lead
✔ You are physically able to stop them if something changes suddenly

If your dog is running ahead, ignoring you, or can reach livestock before you can stop them — they are NOT under close control.

⸻

📜 What changed with the new amendment (2025)

The updated law makes things much stricter:

✨ Wider definition of livestock (now includes alpacas, llamas etc.)
✨ Applies on public paths and even roads when livestock are present or being moved
✨ Clear distinction between attacking vs worrying
✨ Much stronger police powers — including seizing dogs involved in worrying
✨ Penalties increased — fines can be much higher and no longer capped

This brings the law in line with modern farming and the huge increase in dogs in the countryside.

🌾 What dog owners need to do

✔ Always put your dog on a lead any time livestock are in sight
✔ If in doubt — lead on
✔ Teach a strong recall and check-in behaviour
✔ Give livestock plenty of space
✔ Remember: your dog’s behaviour may be playful to you but terrifying to the animals

Do you need help with recall, impulse control training, prey driven behaviours, lead walking past livestock?
Get in touch I can help!

06/12/2025

04/12/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17VWM1JhUs/

Nothing says the gift of Christmas than a box full of dismembered body parts draped with my recent Temu greenery fail ….. hastily photographed a day late…… but here it is 🤩🤩

£15+ of treats for only £10 🤩

We would wrap them but Leanne and I can’t wrap and Helen is down to one arm…… 😂😂

I promise to try harder…..

Contents
Ruffingtons Cake
Goat Ear
Buffalo Ear
Buffalo Flattie
Whimzees x 2
Nobblys x 2
Pig in Blanket
JR Pate
Chicken Foot
Rabbit Ear
Grain Free Sample
Other things I like the look of……

In Store NOW 🤩 only £10

My marketing expertise …… free

Text to reserve (held 48 hours) or pop in

02/12/2025

It's Christmas jumper day next week don't forget your dogs Christmas jumper, lots in at Raw Feeding Plus then come back next Thursday the 11th with your dog wearing their jumper.

29/11/2025

Dog friendly pub and presents on tree for the dogs.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DFnXjRH8v/

29/11/2025

A long post but so right that sometimes we bombard the dog with chatter it doesn't understand.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1D8UZraynm/

He Who Criticises the Most… Teaches the Least

Why Nit-Picking, Nagging, and “No, Not Like That!” Ruin Your Training Long Before the Dog Does

In the world of dog training, whether you’re a pet owner just trying to stop your Spaniel launching off the furniture, a handler shaping a young working dog, or a trainer guiding others, it’s astonishing how often the biggest obstacle isn’t the dog at all. It’s the human mouth.

More precisely: the sheer amount of criticism, correction, and commentary that tumbles out of it.

There’s a brilliant old saying adapted for training:
He who criticises the most teaches the least.

And no truer words have ever been spoken while clutching a slip lead and a lukewarm cup of tea.

Let’s unpack what this means, why it matters, and most importantly, how to fix it before your dog decides your voice is just background noise like the washing machine or your partner muttering about muddy footprints.

1. The Noise Problem: When “Training” Sounds Like a Sports Commentary

Many owners and handlers fall into the trap of narrating everything the dog does, usually negatively.

“Don’t pull.”
“Stop that.”
“No.”
“Oi.”
“For goodness’ sake.”
“What are you doing now?”
“No, not like that.”
“Down, no, DOWN, oh never mind.”

It’s a constant stream of correction, frustration, and disapproval. If the dog could speak, he’d probably say:

“I heard you the first twelve times. I’ve no idea what you want, but I definitely heard you.”

The problem?
Dogs don’t learn from noise. They learn from information.

Criticism is noise.
Clear training is information.

Every unnecessary word you say dilutes the message you actually need the dog to hear. Eventually, your corrections become white noise, and your dog starts ignoring you, not because he’s stubborn, dominant, or plotting his takeover of the neighbourhood, but because you’ve trained him to filter you out.

2. A Simple Truth: Dogs Learn Through Success, Not Shame

Some people train as though pointing out the dog’s every failing will somehow polish the behaviour into perfection.

If that worked, the dog world would be utopia. Everyone’s recall would be perfect, and nobody would be chasing their Labrador across a field while shouting increasingly colourful language.

Dogs learn when:
• They know exactly what earns reinforcement
• The correct behaviour is made clear
• Success is easy at the start
• The handler stays consistent
• Corrections are meaningful, not emotional
• Praise and reward are timely

Criticism without clarity teaches nothing.
Clarity without criticism teaches everything.

You don’t need to be endlessly positive. You just need to be purposeful.

3. The Ego Trap: Why Some Trainers (and Owners) Over-Correct

Criticism is often a symptom of human impatience. It can also be disguised insecurity:
• Owners correct too much because they feel out of control.
• Handlers correct too much because they want to look competent.
• Trainers correct too much because they want to feel needed.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth:

Over-correcting is almost always a sign of poor training on the human side, not the canine one.

A well-set-up training session leaves very little to correct.
A poorly structured one produces correction after correction after correction.

And that leads us to…

4. Set the Dog Up to Win (So You Don’t Have to Moan About Losing)

If you’re criticising constantly, something upstream is wrong. It might be:
• The environment is too hard
• The distraction level is too high
• The dog hasn’t mastered the basics
• You’ve skipped a stage
• You’re expecting reliability with no rehearsal
• You’ve trained the behaviour… but not the context

A dog who succeeds often requires less criticism.
A dog who fails often requires… better planning.

If training feels like you’re nagging, you’re not actually training. You’re firefighting.

5. Say Less. Mean More.

The most effective trainers, whether working with gun dogs, search dogs, pets, or operational K9s, tend to speak very little. They communicate with:
• Body language
• Timing
• Marker words
• Reinforcement
• Clear release cues
• Calm, predictable leadership

Talking should add to training, not distract from it.

Try this challenge:

Say nothing unnecessary for the first 10 minutes of training.

You’ll be amazed at how much better the dog performs when you stop drowning him in commentary.

6. Replace Criticism with Useful Communication

Here’s what to use instead of constant “don’ts”:

a) Marker Words

Clear. Consistent. Fast. They tell the dog what he got right.

b) Planned Corrections

Not emotional outbursts. Not nagging. A single, clean “ah-ah” or leash pop, then move on and reward the right behaviour.

c) Reward Placement

Reinforce where you want the dog to be, not where you don’t.

d) Environment Management

Reduce failure points so the dog doesn’t need constant corrections.

e) Structure and Routine

Dogs thrive when they don’t have to think about what’s expected.

7. The Big Lesson: Stop Criticising. Start Teaching.

Dogs aren’t trying to get it wrong.
Most want nothing more than to understand what you want and earn their reward.

If your training sessions are filled with critique, grumbling, and muttering under your breath about how your dog is “testing your saintly patience,” it’s time to pause and reassess.

The less you criticise, the more you teach.
The more you teach, the less you need to criticise.
Funny how that works.

8. Final Thoughts: The Quiet Trainer Is Often the Best Trainer

Next time you’re out training, whether running a working dog on a trail, teaching a pet dog loose-lead walking, or helping a client with reactivity, take a moment to listen.

How much of what you’re saying is instruction…
and how much is irritation?

Because in dog training, as in life:

Criticism is easy.
Teaching is an art.
Clarity is the cure.

And your dog will thank you for choosing clarity every time.

www.k9manhuntscotland.co.uk

20/11/2025

12/11/2025

Get them Christmas jumpers out and pop in to Raw Feeding Plus

Thursday 11th December 2025 is National Christmas Jumper Day, so thanks to Margaret for suggesting we do something to join in with this at Raw Feeding Plus.
For anyone who comes in on that day with their dog wearing a Christmas jumper (preferably owner and dog!!) you will have your piccy taken for facebook and be given a discount voucher for 10% off all food and treats bought on your next visit. (*)

P.s. please only put an outfit on your dog if they're happy to wear it 😉

* one voucher per family
* to be used by January 15th 2026

10/11/2025

Well done to our latest puppy class, what a well rounded group you have been, the hard work you've put into their training is really showing.
I look forward to seeing you continue in your training.
Elon, Maya, Max, Pomidor, Tilly, Roman

08/11/2025

SAVE THE DATE
Cash only, so we give every penny raised to Support Wolfwood Animal Rescue (Lancaster)

Thanks ever so much to Tracey from Diddy Dogz Daycare and Boarding for being chief photographer again :)