Valley Dogs

23/11/2024

Planning to get this up and running quite quickly. I have an archive of training vids featuring my Terriers that I’m going to put in to a community and then think about writing/filming some better courses over the next few weeks and months.

WISH WISH I’d had this bringing Elvis up. So it’s on the way….

10/11/2024

We will remember them.

12/10/2024

Was pretty nice to be out the rain and still have exercised and happy dogs today. Book now at www.centralscotlandbarnhunt.co.uk

01/10/2024

Fancy an undercover winter activity for you and your dog? Take advantage of a winter offer and come join the fun!

20OFF - 20% off an introduction session
15OFF - 15% off a progression session

All progression and practice sessions are now on 4 for 3 too. So keep your log book up to date and claim your free ones as you go.

Book here - www.centralscotlandbarnhunt.co.uk

30/09/2024

ARE YOU STRUGGLING WITH A BARKY LUNGEY DOG?

The Stressed to Superstar program has made it to over halfway and here are just some of the messages hitting the WhatsApp group on a daily basis now. If you’ve been following my stories you will have seen videos of these guys smashing their training. We have dogs that were barking at everything now out in public parks on a loose lead, we have previous triggers being ignored and a huge improvement in everyone’s relationship and understanding of their dogs.

This program pays you back for the hard work you put in, it works!

The next group program is open to book, I’ve opened and one to one option and the digital course will be ready soon.

Book Here - https://www.valleydogs.uk/reactivity-program

25/08/2024

SOLD! That was fast!

Reactive dog? Pulling on lead? Barking and lunging at other dogs?

There is ONE SPACE left on the new group program Stressed to Superstar. 8 weeks to get your dog to walking loose lead around their current triggers or your money back.

When - FRIDAY AMs at 11.30 starting on 30th August
Where - Peebles area
How much - £159 (£100 off for the first course)

FULL DETAILS AND BOOKING

https://www.valleydogs.uk/reactivity-program

07/08/2024

Theres a new dog activity coming to Peebles! My regular scent work guys will be the first to take part. Keep you eyes peeled for more details coming soon 🙌🏻 might have something to do with noses 👃

03/08/2024

Why haven’t you joined us yet?? www.centralscotlandbarnhunt.co.uk

02/08/2024

Client Spotlight - Sally and Smudge

6 months ago Sally and I met in a cafe to discuss her new dog Smudge and make a plan for training. Sally is a super experienced dog owner who’s always had multiple dogs, horses and all in the middle of being a physiotherapist, mum to 3 boys and a farmers wife. But she just wasn’t able to get through to Border Collie X Retriever Smudge like all her previous dogs. She was pulling on lead, had next to no recall and would growl and snap during any kind of handling at home. She was also very selective with dogs and would happily bark and lunge at most of them passing her by.

First job, address diet, pain and lifestyle issues. We knew she had a small hernia and I was pretty convinced that would be part of the issue with her snappy behaviour being handled, on further investigation it turned out she also had hip displaysia. Not a bad dog, just a sore one. Sally also adjusted her diet and we made the major change from giving her more input at home to less.

By this I mean Sally had been increasing the amount of active play with balls and toys during her day at home in and attempt to tire her out and satisfy her working drives. But these high energy, high adrenaline activities were just creating more high energy behaviour, specifically where we didn’t want them. At home.

Instead we took that working drive and focused it on structured activity that put Sally at the centre of the picture. Using it to build recall and give her outlets through exercise away from home. Building the house as a place of rest and calm. We worked on loose lead training after she had her outlets so she could focus and work. Sally attended social walks and joined scent club to both help with her social behaviour and focus around dogs and in busier environments. The first few weeks at scent club she certainly spent as much time eyeing up dogs for a argument as she did working but seeing her focussed and settled around those dogs now, last night playing off lead with them at the end of a session was a total joy.

So look forward to seeing this team grow as they get better and better at all the elements of search and scentwork and the knock on benefits that has.

18/07/2024

Yep.

Being a dog trainer, or a teacher. Whether you are with your own dog or working with other peoples dogs, this is bound to raise eyebrows
It’s not all theory - Yup there’s a science. But it’s more….much more. It’s an art form.You can know the recipe. But you need to learn to break those eggs. And the only way you can do that is by doing it. In person, with a dog. The more dogs you work with, the more fluent you’ll become.

It’s about getting dirty, literally.
Bruised, battered & scratched….not from being attacked, from playing and motivating the dog. That helps builds relationships. It’s from the old fashioned “mental enrichment”, being with your dog, walking together, running together & yes, playing more together! You can fill your fridge with every mental enrichment food toy in the world, but that just won’t substitute what you need to do, good hard graft! Plonking out a kong for your dog is no different to thinking your kid gets enrichment from the tv. Yes, it can help and I’m not dismissing using food puzzles but they are not the best all and end all.
And doing a food scatter will not solve any of your problems long term.

For a dog trainer, in my opinion, we learn our craft from learning it then doing it. Getting things wrong, learning from that. getting things right and learning from that.
It’s an ever changing jigsaw puzzle where the pieces can fit in many different ways. And training a dog is a never ending puzzle where you will ultimately use the same piece multiple times.

Then we get to the actual education of your dog. You want them to do something then you need to know how to teach it, then go teach it. And not just 3 or 4 times. You need to rehearse it, then rehearse it more in a thousand different scenarios. Then practice it more.

So step away from the books you theory loving geeks. Stop saying how it should be done, actually do it!

Run your dog or dogs, not your big monkey brain and your mouth.

We owe it to the dogs!

16/07/2024

Happy 4th Birthday to the main man, legend and the reason for this little dog training business. Wanting to do better for him has pushed me to learn so much and improve myself in terms of being a hands on trainer.

Looking forward to specialising even more with the crazy little balls of life that are Terriers.

Forever my ❤️ Elvis.

13/07/2024

13/07/2024

We are at P in the Park Events with some have a go Barn Hunt all weekend! Drop by and come see us! Also hint hint - everyone that signs up to the Barn Hunt mailing list this weekend will get a discount code heading their way Monday 💪🏻

So even if you aren’t here head to www.centralscotlandbarnhunt.co.uk and sign up at the bottom 🙌🏻🐕🐀

12/07/2024

Pleasure to work with Carol and Iris ❤️

29/06/2024

Big shout out for to all who serve and have served.

Photo a very young me in 2009 overlooking Laskah Gah. Thank god I never had to fire a weapon for anything other than training.

01/06/2024

Dogs doing the best job 💪🏻

20/05/2024

If you fancy coming and having a go at Barn Hunt a rare last minute space for an Introduction workshop has come up on Sunday due to a cancellation. This will fly out the door so don't hang about if you want it.

Book Here - www.centralscotlandbarnhunt.co.uk

16/05/2024

If anyone would like a summer photo shoot DM me. It’s a side gig now so rates are very reasonable as I really enjoy getting out and back behind the camera. Heres one from a little shoot with my two on our morning walk.