North Norfolk Dog Training

29/08/2024

27/08/2024

Iʼm raising money to Raise money for Kaizas ashes. Support this JustGiving Crowdfunding Page.

24/08/2024

Modifying behaviour takes time and patience.

When you see adverts claiming to ‘fix’ your dog, or promises of ‘quick fixes’, the chances are you are looking at a very inexperienced trainer/behaviourist or a trainer/behaviourist who uses punitive training methods - these guys claim to be balanced trainers. The use of the word ‘balanced’ is deceiving. It sounds okay’ish, but it’s REALLY not.

I’m proud to say I’m a trainer who uses the training method of ‘positive reinforcement’, a science-based training technique.

Modifying behaviour takes time and patience. There are no quick fixes!!

🚩 Fix
🚩 Quick Fix

Your dog does not need fixing, it is not broken. When you understand WFT (What’s The Function) and consider the dog’s emotional needs, you then start to modify the behaviour.

23/08/2024

My students in class constantly hear me saying….

“NEUTRAL HANDS”

Neutral hands means - relaxed hands in view and empty hands.

“MARK > AND > REWARD”

MARK = Yes, Good, Clicker or …..
AND = reach into the treat bag and grab a piece of food
REWARD = offer your dog the piece of food

Unless we’re luring our dogs, try not to have food in your hands to start off with, otherwise you might fall into the trap of bribing your dog to do something - then you’re trapped into doing just like the lady in this video.

23/08/2024

‘Bella’ the Fox Terrier (rescue) has struggled around other dogs for a long time. Her previous home and foster home were stressful environments, and so she just learnt that dogs are stressful and barking is an associated behaviour. She has been very conflicted about meeting new dogs, she would quickly become frustrated and stressed and then it was game over. Bella started to come for training 6 months ago, and has continued to train on a regular basis. During this time we’ve built up more mutual trust between her and her humans, dispelled any embarrassment her mum & dad previously felt with regards to her public outbursts, helped with her confidence, and she has learnt about ways to decompress. 6 months ago there would have been ‘a lot’ of very high pitched barking (screaming) in a situation like this - she wouldn’t have even come up for breath. It was a very windy day today, and so I had to turn the volume off. But really all you could hear was the wind, and just the occasional bark from Bella. This was the first time Bella had met Tartine - Tartine is another amazing customer (now stooge dog). There was some barking to start, but not as intense as usual, and it soon subsided.

The careful stages of introduction were:
1) Bella not yet seen Tartine. Tartine in enclosed dog field running and playing, and laying down some scent.
2) Tartine back in car - Bella’s turn to run around and play.
3) Longline on Bella inside enclosed field - Tartine other side of the fence. We walked (parallel) up and down the fence line about 15 times until both dogs were showing neutrality.
4) Then the video can tell the rest of the story.

Well done Bella - what a great session, I’m so proud of you.

Well done Tartine - you were so kind to Bella today and gave her all the space and time she needed. I’m so proud of you.

Proud dog trainer day today 🥰

20/08/2024

Looking forward to this. Personally, I choose to use a natural tick & flea herbal mix to “REPEL” the nasty little things. I don’t want a bite in the first instance. Works well for my massive hairy dogs!

I think this will explain the commonly misunderstood role of chemical treatments such as Bravecto, Frontline, Spot-on etc. My understanding is that the chemicals enter the bloodstream, but the tick for example, needs to bite and latch on for a long time before the chemicals actually kill it. Is there a chance that disease has been transferred to the dog or animal during that period of being latched on? That’s what I really want to know - I’ve read that it takes something like 48hours, but honestly I’m still not prepared to take the risk and would rather they just didn’t land on my dog at all.

Link to YouTube as Facebook wasn’t working:

https://www.youtube.com/live/e8rPGeQfed4?feature=shared

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR TICKS TO TRANSMIT DISEASE VERSUS THE KILL TIMES OF SPOT-ONS...
Can't wait for tonight, 7pm BST, Dr Victoria - vétérinaire holistique is a fabulous English/Swiss vet I met on the circuit some years ago. She has kindly agreed to come on and show us a few slides on ticks, specifically regarding how they bite and how long it takes them to transmit disease versus the stated kill times of these spot-ons.

Can't believe I never thought to look into this one before and now cannot wait to hear the answer!

Some background of the speaker:

Dr Victoria grew up in the South of England, where she began working as an intern and then as an employee at her local veterinary practice, Hillside Vets, until she entered veterinary college in 2007.

In 2011, she accepted a mission with the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI), moved to Switzerland and participated in several world competitions, such as the London Olympics and several world championships. While competing, she noticed that high-level horses are often treated with alternative medicine to ensure their best performances.

Viktoria is now specialised in Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM), Chinese Dietetics, herbal formulas, acupuncture and techniques such as the Balance Method of Doctors Tan and Alfaro. In 2017, she began to integrate both systems of medicine, Western and Chinese, and apply them daily at the Equilibre Veterinary Practice.

Dr. Victoria, is soon to your go to French-speaking holistic veterinarian, available for in-person or online conferences. If you would like to consult her, please contact the Vet Équilibre practice in Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland.

18/08/2024

⚠️ Trigger warning: Domestic abuse and coercive control

In tonight’s episode of Emmerdale, viewers saw some upsetting scenes that showed Tom King’s intent to harm Belle Dingle’s pet dog to manipulate and exert control over Belle.

This recent storyline is incredibly distressing, but sadly it is reflective of what we too often see through our Freedom fostering service. We provide a vital lifeline, offering a safe and secure foster home for dogs until their owners have found somewhere safe to live.

Many people often delay fleeing abusive situations as they are fearful of what may happen to their pets if left behind. We’ve heard of perpetrators not letting survivors walk their dogs alone, stopping them from accessing vet care for their dogs, and even repeatedly threatening to harm or kill their dogs. This is incredibly frightening, and leaves people feeling very isolated.

More about our Freedom service can be found here https://bit.ly/4do2MZq

🙏 Please share this post to help other experiencing a similar situation and let them know about our Freedom dog fostering service.

18/08/2024

Just the most adorable little toe beans. Luna takes lots of mini breaks in class 😍

13/08/2024

Remember folks - advocate for your dogs, and be their voice ❤️

I think what makes me sad is the majority of the time (if not all the time) a dog becomes "reactive" (aka FEARFUL) around people because of experiences they've had from people who don't understand dog etiquette. It's our fault. But it's the dog who is seen to have the problem behaviour? 🤷🏻‍♀️

I honestly don't know how to get it out there that APPROACHING A DOG YOU DON'T KNOW AND PUTTING YOUR HAND IN THEIR FACE/ON THEIR BODIES is really really REALLY rude and threatening. Especially to our dogs from abroad who are just NOT genetically born to take an immediate liking to strangers.

We really do need to start being better at knowing what it means to be "dog". It is not up to the dog to tolerate, accept and find it enjoyable to have strangers putting their hands all over them. It's up to US to do better in giving dogs the personal space we expect strangers to give us. We don't like it often if a dog comes running over to us and jumps all over us. And we certainly wouldn't like that if a human did it. How is what we do to dogs really much different?

When I'm sat in someones living room with their dog with a bite history I'm not sat there thinking "how am I going to get this dog okay with other people now?", I'm sat there thinking "how can I protect this dog from other people now?". Frankly, we can't be trusted. You can put a muzzle on, a jacket saying "give me space", and you can literally be visibly walking away from someone and they will still tell you "he will like me! All dogs like me!" as they proceed to stick their hand out.

STOP! ✋🏻

STOP EXPECTING DOGS TO TOLERATE RUDE THREATENING BEHAVIOUR.

Behaviour change needs to start with US HUMANS in these situations.

Keep yourselves in check. Dogs do not need to be given your hand to smell. They do not need you to pat them on the head. They do not need you to stroke their back.

How does a behaviourist say hello to a dog❓❓

You'd be surprised.

I literally stand at a distance and give a gentle smile with soft eyes. I may say "hey buddy" and then I look away.

That's it.

If the dog comes towards me I let them sniff me without bending over them. In fact, I don't touch them at all.

At all.

If the dog leans into me then I might offer a chest or shoulder stroke for a few seconds but then I STOP and pull my hands away.

I wait for re-engagement on the dogs part before giving any more physical contact. But most dogs then go back to sniffing me or walk away. For most dogs a few seconds of pets is enough by strangers.

Please, please, please educate yourselves and your families on how to say hello to dogs. Please 🥹

It breaks my heart the fear that dogs end up existing in because we are just too unpredictable and too ignorant in our manner with dogs we don't know.

HANDS OFF. Until you've sat with a dog who can do nothing but watch in fear at your feet and hands you can't fully appreciate this. But we are CREATING trauma in other peoples dogs.

Any thoughts on this? Pop them below. It's a bit of a strong rant but I really think it needs to be said 🐾💜

11/08/2024

Joined her first puppy class today 😍

11/08/2024

Joined her first class today. Sooooo tiny 😍

11/08/2024

Joined his first class today 😍

11/08/2024

Joining his first puppy class today 😍

09/08/2024

Clara, the Lurcher cross, is looking for like minded friends. She was rescued & now lives with a wonderful mummy, who is doing all she can to make Clara’s life the best life possible. I’ve been training with her since February and Clara has done so well.

It would be lovely for Clara to have a nice ‘calm’ friend who can help her to continue to trust the outside world. She really needs a friend who’s a similar breed or cross breed. It’s especially important that her new friend is confident and not in anyway reactive to the outside world. Clara does love to play and chase with dogs she knows, but can be a little too much for the other dogs - she hasn’t found the off switch yet.

Area: Wells-next-the-sea or surrounding areas

Please get in touch if you feel you have the perfect match.

05/08/2024

I’ve been meaning to write something on this subject for ages. Thank you Aileen, spot on.

Dog daycare has grown hugely in popularity in recent years. And, like any new industry which has grown rapidly, the quality of the provision varies greatly. So how do you decide –

• whether daycare is right for your dog?
• which daycare to choose?

𝗜𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝗼𝗴?
Daycare isn’t right for every dog. Here are some points to consider when deciding if it might be right for yours –

• Is your dog anxious or lacking in confidence? While an under confident dog might grow in confidence in a smaller daycare they are likely (in my experience) to struggle in a large scale daycare. It can be tempting to think that by being around other dogs they will ‘get used to it’ but, very often, it’s totally overwhelming for them and can make existing problems worse.
• Is your dog super interested in other dogs? If so, is giving him pretty much unrestricted access to lots of other dogs likely to be helpful? Or do you run the risk of turning him into a hypersocial dog with no boundaries?
• Can your dog settle and relax around other dogs? If not they are going to be exhausted (and not in a good way…) after a day at day care.
• Can your dog tolerate rude, socially clumsy dogs? Do they have the social skills to defuse and de-escalate tension or might they react if they feel painted into a corner?
• Are you prepared to neuter your dog early? Many local authorities make neutering by a given age (often as young as 6 months) a condition of daycare licensing however early neutering can often be at odds with the health and well being of the dog, particularly for large breeds.
• Why do you need/want daycare for your dog? Is additional care a necessity, for example, if you are out of the home for long periods or your dog has separation related problems which mean they need access to a human at all times? Or are you simply looking for a socialisation opportunity for your dog in which case what other options are available and which would suit your dog best? Would they get more out of spending time outdoors in a smaller group with a dog walker? Would a trip to the park meet their socialisation needs (always bearing in mind that socialisation is not just about meeting other dogs)?
• How will you mitigate or avoid the potential behavioural problems which can arise from daycare? The lessons your dog might learn in day care are unlikely to be helpful in their life outside of daycare. Think about what daycare might teach them…they get unrestricted access to play with lots of dogs lots of the time, they may get little practice settling and switching off, they are kept physiologically aroused a lot of the time, they often practice using their voice a lot. Are these things that might become problematic in contexts other than daycare? How will the young, adolescent dog who plays all day with every dog in daycare react when he’s out in the world and can’t interact with every dog there? Frustration? Barking? Pulling?

If you’ve answered these questions and are happy that your dog would benefit from (NB not just cope with...) a day care environment how do choose the right daycare?

𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗗𝗮𝘆𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲?
There are many different styles of daycare from small, in home facilities to large, industrial scale daycares. So what should you consider when choosing a daycare?

• Size. How many dogs are cared for at any one time? There’s a world of difference between being in a group of 6 dogs and one of 60. What will your dog be comfortable with (and what are you comfortable with)?
• What size are the daycare's groups? Will your dog be in a small group (

03/08/2024

Problematic behaviours, or changes in behaviour (new behaviours), aggression, reactivity (umbrella term) resource guarding, pica (eating non food items), spinning, light or shadow chasing, barking, hyperactivity, inability to settle, handling issues can all have pain or discomfort as a contributing factor.

It is so very important to ask your vet for a thorough pain assessment.

Dogs often won't show pain and discomfort in ways that we would expect.
​
A study by Professor Daniel Mills at Lincoln University found that approximately 80% of dogs that presented with behavioural issues had some form of undiagnosed pain.

Aggression stemming from pain is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted approach. It's not enough to simply label a dog as "aggressive" and write them off – we must delve deeper to understand the underlying causes of their behaviour.

Pain management plays a crucial role in addressing aggression related to arthritis or other medical conditions.

However, it's equally important to address any underlying emotional or behavioural issues that may be contributing to the dog's distress.

This holistic approach to canine well-being is central to the story in "Why Don't You Listen" by CAM - our kids book aimed recognising the signs of pain in dogs.

You can purchase the book here:
https://www.camonlineshop.com/why-dont-you-listen-book/

02/08/2024

G-dog and her mum have an amazing bond and now mutual trust. Mum, Anne-Marie, has learnt how best to respond and support G-dog (Gwennie) when things are not going quite so well.

02/08/2024

⚠️⚠️Warning - rant alert ⚠️⚠️

I cannot believe I’m having to still share this message every year, but sadly I am.

It is 24-25°C and around 60% humidity today, and someone left their dog inside a car, fully facing the sun and had not in any way attempted to even park the car in the shade. The windows had been left open a bit, but that’s not good enough. The dog was clearly very distressed and I was just about to call 999 in order to smash a window to get the dog out. The dog had been in there for at least the 15minutes from when I was made aware it, so the poor thing had been in there longer than that.

Luckily, the owner of the car turned up - she had been getting a coffee or similar, and probably noticed a group of us around her car discussing what our next move should be. She made no apology and just waltzed on by and got in the car. Of course those of us who were present made it clear to her that this was not acceptable behaviour.

DO NOT LEAVE DOGS (any animal) IN CARS WHEN THE WEATHER IS HOT.

When it is 22°C (72°F) outside, the temperature inside the car can soar to 47°C (117°F) within 1 hour. Dogs pant to keep themselves cool, which also raises the temperature in the car.

Animals can suffer fatal heatstroke within minutes. Never leave your dog (or any pet) alone in a car – even with the windows open.

When a dog’s temperature goes above 40°C, it can trigger the start of irreversible damage to the brain and internal organs.

It is not illegal as such to leave a dog in a hot car, but owners are legally responsible for their pet’s health and welfare. If a dog became ill or sadly died due to being left in a hot car, owners could be charged with the offence of animal cruelty under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. This could lead to a prison sentence and/or a fine.

PLEASE JUST DONT DO IT.

31/07/2024

SELLING

Dog cages taken from my Ford Transit Connect 2010 year. Van photos show half the cages missing as it was used for two large breed dogs. All panels here, nothing missing for the following configurations: one large cage behind bulkhead with side door to the van side sliding door. The back is either two medium cages with one small cage above - or can be one large cage with full height - or one large cage with one small cage above.

There is some rust on parts, but this doesn’t effect use in anyway. These are heavy duty, sturdy cages.

Ideal for multi-dog household, dog walker, dog trainer etc.

£375 ono

Collection only: Brancaster PE31 8

29/07/2024

Contact [email protected] for more information or to enquire a space! Regular/weekly group walks, solo, pet check in/feed spaces available now💖

📍 Castle Acre and the local area

29/07/2024

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28/07/2024

…and the same can be said for training and handling dogs. Trainers, like myself, are given a hard time, usually by other trainers who choose to use aversives in their training. Because we use food, toys, praise, touch and games to reward our dogs, we’re accused of bribing the dog, for being too soft, allowing the dog to dominate us etc. The list of idiotic, poor excuses for why not to use positive reinforcement, none of which are accurate in anyway, goes on and on.

Aversive Equipment used in the name of dog training:
- Head collars (there are some circumstances when this might be considered the lesser or two evils)
- Slip leads
- Prong collars
- Choke collars/chains
- Citronella spray collars
- Shock collar (also known as e-collars)
- Invisible fence collars
- Shaker cans (soda cans filled with pennies or rocks)
- Correstion sprays (noise and citronella)
- Spray bottles (Note: some dogs don't find this aversive — I've met many dogs who love to catch the water sprayed. But the intent of their use makes them an aversive tool)

I like this deeper explanation about why positive reinforcement works and why it is the only way humans should be training animals.

Click this link….
https://seaworld.org/animals/all-about/training/animal-training-basics/

There is so much being written about recent events and I've been watching and mulling it over for a few days.
What I'm seeing is either, "utter horror and surprise. Support in a warped way that suggests we look at how bad they are though over there, in whatever other sport they choose, and this wasn't as bad as that.
Seen worse on livery yards. Least the horses aren't fat and have laminitis.
Everyone makes mistakes and others throwing Charlotte under the bus to divert attention.. "

What she did was very wrong and not for a second do I think it's a one off but this post isn't aimed at her, but all of us..

We have to stop turning a blind eye , to stop handing over responsibility to people who's standing and status do not mean they know better than us when it comes to horse welfare.

How about we all look at what is going on all around us. On the livery yards we are on. At the trainers and professionals we use and start to be your horses advocate. You are their guardian and what ever level you are riding at, we should always question any one who we ask for help with them.

On a daily basis I hear of how horses are "lazy" "taking the p*ss" "mareish" "opinionated" " sharp" "spooky"etc etc with no thought for the why, just a negative consequence for the horse.

It's endemic.

The way we view horses has to start to be different from ground level, to make changes all the way up to the top. The FEI routinely turn a blind eye. The photos of showjumpers and dressage horses in Paris already coming out show that.
So the tide needs to change around us and to push back at those who should know better and choose not to see.
Not to idolise them.
To stop and really look at the photos of them, see the blue tongues the pain expressions, the poor muscling , the lameness,the learned helplessness..
To speak up..

Winning medals should not deserve the adoration through blinkers that human nature appears to think it does. But also niether should being a professional at any level, mean they know better than you.

Being paid, so therefore professional, does not mean they know better. No one is above question and your horses is the only expert and their opinion the only one that matters.. they all communicate, it's our job to learn to "listen" to them.

Whether it's someone at Olympic level or teaching on the local livery yard, everyone should be held accountable.

It's not ok to strap the mouth up tighter with nosebands as the horses dare to express their discomfort.
To use stronger bits to make us feel safe when the bit is causing your horse pain.
To teach its normal for horses to take 15 mins plus to "submit" every time we ride.
For trainers to make people who do question, feel like they are just soft and the reason their horse is a "t"at". That's human bullying as well as equine..
To teach kids their ponies are lazy and need a smack, or to get them "on the bit" by seesawing on their mouths. That applies to adults too..
To ride horses behind the vertical as the dressage judges keep saying "not round enough"..
To accept the amount of broken horses, physically and mentally, around us because of what humans have done..
To accept horses needing rehab at only 5 years old when should just be starting their ridden lives,not already be broken from it..
For livery yard culture of bullying anyone who is different and doesn't follow the mainstream..
I could go on..

Being a competitive rider/professional does not mean they know better, or their care for their horses is superior.
It means the judges somewhere told them they are doing it right, and rewarded it with prizes. Let's stop putting our horses wellbeing in the hands of someone sat in a judges box..

Nor does the fact a person has been riding from more years than you've been on the planet and you only riding a few, mean your opinion and feeling on a situation must be wrong.. time spent with or money earnt from horses,does not mean the have knowledge that's ethical and horse centred..

We can compete and keep our horses at the top of our priority, but we have to accept the judges may mark this down. I have and I know how frustrating this is but no one will ever make me ride or train people differently to gain more marks, if it's not prioritising the horses physical and mental state.
I have met and worked with wonderfully kind top competitive riders, who's horses wellbeing is an absolute priority and don't use aversive methods, but they are constantly questioning and evolving to be better for their horses.

There are judges out there that see good horse focussed training, but when what's rewarded at high level is seen as gold standard it's hard to go against the tide..

It's time for change and I even thank that whistleblower for showing the video to the press.
I don't care if it's sour grapes, the victim feeling they couldn't share before, someone trying to wipe out the competition, or whatever else theory people are coming up with.

It's not where our energy should now be. In-fighting whilst the public watch on and see nothing change.. It's not equestrians who will be behind the push for the banning of horse sports, but it'll happen while the collective focus is on falling out with each other and not accepting responsibility and making changes .

Our energies should be on the sad reality that this is going on, everywhere and we cannot carry on choosing not to see/ speak up.
How we are going to show the public this isn't what we do if we really love horses and that money and medals are never worth more than them..

I'm hoping what's in the news will be a positive, as we needed a catalyst for change. I'm hoping this is going to open peoples eyes and also give them confidence to question "professionals".
I'm hoping the people who always apologise to me as they are "only happy hackers" but who's horses are happy and not sore, stop apologising..

In hope...

Ruth