Wirral Canine Counselling

12/08/2024

Rex was extremely pleasant to look after for his overnight stay on Saturday and he especially loved the treat flying toward him on the Sunday morning walk! 🤩🐾🐕

16/06/2024

🐾 We are now accepting new canine behaviour clients this month 🐾

Please message us to enquire for more information

07/06/2024

🌈 Celebrating Pride Month with Love and Acceptance! 🌈

At Wirral Canine Counselling, we are proud to stand with the LGBTQ+ community, embracing inclusivity, neurodiversity, and the beauty of every individual. 🏳‍⚧🏳️‍🌈💖

This month, let's honour and uplift each other's unique stories and experiences. Whether you're part of the LGBTQ+ community, a neurodiverse individual, or an ally, your presence and voice matter. Together, we create a more compassionate and understanding world. 💖

We recognise that dogs can also exhibit neurodivergence. Whether your dog is quirky, energetic, or has unique needs, we take pride in being inclusive and welcoming every pet and their human with open arms. 🐾♾️🏳️‍🌈

Let's celebrate the beauty of diversity, the joy of acceptance, and the love that connects us all. ✨

03/06/2024

Kevin is a 7 month old spaniel/poodle and is boarding at WCC for 10 days 🥰

24/05/2024

Our new Dog Training & Behaviour Packages are now available! Whether you have a minor issue or a complex one, we are here to address behavioural issues. Our aim is to work together to enhance the situation through better understanding, ultimately strengthening the bond with your furry friend.

Please get in touch to discuss how we can help!

23/05/2024

Milo and Peanut enjoyed playing whilst Milo's family were away for a wedding this May 🥰

14/05/2024

🎉 Exciting News! 🎉

We are thrilled to announce that Wirral Canine Counselling has officially achieved a 4 star licensing status for dog boarding! 🐾🏡

This milestone reflects our commitment to providing high standards of care and comfort for your furry friends. Our team has worked tirelessly to ensure our facilities and services meet the rigorous requirements set by the authorities, and we couldn't be prouder of this achievement.

Boarding will be exclusive to known clients that have used our other services. Thank you to all our clients for your continued support and trust in us. We look forward to welcoming more of your wonderful dogs into our care, providing them with a safe and loving home away from home.

07/01/2024

New group created for the local area Find an ETHICAL Dog Trainer - Wirral 🥰💯

06/12/2023

Follow The Science!

Ziv (2017) conducted a review of the scientific literature on the effects of various canine training methods and summarized that methods using punishment, fear and pain jeopardize both the physical and mental health of the pet. He concludes that “there is no evidence to suggest that aversive training methods are more effective than reward-based training methods. At least three studies in this review suggest that the opposite might be true in both pets and working dogs (Blackwell, Bolster, Richards, Loftus & Casey, 2012; Haverbeke, Laporte, Depiereux, Giffroy & Diederich, 2008; Hiby, Rooney & Bradshaw, 2004). Because this appears to be the case, it is recommended that the dog training community embrace reward-based training and avoid, as much as possible, training methods that include aversion.”

20/11/2023

🤔 READ UNTIL THE END: This weeks events have really reinforced to me how transparency surrounding methods is always so important in the world of dog training and how harmful it can be when the unsuspecting public don’t have the ability to make an informed choice.

Its time that we gave the public what they deserve so they know what they are getting into. Simply stating you are ”least intrusive” or “positive as possible” isn’t good enough.

The public deserve to know what they are getting into.

I am fluffy as they go. But - I have a challenge for ALL dog trainers. Own your method and stay transparent.

If you are an aversive traditional trainer, tell the public you use things that hurt or scare dogs all the time to ensure compliance.

If you are balanced or say you are ”least intrusive” but would use things to scare or hurt dogs sometimes/last resort - say sometimes you hurt/scare dogs into compliance.

If you are FF/AF - please shout about it from the rooftops to let people find you. You aren’t an MI6 double agent! You are a dog trainer!! Help your clients make an informed choice!

—- INTRODUCING —-

The Force Free Training Traffic Lights 🚦

🛑 Use Never:

All Ecollars including vibration
Choke collars
Prong collars
Half choke collars
Slip leads
Moulding
Flooding
Fig-8 or tightening headcollars/harnesses
Any other physical punishment
Any other methods utilising verbal reprimands or intimidation that could be potentially aversive to the dog
Extinction without a MEB taught
Body pressure
Luring based conflict

🔴 Wean off if presented ASAP:

Non tightening headcollars
H harnesses if obviously unsuitable and inpeding movement

⚠️ Use sparingly:

Non reward markers
Anticipation without arousal control
Extinction with a MEB pre taught
Shaping without a lure in non savvy dogs
Luring to confidence build
Flat collars (only in safe environments)

💚 Use generously:

Below threshold CC/DS/Social Learning
Non lure based shaping in savvy dogs
Free Shaping
Lure & Reward without conflict
Conditioned Positive Interrupters with high saliency
Y harnesses (non tightening)
N.E.B
Control/Management
Veterinary Care

01/11/2023

Something in the air today! The lovely hedgehog is our second animal in need of transport to a veterinarian rescue. This time Matt, who is a qualified conservationist has stumbled across a member of the public with uncertainty of what to do with the hedgehog 🦔.

Currently off to Jackson's Animal Rescue.

27/10/2023

It’s an argument I often hear.

Surely if my dog isn’t groomed soon it’ll be a welfare issue? Yes, to some extent it will be however, using matting as an excuse to mentally traumatise a dog doesn’t sit well with me.

If your dog is matted, but finds the process of clipping or sc******ng too stressful then you have two options.

Option 1, take time to build up their confidence, teach cooperative care techniques and slowly work on the matted area in short bursts over a period of time.

Option 2, speak to your vet about a sedated clip off so you have a blank canvas to work on desensitising and confidence building without as much pressure

Yes matting is uncomfortable, yes it can hide parasites or bacteria but taking time to consider your dogs emotional well-being as much as their physical is just as much of a welfare issue in my eyes.

It’s a heavily debated topic, but I’d be interested to know your thoughts?

23/10/2023

*New & updated Services*

23/10/2023

12/10/2023

Recently, trainers who use aversive methods and equipment began sugarcoating what they do, calling it “balanced” training.

12/10/2023

From the archives... the original post was shared over 1000 times and resonated with so many people. I was on the Digging into Dogs podacast talking about this topic and this post went on to win an award.

None of us went looking for fearful, aggressive, reactive, separation anxious, or medical dogs. Most of us wanted hiking partners, brew pup patio buddies, dogs who could go anywhere. We thought it would just naturally happen because of that old saying "it's all in how you raise them." They would be raised right, so it would work out fine.

Maybe early on there were red flags. Maybe you didn't notice until they became an adult. I wish it was as easy as placing a puppy or rescue dog in the right home and adding love to "fix" things. So many people struggle with how things could have gone, should have gone, what they might have done wrong. There's a lot of baggage we carry into training from the past.

Many people want to negotiate out of the problems with their dogs. "What if we don't follow the plan? What if I can't manage it? What if I just wait for them to 'grow out of it'?" It can be hard to reconcile the dog you wanted with the dog that you have. I understand. I didn't know Zelda would be epileptic and how devastating that would be.

Mourning the dog that you thought you were going to have can help you move forward with the one you have. Forgive yourself for mistakes and commit to changing patterns moving forward. Thank your dog for doing the best they can with the cards they were dealt. Forgive them for hating the strangers at the brew pup. Forgive them for lunging on walks. Understand why they don't want to meet your friends who come over for dinner.

We often hear "train the dog in front of you." I suggest we love the dog in front of us. That doesn't mean we aren't going to be frustrated, sad, angry. That doesn't mean we aren't going to wish we had a dog who could go anywhere and do anything. But it might help us appreciate what they can do and who they are. We wish it were different, and so do they. Mourn the dog you thought you'd have and fall back in love with the dog in front of you. See less

03/10/2023

📣🐕 Muzzle training with our experts

If you own an American Bully XL type dog, you can start preparing them for the restrictions by making sure they are trained to happily wear a muzzle.

We’re offering free online sessions to help you do this and will cover:
👉 information about the most suitable types of muzzle
👉 how to ensure a good fit
👉 how to teach your dog to enjoy wearing their muzzle.

Book now 👉 https://bit.ly/3RsuUCw

Our expert trainers have muzzle trained thousands of dogs in our care and can answer any other questions you might have about how to prepare for any upcoming changes affecting you and your dog.

These sessions are designed to support owners of American Bully XLs in light of the recent news, but all dog owners are welcome to attend. It’s useful for all dogs to be able to wear a muzzle comfortably – for those who are anxious at vet visits, for dogs who like to eat undesirable things on a walk or to keep other dogs and people safe if dogs are worried.

22/09/2023

XL BULLY BAN: FREE WEBINAR!!

We're continuing to receive enquiries at Cooper & Co Solicitors from worried dog owners and rescues about what might happen when the XL Bully ban comes into force at the end of the year and, in particular, how the exemption scheme / amnesty might operate. I suggest we get together online on Sunday afternoon at 3pm for up to an hour to chat through what we know. Doglaw specialist Solicitor Trevor Cooper, together with representatives from our friends at Deed Not Breed, will answer as many of your questions as we can. We also hope to have a dog warden and someone from a dog rescue to help us answer your queries.

In order to attend, we shall be using Zoom and so you will need a link from us. You can enrol (free) on the link below. Places will be limited and so it is first come first served. If you have specific questions, it would be appreciated if you could send them in advance (via the form).

If you cannot attend, we shall aim to record this webinar so it should be available next week.

https://forms.gle/59EfhUbiyZPNstxJ6

16/09/2023

16/09/2023

If you own an XL Bully, a big chonky bull x, a Cane Corso, a Presa Canario, a Rottweiler mix... if you own ANY big chunky fatheaded bull breed mix... PLEASE read this, pass to friends, print it out, I don't care... just share it. The UK is about to ban XL Bullies/American XL Bullies - however these....