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Wight Agility Group

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Wight Agility Group

Dog Training, Behavioural Advice, Puppy training, Flyball, Agility, Foundation and life skills. One to one and group lessons for all aspects of training.

A dog training club for all types of dog, using positive reward based training, in a friendly environment, designed to build a special bond with your dog. Agility, basic obedience and behavioural advice is available, Puppy training and Hoopers

18/06/2024

Congratulations to these guys for passing their Level 1 puppy life skills!🎉
Kirsty & Bruce, Lara & Chester, Sarah & Reine......super puppies!🥰
See you for Level 2!🤩

12/05/2024

🐾NEW BRONZE LEVEL PUPPY GROUP!!!🐾

Start date - Thursday 16th May
Time - 5.30 to 6.30pm
6 week course - £70

Only 6 spaces available!

We cover all your early puppy life skills.....toilet training, socialisation, puppy biting, jumping up, appropriate play, sit, down, loose lead walking, recall etc
All taught using force free, reward based training methods in a fun, relaxed environment.

For pups up to 6 months old.

Drop me a message to find out more & book your space.....😊🐾

07/05/2024

I still have a couple of spaces on this Puppy Course starting Thursday 16th May.
Drop me a message via Lead On Dog Training to book your space.
I'm currently away & don't always have Internet access, but will reply as soon as I can...😊🐾

17/04/2024

🐾NEW Level 1 PUPPY GROUP!!!🐾 FULL!!

Start date - Tuesday 14th May
Time - 5.45 to 6.45pm
6 week course - £70

Only 6 spaces available! NOW FULL!!

We cover all your early puppy life skills.....toilet training, socialisation, puppy biting, jumping up, sit, down, loose lead walking, recall etc
All taught using force free, reward based training methods in a fun, relaxed environment.

For pups up to 6 months old.

Drop us a message to find out more & book your space.....😊🐾

08/04/2024

Congratulations to this little lot for passing their Level 3 Puppy Life Skills this evening!
Well done Team Ezra, Team Raph & Team Barry! 🎉🐾
You've been an absolute please to work with & I look forward to following your adventures with your pups......😊🐾

08/04/2024

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE

To all of you still waiting for a private space, for Agility or Behaviour, please bare with me. I’m rearranging my schedule to create some more spaces, so within the next two weeks I’m hoping to get all of those that are waiting, into a space. Thank you xx

30/03/2024

NOW FULL 🥰🥰🥰

EASTER MONDAY SCENTWORK SHOP, suitable for dogs that need their space. 15:30-17:30

I have one space available due to a last minute cancellation, £25. No experience necessary, this is a mix ability group that will work with one dog in at a time.

Please comment or message if you would like to join us.

04/03/2024

Last few spaces remaining on this!
Please message me to book your space or book directly through Sophies website.....
Thanks
Lisa 🐾

I’m coming to the Isle of Wight to teach in just over 3 weeks.

Here is the link if you’d I’d like to come along

https://www.animallovepetfirstaid.co.uk/events/canine-health-first-aid-isle-of-wight

21/02/2024

There's still time to book onto this! Message to book your space.....😊🐾

We are holding 2 canine first aid courses in March 2024.

We have one space left on Friday 15th & several on Saturday 16th.

I can't recommend this course highly enough! Anyone who has done one of Dr Sophie Bells courses will tell you the same!😊

Details below. Please message me through my page to book your space. Payment due at time of booking...

🐾CANINE HEALTH & FIRST - AID COURSE🐾

Saturday 16th March 2024
With Dr Sophie Bell from
Animal Love Pet First Aid

At The White Horse, Whitwell
9.45am to 4pm
Cost - £50
Limited to 30 spaces.
Message or comment to book your space.
Payment due to Lisa at the time of booking🐶

Note: this is a 'no dog' event.

🐾Dog First Aid 🐾

This First-aid course focuses mostly on dogs but also covers some important facts about cat first aid and other small animals.

It is a very In-depth course suitable for pet owners, those with animal related businesses and people who are going to vet school or training to become a vet nurse.

Covering lots of topic areas including: shock, CPR, practical bandaging, bleeding, drowning/choking, Alabama Rot, toxins, clinical examination, TPR (temp/pulse/respiration), mucus membrane colour and what it means, signs of pain, road traffic accidents, bites and stings, pyometra, gastric dilation volvulus, seizures, diabetes, ear and eye problems, hypo/hyperthermia, wound management, kennel cough, vomiting and diarrhoea, paw and nail problems and so much more.

It also covers holistic and medical treatment options.
Learn in a relaxed environment
Course notes included
Certificated and CPD approved

21/02/2024

UPDATE,Park Search is now FULL, still some spaces in Beginners and Reactive dogs

Time for some Scent work again. Just gaging interest for the following Workshops

Easter Sunday Morning for dogs on Odour, Park search from 10:30-12:30, venue will be disclosed once your space is confirmed. A maximum of 8 teams, costing £25

Bank Holiday Easter Monday, Absolutely Beginners Scent work, at our training venue 1:00-3:00 £25

Reactive dogs Scent Workshop 3:30-5:30 at our training venue, suitable for both dogs on odour or Beginners. One dog at a time. £25.

Please comment if you would like a space xx

12/02/2024

Huge congratulations to this little lot who passed their Level 2 puppy skills this evening!
Tara & Raph, James & Monty, Paul & Barry, Jenn & Freddie, Hayley & Mille........well done everyone! Look forward to taking you through Level 3.....😊🐾

12/02/2024

1 space left on Friday & several still available on the Saturday.......15th & 16th March.
Message to find out more or book your space....

19/01/2024

Written by COMMETJI CANINE COLLEGE

WHY IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT OBSERVABLE BEHAVIOUR:

A while ago, on the support group page of a training course I was enrolled in, another trainer posted a question looking for advice about a dog that was going completely crazy whenever she arrived to work with the dog. By the time I saw the post, there were already about 20 comments giving advice on how to address this problem. Reading through the comments I felt very concerned, because while there was nothing “wrong” with the advice being given (there was no suggestion of aversives and it was all along positive reinforcement lines), not a single question about the dog’s background, lifestyle, health or living environment had been asked before the advice was given. Everyone jumped in immediately to give advice on addressing the behaviour in that moment, without any insight or interest in what the underlying factors for that behaviour might be. While everyone was quick suggest ways to distract or redirect the dog in the moment, no one gave a thought as to why the dog was doing what she was doing.

This approach is not unusual today. We are often told “focus on the behaviour in front of you”. While that might be good advice in a moment where you are training a particular task or assessing a dog in a particular situation, it is not an adequate approach for fully addressing any behaviour problem or long-term training issue. What we see in a moment is not just about what is happening in that moment – it can be a culmination of many events and the product of many influencing factors. Let me try to explain:

An employer approaches two senior employees, Nancy and Jane, and asks them both to prepare a short presentation for other employees in the company on workplace etiquette and standard operating procedures. Nancy is thrilled at the request and quickly starts planning what she is going to say and how to create an eye-catching presentation. Nancy has always loved public speaking. She was a member of a debate team in high school and feels that public speaking is a skill she has that so far has not been utilised enough in her job, so she wants to make the most of this opportunity. Nancy feels that this is another sign that life is great. She and her family have just moved into their first owned home and she is enjoying spending her time off gardening – something else she has always loved, and which helps her to relax after work. Her husband and kids are doing well (kids are older and pretty self-sufficient) and life at home is fairly harmonious. Nancy has no health problems and when she is not gardening, she and her family go hiking, which they all find revitalising. Nancy is excited for the presentation challenge!
Jane on the other hand, is horrified by her boss’s request. She has always hated public speaking and remembers a particularly embarrassing moment in high school when she went blank in front of the whole class and was sure everyone was laughing at her. This is not something she thought she would have to do in this job. Her husband was recently retrenched, and money is tight, so she really needs to keep this job, regardless of whether she enjoys it or not. Although her husband is at home, she feels guilty for not spending enough time with her children, who are still little. She can’t remember the last time they even all went to a park together. There never seems to be time to relax. She is also getting over flu (which she seems to keep getting) and is absolutely exhausted. She really just can’t believe that she now has this extra pressure on her to do something she really dreads.

Can you see how the two responses to the same task or immediate situation will be so vastly different, based on a whole lot of background factors which the boss may not be aware of at all? Do you see that no matter how much of a pep talk the boss might give Jane in that moment or even if he offered her more money (positive reinforcement) to complete the task, she would be unlikely to do well, due to all the personal factors in her life and her past experiences? If the employer really wanted to help Jane to succeed in her role in the company, he would need to sit down with her, get to know her and understand where she is coming from. If he were a compassionate person, who believed in helping his staff develop their full potential, he might reassign this specific task to someone else and give Jane another task she was more comfortable with. Or if he felt she was underestimating her abilities; he might ask Nancy to gently coach her and gradually build her confidence in this area. If he felt she was experiencing chronic stress, he might first suggest that she take a few days of sick leave. He might consider offering her flexitime, so she could be at home more and could find time to go for a short trip to the park every day with the children. He might suggest that she see a doctor and get her health back on track.

The same applies when we are looking at dogs with behaviour problems. Fear and reactivity are probably the most common issues we deal with as dog trainers and behaviour consultants. But fear and reactivity are never just about what is happening in that moment. The genetics, health, history and daily life experiences of the individual dog are all factors which the dog brings into every situation and which influences how the dog responds. Most often, when people approach us for help with a behaviour problem, they want us to go out with the dog and fix the problem right then and there. We are expected to put the dog in the situation he struggles with and train him to behave differently. Now, we can alter behaviour to a certain extent with this approach. We can manipulate the conditions of the situation to encourage a different behaviour and we can start reinforcing those new behaviours. We will probably have some success. But unless we look at the whole dog and everything which might be impacting his behaviour, we will simply be smoothing over the surface and sooner or later the problem will erupt again.

It is no good training a dog to “behave better” in a particular situation if the rest of the dog’s life does not support healthy behaviour. Background issues which HAVE to be addressed are:

1. CHRONIC STRESS – Most dogs we see with reactivity have been rehearsing it so often and for so long that they live in a state of chronic stress. They are constantly exposed to triggers and are always on edge, never in a relaxed state emotionally or physiologically. No meaningful learning can happen when a dog is living with chronic stress. Daily stressors HAVE to be eliminated or reduced as much as possible.
2. HEALTH PROBLEMS – Poor health depletes emotional and physical resources. Good health is vital for learning and emotional wellbeing. So many people ignore ongoing chronic health or pain issues in their dogs, but yet expect their dogs to be happy. Unless health problems are managed properly and appropriate pain relief is given, there is no point in addressing behaviour problems.
3. LIFESTYLE/MEETING NEEDS – Dogs have daily needs for social interaction (primarily with their own human family), exercise, mental stimulation, play, rehearsing species/breed specific behaviour patterns (stalking, chasing, grabbing, tugging, digging, chewing, scavenging, sniffing) and REST. Deficits in any of these areas will affect mood and lead to either depression or frustration, which will affect a dog’s ability to learn and cope with even mildly stressful events.
4. DIET – Dogs need adequate amounts of vital nutrients in order to maintain good emotional and physical health. Dietary imbalances (excesses or shortfalls) can affect mood (levels of certain chemicals in the brain) and how well the brain functions (the brain is an energy hungry organ!).
5. PAST EXPERIENCES – If a dog has had a traumatic experience with something, we first need to change how the dog feels about that thing (the underlying emotional response), before we try to change the dog’s behaviour. Desensitization and Counterconditioning (changing emotional associations) may need to be the initial focus and not operant conditioning (changing behaviour).

When addressing any behaviour problem, it is vital that we first investigate and address all these factors above BEFORE we try to change behaviour in a specific context. As I said in a previous article, only addressing the behaviour in the moment is like putting a plaster on an open wound, while ignoring the underlying infection. Surely we love our dogs enough to not want to simply change behaviour, but to want to ensure that they are truly and deeply happy, healthy, content and living the best lives possible.

29/12/2023

There are still a few spaces available on this course for Saturday 16th March.
Either message me through Lead On Dog Training or directly..... Lisa Fiske

29/12/2023

As this year is coming to an end, it’s time to announce this years Awards.
Best Puppy is Tallulha Sheperdly and Monty
Best Beginner is Lauren Smith and Luna
Best Progress is Jo Barrett and Lilly
Best Junior Handler is Kit and Mac
Special Award goes to Elaine Burtenshaw and Alfie.

All of these recipients are very deserving. But as always, it’s extremely tough to chose, you continue to blow me away with your progress and dedication to training.

Our little club has been going for 12 yrs and has grown from about 20 members to 500, that are currently on the private training page. It was my aim to create a safe and friendly training space with likeminded trainers, which I think, has been extremely successful. I currently share my space with Richard and Hannah at Dastardly Dogs, Lisa Fiske at Lead on training, Hannah Robertson who teaches Puppy training and TD Rally and our recent addition with Bev Snudden and Undercliffe Dog Training.

I would like to wish all of our customers, a very Happy and Healthy New Year ###

19/12/2023

🎉Congratulations Level 2 Puppies! 🎉

A huge well done to Sonny, Maggie and Pebbles for passing your Level 2 Puppy skills tonight. Some great work from all of you 😁. The improvement over the last 6wks has been a pleasure to watch ☺️
Not forgetting Ezra who was poorly so couldn't make the last session but would easily have passed so there is a rosette waiting for you! We hope you get well soon! 💕

17/12/2023

What a fantastic day at our steeplechase and levels show. Some fantastic results, great teamwork and skills, well done to everyone that came along and did their best. The results are:- Small Dogs 1st Nadine and Tubz, 2nd Lauren and Luna, 3rd Lucy and Eida. Medium dogs 1st Sarah and Acorn, 2nd Trudie and Dolly, 3rd Anna and Ember, Intermediate dogs, 1st Kerry and Amber, 2nd Sarah and Kuli, 3rd Abbey and Ozzie. Large dogs, 1st Sarah and Bren, 2nd Karen and Fen, 3rd Lisa and Rueben, who was actually the fastest time of the day, but sadly with faults, at 22.15.

Congrats to those that passed their levels. Super proud of all of you xx

07/12/2023

A very worrying time ahead for all XL Bully dog owners. I personally agree with the Blue Cross, more time is needed to allow responsible owners to comply with the new regulations. I really hope we don’t see any more dogs being abandoned, in case they are deemed XL Bully breeds. 🤞🤞🤞

XL bully ban – contact your MP | Blue Cross https://www.bluecross.org.uk/campaign/xl-bully-ban-contact-your-mp

02/12/2023

UNDERSTANDING CANINE BODY LANGUAGE

One of the biggest challenges we face with dogs is, that most of us don't realise that to understand our dogs, we need to learn a new language.

We need to understand a 'language' or a communication system that is mostly visual as opposed to verbal.

We commonly hear that the dog was 'fine', then something happened and that it was completely unpredictable.

Whilst I will acknowledge that in rare cases some behaviour can be unpredictable (usually due to a medical condition), most of the behaviour we think is unpredictable, is more likely our inability to 'read' or understand how it has slowly built.

Dog body language is subtle. It is VERY subtle and complex, involving the whole body, not just a tail wag, or a facial expression. You will need to understand the different elements. For example, not all play bows are an invitation to play.

A lot of the focus with dog ownership is on the training and rightly so. But we should also be focusing heavily on learning how to speak dog...

We need to learn how to translate what our dogs are communicating and then we can decide what training would be appropriate.

As dog professionals our goal isn't to just tell you or show you how to train your dog. It's to teach you how to understand what your dog is 'saying' and then how to respond to the situation.

Dogs are always communicating with either us, or others within their environment. If we could understand them better, we could then avoid conflict and so many unfortunate incidents. 😊

27/11/2023

Congratulations to our latest Level 1 puppy graduates! Louisa & Dolly, Tara & Raph, James & Monty, Jenn & Freddie, Paul & Barry, Charlotte & Rusty, Matt & Millie.
It's been an absolute pleasure to take you through your first 6 weeks of puppy training!
Well done everyone...👏🎉🐾

20/11/2023

01/11/2023

Huge congratulations to our latest puppy graduates! 🎉
These gorgeous little ones have completed their 6 wk level 1 puppy skills and all earned themselves a rosette! ☺️

28/10/2023

It’s so important to understand the anatomy of dogs, so we can prevent unnecessary injury or pain. Harnesses are definitely a better option, unless your dog doesn’t pull of course xx

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=804929774971130&id=100063623456068

I saw a kid walking his lovely lab having a great time and then he gave him a big old yank on the lead, which was on a collar and my heart did that achy breaky thing.

Underneath that strong looking neck, are some vital life supporting structures connecting your dog’s gut and nervous system to the brain.

If you have a big dog that lunges or pulls on the lead, a collar is not going to stop him. A harness is not going to make him lunge or pull more. However, it will distribute his weight through a part of the body designed to protect the organs instead of the full pressure being on the neck and all it contains.

A yank on the lead can cause emotional associations that lead to behaviour issues and pressure around the neck can cause multiple physical injuries some terminal.

With thanks for the illustration and we recommend https://perfect-fit-dog-harness.com/harness.html

Neck injuries include bruising, whiplash, headaches, crushed trachea, damage to the larynx, fractured vertebrae, neck and spinal cord injury and paralysis or neurological problems.

If the parasympathetic nervous system is tweaked through a tug to the neck the vagal reflex can cause instant death.

Higher intraocular pressure can cause serious injury to dogs already suffering thin corneas, glaucoma, or eye injuries.

It has also been linked to hypothyroidism as the collar rests on the area of the thyroid gland causing damage.

It can impinge the nerves supplying the front legs leading to an abnormal sensation in the feet that can present as a dog that starts licking their feet. Often misdiagnosed as having allergies.

A dog's epidermis is only 3-5 cells thick, in humans it is at least 10-15 cells thick.

Excessive pressure can cause damage to the dog's eyes, larynx and thyroid gland.

Particularly risky for puppies under 6 months, a time during which the cartilage of the trachea is still delicate.

A dog that feels pain and discomfort on saying hello to another dog, or trying to sniff the environment, is in danger of associating other dogs or other stimuli in the environment with pain and discomfort resulting in a dog that we would label “reactive” and/or “aggressive” when on lead, “but ok when off lead”.

20/10/2023

Chris and Bailey have retired from training. So many people will know how much they are Loved and will be missed. They have been part of WAG for almost 9 yrs. very special team, Bailey was so consistent and know what to do and Chris was the reason he was so good. You two will be so missed. 🥰

16/10/2023

Huge congratulations to these guys for completing their Level 3 puppy life skills!
Poppy & Bertie, Perri & Milo, Jess & Albus.
You've been an absolute pleasure to work with! Well done!😍🐾

01/10/2023

Absolutely love this xx

Can we please stop expecting that EVERY dog wants to go to dog parks, daycares, patio parties and have birthday parties with other dogs! Nobody loves dogs more than me, but I’m here to tell you that dogs aren’t human children. They don’t want to do everything a human child does. Breed can matter when deciding what is fun for your best friend. Your Husky may have the energy to run, your Retriever may want to retrieve and your terrier may want to chase and grab. So yes, raising them with kindness is paramount, but paying attention to their needs is too. I said it.

This mentality that every dog has to be “social” with other people and dogs is keeping my shelter full, my days long and my heart broken, because I see the best dogs passed over, because they wouldn’t do well at a dog park or daycare. Not every dog needs to like your friends. I keep my dog in his room when people come over, because he isn’t comfortable around everyone, and I don’t want to set him up for failure. Love your dog enough to respect her boundaries.

Your dog doesn’t want to meet every dog. The reality show you watched about dog training and dog adoption is fake, I’ve worked in television, it’s edited to create a good story, not necessarily a real story. Let’s stop these narratives on dog ownership that are SOLD to us and based on making money. Dogs aren’t a business they are our best friends. Remember that.

Your dog can be perfectly safe and happy without overstimulating daycare or doggy birthday parties. Those things are fun for some dogs, but not for all. I want to take my dog everywhere, I want to give my dog the things I would want, but for the love of dogs in shelters everywhere, let’s ask dogs what do they REALLY want?

Dogs want more sniffs, waterlogged sticks, a quiet place to decompress, a space to stretch their legs and you to respect their body language and boundaries. They are talking to you…listen.

20/09/2023

This is primarily about ball chucking, but can relate to any continuous strenuous exercise. We know how much they love to chase, but it’s worth considering the knock on effects of over exercising 🥰

Address

Behind Brownriggs Farm Shop
Ventnor
PO383

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+447774152842

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Videos

A super day at the donkey sanctuary! Thank you to everyone who helped out with our demo...🤩🐾🐾

What a fabulous Christmas show we had yesterday. Some amazing runs and super fast times. This is Mark and Poppy, who’s time was 18.05, the fastest on the day. Super proud trainer moment, when so many of you went clear and some really close times. I seem to only be able to load one video at a time, so I’ve sent individual videos to you and Lisa will be sharing some more on the training page. Well done all if you. Xx

This is a little clip of my dogs enjoying a treat. Squirty cheese is brilliant as a treat, as it’s clean and easy to dispense without dropping any on the floor, causing a distraction. As you can see Twirl really likes it xx

We’ve had a fabulous start to 2018 with a great week doing grids and weave proofing. This is Bob who has been through Puppy skills, Foundation and now Beginners Agility. I would also like to welcome all the new comers to our club this year, which includes Nina and her two paps from Finland, Melissa and Truffle in puppies, Madeleine and Ari into Foundation. Patricia and Polly, Bella and Humphrey, Junior handler and finally Val and Honey. It’s going to be a fun year xx

My special crazy girl went to fun show today and this was her first run, somewhat over excited by her experience, but certainly entertaining for the spectators. Her second run in Agility, she went clear and came second. Our criteria for this year, her first season competing, was for speed and confidence, big tick xx

Fabulous first week back to normal training. Just goes to prove that a break can be really positive in your training. Every single one of you made good progress. This clip is Mikee and Wilbur working on some distance handling. Great work guys xx

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Our Story

A dog training club for all types of dog, using positive reward based training, in a friendly environment, designed to build a special bond with your dog. Agility, Flyball, basic obedience and behavioural advice is available.