Shape Your Dog

04/09/2025

Beware of the owners of off lead dogs that say ‘be nice!’

04/09/2025

03/09/2025

Why I would not use Doggy Daycare!

02/09/2025

Frustration and lead reactivity. Are you making it worse?

30/08/2025

Loose Lead Challenge 🐾

Have a bit of fun and challenge yourself to see how long your dog can stay by your side and keep the lead loose.

Post your loose lead challenge videos in the comments below🐾🐾🐾

26/08/2025

Get your dog under control or face a police order! UK news today.

I’ve recently taken on a rescue dog, on one of my 6 month training programmes, who has been given a police order due to ‘nipping’ members of the public on walks. They can also be dog aggressive. This only happens in 5% of situations but, never the less, it happens and has the potential to be very dangerous.

Thankfully their owners are responsible enough to invest in training off the back of this and are taking the training seriously and have even suggested they want to continue with ongoing support.

‘Out of control’ dogs are becoming a rising problem in the UK. It’s both preventable and manageable, with appropriate puppy training and careful and considered exposure to the world and the support of a professional dog trainer and behaviourist for adult dogs with these issues.

Just because your dog is small and fluffy, doesn’t mean they are not dangerous. Put their behaviour in the paws of a German Shepherd and it would look a lot more scary but it’s still the same behaviour and still dangerous.

If you want to make sure your dog or puppy stay ‘in control’ then get in touch. SHARE this post to anyone you feel may be interested to find out more.

24/08/2025

Sometimes the cause isn't behavioural at all! - What's filing this dog's bucket?

I have a roadmap that I follow in every initial consultation and the first thing I like to get to the bottom of is "what's filling this dog's bucket"?

🐕 Excitement?
🐕 Anxiety?
🐕 Fear?
🐕 Frustration?
🐕 Dog related needs NOT being met (physical, mental, calming, social)?
🐕 Breed specific needs (digging, hunting, searching, disecting, carrying, etc...)
🐕 Health related triggers (pain, joint discomfort, gut discomfort, dental issues, neurological issues, endocrine issues, metal health issues), etc....?
🐕 Environmental struggles (busy roads, noisy home, busy home, dog dense area, rest places are in too busy an area etc...)
🐕 Owner expectations (trying to fit a square peg in a round hole, dependant on individual dogs personality and temprement)

And it goes on. Its a bit like playing Doggy Detective as it's so worth spending time on and why my initial consultation involves an online form and a 90-minute initial consultation, because often some simple tweaks or management can make a huge difference to a dog's behaviour.

Join one of my 6 month programmes for puppy or adult dog training and behaviour. Book a free 15 minute Discovery Call to discuss your needs.
https://brand.shapeyourdog.co.uk/widget/booking/XRYNhlNC5rpuyOZKLpHq

22/08/2025

How lovely is this!

One of my 6 month online clients, who lives in Essex, has sent me these wonderful hand knitted socks today.

I remember worrying that online training might be a bit impersonal, back in the day.

I now know it works beautifully and, in some cases, better!

Thank you Svetlana and Otto 💙

21/08/2025

Do you worry that your dog-owner bond is broken?

Want to know how to get it back on track?

1. Bond Before Obedience

🧡 Spend calm, positive time together (walks, play, grooming).
🧡 Let the dog associate you with safety and fun, not just commands.

2. Clear Communication
🧡 Use consistent cues (same words/hand signals).
🧡 Reward desired behavior immediately so the dog connects the behaviour to the reward.

2. Positive Reinforcement
🧡 Treats, praise, play, or affection when the dog makes the great choices.
🧡 Avoid harsh punishment—this damages trust and makes learning harder.

4. Structure & Boundaries
🧡 Dogs feel secure with predictable routines (feeding, walking, sleeping).
🧡 Set gentle boundaries so that the dog understands expectations.

5. Mental & Physical Enrichment
🧡 Daily exercise (walks, play, tug).
🧡 Puzzle feeders, training games, sniff walks to challenge the brain.

6. Patience & Consistency
🧡 Training is built on repetition and routine.
🧡 Short sessions (5–10 minutes) are better than long, frustrating ones.

Team work makes the dream work! Get in touch to discuss your training struggles and find out how to mend a broken bond.

21/08/2025

‘CATCH’ a fun and rewarding game for your dog, teaching them patience and coordination!

While your dog sits calmy, gently toss treats from a short distance and reward every attempt with a praise.Catch improves focus while still being fun and engaging for your dog.

It’s a great way to reward small dogs on lead too!

Reward EVERY ATTEMPT to catch, until they get it.

Post your own CATCH video in the comments below 🐾🐾🐾

21/08/2025

Does your dog refuse FOOD on walks?

Are you trying to distract them and it’s not working?

Are you at a loss to know how to stop your reactive or aggressive dog barking, lunging, spinning and lurching on the lead?

Taz wouldn’t take food, reacted at dogs 150 meters away and just couldn’t cope walking in public spaces. As a result, his owner resorted to hiring private dog fields for his walks. It’s the only way she could relax and feel safe.

We are carefully introducing Taz to public spaces in a safe and considered way. Today, I introduced Chester into the mix.

Taz did AMAZING 🤩 He’s owner was able to do a number of training strategies on this walk and they both totally smashed it.

Keep following Taz’s progress. He’s one of the most challenging dogs I’ve worked with but we now have hope that they will be able to do public walks in future.

19/08/2025

The biggest mistake owners of barky dogs make, is trying to distract them with treats on walks!

Last week I visited a Schnauzer called Daisy. Her owners told me that they tried to distract her on walks with treats but she kept barking and pulling towards other dogs and nothing seemed to work.

They found themselves having to hold onto Daisy tightly as she approached other dogs and they even had to cross the road to avoid the embarrassment of her behaviour. Daisy’s owners said how frustrated and embarrassed they were with her barking and had started to dread walks together. They even said that their world, with Daisy, had become really small, which is so sad to hear.

It doesn’t have to stay like this. There are better ways to help your dog navigate their world. We can work together in learning how to open up your world and enjoy walks again.
Drop me a DM to find out how.