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Monday 9am - 7pm Tuesday 9am - 5:30pm Wednesday 9am - 8pm Thursday 12pm - 8pm Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 1pm

The Schnauzer Trainer, Runcorn Road, Warrington (2026)

06/01/2026

Why trying to STOP Barking Rarely Works........

“Trying to stop barking often makes it louder.”

When we interrupt, correct, or suppress barking without addressing the cause, we often:

• increase frustration
• increase anxiety
• damage trust

That’s why my roadmap matters:

1️⃣ Reduce arousal
2️⃣ Increase emotional safety
3️⃣ Teach alternative behaviours
4️⃣ Gradually expose with support

Barking reduces naturally when the dog feels better, calmer and clearer — not when they’re silenced.

Like this post if this explains what you’ve already felt wasn’t working or you think it might help someone else.

❤️ LOVE this post and JOIN The Schnauzer Training Community if you want first notification of a FREE one hour workshop to get you started?!!!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/shapeyourdogcommunity/

05/01/2026

“Not all barking means the same thing.”.....

Some barking says:
🗣 “Someone’s there!”

Other barking says:
⚠ “I can’t cope with this.”

Reactivity on lead often comes from:

• pessimism
• frustration on lead or and a lack of clarity
• lack of emotional regulation and self control
• feeling responsible for keeping everyone safe

Once we understand why the barking is happening, the roadmap forward becomes much clearer — and much kinder.

Comment WHY you think your Schnauzer barks 👇

04/01/2026

Barking Isn’t the Enemy - Your Schnauzer isn’t wrong for barking....

Schnauzers were bred to notice, alert, and vocalise.

Barking is part of who they are.

Let's be clear, our goal is NOT a silent Schnauzer.....

Our goal is to reduce:

• excessive barking
• stress-driven barking
• barking that comes from frustration, fear, or insecurity

We don’t remove the voice of the Schnauzer.

We help them feel safe enough not to shout.

If this feels like a relief to read, tap ❤️ — you’re in the right place!

03/01/2026

Why do Schnauzers bark at visitors… and what can you do about it?.....

If your Schnauzer loses their mind when someone knocks or walks through the door, you’re not alone. Barking at visitors is very Schnauzer behaviour.

Schnauzers were bred to:

- Be alert
- Notice changes in their environment
- Take their “security guard” role very seriously
- Let us know when someone or something is approaching

So when visitors arrive, your dog isn’t being naughty — they’re doing what their brain tells them is important.

What doesn’t help ❌
• Shushing or shouting at them to shut up
• Holding them tight on the lead
• Forcing greetings by asking visitors to offer treats to them
• Waiting until they explode before acting

These usually add pressure, frustration or fear, which fuels even more excessive barking.

What does help ✅

Manage first – Use gates, pens, or another room so your Schnauzer doesn’t rehearse jumping up and barking at visitors

Lower arousal – Sniffing, chewing, licking and calm enrichment activities in a safe space BEFORE and AS visitors arrive

Predictability – Same routine every time visitors come in

Distance – Let your Schnauzer observe safely without being forced to interact

Train an alternative – A mat settle, behind-a-gate routine, or “go to place” behaviour

Support emotions – We’re not just changing behaviour, we’re changing how it feels

Train FOR the situation (this is the missing piece)
Don’t wait for real visitors to practise.
Instead:

🐾 Role-play visitors – Family members knock, enter, sit down, stand up, move around

🐾 Start easy – One calm person, quiet movement, short duration

🐾 Reward calm behaviour – Looking away, sniffing, choosing the mat, quiet observation

🐾 Pay early – Reinforce before barking starts, not after

🐾 Build gradually – More movement, more noise, coats on/off, bags down

🐾 Repeat often – Short, successful reps beat one stressful real visit

All this BEFORE expecting them to cope with real visitors. Train FOR the situation, not IN it.

You’re teaching your Schnauzer:
👉 “When people come in, calm choices work.”
👉 “I don’t need to shout to be safe.”

👇 Comment VISITORS if your Schnauzer barks excessively at guests — it’s common, breed-led, and very trainable.

02/01/2026

How My Adult Teaching Background Supports My Work With Reactive Schnauzers....

Alongside a long career in NLP, life coaching and personal fitness training, I also trained and worked as a freelance adult educator and assessor for some large UK fitness education organisations — and this plays a huge role in how I support people with reactive Schnauzers.

Because teaching adults is very different from teaching children… and very different from “just giving instructions”.

As an adult educator, I learned how to:

• Break complex ideas into clear, manageable steps
• Adapt teaching to different learning styles
• Explain why something works, not just how
• Spot when someone is overwhelmed, stuck, or losing confidence
• Support people without judgement or pressure

And that matters hugely when you’re living with a reactive dog.
Reactive Dog Training Is Learning Under Pressure
When someone is struggling with a reactive Schnauzer, they’re often:

• Anxious or overly vigilent on walks
• Second-guessing themselves
• Overloaded with conflicting advice
• Afraid of “getting it wrong”
• Emotionally exhausted

In those moments, people don’t need more information —
they need clear guidance, reassurance, and a calm path forward.

That’s exactly what my teaching background allows me to offer.

I Teach PEOPLE, Not Just Dogs

My role isn’t just to train your Schnauzer.
It’s to help you:

• Understand what’s really driving the behaviour
• Learn at your own pace
• Feel confident applying techniques in real life
• Build skills you can use long-term
• Trust yourself again

Because when the human feels capable and supported, the dog feels safer too.

Why This Matters.....

Reactive dog training isn’t about quick fixes.
It’s about:

• Learning
• Adapting
• Building confidence
• Creating lasting change

And that’s exactly what good teaching is designed to do. If you'd like to book a call with me to find out more....click on this diary link to book your slot 📅📞
https://brand.shapeyourdog.co.uk/widget/booking/XRYNhlNC5rpuyOZKLpHq

01/01/2026

I was going to do some chores today but…..

Chester has decided otherwise and I’m not arguing 😂🥰🐾

01/01/2026

Wishing everyone a HEALTHY and HAPPY 2026! 🧡

31/12/2025

If you live with a reactive Schnauzer, you might quietly wonder…

Why did I end up with this dog?
Why does it feel so much harder for me than everyone else on walks?

And sometimes — if you’re being really honest — it can feel unfair.

This isn’t the dog-owning dream you imagined. You pictured relaxed walks, easy outings, visitors coming and going without stress.

Instead, you could be dealing with barking, reactivity, and that constant feeling of being on edge, whilst on walks.

Not everyone gets stressed, not all Schnauzers react BUT, if this is you then read on.....

You might feel embarrassed by their behaviour. Frustrated when another walk goes wrong.

And then guilty for feeling that way… especially when your Schnauzer curls up beside you on the sofa and looks at you with those soulful eyes.

Because you love them 🧡
You just don’t love how hard it feels sometimes. I know, because I've been there too.

So you try different training methods. You follow advice online. You give things a go and you do your very best — hoping this will be the thing that finally works....

And when it doesn’t?

That frustration can feel overwhelming, upsetting and soul destroying.

Here’s what I want you to know: You haven’t failed. Your Schnauzer isn’t broken and you’re not doing anything wrong.

Reactive Schnauzers aren’t being “difficult” — they’re misunderstood.

What they need isn’t harsher training or more pressure to walk past or around their triggers, in the hope that one day they will get used to it and it'll get better. It won't!

They need change and a different approach.

They need calm, clear guidance from someone who understands this breed and how their brain works.

That’s where I come in.

I help YOU move from stress and self-doubt to clarity, confidence, and calmer, connected walks — using kind, practical, breed-appropriate training that actually makes sense. Step by step.

Will it take effort?.......YES, will things need to change?.....YES. Will you LEARN more about your Schnauzer and how to walk them?.......YES and will it make a difference?, YES!

It'll be worth it. Don't just take my word for it, take a peek at what others have to say about working with me. DM me if you would like more information 📩

30/12/2025

The Hard Truth I Had to Learn About My Schnauzer…

For the longest time, I thought my Schnauzer was the problem.

The barking.
The lunging.
The overreactions.

I tried different trainers, training techniques, tools, distractions…
But nothing really changed.

Until I did....

💛 I had to slow down.
💛 I had to stop pushing him into situations he wasn’t ready for.
💛 I had to learn to read his stress signals instead of ignoring them.
💛 I had to change how I showed up on walks, in the house, and around his triggers.

And here’s the thing most people don’t realise…

Dogs don’t change because we want them to. They change when they feel safe enough to and when they know HOW to.

Once I stopped trying to only “fix” my Schnauzer and started supporting him instead…

✨ His reactions softened and became less frequent
✨ His confidence grew
✨ Our walks became calmer and more connected
✨ Our bond and trust deepened

Real change didn’t come from correcting behaviour....

It came from understanding it.

If you’re feeling stuck with your Schnauzer right now, please know this:

You’re not failing.
You’re learning.
And with the right support, things can get better.
Change has to come from you first and all of my training programmes can show you how in a supportive and non judgemental way.

I know you are doing your best and there is more to learn so stay tuned and SHARE or TAG this post for anyone who needs it right now 🥰

29/12/2025

“The moment your Schnauzer reacts and your brain goes blank — here’s what actually helps.”

That moment when……

The barking is loud.
The body is stiff.
The brain is gone.

At this point, training isn’t about fixing the behaviour in the moment.

And this is the bit most people don’t tell you…

Once your Schnauzer is reacting, learning has stopped.

So what should you do?

First — drop the idea of “training” right now
Your Schnauzer isn’t being stubborn or ignoring you…..
Their nervous system has taken over.
Think safety and recovery, not obedience.

What actually helps in the moment

1️⃣ Create distance
Distance is a big de-escalator.
Turn away. Cross the road. Step behind a car. Move back the way you came.

2️⃣ Loosen your body and the lead
Tension fuels the fire.
Breathe out, soften your shoulders, and avoid bracing on the lead if you can.

3️⃣ Use simple, familiar movement
A calm U-turn or steady turn away is more helpful than asking for cues as your Schnauzer can’t process right now.

4️⃣ Don’t add pressure
No scolding. No “sit”. No dragging them through it.
That only tells your Schnauzer that there is something to worry about.

Then — reflect after the walk

Ask:
What was the trigger?
How close were we?
What could I do next time to deal with that better?
Because here’s the truth…..
Good training happens before the explosion.
Reactive Schnauzer training is about:

✔️ teaching pressure release cues OUT of the situation
✔️ reducing reactivity over time
✔️ building skills when your dog is under threshold
✔️ and helping their nervous system feel safe enough to learn

Not forcing them to cope when they can’t.

If you’ve ever felt embarrassed, helpless, or shaken after a reaction — you’re not failing. You’re learning 🧡

If you’re ready to stop firefighting reactions and start preventing them, DM me for calm, force-free Schnauzer support.

28/12/2025

Want to know one of the biggest game-changers for Schnauzer reactivity?

👉 A loose lead.

Not because it looks nice.
Not because it’s “obedient”.
But because it changes how your Schnauzer feels in the world.

Here’s why loose-lead training can completely transform reactivity.....

# Tension travels straight down the lead
A tight lead sends one clear message to your Schnauzer:
“Something’s coming. Be ready.”
That constant pressure keeps their nervous system on high alert — especially in a breed already wired to notice everything.
A loose lead = safety, choice, and breathing space.

# Reactivity isn’t just emotional — it’s physical
When a Schnauzer hits the end of the lead, their body is braced.
Braced bodies react faster and harder.
Loose lead walking keeps the body softer…
And softer bodies can think.

# Your Schnauzer stops feeling trapped
On a tight lead, there’s no option to move away.
So barking and lunging become the only strategy left.
A loose lead gives your Schnauzer information —
“I can move. I’m not stuck. My human’s got this.”

# You become the anchor, not the obstacle
When the lead is loose, your Schnauzer starts checking in with you instead of scanning for threats.
That connection is everything.
Reactivity reduces when your dog trusts you to handle the environment.

# Calm walking creates calm learning
You can’t teach calm during an explosion.
Loose lead skills build calm before triggers appear — which is where real change happens.

✨ This isn’t about perfect heelwork.
✨ It’s about emotional safety.

And for Schnauzers, emotional safety changes everything.

👉 If loose lead walking feels impossible right now, you’re not alone — and it is trainable with the right approach.

Follow The Schnauzer Training Community for kind, realistic, force-free support made specifically for Schnauzers.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/shapeyourdogcommunity/

27/12/2025

“IS My Schnauzer BEING Naughty?"

“If your Schnauzer barks and lunges, this is for you.”

Some Schnauzer owners start here:

👉 “He’s being naughty.”
👉 “She’s stubborn.”
👉 “He’s trying to be dominant.”

But Schnauzer reactivity isn’t bad behaviour — it’s communication.

This breed was designed to notice, alert, and react fast. When the world feels too much, barking and lunging become their way of saying:

“I don’t feel safe” or “I don’t know what to do.”

Once you stop labelling your Schnauzer as difficult, everything changes.

Because you stop trying to shut them down… and start helping them cope.

Have you ever been told your Schnauzer is just being stubborn?....

You’re not alone.

👉 Tell me one word that sums up your Schnauzer at Christmas

The Schnauzer Trainer

06/01/2026

05/01/2026

04/01/2026

03/01/2026

02/01/2026

01/01/2026

01/01/2026

31/12/2025

30/12/2025

29/12/2025

28/12/2025

27/12/2025

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Tuesday	9am - 5:30pm
Wednesday	9am - 8pm
Thursday	12pm - 8pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
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