Stour Valley Dog Training

15/06/2024

Stour Valley Dog Training is no longer offering training of any sort.

I will keep this page up for now as there are some useful posts on here.

31/05/2024

From today, I am officially retired and Stour Valley Dog Training is no longer active. I look forward to planning the next phase of my life but it will definitely involve lots more training with my own dog, particularly Scentwork. 🙂

I've really enjoyed working with all the dogs and their families over the past years and have to say I don't think any trainer could have had nicer clients. You have made it all worthwhile. Thank you 🙏

I was blown away by all the cards and presents, and particularly my "regulars" who went to so much trouble to arrange a surprise presentation and lunch, some wonderful and personal gifts which I will treasure, and the most amazing cake. I can't tell you how much I appreciated all of it.

Hopefully I will continue to see many of you at various events in the future.

16/05/2024

This..

Ultimately, we are one of the most reactive species, if not, by far, THE most reactive species. You simply will not find a person who never reacts/over reacts to the world around them.

We generally are specific too in what sets our reactivity in motion:

🚶🏻‍♀️ Specific people (e.g. past relationships)
🚗 Particular actions (e.g. road rage)
💥 Particular noises (e.g. misophonia)
😭 Particular injustices (e.g. discrimination)
🧐 Particular pet hates (e.g. tardiness)
Etc.

The difference is we allow it within ourselves. We are MUCH less judgemental of it. In fact, a lot of the time we may not even acknowledge that it's reactivity. It's just "who we are".

Generally we expect SO MUCH MORE of our dogs than ourselves. We expect dogs to NEVER OVERREACT to the world around them. We expect dogs to like everyone and everything that comes across their path.

Could you do that for yourself?

If you are finding yourself exasperated at yours dogs' tendencies to react, set yourself a challenge. For one week you are not allowed to over react to ANYTHING that goes on in your life. Absolutely nothing. You must remain stoic, calm, considered and controlled for that entire week.

Then imagine that's been asked of you for your entire life.

Feels impossible?

There's your answer to a LOT of canine reactivity.

It's a normal expression of life we are trying to fight against for the sake of our ease in life, generally.

🐾 If your dog does not like a certain type of dog - avoid them and have coping skills to manage it.
🐾 If your dog does not like a certain action - avoid it or have coping skills to manage it.
🐾 If your dog does not like a certain situation - avoid it or have coping skills to manage it.

Don't just assume you can blow that reactivity away with a puff of smoke if you squash it hard enough.

Context specific reactivity isn't a flaw in our dogs. It's a product of who they are, what they've been through and what they've learnt.

We have exactly the same trait. Some things just really provoke us.

If it's ok to be human; it's ok to be dog too 🐾💜

08/05/2024

For anyone already doing scentwork activities with their dog, I can highly recommend this workshop.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/yo7x3RDiothrfgBg/

DECONSTRUCTING FOUNDATIONS 2 day workshop 22nd and 23rd July with Jenny Richards from Deliverance Dogs and Jo Dyer from Positive Connections. This popular 2 day workshop is about deconstructing the foundations of scentwork and working on the areas which are crucial for a strong team with dog and handler working together.

Solid foundations are key to any activity and these can sometimes be missed or thought of as never needing revisiting. Scentwork is about a wonderful relationship with our dog, and this 2 day workshop will be about deconstructing the foundations and giving you a plan to improve these.
This will be a hard work but fun, interactive 2 days which will work on you as the handler, the dog, the partnership – motivation, reward, commitment, handling, line handling, reading your dog. You will come away with the key points to work on to ensure you can achieve those solid foundations for a successful partnership.

https://bookwhen.com/positiveconnections =ev-siav-20240517121500

More information and booking via the bookwhen link above or message if any questions.

25/01/2024

2024 update -

This post was made two years ago and has recently been getting attention again. The sad thing is that actually nothing has changed. This program is still being made. There is ( as far as I know - and very happy to be corrected if I am wrong) no veterinary involvement with these dogs prior to filming.

How many more dogs are going to be labled as awkward, difficult, stubborn or just lazy when actually there is an underlying pain issue?

We have so many wonderful trainers and behaviourists that could fill this man’s shoes and provide far more valuable advice and training. Stop giving people like this man air time… pick someone who actually cares about the wellbeing of the dogs they work with instead of the cash going to line their pockets…

-

Some phrases used on this particular episode of ‘Dogs behaving (very) badly’ where 8 year old Ruby would only get off the sofa if the rug was over the laminate flooring, and would sit down and stop on walks…

‘being a madam’

‘Controlling the diva’

‘Indulging her with rugs’

‘Thinks she’s in charge’

OR

Is this actually a dog in pain, a dog scared of slipping and hurting, a dog trying to tell everyone that she’s uncomfortable?

It’s not indulging her with a rug, it’s making sure her own home is accessible and safe for her. She’s not ‘being a diva’ and refusing to walk, she’s telling you it hurts and she’s uncomfortable.

I’m very glad that the owners realise that this dogs weight is having a significant impact on her life but there are other things that need addressing here. I have no doubt they absolutely adore their girl, that is very clear to see, but I desperately wish they had the right kind of support for Ruby, not just let’s force her to walk and walk on a floor she’s is scared

Dogs Behaving Very Badly and The Dogfather (Graham Hall)… I’m afraid the blame falls to you on this occasion. You have a massive platform with thousands of dog owners watching every episode. How about talking about signs of pain? Indicators of discomfort? When behaviours actually tell us somethings wrong? Ways to adapt houses for older dogs and those that struggle with mobility? You could educate SO MANY owners but no, it doesn’t happen. Instead we just see an uncomfortable dog being forced to walk when she doesn’t want to, and live in an environment that she is scared of.

Dogs need us to advocate for them, to realise when we need to do more and to learn the ways that they tell us something isn’t right. Owner education is the key to this and this could have been a brilliant opportunity to do just that.

13/01/2024

NEW FOR 2024
We are now offering puppy classes. The next course starts on Thursday 1st February at 11am. Stapehill Village Hall.
Small groups and experienced trainers will ensure you and your puppy get the best support.
Contact us to reserve your place.

24/12/2023

A very Happy Christmas to you all, and huge thank you to everyone who has supported my business over the past year. 2024 is going to be an exciting year with lots of events for you and your dogs to join.

We are closed now for the holidays and will reopen on Wednesday 3rd January.

16/12/2023

Congratulations to everyone who took part in the Detection Dog Trials Christmas Games this morning. We saw some wonderful searching by both dogs and humans, really testing their skills.

That's JOLLY Clear
1st Liz and Bodie
2nd Jen and Henry
3rd Lin and Tiva
4th Geraldine and Rosie

PRESENT and Indication
1st Jen and Henry
2nd Liz and Bodie
3rd Lin and Tiva
4th Roberto and Bella

CELEBRATE that Commitment
1st Helen and Merlin
2nd Kierstin and Luna
3rd Lin and Tiva
4th Geraldine and Rosie

Away with RUDOLPH
1st Geraldine and Rosie
2nd Liz and Bodie
3rd Lin and Tiva
4th Kierstin and Luna

The overall winners were Liz and Bodie and runners up were Jen and Henry.

Massive thank you to Kayleigh for co-judging and keeping me organised.

And special thank you to Kierstin and Jenni for the excellent cake and mince pies.

14/12/2023

Only two days to go until the first DDT Christmas Games in Dorset.
I'm so looking forward awarding these amazing rosettes to lucky competitors on Saturday.

06/12/2023

A dog's nose is amazing and I don't think we are anywhere close to understanding how powerful it is.

04/12/2023

Well worth a read.

Myth-busting Monday: "Dogs are pack animals"

It is still common practice for owners to be advised to send their dogs off on 'pack walks', where large groups of unbonded dogs are walked together with little human intervention or guidance. This can even be suggested as a cure for behavioural problems such as fear or reactivity, with the assumption that the pack dynamics will sort this out.

In reality, this is far from an accurate representation of domestic dog social dynamics. Even free-ranging dogs, such as village dogs, strays and rural/mountain dogs, do not form packs. Dogs are social animals and do interact with other dogs frequently, but they do not form stable packs even in the short term. Free-roaming dogs may form small cooperative groups (usually under 5), particularly if resources are concentrated to one space, or if hunting collaboratively, but these are temporary. Mother and pups may stay together for many months, but most free-roaming adult dogs spend the large proportion of their time alone or in pairs (almost always male:male or female:male pairs).

Dogs are socially flexible and this is partly why they make such amazing companion animals, but they do not form instantaneous stable hierarchies with other dogs. Putting large numbers of unknown dogs together (for instance in a 'pack walk') is likely to cause conflicts without resolution, instability and may lead to vulnerable dogs shutting down, whereby they display little behaviour at all. A shut-down dog is not cured of behavioural problems, they are simply profoundly stressed and in a state in which they feel they have no behavioural choices.

Although it is of course possible for large groups of familiar and well-matched dogs to live together in harmony, this requires trusting relationships with constant communication between the dogs, which takes time to develop. Importantly, these relationships are not reinforced by aggression or dominant interactions and cannot be defined as pack dynamics.

Group dog walks are great ways for your dog to get extra exercise and attention and spend fun time out and about with other dogs. However we always suggest choosing a dog-walker who keeps their group sizes small and manageable and doesn't expect a 'pack' to sort itself out. Lastly, dog-walkers should never be expected to fix a dog's behavioural problems.

Further reading:
'The social behaviour of free-ranging suburban dogs' by Berman and Dunbar
'Effects of S*x and Reproductive State on Interactions between Free-Roaming Domestic Dogs' by Sparkes et al.
'Variation in dog society: Between resource dispersion and social flux' by MacDonald & Carr

29/11/2023

We have been notified that a poisonous plant is being used as decoration in a pot plant that can be purchased in garden centres and possibly florists.

The pot plant is Livistona rotundifolia (footstool palm; also known as Saribus rotundifolius) and pots of these plants are decorated with three fibrous balls. The balls are the skeletonised fruit of Cerbera odollam (su***de tree, pong-pong). Within each fruit is a kernel that is extremely toxic; a single kernel can be fatal if eaten and poses a risk to both pets and people. The toxic compounds in Cerbera odollam are cardiac glycosides, which are also found in foxglove, oleander, lily of the valley and other plants.

If you have these fibrous fruits in your pot plant, remove them and dispose of them safely. It you are worried your pet may have eaten the plant material contact Animal PoisonLine (01202 509 000)or your vet immediately.