Harley's K9s

13/11/2024

💥Join us in Maxi Zoo💥

Very excited to announce I am working with Maxi Zoo this weekend, to provide training advice for dog owners.

If you would like to know more about games based training, available services or you have specific questions about your own dog, feel free to drop in for a chat😊

Details:
🐾 Saturday & Sunday
🐾 16th & 17th November
🐾 12-3pm each day
🐾 Maxi Zoo, Headford Road, Galway

We may have a little competition for anyone that drops by😜

19/09/2024

This is a common misconception...

When you try to 'tire your dog out' on a walk, what you are actually doing is making them fitter and building their tolerance for high intensity exercise. Then it will take longer and longer to 'tire your dog out' 🙃

Depending on what you do to tire your dog out, this can actually do more harm than good. Playing fetch, for example, leads to a higher state of arousal and ball obsession. Your dog may be panting but they're not tired, they're wired🤪

Instead...

Aim to fulfil your dog's needs through physical and mental stimulation 🤩

Yes, your dog needs physical exercise to stay healthy and burn off excess energy but the most important thing is meeting their breed specific needs through enriching activities.

This can be anything from chase games, foraging, scent work, trick training, obedience or dog sports like agility, canicross or IGP. Nowadays, there are so many different activities you can do with your dog to keep them active and stimulated.

Every dog is different so it is important to determine what your dog likes to do. Breed traits are a good place to start. It is not just about feeding your dog with a puzzle feeder. Real fulfilling enrichment is so much more.

If you are not sure how to enrich your dog's life appropriately, speak to a trainer for advice😊

A fulfilled dog is a happy dog🐶🥰

What do you to to fulfil your dog(s)? Let me know in the comments ⬇

19/09/2024

Breed bans and breed specific legisation have been proven to be ineffective. The government is about to waste countless resources and €€€ to murder dogs when people are the real issue. Education and responsible ownership is the way to go. Invest the funds for long term solutions instead of wasting it on a breed ban that we know won't work🙏🙏🙏

📢 **Ireland’s Proposed XL Bully Ban** 🐶🚫
The Irish government is considering a ban on XL Bully dogs. But is banning breeds really the solution?
Many experts argue that responsible ownership and proper training are key to preventing incidents. Including the Department of Agriculture’s own Working Group on Control of Dogs who recommend the promotion of responsible dog ownership.

Let’s stand together to promote education over elimination.

05/09/2024

Why take walk breaks?

Sometimes, we just stop, sit, and watch the world go by.

Just like people watching but with your dog😊

It allows them some down time on a walk and let's them take in their surroundings and distractions.

We were outside lidl and it was very busy so we just did some down stay with varied rewards.

He still got attention and compliments despite his scarface🥰

30/07/2024

⬇️ Here is why... ⬇️

🎓 Certified Dog Trainer
🤓 Experienced + cont. Education
🚑 First Aid Trained
🐶 1 on 1 Walks
🤩 Games Based Training
💙 Force and Fear Free
🍬 Training Treats provided

Our Walk & Train service has been created to serve dogs that require additional training support AND dog parents that may need a helping hand or a breather (we all do sometimes)🥰

This service is tailored to the individual dog's needs with a combination of physical 🐕‍🦺 and mental 🧠 stimulation. Whether you have a pup needing safe exposure, an adolescent that needs help with distractions or an adult dog that struggles with other dogs, this service is for you.

These walks are completely 1 on 1 so your dog will have my full attention. Your dog will get so much more from their walks: safe exposure to distractions, fun training games, opportunities to sniff, explore and run around while always being safe and well looked after😊

If you are interested in our Walk & Train service, get more info and fill out the intake form on our website🐶

25/07/2024

Let's have a look at some common dog training terms that can be confusing if you haven't dived into learning theory.

🐾Reinforcement

If we like a behaviour, we want to reinforce it to get more of it. That could be walking on a loose lead or coming back when called.

🐾Punishment

If we don't like a behaviour, we want to punish it to get less of it. That could be running off on walks or jumping on people.

👉It is NOT a case of reinforcement is good and punishment is bad.

🐾Positive

Maybe food, a longline or pressure. Adding something is not always good.

🐾Negative

Maybe toys, free access or pressure. Removing something is not always bad.

👉It is NOT a case of positive is good and negative is bad.

🐾Aversive

Aversive tools work by causing a strong dislike to something. A dog is less likely to carry out a certain behaviour because doing so has become aversive to them. This just creates a dog that gives up and shuts down. The behaviour is corrected but the cause has not been addressed.

Conclusion - aversive tools are bad.

However, food can also be aversive depending on past learning. I won't get into that now or we'll be here all night😅

🐾Desensitise

If a dog is afraid of something, we want to change that by making that thing less scary. Exposing them to the scary thing at a safe distance and creating positive associations to change their perspective. It needs to be done gradually with as little stress as possible.

🐾Flooding

Exposing a dog to something they fear in overwhelming amounts until they get used to it. Flooding is a dangerous method of desensitisation that should be avoided.

Imagine if you were afraid of spiders and I locked you in a room full of them. They are everywhere, they scurry over head, crawl up your limbs. I am your only way out and I locked you in there.

Do you think that would cure your fear or do you think you would lose trust in me and probably have the same level if not more fear?

👉Did you understand all of those terms already?
👉Did you think you knew them but maybe you had misunderstood?
👉Are there any other terms you would like to learn more about?

⬇️Let me know in the comments⬇️

22/07/2024

❌ Playing tug will make your dog aggressive❌

Hands up if you have heard this one before 🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️

The benefits of playing tug with your dog...

🐾 boost your relationship
🐾 improves motivation
🐾 add to your reinforcement strategy
🐾 helps in different aspects of training
🐾 helps to satisfy natural instincts
🐾 IT IS FUN

It is very normal for dogs to vocalise and shake their head during play, as it taps into their natural prey drive.

Owning a bull breed that LOVES tug and sounds like a demon when playing tug, trust me when I say, tug DOES NOT cause aggression.

When ending a game of tug, always have a high value reward to swap for the toy so you don't just end the game by taking the toy away.

A little scatter feed or snuffle mat is also a good idea to lower arousal after a game of tug, to help your dog settle if they get very excited🤪

12/07/2024

It's official, the Irish government has confirmed a breed ban on the XL Bully.

I'm embarrassed for them after making such a stupid decision. Copying the UK who have banned 4 breeds, and showing no improvement to dog attacks.

They will waste countless resources, including tax payers money to enforce a breed ban that will not solve the issue.

Not to mention the question raised about animal welfare. How is it okay to kill hundreds of innocent dogs?

People bred these dogs to look a certain way. People own these dogs and fail to understand them or meet their needs. People have zero responsibility for the situations they created and put these dogs into.

Maybe blame people, not the innocent dogs that did not ask to be born.

04/07/2024

❌You need to show your dog you is the boss❌

This has been a massive topic of discussion over the years, with many still believing it is true.

Dominance theory was established based on a study carried out in the 1930s by researchers who observed a pack of unrelated wolves in a zoo. The dynamic of the group was based on competition with an "alpha pair", constantly defending their position.

The issue with this study...

It is based on a pack of unrelated wolves in captivity.

In the wild, the "alpha pair" are the breeding animals, aka the parents of the pack. Simply put, "alpha" means parent.

The original study was disproven in the 2000s, after years of study and observation of the natural behaviour of packs of wolves in the wild. Dominance contests were extremely rare.

How does this apply to humans and dogs?

The human and pet dog relationship is completely different to that of a pack of wolves. We are 2 very different species, therefore, this study should never have been applied to dog training in the first place.

The moral of this rant...

🐾 dominance is 💩
🐾 intimidation is 💩
🐾 force is 💩
🐾 kindness is 🔑
🐾 understanding is 🔑
🐾 trust is 🔑

If you are unsure how to train your dog without using dominance, intimidation or force, slide into my DMs 😊

Please share for the people in the back!

19/06/2024

✨️Competition Time✨️

We are running a 30 Day Training Challenge online for 9 lucky dog + handler teams🤩 (3 per platform: Instagram, Facebook and TikTok)

The challenge will combine gaining knowledge and practical skills with something new each day. It will be tailored for 3 different struggles:

🐾 Loose Lead Walking
🐾 Recall
🐾 Jumping Up

Please note, this competition is open worldwide, however, a strong level of English will be required.

It is games based training using positive, force and fear free methods. No aversive tools are allowed.

How do you enter?

✅️ Follow us Harley's K9s
✅️ Comment why you would like to join the challenge
✅️ Tag a friend
✅️ Share to your story and be sure to tag us

***you can enter on all 3 platforms***

The winners will be announced on Friday, 28th of June at 8pm.

I will DM each winner for an email address.

The challenge starts Monday, 1st of July. It is online, so you can catch up if you miss a day😊

This competition is not affiliated with Meta.

27/05/2024

It's amazing how one dog can change your life in such a big way🥰

I started Canicross a year ago as something fun to do with Harley. I would never have imagined myself being a runner or doing anything more than a 5k race.

Now I've completed my first half marathon🥳🥳

Part of the run was through The Burren and the trails were absolutely gorgeous. I wish I could've had Harley there with me. I know he would've loved the trails and would've been a help getting me uphill😅

Anywho, we better get back to 5k training before the next Canicross season starts😁

21/05/2024

❌You can't teach an old dog new tricks❌

Time and time again I hear owners say it's too late to train their dog.

I'm here to tell you, you couldn't be more wrong. Every dog has the capacity to learn, regardless of age.

You may need to adjust what and how you teach and be more patient but there is no reason your 12 year old dog can't learn something new.

16/05/2024

Reminder to mind your dogs in this heat😎

Some dogs are more at risk than others so be mindful of your dogs breed, age, weight, coat type and colour.

If your dog is outside, make sure they have appropriate shelter, at all times of the day (the sun likes to move) and access to fresh drinking water. Better still, bring them inside.

Walks should be early in the morning or late in the evening. Slow, sniffy walks are best so your dog doesn't over exert themselves. Avoid playing fast games like fetch or anything with too much running.

Please do NOT walk your dog in the middle of the day, even in shaded areas.

Prevention is better than cure! Avoid over heating rather than trying to fix it after.

If you have any other tips, share them in the comments😆

14/05/2024

What is your favourite thing to do with your dog?

Let me know in the comments⬇️

I love doing loads of stuff with Harley but my number one thing is a solo walk somewhere nice and an icecream after🥰

I swear he was happy, just trying super hard to control himself😅

#99

13/05/2024

❗New Ban❗

Ireland is introducing a ban on the use of remotely-operated electronic shock collars.

Owners that already use these collars will need to register within 3 months to continue using them. If you do not already use them, you will not be allowed to start.

The ban does not include anti-bark collars or boundary fencing.

Deaf dogs are exempt from the ban.

In my opinion...

Ireland is miles behind other countries when it comes to animal welfare. This is definitely a positive move and a step in the right direction for our precious fur babies🙌

For anyone that doesn't know me, as a dog trainer, welfare is my top priority. My training is built around positive reinforcement, force free and fear free methods. Always working with the individual dog and taking it at their pace.

I strongly disagree with the use of such tools and welcome the ban on shock collars. I only wish it did not have exceptions but it is progress all the same.

I often work with owners that have been given tools by other trainers, to control their dogs behaviour. Sadly, these tools often do more harm than good.

They can cause:
🐾 increased stress
🐾 damaged relationship
🐾 owner guilt
🐾 shut-down behaviour
🐾 negative associations to unintended distractions
🐾 further behavioural issues in future

When you consider the 5 Freedoms of Animal Welfare, all animals should have the "freedom to express normal behaviour" and "freedom from fear and distress".

Can you honestly say that these tools allow our dogs these freedoms?

This is a controversial topic which I honestly find ridiculous and I don't engage in such debates on social media because it is a waste of time.

If we can train a horse that weighs 500kg without using tools, then I think we can do the same for our dogs regardless of size, breed, drive or whatever else you want to argue about.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this ban. Drop a comment below⬇

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. If you don't agree, please be respectful🙏

09/05/2024

Here are some useful tips for feeding your fur babies😄

🐾 Your dog will have a set amount of food each day. If they get extra treats for training, maybe some scraps from the dinner table or a chew before bed, reduce their daily food to avoid overfeeding them.

🐾 Use your dog's daily food for training and enrichment. Dogs naturally prefer to work for their food, it is more mentally stimulating and it can help towards building a strong relationship. A lot of dogs can seem like fussy eaters when they have access to a bowl of food all day. Make it more engaging and they may just surprise you.

🐾 Feed your dog in a quiet area, whether it is training, enrichment activities or a bowl. Your dog should feel safe and undisturbed when eating. Allow them to enjoy their meals.

🐾 A lot of dog owners will feed twice a day, at the same times each day. Contrary to popular belief, this routine is not always a good thing. Dogs that have set feeding times are less flexible when there is a break in routine and a change in meal times. This can be frustrating and even stressful for them.

🐾 Adjust your dog's daily food intake based on their activity levels. If you and your dog are super active and enjoy long walks no matter the weather, then great feed away. If your dog's activity levels decrease during the winter, their food should also be decreased. If you do dog sports and your dog is very active, you may need to increase their food intake. Be honest about their activity level and avoid overfeeding.

If you found these tips helpful, share with a friend 😄

30/04/2024

Sadly, socialisation is often misunderstood by dog owners...

The common understanding of socialisation is letting your pup/dog play with as many other dogs as possible so they are comfortable and confident around other dogs.

This is NOT true!!!

Dogs do not like every single dog they meet just like people don't like every single person they meet.

I don't know about you, but I don't feel the need to interact with every stranger I meet when I go for walks. I certainly don't expect my dog to either.

This is a common misconception which can actually cause reactivity rather than prevent it.

So, what is socialisation?

The process of preparing your dog to be comfortable living within human society.

This is done by exposing your dog (at a distance) to a variety of stimuli in a stress free and positive way. There should be zero pressure on your dog to interact with people, dogs or other stimuli.

If you let your dog interact with every dog you meet, you are setting them up for failure because the fact is, you do not know the majority of these dogs. You do not know their temperament, play style, history with other dogs, etc. Therefore, you cannot guarantee a positive experience.

Instead...

Reward your dog at a distance, when you see other dogs, people and other stimuli. Teach your dog that distractions will always be there but they are nothing to worry about. Engaging with you, the handler, gets rewarded so we don't need to interact with the distraction (within reason, let your dog be a dog).

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below ⬇

19/04/2024

🥳7 years of Sir Harls Barksley🥳

The handsomest, sweetest, goofiest, cuddle bug❤️

We have done so much together! He will always try his very best for me and I wouldn't change him for the world.

There's no better connection than your soul dog🥰

Happy Birthday baby boy🥳🥳🥳

🎉