Bear Basics Canine Academy

27/11/2024

Decompression walks 🥾🌲

Taking your dog on regular decompression walks are amazing, not just for them, but for you as well.

They’re especially great for reactive dogs too and if your dog has to be on a longline or flexi, they can still receive the same benefits🙌🏼

But what are the benefits of decompression walks?

↟ 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳: Just like us, dogs can feel stress from daily life, training and even urban environments. Decompression walks give them a chance to relax, explore and reset, which can lead to improved behaviour and reduced anxiety.

↟ 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Dogs love sniffing, exploring, and observing the environment, and decompression walks allow them to do so freely. This stimulates their minds, gives them natural outlets and leaves them more satisfied after a walk.

↟ 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝗱: Spending time in nature without pressure can enhance the bond between you and your dog. You’re both on the same pace, exploring together, which helps build trust and connection.

↟ 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗟𝗼𝘄-𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Decompression walks aren’t about structured exercise. They give dogs a chance to move at their own pace, making the walk about freedom rather than following commands.

↟ 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗻𝘅𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆: Dogs who tend to be reactive can benefit greatly from decompression walks, as these walks allow them to be in less stimulating environments and give them more time to process their surroundings in a relaxed way.

↟ 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝗿: Decompression walks encourage natural dog behaviours like sniffing, sitting and exploring, which is highly rewarding for them and allows them to tap into their instincts.

↟ 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: These walks can be perfect for practising loose-lead walking in a low-pressure setting. It’s a gentle way to reinforce positive walking behaviour without added stress.

If you value your dog’s well-being and want a deeper, calmer connection with your dog, decompression walks are definitely worth a try!🏔️🌲

17/11/2024

A tool is just a tool 🤠

You can put whatever piece of equipment you want on your dog, it won’t make much difference if you don’t have the necessary skills and knowledge to use that tool effectively.

Take photography for example-buying a camera or lens with better specs won’t automatically make you take better photos, it’s the person behind the camera that needs to have a certain amount of knowledge and skillset in order to create a good final photo.

Same goes for dog training.

You may think an e-collar will give your dog better recall, a prong collar will give you better reactivity results, a harness will stop your dog from pulling, so on and so forth…but without knowing why you’re using that tool and how to effectively use it on your dog and in your training sessions, it’s useless and in some cases, you’ll find it makes things worse which is how tools get bad reps.

Let’s stop slapping tools on our dogs and hoping for an outcome.

Let’s start learning about our dogs behaviour and how to change it without tools being the forefront🐻🌲 via .app

09/11/2024

A very common problem a lot of dog owners encounter🐻🌲

05/11/2024

We like to keep it positive here, but sometimes it’s important to share the less visible side of being a dog trainer, beyond what you might see on Instagram.

What’s shared online is only the tip of the iceberg. Being a dog trainer can look like a dream job—working with dogs all day, helping clients achieve amazing results, and sharing all those wins. But behind the scenes, it’s much more complex. We handle difficult cases, work through behavioral setbacks, and spend hours on planning, admin, and continued education. Some days are incredibly rewarding, but others test our patience and resilience in ways you might not expect.

For anyone else out there—trainers or dog owners—dealing with the struggles that can come with training, remember: you’re not alone. Every small step forward is a huge achievement, and we’re here to support each other through both the high points and the challenges. Here’s to embracing the full journey, with all its ups and downs🐻🌲

01/11/2024

How can you work with us here at Bear Basics? 🐻

↟ 1:1 Packages: Our holistic 1:1 Dog Training Packages offer personalised support to help you achieve your training goals, with expert guidance and a community of dog owners for continuous learning.

↟ Online Coaching: Our monthly 1:1 online coaching provides personalized guidance tailored to your dog’s needs. With daily support from an experienced trainer, you’ll receive customized training plans, video critiques, and regular assessments to ensure steady progress.

↟ Online Training Camp: The Online Training Camp offers a warm, inclusive community for dog owners of all levels.
Focused on relationship-based training, it supports both big milestones and small wins. Members can learn everything from basic obedience to advanced techniques, all while sharing and growing together at their own pace

↟ Group Classes: Our group classes offer a controlled environment to reinforce your dog’s training, focusing on social neutrality, obedience, and engagement. While 1:1 sessions address specific behavioral issues, group classes allow you to practice learned skills safely.

↟ Social Walks: Our Social Walks equip you with the skills and confidence to handle real-life situations with your dog, all within a supportive community. We focus on off-leash freedom, encouraging your dog to thrive through proper socialization and neutrality in the group.

↟ Residential: Our residential dog training courses provide a tailored experience to set your dog up for success, whether they’re just starting their training journey or need a complete refresh. Each program is customized to meet your specific goals. During their stay, we focus on building their confidence and teaching essential skills, so they return home as the best version of themselves.

Want to work with us or learn more? Visit our website to view our services in detail or book a discovery call🌲👇🏼

www.bearbasicscanineacademy.co.uk

31/10/2024

𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗼𝗼🎈

Happy Halloween from the Bear Basics Gang! Had so much fun shooting this years photos🤡🐻

24/10/2024

Just a few sneaky previews of some of the contents included in our Online Training Camp👀

We have so much content already in there and we’ve already been adding and planning so much more!

Here’s a little taste of what you can expect:

🐻 In-depth tutorials on various aspects in dog training.

🌲 Step-by-step guides for common issues such as loose lead walking, recall, reactivity and more.

🏔️ Exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of 1:1’s, residential’s and even group classes, so you can see exactly how we train here at Bear Basics.

⭐️ Creative challenges to push your training skills and potentially win prizes.

🪵 A community you’ll be proud to be a part of!

And that’s just the beginning! We’re continuously adding fresh content to keep you inspired and growing with your dog in their training journey, whatever stage you may be at.

Until the 1st of November we’re giving early access sign ups the chance to win 1 month free and the chance to win the ultimate dog training bundle. DM us saying “training camp” to be given early access to the Training Camp🏕️🙌🏼

23/10/2024

Our Halloween themed October Group Classes were so much fun and all the dogs looked great! Our goodie bags were a hit too🧛🏼‍♂️🎃🐻

22/10/2024

Client success story⭐️

“I contacted Bear Basics after struggling with both of my dogs’ behaviour, mostly while out on walks. The main problem we were struggling with was my Basenji, Wilma and her high levels of reactivity around dogs, people, cars. Basically everything! My Cocker Spaniel, Goose also became reactive due to copying Wilma’s behaviour which just made walks a stressful experience for both me and the dogs. My only regret is not reaching out sooner for help! I wasted so much time and money on other trainers that had never heard of her breed, shamed me for causing her behaviour or took a really general approach. Basenjis are not an easy breed to train or own due to them being primitive and often very cat-like, so often need an entirely different approach and lots of patience. From the start Nick was excited for the challenge that comes with training Basenjis and I could tell straight away that he understood Wilma and the reasons for her behaviour.

After working with Nick through 1-1s for the passed few months and recently group classes, I can honestly say he has changed our lives! Within just a couple of sessions Goose had stopped reacting on walks and Wilma is now so much calmer and looks to me for guidance when she is uncomfortable rather than reacting. We were recently able to take her to a busy town centre with plenty of dogs about, not a single reaction from her! Both dogs can now also walk on a loose lead which honestly felt impossible for so long!

Nick has been such a huge support and I couldn’t be happier with the service he provides, not only at his sessions but in between, over WhatsApp. He’s always on hand to give feedback and advice. We still have a little way to go but I am so close to having 2 dogs that I can take everywhere with me which was always my goal. I genuinely wouldn’t trust anyone else with my dogs!

Thank you again for all of your help, support and advice :)”

Working with Faye has been a blast! Watching her and Wilma grow as a partnership has been wonderful and Faye has done a fantastic job with her. A great example that primitive breeds are not stubborn and can infact be trained🙌🏼🐻🌲

20/10/2024

We’re so very close to the launch of our Online Training Camp!🏕️

We have such BIG ideas for what we want to include in the camp, but what are you most excited to learn about? 🐻👇🏼

16/10/2024

To celebrate the upcoming launch of our Online Training Camp, we’re giving away 1 months free access to one lucky person!

To enter, all you need to do is join the waitlist (link in bio) and the winner will be announced on the 1st November🙌🏼🐻🌲

12/10/2024

Let us know if you have any questions!👇🏼

Join the waitlist via the link in our bio🏕️

10/10/2024

Let’s share some love and support!👇🏼

Here at Bear Basics, we’re all about community, support and surrounding ourselves with like-minded people!

Share some snaps of what you’ve recently been getting up to with your dog and use the hashtag

I encourage everyone to show some love and support to anyone that posts using this hashtag! Support is one of the biggest things we need in the dog training industry🐻🌲

15/07/2024

10/07/2024

20/06/2024

Teddie trying out the Schesir Chicken & Cabonara from that’s launching very soon👀
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Safe to say this was a hit with all the dogs👌🏼
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↟ Forthglade Lamb Wet
↟ Schesir taste of the world chicken with carbonara
↟ Blueberries
↟ Strawberries
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🌲 Honeycomb enrichment bowl | Schesir tin -
🏷️ Code - BEARBASICS10
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↟ AD | Rep

18/06/2024

Tasty Tuesday🦴
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The doggos have been trying a variety of treats recently from
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Forthglade is a favourite brand in our Bear Pack and these are the reasons why:

↟ Natural Ingredients
↟ Grain Free
↟ Free from Junk
↟ Easy to Portion
↟ Quality Ingredients
↟ Hypoallergenic
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Always remember to factor treats into your dog’s daily food allowance as they soon add up!🐻
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🌲 Forthglade Treats -
🏷️ Code - BEARBASICS10
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AD | REP

01/06/2024

5 reactivity training myths🐻
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↟ It’s your fault - reactive dog owners are already a mixed bag of emotions, thinking that they’re the cause of their dog’s behavioural issues is just adding to that. There are so many factors as to why your dog is reactive!
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↟ You need to be firm - don’t confuse confidence with control or force. I want all my clients to feel confident with their dogs but that doesn’t mean they need to be firmer or apply more force to them. Reactive dog’s need more space both physically and mentally to be able to make decisions for themselves, not to be restricted by force or firmness.
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↟ They should be glued to your side - linking to the previous point, no dog needs to be glued to your side, it’s unrealistic. This is why I’m so big on teaching a heel command, so that in the moments you need your dog close (passing a trigger, near the roadside, through a town centre) they can be, with clarity, but expecting that throughout the whole walk isn’t recommended.
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↟ Reactive dog’s are bad and need punishing - Reactive dogs aren’t trying to give you a hard time, they’re having a hard time. They need you to understand them, especially fear reactivity. If you’re correcting your dog in the early stages of reactivity you’re most likely correcting confusion or fear which won’t be helpful to your journey.
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↟ Reactive dogs are aggressive - A common misconception around reactive dogs is that they’re “aggressive” when this most likely isn’t true. Dog reactivity is usually your dogs not happy with a stimulus and are trying to create distance from it, or they’re frustrated because they can’t get to the stimulus due to a restraint (the lead, you, fence etc). The typical signs of a fear reactive dog can be mistaken for aggression, but there’s a very distinct difference and you shouldn’t assume your dog has intent to harm anyone.
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You and your reactive dog are a team🌲