Brightside Canine Services

23/01/2025

Due to the updated weather warning for tomorrow all walks will unfortunately need to cancelled, apologies for any inconvenience but everyone need to be safe! 🐾

10/12/2024

Thank you to everyone who has asked about Otis over the last few days, he is still battling some serious post op cellulitis since his surgery on Friday and it’s going to be a long road to recovery to get him back to full health. And an extra thank you to everyone who has been so flexible with bookings and times while I’ve been working around vet check ups and giving medication 🐾❤️

22/10/2024

Important Update:

Hey everyone, unfortunately, I’ve come down with a severe chest infection and need to cancel all walks for the rest of this week on medical advise. I’m hoping to be back next week and will update you over the weekend. An email has also been sent out confirming this.

Thanks so much for your understanding! 🐾

22/08/2024

Apologies for delays today everyone! Trapped by an enviro clean lorry 🥲

20/07/2024

📢 Important Update: Price Adjustment Starting September 1st 2024 🐾

Hey everyone!

I hope you and your furry friends are doing great! 🐶💖 I wanted to let you know about a small adjustment to our pricing, which will take effect on September 1st 2024.

This decision wasn’t easy, but due to rising costs in transportation, equipment, and other essentials to keep your pups happy and healthy, I’ve had to make a change. This ensures we continue providing the best care and attention your pets deserve.

Here's a quick look at the new service costs:

£13 per group walk 🐩
£17 per solo walk (more than one dog from the same home will be offered at a discounted rate) 🐕

£37 for overnight care (7 pm to 9 am) 🦴
Pet sitting rates that include 24-hour care will be discussed on a booking-by-booking basis to ensure all pups get exactly what they need
All current out-of-hours care will be honoured at the quoted price 💙

Your understanding and support mean the world to me! 🌟 Thank you for trusting me with your precious pets. I’m committed to keeping those tails wagging and paws prancing! 🐾

Feel free to message me if you have any questions or concerns. Let’s keep making wonderful memories with your amazing pets! 🐕✨

With gratitude,
Amy 💖

26/06/2024

📣Important announcement 📣
I am not taking any more pet sitting bookings for 2024 at the moment. All current bookings will go ahead but no additional booking can be accepted at the moment. I will update if this changes 🐾

31/05/2024

When you’re only little need to meerkat up to keep an eye on the other pups! 🐾

30/05/2024

Everyone was feeling very photogenic in the sunshine recently 🐾❤️

28/05/2024

Bit damp today pups? 😂☔️🌧️

17/05/2024

Tick season reminder! As all our pups are enjoying the summer weather so are the ticks! Make sure they’re up to date on all preventatives and do visual checks daily as our walks often involve long grass! ☀️🐞🪲

13/05/2024

Volume ⬆️
ASMR treat sniffari with these lovely boys ❤️

24/04/2024

As I have to attend a funeral next Wednesday (May 1st) there will be no afternoon walks that day. I have one space still currently available for the morning walk that day. Apologies for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding at this time ❤️‍🩹

24/03/2024

Super important to remember that with our canine friends their behaviour is communication and to consider how we interpret that communication ❤️‍🩹

‘My dog is naughty/bad/untrainable/dominant/stupid’

I hear this most weeks on intake forms. Usually I get pretty excited to see these cos I know I’m gonna get to change a dog and owners life!

So often we write our dogs off as any adjective that fits the above and honestly, I’m yet to meet a dog who fits any of those adjectives (and I have worked with 10k plus dogs over the ten years I’ve been doing this!). I do however week in week out meet dogs with health issues that contribute to their slow progress in terms of training. Did you know dogs don’t show pain or discomfort how we do? We often think ‘oh he isn’t limping or yelping so he is fine’.

Please read the examples below ⬇️

🐾 A huntaway cross who I work with who bit his owner. Reluctant to have his feet cleaned, got spicy over any intense handling, had periods of seeming insanity and relentless barking and being unable to calm down. Huntaways are vocal dogs… but…

Turns out he had hip dysplasia. This dog didn’t limp. He wasn’t lame in any way. He chased his ball and sprinted and jumped and had no issues physically on the surface however under that behaviour was pain.

🐾 A French bulldog. Resource guarding to the extreme. Bit his owners while resource guarding the knot pattern in their wooden floor. Also bombed around without a worry in the world and had no outward signs of pain.

Turns out he had a severe spinal condition causing intermittent excruciating pain.

🐾 A young spaniel owned by a very good friend who was having confidence issues. She would ‘tap out’ of training on the regular and my friend went from ‘this is my ticket dog who will represent my country’ to ‘is this even possible?’

Dog had hormonal issues and likely spikes of hormones left right and centre. A carefully timed spay and she is now grade 6 in agility.

🐾 A friends Border Collie. Owned by a very experienced and talented agility handler and trainer. Regularly ‘checked out’ of training sessions, seemed to not be able to learn things that were moderately straightforward. Described by other trainers as ‘oh she is just a border collie it’s what they are like’.

Turns out she is mostly deaf.

🐾 A black Labrador. Always social and friendly and attended brilliant puppy classes and adolescent classes. Had the best start training wise you can imagine. He started showing some intermittent aggression to his owners in the home and aggression to other dogs out and about.

Turns out he had bilateral elbow dysplasia.

🐾 Young German Shepherd. Always energetic and silly in her behaviour but suddenly got worse. Excessive zoomies, inability to settle, increased reactivity to other dogs, reluctant to get in the car, obsessive destruction at home.

Turns out she had an infection in her va**na that was causing discomfort and exacerbating all those teenage behaviours to the point of being unmanageable.

🐾 My own dog! My NSDTR started missing his dog walk contact early last year. I was tearing my hair out trying to fix it.

Turns out he had a minor iliopsoas strain and some physio fixed the issue for us.

———————————

All these dogs have one thing in common. They are not stupid or untrainable or naughty or dominant. They are uncomfortable and that is triggering extreme behaviour fallout.

None of the above issues would be resolveable with training. All of the issues will be resolveable with training ONLY when the pain is resolved. Some of them will have drastic improvement from the moment the pain or discomfort is managed!

If your behaviourist or trainer doesn’t immediately advise a veterinary visit if any aggression, excessive ‘naughtiness’ or strange behaviour is present, walk away immediately. Even if you think your dog is fine, visit the vets. Ask for a thorough examination and push for a proper evaluation of your dog from nose to tail and potentially blood tests too. If you’re still not sure, get a second opinion.

You cannot train the pain or discomfort out of your dog. Address THIS first and foremost.

28/02/2024

Something to say there Ziggy? 😂😂

22/01/2024

☔️Thank you to everyone who has checked in with me so far! ☔️

With another storm now due and the weather not showing any intention of getting better every precaution is being taken to keep us all safe when travelling to and from walks and whilst out. Some delays to be expected while we navigate road closures, flooding, debris and anything else that might get thrown at us.

🐾Many thanks for your understanding during this wild wintery weather 🐾

15/01/2024

📣IMPORTANT NOTICE📣

❄️❄️Extreme cold weather warning for ice and snow over the next few days! Please ensure any and all coats are available at pick up to be popped on your dogs! There will be extra blankets in the car to keep everyone cosy and warm on the way to and from the walk. Some walks may need to be adjusted to cope with the extreme weather and keep all the dogs safe and comfortable. Let's cross all fingers and paws we miss the predicted -10°C and below🥶 ❄️❄️

10/01/2024

Thank you to everyone who has been in touch regarding invoices, the techs have assured me access should be restored on my side by tomorrow evening! Will get everything updated asap 🐾

25/12/2023

Merry Christmas one and all!
Hope Santa Paws has been good to you and many thanks for all your generosity throughout the year!
Looking forward to seeing all my favourite four legged friends in 2024 🎄🎅🏼🌟🐾