Training-for-PAWS

18/06/2024

Congratulations Denise & Domino on gaining your Bronze Good Hoopers Award 🥰

04/06/2024

So proud of my ladies.
Congratulations to Hazel with Tinkerbell & Wendy with Dottie on achieving your Bronze Good Hoopers Award 🥰

21/05/2024

Congratulations to Wendy & Dottie on achieving your Foundation GHA

11/04/2024

It's good to know your pups are in good hands when they need treatment.
Congratulations K9 GAIT Massage Therapy on your well deserved award that I saw in your office during our session yesterday.

10/03/2024

Hoopers at Crufts 2024

A live replay of Hoopers Display from Day 3 of Crufts 2024. Subscribe to Crufts: http://bit.ly/CruftsSub -------------------------------------------------...

09/03/2024

Nearly 10.30, Hoopers display on Crufts YouTube livestream 🥰 (Day 3)

07/03/2024

One of the issues we have with Ruby is that sudden, loud noises - such as gunfire, motorbike engines etc - scare her. If we are out walking it means the noise interrupts whatever she is doing (sometimes sniffing getting ready to p**p) and she runs back to us. We don't know what she will be like with fireworks, we suspect she will be terrified.

So we are going to use the Dog Trust's free desensitisation programme to prepare for November and, hopefully, make the other noises less scary.

If you have a noise sensitive dog this programme needs to be started soon, leaving it until a few weeks before November will be too late.

You can get the instructions and sound tracks here:

Sound therapy can help your dog feel more comfortable with new and scary life noises.

07/03/2024

If you are trying to watch Crufts now on YouTube there's a problem with the livestream due to music copyright issues. Hopefully they will get it sorted soon

06/03/2024

Hoopers demo at Crufts on Saturday at 10.30
Check the Crufts livestream

Crufts is the greatest dog event in the world! Organised by the Kennel Club, the show celebrates every aspect of the role that dogs play in our lives. For th...

07/02/2024

Dog owners: are you looking for a fun activity with your dog? Why not try Canine Hoopers or Rally-Obedience?

Both activities are low impact and suitable for dogs of all ages and physical condition.

Weekly classes are held at Upton Cressett, near Bridgnorth (WV15 5NR)

Want to know more about the fun you could have? See the videos in the comments.

18/01/2024

It's so refreshing to deal with a pet insurance company that is so empathetic.

A policy renewal notice came through for Sukie's Accident Insurance, I'd completely forgotten about it.

I called to cancel, explaining that Sukie had passed on 22 October 2023.

The customer service lady, Cara, was very sympathetic, cancelled the policy and arranged to refund the monthly payment made since October.

Very impressed with e & l Insurance:
https://www.facebook.com/eandlinsuranceUK

The niche insurance specialists

Pet Insurance, Horse Insurance, Caravan Insurance, Wedding Insuranc

11/01/2024

Soooo excited, can't wait to receive my birthday present to myself...
Mini Ruby 🥰

23/12/2023

We held our first doggy Christmas party at Bridgnorth, lots of fun and we raised £100 for our chosen charity

12/11/2023

Thank you to everyone that reached out when we lost Sukie

02/11/2023

As Rebecca Hanlon explains, this is an important consideration when training your dog:

Context is everything.

Context is the circumstances in which something exists or happens.

A child is given a maths test whilst sitting in a park surrounded by their friends playing. They fail the test. Is this due to them being bad at maths? Probably not, it is most likely due to the context. A place where they find it difficult to concentrate, their mind is on other things, and they are excited and would rather be playing.

A person is in the middle of doing their accounts or important paperwork and someone comes and tries to hug them. They shrug them off. Is this because they don't like hugs or don't love that person. Probably not. It is more likely due to the context, they are busy, stressed, and focused on the task at hand and don't wish to be disturbed.

Someone is feeling a bit under the weather, just getting over a nasty cold, and gets dragged to a party. They sit there being unsociable and a bit grumpy. Is this because they are a grumpy person, and don't like parties? Or is it due to the context? They are feeling tired and unwell, other days they may be the life and soul.

So how does this relate to dogs?
Somebody asks their dog to come back to them in a park filled with people and dogs, squirrels running up trees. They don't come back. Is this because they don't know how to come back or don't like their guardian? Or is it possible that it's because there is so much going on, it's hard to concentrate?

A dog growls at another dog for going near their food. Is this because they have issues with resource guarding? Or is it possible that they have a new bone that is very valuable to them? Are they in a corner and feeling trapped? Is it a dog that has A habit of stealing things from them?

A dog is fine with dogs he knows but can get snappy with new dogs or certain dogs that are excitable or move quick. Is this because he doesn't like other dogs? Or could it be they have issues with pain so are fine with dogs they trust and dogs that are calm but struggle with dogs that may bump into them or play too rough?

A dog knows how to sit on cue indoors but won't sit outside. Is this just stubbornness? Or is it because they feel more vulnerable outside? Are too excited? Havnt been taught to sit in this environment?

I could go on forever with examples but hopefully, you get the idea. you get the idea. Question everything. When people ask me why their dogs are behaving in certain ways, I always make it clear that there could be multiple reasons.

Context is everything. If your dog won't do something, appears to act differently in different places, likes something one minute but doesn't appear to the next, look at context. Ask questions about all the different factors that can affect behaviour such as

health
Environment
Who and what are present?
Age
Genetic traits
Time of day
Weather
Previous experience

How often are we 100% predictable? How often does our behaviour change due to factors not even we can always understand?

Dogs are no different, they are not robots, they have different moods and the context they are in will change how they respond and react to things.
If things are not going to plan, don't get frustrated, ask why?

15/10/2023

Congratulations to Emma Woodhouse, Nicole Wright and Hazel French on achieving their Foundation Good Hoopers Award

10/09/2023

Good Hoopers session this morning reviewing all the foundation exercises. Congratulations to Sarah & Fred on passing all the Foundation tests and gaining their Foundation Good Hoopers Award.

Everyone else were very close to passing, just one or two actions to practice and they will getting their rosettes too 🥰

23/08/2023

I've just agreed to an email to be sent to my local MP urging him to support the legislation proposal to ban shock collars. Please take action - it has to be before beginning of September 2023 - and lobby your MP.

Don’t let the UK Government back out of banning shock collars. Help us increase the pressure and contact your local MP today.

13/07/2023

For everyone that enjoys Hoopers and Rally-Obedience with me 🥰

08/07/2023

Make sure your views are recorded, especially if you have a dog and live in or visit Dorset:

https://consultation.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/consultation-and-engagement/proposed-dog-related-public-spaces-protection-orde/?fbclid=IwAR3AX7kbbBOiDktM_xHp7HFcPJK4KGYEDiq9kT3vXBOTF_sNBHiKhpxXRBo

Find and participate in activities run by Dorset Council

14/06/2023

10/06/2023

CHARITY WALK:

A midweek evening social dog walk this coming Wednesday 14th June, 6.30pm meeting on the carpark at Stanmore Country Park, Bridgnorth.

Voluntary contributions are welcome with all funds raised going to support the amazing work CBUK and Beagle Freedom Project UK are doing to work towards saving beagles used for animal testing.

For more details, join the Bridgnorth CBUK Social Dog Walking page on Facebook.

Everyone welcome!

23/05/2023

https://chng.it/99XtvJcRsf
Please sign and share

Can you spare a minute to help this campaign?

19/05/2023

For anyone that watches this programme, read the thoughts of a professional canine anxiety specialist:

WHY NOT ALL TV DOG TRAINERS ARE GOOD! Review of "Dogs Behaving Very Badly" recent episode of Jax, the Belgian Malinois with separation anxiety. It's a long

17/05/2023

RECOVERING STOLEN DOGS

Interesting report on Frontline Fightback that describes improved police detection techniques.

Did you know there's a Dog DNA database that you can register your dog's DNA increasing the likelihood of getting your dog back if the worst ever happens and they are stolen?

It overcomes the problem of a chip being removed when a dog is stolen, DNA cannot be removed or changed.

Purchase your DNA protected dog DNA sampling kits and other crime prevention items from our exclusive range. Protect your Dog with a simple mouth swab.

15/05/2023

I shared this 5 years ago, it's such a lovely story I wanted to share again:

This was posted in the Canine Hoopers UK group, and the dog's owner said it was ok to share. A lovely result of taking part in hoopers.

"Monty and I are loving Hoopers and I wanted to share his story to show that Hoopers really is suitable for all! Monty is my 5 year old working cocker, and 12 months ago we found out he has degenerative spondylosis affecting every vertebrae. Clearly agility was no longer a sensible option but both his Vet and Chiropractor were happy for us to try Hoopers. He has done a lot of 'hooping' recently - Hoopers Camp with Hayley Laches, his first CHUK competition and he also worked hard for me on the Accredited Instructor course - I was slightly concerned that it might be too much but he seemed to be coping OK. We've just been for his monthly Chiropractor session and she was over the moon with him - for the first time in months he didn't need laser treatment! It seems Hoopers is just as good for his physical health as it is for his mental well-being!"

_________

Hoopers is good for all dogs & people. I am an advanced accredited instructor starting classes in Bridgnorth. All welcome 🥰

11/05/2023

Super excited to share... starting in June, a regular monthly workshop. Come and join the fun and make new friends.

30/04/2023

We have spaces available on these classes starting on Wednesday 3rd May - come and join in the fun with your dog.
Rally-Obedience: 2pm
Hoopers: 5pm

23/04/2023

Home made, grain free, dog training treats...

If you do a lot of training with your dogs - and they happen to be grain intolerant - buying grain free treats can get expensive. I've been making treats for my dogs that have not only proved to be popular with them, but also with other dogs who attend our classes. So, this is for all the folks that have been asking about how they are made...

You are welcome to share this post :)

Home made, grain free dog training treats.Tiny treats, ideal for dog training sessions.I used a silicon, mini-ice cube tray available on eBay: http://goo.gl/...

15/04/2023

If your dog is obsessed with water, please be aware of the potential danger:

How pet parents can protect their swimming pups.