Glazebury Dog Walking

19/07/2024

20/06/2024

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20/05/2024

New cooling mat for the car 🐶😎☀️ Nessa's just making sure it works 😁

15/05/2024

A big GDW welcome to this beautiful boy! He's such a gentle soul and has made some lovely friends already 💚

18/04/2024

A big warm welcome to our newest friends 🐾 they already feel as though they've been part of the family for ages, they've fit in so well 💚💚💚

09/03/2024

It might be cloudy today, but I don't mind because we've had a little taste of what's to come this week ☀️😁

04/03/2024

🐾 Exciting news🐾

We have had some spaces become available!

We specialise in 'Buddy' Walks, small groups of only 1, 2 or 3 other dogs

Having a degree in Animal Behaviour means that I am constantly assessing my dogs body language, I want to make sure they are always comfortable and enjoying their time with me and their new friends.

This means, that if you have a quieter dog who is friendly but can be overwhelmed by bigger or bouncier dogs, then they will have the opportunity to socialise and walk with likeminded friends. Similarly, if your dog is big and bouncy and LOVES to play, I will group them with similar sized dogs, so they can have a great time playing (without being told off 😂)

I look forward to meeting some new doggies 💚

01/03/2024

Their paws/legs/tummys/tails/backs/ears 😂😂 this has been a very muddy winter!

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20/02/2024

And the photo of the day goes to 🤣

19/02/2024

Jump into the week like Cooper 🤩 the best Monday feeling

16/02/2024

These two are soo cute! I'm looking forward to spending more time with them, welcome to the team beautiful girls!

08/02/2024

I am very grateful for home visits on days like today 🌧🌨 this bear has helped me to warm up again, such a cuddle monster 😍

28/01/2024

Quality time with my beaut 💚

23/01/2024

Tongue out Tuesday! 😋

16/01/2024

SNOW DAY! ☃️

11/01/2024

I think we've all LOVED the sunshine this week! ☀️

02/01/2024

Happy 2024 to all of my wonderful clients and doggies!
Here's to another year living the dream 💛🐾

01/12/2023

Some photos from this week, we've had a great time in the sunshine and frost❄️

24/11/2023

☃️🎄 CHRISTMAS WALKS 🎄☃️

I will be resting my feet over the Christmas period 🤶
My last walks will be on 21st Dec & my first walks of the year will be on 2nd Jan

Please can you let me know of any changes to regular walks outside of these dates 🐾

21/11/2023

I had a wonderful first walk with Ollie today! I'm looking forward to introducing him into our groups and watching him make some new friends 🐾

16/11/2023

We've had some gorgeous autumn walks this week 🍂 and lots of mud 😅

06/10/2023

If you have a noise sensitive dog and you're worried about taking them for a walk after work when the nights start drawing in and as it gets closer to bonfire night - send me a message now and we can get your dog booked in for a few adhoc daytime walks so you don't have to worry in the days/weeks around bonfire night.

My own dog has always suffered from a fear of loud noises (fireworks, thunder, gun shots etc) the tips below are really helpful. We always put music on in different rooms in the house to drown out the more distant fireworks aswell as have the TV on in the room that Nessa is in. Closing the blinds/curtains also really helps them be able to relax.

💥 FIREWORKS 💥 Be proactive, not reactive!

Fireworks season is approaching and for most dogs with behaviour problems, this time of year can really set things back. It is not uncommon for us to have cases who report a more serious incident (involving other dogs or humans) or increased fearful behaviour following the 5th of November.

Do remember the delayed effects of stress. Behaviour is also at risk of escalating when the body and brain is trying to recover from a stressor- rather than only reacting during the stressful event.

🗣️ “Yeah, well…..my dog's fine with fireworks"

Even if your dog has not shown a negative response to fireworks previously it’s sensible to be prepared.

Dogs who react to other sounds around the home may generalise this behaviour to fireworks. Alternatively, exposure to fireworks may escalate or intensify their response to other sounds.

My experience is that many dogs show an increase in sensitivity to fireworks at 2-3 years of age onwards and we know from research (Mills 2018) that the risk of developing sound sensitivity increases with age, which may likely related to pain (flinching/startling hurts so negative associations are made with the sound!).

⚠️ Please do not consider your dog fireworks proof based on their early years.

All dogs’ behaviour is vulnerable to change and 10-12 months is a long period of time to pass since the last fireworks event. Please don't assume your dog will be fine this year, although hopefully they will be!
👀 It's sensible to get observable evidence that they are coping and relax proactive protective strategies accordingly.

I encourage my clients to proactively protect their dogs from fireworks rather than to action things once their dog is stressed and scared.

Here's some strategies you can do to proactively protect your dog from developing a fear of fireworks or to prevent existing anxieties and fears escalating:

🔊 Wall of sound
Playing brown noise, relaxing music, tv etc every evening from around mid-october onwards (area dependent of course, may need to be earlier or later in the month based on where you are).

🪟 Drawing curtains/blinds before it gets dark.

🌚 Avoiding walks in the dark
You'd be amazed at how many dogs develop a fear of fireworks based on one going off while they were out on a walk. Daylight walks or early morning walks are safest, and ensure your dog has toileted before 6pm early October and 4pm late October onwards. This is so they can avoid the garden until their pre-bedtime wee.

🎶 Playing music on your phone whilst you take dogs out for their bed time toilet visit can reduce exposure or intensity to some fireworks.

🧘‍♀️ Promoting Relaxation
Giving chews, lickimats, kongs, snuffle boxes/mats and treat searches around the house can all help facilitate a calmer state. Your dog may then be more likely to enjoy an exercise such as settle on a mat, where you can build relaxation.
Start these strategies and training as soon as possible so you do not ask them of your dog when they are stressed and scared.

Some dogs also enjoy a den like environment in a small or covered space. For such dogs, creating a den that is somewhat insulated from sound (thick heavy blanket, under the stairs/table etc) may be helpful.

❗️Remember ❗️A place is only a safe place if one chooses to be in there and can leave at any time. For e.g., A shut crate may appear to work- because your dog may appear to be resting in there. However, they could be interanlising their stress and more likely to communicate how they truly feel for being given the opportunity to express themselves more.

🎶 ➕🍖 Ad hoc counter conditioning
If you see your dog detect a firework and consider reacting (ears twitch or pulled back, sudden head lift or turn, getting up and standing still) - quickly praise and treat. Do the same with other noises that are similar.

One study (Reimer 2020) found that relaxation training, adhoc counter conditioning and situational anxiety medication in combination had the best effect on dogs.

👩‍⚕️ Speak to your vet!
Please consider getting situational anxiety medication lined up for the 4-6th November. Dogs with intense fears may benefit from a longer period. These medications can decrease in availability this time of year due to demand, so please speak to your vet about it now.

You will need to do a baseline test at home away from firework noises (and children and other dogs) so you can assess how your dog responds to the medication.
Tests are needed as sometimes dogs can become excited on the wrong dose (not helpful) and there is a risk of disinhibition with some drugs. This means that dogs who use warning signals may be more likely to escalate to biting (because they loose that inhibition). Hence why we recommend no children or other dogs close by as a precaution.

Please be reassured, negative effects of these drugs are relatively uncommon. More often than not- situational anxiety medication does what it's supposed to do and dogs become a bit d***y and sometimes even hungry (useful for counter conditioning). 69% of cases in the Reimer study reported an improvement.

🧠 Another benefit is that some medications can inhibit/block memory of an event, which is great at preventing existing fears escalating.

For those whose dogs are already on medication, there are many situational anxiety drugs that work well in combination with others- so please do talk to your vet!

I will be medicating my own dog Kanita on the 5th to protect her from becoming stressed by the fireworks and have found this has had a huge impact on her tolerance to them when she detects them outside of this date, as well as reducing her sensitivity to the sounds of gunshots (Note, I do not live in the hood, I live rurally! 🤣 ).

🪴 The Reimer study found neutraceuticals and herbal remedies did not report enough improvement to rule out the placebo effect. For dogs with a more strong sensitivity to sound, I do not recommend neutraceuticals as an alternative to medication- as it's not worth the risk of it not working in my opinion.

🏡 🌳 For dogs who have severe fireworks phobias or who are extra vulnerable (health conditions etc) - try get away somewhere remote for the peak time and book yourself into somewhere remote for a few days break! Do this ASAP if not already!

Sound sensitivity is a tricky thing for dogs to fully overcome, especially as it so often increases with age until the hearing starts to dwindle.
I recommend being proactive in protecting your dogs regardless of whether they have an established fear or not.

I’ll share some more tips and strategies you can do to protect your dogs in a couple of weeks 👍

27/09/2023

As a dog walker, I'm committed to not only keeping your dogs happy but also our planet! 🌏 That's why I've made the switch to using biodegradable poobags. 🌱

🍃 These bags are a game-changer! They break down naturally, leaving no trace behind and helping reduce plastic waste. 🌊 Plus, they're just as reliable as traditional bags, so we can focus on the fun adventures with our four-legged pals.

I bought these from in Culcheth

27/09/2023

A big, giant welcome to this gorgeous boy! 🥰

22/09/2023

Very proud to be a member of this organisation! Thank you Professional Dog Walkers Association 💚

Today is PDWA National Dog Walker Appreciation Day so here's a Shout Out for all the wonderful professional dog walkers out there! 👏👏👏💙🐾

“You are just a dog walker!” – we get told this all the time!!!

In actual fact, we are so much more!

We are trusted guardians who bond, exercise and enrich a dog’s life in all weather!

We enable owners to work or socialise with the knowledge their dog is exercised safely if they themselves have no time, energy or are too poorly to do so themselves.

Not just walks ! We provide enrichment and quality time.

We give owners peace of mind their dog’s welfare is paramount and adapt our days to ensure this during inclement weather for example.

We risk assess constantly but if an accident does happen we are first aid trained to look after dogs in our care.

We keep up to date with PSPO’s, Dog Law etc.

We build relationships with our dogs and know their “normal” so we can recognise changes such as tummy troubles, new lumps, different gait or mood etc., and report them swiftly.

We learn as much as we can about canine communication, seasonal hazards, breed traits and find suitable outlets for each one where we can.

Many of us go on to become groomers, pet nutritionists, trainers, behaviourists, pet photographers etc.

We love the dogs in our care. We laugh at their antics, we worry when they are poorly and we cry when we lose them.

We are so much more than “just a walker” and never doubt that.

So……..
Dog Walkers: tell us who you are and where you are based! (members and non-members welcome)
Owners: if you have dog walker help, flag them here and tell us what you appreciate the most about them!
Comment ⬇️

18/09/2023

Hi, I would like to introduce our new service 'Buddy Dog Walks'
Having an animal welfare background, I have always been interested in behaviour and body language as an indicator of how a dog is feeling. After walking dogs both on their own and as part of group it has struck me that there are many dogs who actually feel much more comfortable with just one or two other dogs as opposed to being in a big group, and so, I have added this new service 😁
If you feel as though your dog may benefit from this new service, please don't hesitate to get in touch so we can start to find them a new buddy 🐾🐾

09/09/2023

Thank you all for being so flexible with me this week due to the hot weather ☀️☀️
It looks as though next week might be cooler but I'll be in touch closer to your walk to organise 🐾

11/07/2023

We've got lots of new friends this last couple of weeks 😊🐾 I love learning all of their little quirks and personalities 💚💚

26/06/2023

These two have been getting home visits for the last couple of weeks due to the weather ☀️☀️ we finally got out on our first proper walk this morning 🐾 welcome to the pack Arlow & Sylvie 🐾