Hound+

02/07/2024

Can your puppy leave a whole plate of sausages?! ❤️😯

Our wonderful Clifton pups at all absolutely smashed food manners today!

Our aim with food manners is to help pups understand to leave food on plates without even having to ask them to 'leave it' - we want it to become a default behavior so when people just pop a plate down on the side of the sofa , the dogs wont try and steal it.

It's just one of the life skills we teach at Hound+ classes

16/04/2024

Double graduation for Teddy and Mitzi in puppy class today😍

03/01/2024

🐶 Training Vs Management with Puppies 🐶

It is so important to "pick your battles" when it comes to puppies!

You don't -need- to constantly be training your puppy;
For optimal results we recommend short training sessions of about 5 to 10 minutes, several times a day.

Puppies have short attention spans, so keeping sessions brief but frequent helps maintain their interest and prevents them from becoming overwhelmed or frustrated.

When you aren't training put management strategies into practise, Enjoy this quick guide!

20/10/2023

15/10/2023

Congratulations Doug the Sprollie for being the first dog to pass our new "Bristol good dog awards" 😍

Such a great team!

01/08/2023

We are working super hard at the moment to get some new exciting things on the Hound+ Menu! It's been a long process to make sure it's -perfect-

So look out for..

✨Reactive Group classes ✨ Run by Nick Benger in a secure venue. We had so much great feedback after our one off workshops we are going to make something with a community feel to support each other living with a reactive dog and plenty of practical training

✨Level 1-5 " Bristol Good dog Scheme" ✨ - We have written our own amazing criteria for classes to create a well rounded dog and something for all you dog training keeners that want to work towards some goals!

And look out for more workshops and webinars!

Anything you would love to see a webinar or workshop on?

26/07/2023

Hey All,
Nick here. I'm going to be teaching a webinar on Puppy Selection and Training soon. It's fresh on my mind as I'm navigating through it with Onyx.

If you want to join me you can here - https://nickbenger793.clickmeeting.com/puppy-selection-and-training/register

Recordings are available after.

19/07/2023

🐾🌴 Quick Guide to Taking Your Dog on Holiday!🌴🐾

Summer holidays are approaching and many of you may be looking to go away for a holiday and taking your dog with you can be a daunting task! So let me give you a quick rundown on what we have found helpful over the years.

🧡 Preparing for the Journey; If you are taking a long drive then take a look along the route for great stop off points - Woodland trust and National trust websites you can find some lovely dog friendly locations to spend some time decompressing. We found similar places across France and Germany but do make sure you check if dogs are to be kept on lead at all locations. Large garden centres are also a good option for a dog friendly place to stretch your legs !

🧡Pack the Essentials: Don't forget to pack all the essentials your dog will need during the trip. Here is a list of what we always take;

Food - if you feed raw most self catering accommodations will have a small top freezer so you may need to plan for that! We usually research the local raw shops for a midweek freezer top up! When we were in Europe we took cold pressed food to reduce complications.
Bowls for your food (this is something I always forget!)
Crate/Beds and Blankets. We take along plenty of blankets to cover sofas and floors if we are planning some mucky woodland adventures
A spare harness/collar - If you are planning trips to the beach then a soggy sandy harness is no fun the next day!
Treats and chews - Stock up on chews and enrichment. A well timed chew is invaluable for cafe trips and long car journeys
A puppy pen or temporary fence if you have one - We have found a puppy fence so handy on camping trips, open plan kitchens and insecure gardens!
A holiday toy! A new exciting toy can provide some distraction and enrichment as you settle into the accommodation

🧡 Smooth Transition into Accommodation: Bring in all the dog items you need into the accommodation first whilst the dogs wait in the car, We have found this makes it easier for all parties on first arrival. Before bringing the dogs do a quick check of the room/s the dogs will be allowed in to make sure they cant get up to any mischief (Decorative cloth doorstops are the first thing to be put on a shelf before the chihuahua eyes them up as a new tug toy!) Take a thorough look around the garden if the place has one - even if it is advertised as secure..Owning a terrier we know our level of “secure” is a little more discerning than most! (This is where that puppy pen comes in handy! It has plugged a small gap in the fence or a wall for terrier parkour many a time!)

🧡Plan for Rest and Relaxation: Going to new places can be very tiring - So plan for periods of rest in the day, A midday nap back at the house for everyone is what holidays are all about!

🧡Be Mindful of Countryside dangers: If in doubt have your dog on a longline in unknown locations and keep an eye out for sheep, cows and other livestock. In woodland you may encounter wild horses, deer and wild pigs in certain parts of the countryside and Beach trips you can find hidden cliff edges. So please err on the side of caution! A trailing longline wont ruin your dog's fun and will give you a safety net.

🧡Capture the Memories: Finally, don't forget to capture all the precious moments of time together! Take plenty of photos and videos to document your adventures together. These memories will be cherished for years to come and is always my biggest regret that I didn’t capture holidays with our previous dog.

So have a great time!

Post your favourite holiday pictures below 🧡

13/07/2023

Last minute place available on our 3 day Lost dog Tracking event on next weekend.

This is Claire Brown's level one Lost Dog Tracking course. Suitable for beginners. It's a 3 day course which is a mix of theory and practical training. Dogs of all ages are welcome. The course will run from 10am till 4pm each day (July 21st, 22nd & 23rd)

Claire runs NorthK9 in Huddersfield. There she trains and operates a team of lost dog tracking dogs with which they conduct and operate searches for people's lost pets. Her work in lost dog tracking has been featured in Your Dog Magazine.

This is Claire Brown's level one Lost Dog Tracking course. Suitable for beginners. It's a 3 day course which is a mix of theory and practical training. Dogs of all ages are welcome. Claire Brown runs NorthK9 there she trains and operates a team of lost dog tracking dogs with which they conduct and o...

04/07/2023

Social Media vs. Reality: Having an “Imperfect” dog in a “Perfect” world.

In the era of social media dominance, platforms like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok have revolutionised the way we communicate, share experiences, and portray our lives.
However, amidst the sea of perfectly curated dog's dinner bowls and flawless snapshots of , it's crucial to acknowledge the stark contrast between social media and reality.

In the quest for the perfect post, users often meticulously curate their photos to present an idealised version of their dog’s life. Strategic cropping, filters, editing and photos taken out of context you can produce a snapshot of “a perfect dog”...
That majestic looking dog, off lead looking out over the vast landscapes of Colorado standing in a perfect heel position next to its owner? That was probably 200 failed shots, a long line that was photoshopped out.

While scrolling through your feed it's easy to fall into the trap of comparison. Seeing others' seemingly the perfect dog owners can evoke feelings of inadequacy, fostering a negative impact on self-esteem...

I assure you, your dog isn’t secretly resenting you because you didn't pre-prepare a raw food bowl, with 20 supplements, hand picked fruit and wild caught salmon in an aesthetically pleasing geometric lick mat.. then going on a 2 hour off lead nature hike before falling asleep in his custom built bunk bed. (If you do enjoy making raw food bowls and custom bunk beds, knock yourself out btw!)

It's essential to remember that what we see on Instagram is just a fraction of someone's life - a ‘perfect day’ with the imperfect bits cut out.

I have met lots of ‘instagram dogs’ and they are all lovely, sweet and also -totally normal-. I have met some with resource guarding issues, reactivity issues and just generally being a “bit of a twat” sometimes. Anyone that has met my dog Louis will agree with that summary..

The stark contrast between Instagram feeds and reality can have detrimental effects on mental health.
I will talk to owners who will say “I follow this dog owner on instagram and I wish my dog was like that…“ “I watched this dog trainer on tiktok and he cured the reactivity in 5 mins with a prong collar.. I don't want to use one but would my dog be happier if I did?”
Constant exposure to this kind of content can lead directly anxiety, depression and generally feeling a bit crap about yourself

(and I promise you... Reactivity is not cured in 5 mins with a prong collar on Miami beach with a do*****ag in sunglasses.)

So where do we go from here? In a world dominated by filters and staged moments, it's so vital to be authentic
Sharing vulnerable moments, imperfections, and failures can create a feeling of community and comradery.
One of the biggest things I find owners take away from our classes is that they realise that actually they aren't the only ones with a chaotic teenage labrador or they aren't the only one that cried last night and doubted if they are good enough to bring up a puppy

I often make a point to introduce owners to each other with similar struggles so they can share their frustrations, learn from each other’s experiences and also see the light at the end of the tunnel.
We are incredibly lucky to have some wonderful supportive members in our classes that support new starters and assure them that we all have terrible days - Dog trainers included! I will never shy away from telling owners how terrible (and wonderful) our new puppy is.

So please, never judge yourself by unrealistic standards. Celebrate the great moments and vent out the difficult ones.

So bear this in mind when you are having a bad day or see that others are having a bad day.

Stay kind to yourself and others.
Livvy x

26/06/2023

24/06/2023

Did you know our classes are totally flexible?

We use a credit system which means you can book in classes whenever or wherever you want and you don't need to commit 4 consecutive weeks of your time to train your dog!

Do you have a holiday?
Your dog goes into season?
Puppy is feeling poorly?

No problem! Skip a week or two and come back to classes when you are ready!

We are also offering TWO FREE credits for every puppy or adult class purchase!

So that's 6 CREDITS for £79.99 🤩
An absolute bargain!

Go to HOUNDPLUS.COM to find out more!

18/06/2023

Peekaboo! I found you!
Mantrailing today with the lovely Nova!
We have found that dogs of all shapes and sizes absolutely love Mantrailing - from Maltese to Mastiff!

Found out more about our activity classes at
https://www.houndplus.com/

We are currently running a 7 day free trial for you to try everything we have to offer at HoundPlus! ❤️

06/06/2023

It's our third birthday!
It's pretty crazy to reflect on how far we've come in three years.

So thanks so much everyone that has supported us and let us be a part of your dogs training journey!

To celebrate we're doing 10% off all orders this week. Just use the code THREEYEARS at checkout. Website here: https://www.houndplus.com/collections/classes

That code works on everything; puppy classes, adult classes, activity classes, dog treats, long lines etc

Thanks everyone - can't wait for the next three years! 🧡

21/04/2023

Who's coming to The Big Bark this weekend? We'll be there running trick training workshops all day, both days ☺️

27/03/2023

🧡 A short guide to setting a puppy up for a successful café visit! 🧡

I love a café visit - I find it a great place to gather my thoughts without the distraction of the 100 things I need to do in my house, and if Onyx can be part of that.. even better!

So here is how we set ourselves up for our first cafe visit.
We have already done a couple of trips into cafés to get a takeaway coffee as a starting point with no hiccups (she was relaxed and curious. Good start!)

🔸 We popped into a local petshop first and got two chews. A 'Big hitter' chew - short lasting, but super tasty and high value and a long lasting chew for her to nibble on.

🔸 We took her for a little wander about to let her toilet before we went into the café - we don't want to have to take her out and in and do a full reset!

🔸 We selected a quiet time slot - mid-morning on a Monday. This made sure it wasn't high-traffic and too overwhelming for Onyx - and it wasn't overwhelming for us as we don't want to be disturbed with questions such as "but what breed is she? How old? What are you training? Why can't I touch her?' 10 times before we even order a coffee.

🔸 As we rock up we look around and select a secluded corner where we can tuck Onyx safely away from footfall, and we can control any surprises interactions (loose dogs and children - thankfully we saw none of these today!)

🔸 As soon as we sit down, down goes her blanket and down goes that heavy hitter chew (a bit of lamb trachea. Yum!) She is instantly on it and kept busy whilst we sort ourselves out. Nothing worse than trying to take off your jacket when you have a working line German shepherd puppy. Sleeves are the best toy.

🔸 Once that chew is finished (about 8mins later - enough time to order!) Then the real training begins and everyone is in the right headspace for it. We do around 10mins of settle training whilst we wait for food and slowly build up duration.

🔸 Food arrives and down goes that 2nd chew! (I'm not worried about giving her two chews, she won't consume much of this one). Even though her training has been great and has been successful - I don't want to push my luck and make her frustrated when my timing goes out the window because I am distracted by my own food. (I am a tired and hungry puppy owner. I give myself some slack!)

🔸 Once we finish eating, I buy off that long lasting chew with some treats and off we go. No sitting around - I want to end of a high.

Successful café trip!

Owners are often tempted to go straight into the deep end with settle training - work your way up and don't be afraid to use chews and management to see your way through those first visits.

Any questions about café training pop them down below 👇

14/03/2023

I let Onyx off lead for the first time today. Only because we were so far from anything. Even if she'd tried to run away she'd have a very hard time getting anywhere, but she didn't of course.

I'm not in a rush to get her off lead in general. I use a 5m long line most of the time which is essentially my safety net. At this age puppies always want to stay close anyway which lulls people into becoming cocky.

I know it did me, with my first dog Chester. I let him off lead until a Boxer leaped on him playfully and it scared him so much he ran home through traffic.

So sure, puppies want to stay near you but they're also more easily frightened. Which means if a firework goes off, or another dog scares them even unintentionally you could end up in a bad situation.

Usually we go through 3 stages with the long line whilst we're recall training. And this could take multiple months, and again, that's fine. No rush.

1) I'm holding the line. The safest of the three.
2) I'll drop the line and let it trail. Less safe but at least I can grab it if needed.
3) Once I have full confidence in my recall and also that my dog won't easily spook. I let them off entirely.

Obviously location is a factor, as it was today but you get the idea.

05/02/2023

Had an awesome time seeing everyone at the Adolescent workshop hosted by Jordan Shelley today.

Adolescence ain't easy and everyone worked super hard! 🙏

We will of course be running more so whip us an email if you would like to be put on our waiting list for our next workshop dates.

[email protected]

09/12/2022

How to train your dog a hand touch and why you should!

07/12/2022

Do you know someone with a new puppy? Or perhaps they're just mad about their dog.

We have gift cards available for all of our award-winning classes from puppy classes to activities like scentwork, hoopers, mantrailing etc.

18/11/2022

Have you heard of Mantrailing? It's like hide and seek with your dog on steroids. We meet at a different Bristol park each week, one of us runs away and the dog has to find us. Then we make it harder and harder.

If you're interested in joining in send us a message or sign up on our website.

16/11/2022

Have you considered Hoopers? We run classes on Clifton Downs and in Pensford.

It's a really fun way of having a good time with your dog whilst also improving their obedience. You can buy the classes as a standalone course on our site or it's included in our memberships.

14/11/2022

It was so lush to see so many of you for our Sunday group walk 😍

We host a social walk every Sunday for a chance for our class attendees to have a walk and a chat.

See you all soon!

23/10/2022

Thanks to Kahla at Valleys Dog Behaviour And Training for coming to Bristol and teaching us all about Rally. A fantastic new activity we look forward to adding to our calendar!

And thanks to Delta and Kika for being the first members to try it!

21/10/2022

Here's 5 common reasons for puppy biting. Plus, you can read more on our article on this topic - https://www.houndplus.com/blogs/articles/why-your-puppy-bites-how-to-stop-it

20/10/2022

Did you guess all 3 correctly?

3 Places Every Lost Dog Visits We had expert dog tracker Claire Brown from NorthK9 Lost Dog Search team come to visit us earlier in the year. Claire teaches dogs to track missing dogs so they can be reunited with their owners. One of the top takeaways from our time with Claire was that there are thr...

18/10/2022

Do you have a coffee shop dog or a mountain adventure dog? We have both.

We're currently away at the Brecon Beacons and yesterday Pablo came with me to climb our first mountain. Louis went for a puppuccino at the local coffee shop.

Knowing what kind of dog you have is going to make a big difference to your relationship. We often meet people that have anti-social dogs that are desperate for them to be best friends with everyone they meet. But can you ever really fit a square peg into a round hole?

It's always a mixture of the two. For some dogs the goal is to walk past another dog without any reaction, for others it's to be social in the park again.

You don't want to be the person that forces their terrified dog into the local coffee shop but you also don't want to be the person that avoids everyone for the rest of your life.

I got a phone call this week from an absolute dog training legend. His name is Jordan Shelley. He called to say he's moving to Bristol. But even better, now he's coming to work with us.

Jordan's accomplishments are too long to put in this email but most recently he successfully campaigned the government to ban the importation of dogs with cropped ears. Plus, he's been teaching dog trainers how to work with reactive dogs for the Dog Training College.

I haven't even advertised one to one training since we started HoundPlus because we simply didn't have the availability to deal with the enquiries. With Jordan coming and his ability to deal with more complex behaviour problems we now have another calendar to fill!

So if you're interested in being one of Jordan's first one to one clients in Bristol send us an email on [email protected]

13/10/2022

Great news! Legendary dog trainer and animal welfare campaigner Jordan Shelley has relocated to Bristol and is now working with us. That means you can now book one to one consultations with Jordan by sending us an email on [email protected]

Jordan is particularly passionate about aggression cases and control around livestock and/or cats (including cats and dogs in the same household)

27/07/2022

Little Migo has been coming along to classes to build some confidence around dogs and people and has been doing so well!
Our weekly outdoor training walks we build on foundation behaviours but in a real life setting.
Send us a DM if you want to know more!