Alexandra's Practically Pawfect

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Alexandra's Practically Pawfect Training and behaviour support and transformation on a 1:1 basis. Qualified Scentwork UK Trainer and Judge for Tier 1. Based in Bexley, Kent I’m Alexandra.

From a tiny child, I was always fascinated by animals and their behaviour. I grew up surrounded by animals of all different species including dogs, cats, bunnies and many more. I always knew I was destined to be involved with animals and their families. I’ve been involved in dog training since I was a young teenager and have lived in a multi-dog household since then. Each of my dogs have taught me

so much and shaped who I am, what I know about dogs and how I choose to train and interact with animals and their families. I have spent vast amounts of time learning through a variety of courses, books and hands on experience and am committed to always learning more. I spend most of my days training, walking and looking after animals (mainly dogs but also other animals) and love every minute of it. In terms of dog training, I offer reward-based training on a one to one basis and love seeing the relationship build between dogs and their owners. There's so much information around about dogs and dog behaviour out there, it can be difficult to know how and where to start. One of my aims as a dog trainer is to help people to find the information and answers they are looking for. Also, to help them move towards the life they planned to have when they chose to add a dog to their family

I know that everyone and their pets’ needs will be different. That is why everything I offer is bespoke and designed to suit what is needed. Bespoke in person training options
Online training options
Solo or small group dog walks
In house visits or pet sitting

Drop me a message so we can discuss how I can help you and your pets

Travelling requires prep. Traveling with a dog (or more)= more prep Travelling with a dog and travelling by train = more...
23/06/2025

Travelling requires prep.

Traveling with a dog (or more)= more prep

Travelling with a dog and travelling by train = more prep (and travelling light, well me, not her, as you'll see 😆)

With pup's first solo trip away coming up, we've been prepping and packing.

So, we'll be taking:-

🐾 Pet first aid kit and grooming stuff

🐾 Cool coat

🐾 A couple of sachets of Country hunter dog food

🐾 Long lines

🐾 Travel water bottle

🐾 Collapsible bowls

🐾 Kong and clicker

🐾 Snuffle ball

🐾 Favourite toys especially emotional support giraffe 🦒

🐾 A variety of treats including Nature's menu, natures variety freeze dried raw and some JR pet products pate

🐾 Dog bags

🐾 Some natural chews

And yes for those of you who know about her attachment to her giraffe 🦒- he's going to be zipped in- she will be bereft if we lose him.

Talking about what I do, how I can help, and the change I help to create doesn't come naturally to me. So, to receive co...
22/06/2025

Talking about what I do, how I can help, and the change I help to create doesn't come naturally to me. So, to receive comments like this makes my day.

"We could have not go to today without you .. i have learnt to so much how to or not react when he has a moment . Every day is another day of learning like his licking lips is anticipation of excitement and not what it normally suggests.. again, it's about me understanding him. Thank you for never giving up on us even when things got extremely difficult.. you putting the halti on was amazing whoop whoop another winner ###"

"My dog is on edge" "My dog snapped at someone" "My dog is chewing everything in sight" These are a few things that have...
21/06/2025

"My dog is on edge"

"My dog snapped at someone"

"My dog is chewing everything in sight"

These are a few things that have come up or I've had messages about since the heatwave began.

The recent heat can be a lot for our dogs to cope with, just like us. And in the same way, that some of us humans can struggle more with it, the same can be said for our dogs.

They could be:

- Stressed and overwhelmed
- Frustrated
- Bored
- Overstimulated
- Understimulated

Their metaphorical 'buckets' could simply be fuller than normal .

For all sorts of reasons including

🐾 Changes to walks can affect them such as shorter ones than they'd normally have

🐾 Walking earlier and/or later in the evening as they might see more people or dogs, different ones as people try to beat the heat

🐾 They may be sleep deprived if they are too hot or just uncomfortable to properly rest

🐾 With windows and doors open more to get a breeze, they may be on edge before they've even left the house because of noises, scents and sights of passersby

And more...

Try these to help:

• Give more opportunities for chewing, licking and sniffing
• Using fans, keeping curtains and blinds shut to keep indoors cool
• Being strategic about when you open windows and doors (early am and later in the evening will often give more air flow)
• Use secure fields/woodlands

And just like that, it's time for me to say, we are closed for a week. There will be no training, walkies or training wa...
21/06/2025

And just like that, it's time for me to say, we are closed for a week.

There will be no training, walkies or training walks with me during this time 🐾

There'll still be daily posts both here and Instagram about what we're getting up to 😊

As always, my inbox will be open and my phone is on for messages etc. If you need support, to share wins with me, to find out my availability or to find out more about how I can help, I'm still here. Just be aware, there may be a delay in getting back to you.

I'm off for some adventuring and a dash or two of R&R ready to bring you all an action-packed summer.

Hope you all have a lovely week, and I'll be back to work on Monday 30th June x

P.s. I'll be opening up some extra spaces in my diary for private training sessions when I come back. So, keep an eye out for that and more announcements soon 👀

"We've gained so much confidence, thanks to you" Here's what's possible when we work together...When we started together...
20/06/2025

"We've gained so much confidence, thanks to you"

Here's what's possible when we work together...

When we started together, he was misunderstood and overwhelmed by many aspects of life. Reactive to people, other dogs, traffic, and fast moving critters. A mixture of root causes, including fear, frustration (and redirection) and a dash or two of prey drive, whilst also being deaf so the element of surprise and the novelty of life were things he found tricky.

I'd be lying if I said theirs, and our journey together has been a simple one because it hasn't.

But they've come so far to be able to go on walks together and to enjoy being together rather than being on edge as to what they will come across when they leave the house.

Not only that, his trust in me has grown as a safe person for him so much from when we started together as well.

Yesterday, he let me put his headcollar on the for the first time EVER. Previous attempts had been a no-go, but yesterday- he was a superstar.

If you've got a nervous or reactive dog and you'd like some support, now is the perfect time to reach out. So, drop me a message as I'll be opening up a couple of spots for 1 to 1 from the beginning of July

19/06/2025

Gold stars for this brave girlie on her walk this week.

We'd gone out early and shady to beat the heat. But, before we'd even got there, I spotted an adult Dalmatian running free in the road.

The dog past us, darted into a driveway, and as it came out, it was momentarily distracted from running by this gorgeous girlie. So, I took the opportunity to grab the dogs harness.

She took it in her stride like we catch runaways and pick up strays on the daily. Just casually walking down with her on one side and the dalmatian on the other.

We reunited the dog with his very grateful owners, then she waited patiently with me whilst the kids with the dogs were shepherded past

A common misconception is that if your dog is reactive, it must be a rescue. While there are absolutely rescue dogs that...
18/06/2025

A common misconception is that if your dog is reactive, it must be a rescue.

While there are absolutely rescue dogs that are reactive to things, potentially dogs or people. There are many others that aren't.

Not only that, but there are reactive dogs that have come directly from a breeder to their first home.

There are so so many different reasons that a dog could become reactive.

These include (but definitely not only these)

• Past experiences
• Genetics
• Life stage, for instance, reactivity can often start with adolescence
• Pain
• Recovering from injury
• Breed traits
• Girlies who are in season

And so many more.

These three? Could all have been described as reactive at some point, in their life. Different causes, different points, different triggers.

But guess what they have in common? None of them were rescues

The time was summer 2013. I was freshly graduated with a 2:1 in law. Everyone around me had a plan, knew what they wante...
17/06/2025

The time was summer 2013. I was freshly graduated with a 2:1 in law.

Everyone around me had a plan, knew what they wanted to do, knew their purpose, or at least an idea of it. I was surrounded by people who wanted to be lawyers, barristers, and a whole host of other avenues.

Me? Not even a little bit. Truth be told, I felt like a bit of an imposter at uni. My true passions weren't actually law related, and I had no interest in going to court. Though that wasn't what was expected of me when I graduated.

What I actually was was lost and overwhelmed. The world was my oyster, or so they'd tell us, but I was actually faced with a sense of dread, not opportunity.

I was looking for something, to find my voice, my place in the world. Little did I know, one tag in a post and everything would change - Rio was looking for a home. Good with everyone and everything or so, we were told.

What he actually was was a stressed-out adolescent. He, too, was lost, overwhelmed, scared of things, and had trust issues. In a way, that wasn't too dissimilar to aspects of me, if I'm honest.

Much of the world saw an 'out of control', 'typical little dog trying to be boss' screaming and lunging ball of fluff. Well meaning passersby would give me advice, that I needed to be firm with him, whilst giving us sideways glances.

His struggles and reactions gave us far more attention from the rest of the world than either of us actually wanted. He wanted them to go way, and I'm actually quite the introvert.

What I saw was something entirely different. He was deeply misunderstood by many. He was confused, scared, and lashed out. He had needs that hadn't been met. He'd lived much of his previous lives crated, passed on, or carried around much to his disgust.

He was a small guy who realised that the rest of the world was massive.

He didn't need a firm hand. He needed time, understanding, space, and support to figure out his place in this strange alien world he'd found himself in.

Which as fate would have it, was with us, with me, side by side, through thick and thin.

Has this ever happened to you? You’re out walking your dog, and every time they see another dog or person, they start pu...
16/06/2025

Has this ever happened to you?

You’re out walking your dog, and every time they see another dog or person, they start pulling you over there, to get closer. Even though every single time, all they actually do is end up barking and/or lunging at it to make it go away.

If it has, please don’t worry it’s actually really common, and a question that comes up in 1-2-1 training sessions.

Picture: Rio, my tri colour papillon, my original bark and lunge towards, well everything to get it to go away and leave him be

Gone but never forgotten 💔 ♥️
15/06/2025

Gone but never forgotten 💔 ♥️

Sometimes our action points after a session aren't dog centric at all, sometimes they are just as much about us, the hum...
13/06/2025

Sometimes our action points after a session aren't dog centric at all, sometimes they are just as much about us, the human part of the relationship.

To look after ourselves too and to give ourselves a breather, to get ourselves out of overwhelm

✍️ A list of the things they need to do (non dog related) so they aren't on repeat in their head to free up head space

😊 Choose to do something for themselves. Knowing that they've got decompression time sorted for their dog, they chose to take themselves out for breakfast.

🐾 Write a list of 5 wins that they've had with their dog recently

With no writing of their lists at breakfast, it's time for them to breathe, to take some time for them

Well, it's safe to say that their hard work is paying off and that their confidence is definitely growing in a pub setti...
12/06/2025

Well, it's safe to say that their hard work is paying off and that their confidence is definitely growing in a pub setting

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