Purrfect Gems

24/08/2024

Smile it's finally the weekend! And we have an extra day! 🐶💜

23/08/2024

We've not been to this stream in a while! 🐶💦
The wind is deceiving, it's really warm today! 🥵

21/08/2024

I love a good action shot! 😂😂😂

20/08/2024

Summer house visits ☀️

02/08/2024

July Sleepovers 🐶🐱💜

20/07/2024

Shady walks and house visits over the last couple of days 🐶💜

08/07/2024

I've got a backlog of photos I've been meaning to post! 🤦‍♀️
Here's May & June's sleepovers 🐶

30/06/2024

I've now been Dog walking for 8 years!
7 on my own which is crazy, it was never something I wanted or thought I could do but I took the plunge when the opportunity came.
I'm so lucky and grateful to anyone that has supported me over these years.

Special shout outs to Bella, Star, Pip, Charlie & Coco who I've known since the very beginning back when I worked for Lou and are still with me! (And of course their pawrents who have trusted me all this time)
I must be doing something right 🐶💜

26/06/2024

A day of mostly house visits today ☀️
Hopefully we'll be back to normal tomorrow🤞

23/06/2024

Hi everyone,
The next 3 days are looking to be hot so I will be taking each day as it comes and making changes to walks when needed:
☀️ shaded walks
☀️ shorter walks
☀️ house visits
☀️ cancellations

I need to prioritise those that are home alone so I apologise if I end up cancelling at the last minute

07/06/2024

I was on my normal walk today with Twig and Lucky, it’s a nice walk through a meadow by the river to a park in the middle of town. It’s busy with people and dogs (which mine love) and a mix of onlead and offlead dogs.

As I got to a narrow bit this morning, a saw a couple approaching with two dogs on extendable leads and as they saw me they shortened the leads right up and I could see that the people looked really worried about walking past me and my dogs.

I put my dogs onlead, took my dogs off the path into the undergrowth, and distracted them with food (made sure they didn’t look at the dogs) as the people walked past. If I had seen them coming sooner I would have asked them if they wanted me to move off the path. Not everyone feels comfortable to ask you to give them space but it’s normally pretty obvious when people are worried about walking past you and it’s easy to help them out.

The people and dogs walked past and thanked me for giving them space- no drama and we both went on our way.

I have no idea why they were worried about walking past me- the people may have been worried about strange dogs, their dogs may have been worried about strange dogs, the dogs may have been unwell or in pain or elderly or in season. Honestly it’s NONE of my business why they wanted space but it’s my job as a decent human being to be empathetic and respect that these people wanted some space.

I didn’t offer them advice, as it’s not my place. I’m sure we’ve all had unwanted advice over the years and most of it is awful. I bet every day they get told they ‘should let their dogs off lead’, or that ‘they were making their dogs anxious by making the lead so tight’ or that ‘they shouldn’t be walking in that place as it’s an ‘offlead’ dog place’.

I know people who’ve had reactive dogs carry on helping out other owners long after their own reactive dogs have passed away as they remember what it felt like. It costs nothing to try and make someone else’s day a bit less stressful. Even if your dog is totally fine with other dogs you can help other owners out who look stressed (and it’s none of our business why they might be stressed) by giving them space.

Laura McAuliffe, 2024 Dog Communication

25/05/2024

I completed a canine first aid course today 🐶💜
I like to do this every 3 years to ensure my knowledge is up to date

19/05/2024

When you arrive to look after a Dog vs when you arrive to look after a cat 😂😂

28/04/2024

Some photos from the past few weeks 😊🐶💜

27/04/2024

Happy Birthday Wally!
He's 1 today! 🥳🐶💜

19/04/2024

Our K9 Kids workshops are back for 2024! These one-hour workshops are designed to build children's confidence around dogs.🐶🐾

The sessions are free and are for youngsters aged 5 to 16, under 8s must be accompanied by an adult. You can now book online through our website www.leicesteranimalaid.org.uk/events

06/04/2024

Find joy in the little things in life! 🐶💜

04/04/2024

Happy Birthday Otis!
He's 2 today! 🥳🐶💜

02/04/2024

LOTS of house visits this Easter! 🐣💜

01/04/2024

March sleepovers with Henry & Starla and Star & Wilson 🐶💜

29/03/2024

Another photoshoot! 🌈🐶💜

24/03/2024

Everybody wish Dougie a Happy Birthday! 🥳
This (not so) little monkey turned 2 today! 🐶💜

19/03/2024

Tried to have a photoshoot in front of a pretty tree with these 2 wriggly bums!
It didn't quite go as I'd hoped! 😂

16/03/2024

Some photos from the past few weeks! 🐶💜

05/03/2024

Unfortunately I see this first hand a hundred times a day.

Recall training can be done whilst you're already on a walk and it doesn't have to be a ball ache. Turn it into a game! Play with them!

Why would you settle for the stress of trying to get your Dog back after shouting them multiple times only for them to completely ignore you?

ARE YOU WORTH COMING BACK TO?

I often cringe when I watch people trying to get their dogs to come back when they call.

They call and call and get increasingly angry and frustrated as their dog keeps ignoring them.

When their dog eventually does come back, or has been chased and "captured” by the now really angry person, they get screamed at, yanked about, smacked or punished in some way for taking so long and not listening.

Why on earth would a dog want to return to someone who does this to them!

Genetics may play a big part in this when an environment is far more stimulating and exciting.

Coming back to you is often the last thing a dog may want to do when genetic instinct is triggered.

An exciting scent or seeing something to chase can all override a response to recall.

Genetics aside, the most common reason that dogs don’t come back when called is because it’s not a positive experience.

Make coming back to you worth it by always making it a rewarding experience and keep practicing this throughout a dog’s life.

Have a little patience if it takes longer than you would like, let your dog finish what they’re doing before calling them, practice in different locations and environments and never reprimand or punish them for coming back.

There is never a guarantee of a perfect recall each and every time, but making it a rewarding experience will greatly improve the rate of success.

25/02/2024

One of the best things about my job is getting to know so many wonderful pets and loving them like they're my own.
The downside is the heartbreak when the inevitable happens and for whatever reason you have to say goodbye.

Yesterday my heart shattered into a million pieces when Bandit crossed the rainbow bridge 🌈
I had the pleasure of walking Bandit almost every day for the past 6 years.
One of my originals when I started doing this solo. He leapt over every hurdle thrown at him, he was the bestest boy
RIP Bandit 🐶💙

22/02/2024

Spent the last couple of weeks sleeping over at Star and Wilson's
We spent it having lots of cuddles, eating pancakes and getting filthy! 🐶💜

13/02/2024

Currently staying with Star & Wilson and couldn't resist getting in the spirit of pancake day! 🥞🐶💜

01/02/2024

Everybody meet Rolo!
He had his first walk with me yesterday 🐶💜

26/01/2024

I'm so lucky, I get to see these beautiful smiles every day! 😁🐶💜