That Dog

20/12/2024

Spots of Wisdom first official podcast is released!

Head to the below links to take a peep!

We are on both youtube or spotify, so subscribe and follow to find more of our content!

Youtube - https://youtu.be/7_S3UdSVVk4

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/episode/0rPL5V87DwV26RxqKLy2q4?si=I6-AAQjQToS33ofsL0B70w

What would you like to see us chatting about next? Open to all suggestions!! 🙊

16/12/2024

Guess what!!!

We’re now on Spotify!!

So excited to be filming some content this week so you lucky people get to listen to us chatting about all things Dalmatian BUT also all things dog training too!!

Cannot wait!!! 🥳🥳🥳

Podcast · SpotsofWisdom · A podcast by two dog trainers with the same passion of dogs and chat! We will delve into the common issues of dog training and pet ownership as well as discussions on recently animal related issues, trends and much more!

15/12/2024

Multi-dog households!

I LOVE having multiple dogs BUT I'm always honest in that some days are good and some days are bad and the last 24 hours have been one of those frustrating days 😂

Kevin has a bit of mucky ear so I've been keeping on top of that, when I notice blood on the sofa...Sherlock has scraped one of his pads and is bleeding.
Cue me whipping out the first aid kit and the dog boots after which he fell asleep with his foot resting on MY hot water bottle 🙈

This morning then meant, ear cleaning, foot washing, and then Kevin runs into the house, slips and bangs his leg causing him to start hobbling through the house! Check him and notice Sherlock has blood around his neck.... Kevin has lost his 4th baby canine tooth in a week and has been gumming at sherlocks neck leaving bloody patches 🙈

So in my wisdom I decide to take them both out for a walk where Kevin has zero focus and acts like he's never walked on a lead before whilst all the neighbours walk past after he was super blooming good demonstrating in all my classes 🤣

Dog trainer reality for the weekend 😂

Anyone else's dogs keeping them on their toes??

12/12/2024

This is something exciting!!

New with Spot That Dog - Training and Services - a brand new podcast!!

Now you get to listen and watch my rants rather than just reading about them! Keep your eyes and ears peeled 😉

Check the details below!

A podcast by two dog trainers with the same passion of dogs and chat! We will delve into the common issues of dog training and pet ownership as well as discussions on recently animal related issues, trends and much more!

08/12/2024

TRAINING NEVER STOPS 🤓

I invest less time than people think in my dos training. Shocking right??

But the fact is, training or learning happens all day everyday, not just when you schedule in a training session.

So yes, some days Kevin will have a couple of focused training sessions on things I want to work on, otherwise I'm training him all the time he is awake.

Things like:
- Leaving things I've dropped on the floor
- General settling
- Toy manners during play
- Not barging through the doors
- Food manners whilst I'm cooking
- Desensitisation to noises
- Chilling when I leave the room
- Crate training
- Leaving the house nicely
- Coming in from the garden when called

This is stuff I just work on throughout the day, and that you should be working on too.

If you come to class, I see your dog for 60 minutes a week, that is not enough time if that's the only time you're putting into training a week. If we do 5 repetitions of not pulling out the door successfully, and you go home and let your dog pull you out of the door twice a day for the rest of the week, my 5 nice reps don't outweigh your 14 reps of reinforcing the pulling, and then you won't see a result.

You can't expect to send your puppies to school for 6 hours over six weeks and that be all the practice they need to live in a human world for the next 10-15 years 😁

Here is giant, 28kg, 19 week old baby Kevin in a focused training session working on pivoting for heel work! 😁

05/12/2024

Our Thursday morning class enjoyed their trip to Caffi Cyfle!! ☕☕

All 7 dogs behaved beautifully although I think everyone arrived slightly stressed with the idea of taking them all out in public and having them settle so close to each other 😆

The cafe also stocks some dog treats so they can have a snack whilst you enjoy your caffeine 😆

04/12/2024

Just my deaf dalmatian and 19 week old giant puppy doing some lead walking!! 😁

Want to get your puppy loose lead walking from the get go?

I have puppy classes starting in January and they are HALF BOOKED UP!!

Details here: https://www.thatdog.org/product-page/perfect-puppy-course

Or ping me a message to put a deposit down for a place!! 😁

04/12/2024

With kennel cough hitting my dogs several weeks ago, several classes got rearranged and so finish dates for lots of dogs have been changed!

On Monday we said well done to Maisie and Betsi for each finishing their courses! 🐾

Maisie came dressed for the occasion!

30/11/2024

This is NOT to turn into a "all small dog owners" post but can we stop giving small dogs free cards that we wouldn't give big dogs...

I'm sorry but if your little dog runs up to a big German shepherd that is on the lead, that is not okay... in the same way that a German shepherd running over to your small on lead dog wouldn't be okay.

Letting your small reactive dog run up and snap at a large breed dog is not okay, just because I have a bigger dog it doesn't mean they should have to cope with that... in the same way that me letting a reactive large dog run up to and snap at your small dog is not okay.

It is also definitely not okay to let a little dog run over to a big one to 'play' and then getting annoyed when the big dog wants to 'play' back and your dog can't handle what it started.

I am fed up of my large breed clients, that work blooming hard, come to class fed up, because they've been rushed at by ANOTHER small dog, and the owners have tried to justify it by saying their dog wants to play.

THINK.... If you wouldn't like a German Shepherd doing that to your dog, then don't let your dog do it! 🙈

29/11/2024

BLACK FRIDAY DEAL!!

10% OFF ALL PRODUCTS WHEN YOU ADD THE CODE "KEVINISBACK" AT THE CHECKOUT!! 😉

Anyone signing up for January Puppy class will get:

- Our 6 week in person puppy course

- Lifetime access to our video vault for training things like crate training/not bolting out the door/counter surfing etc which you get access to before you start your course!

- A puppy welcome back with a 30 page guide

- Unlimited WhatsApp support

- Access to our friendly Facebook group

- Chance to book our customer only events such as our social sessions!

AND the good news is there are still a few spaces in each of our January puppy classes in Wrexham (Gresford and Marford) and Chester (Dodleston)!!

You can book on the link below and pay in full now OR in the run up to xmas when everyone has other bills to worry about I'm offering non-refundable deposits to secure you place, just ping me a message!!

https://www.thatdog.org/product-page/perfect-puppy-course

ENJOY BABY KEVIN!!

27/11/2024

Right... can we maybe stop calling Dalmatians stupid please? 🙈

It's on all the breed groups recently and it's simply NOT true.

Are my dogs clumsy? Yes.
Do they have spatial awareness? No.
Zoomies moments? Yes.
Times they do something stupid? Yes.

But are my dogs stupid? Definitely not.

Sherlock has trick titles, he's stooged for my reactivity clients, great with other dogs, he's tried agility, hoopers, obedience, scentwork, man trailing,canicross, parkour... he'll take anything I throw at him.

Kevin is 19 weeks old... we've got a few tricks, we've got some recall, lead walking-ish, self control is there, toilet training and crate training done, toy manners, a good leave it, recall away from food... is that permanent yet? Absolutely not but it's a start.

My breed is not stupid... they're a working breed that like to cut corners and problem solve!

Stop offending my Dalmatians 😆

26/11/2024

My 'little' baby Kevin 😆😆

Our January puppy classes are nearly half full!!!

So if you're thinking of booking on, or will be getting a new puppy during December then have a nosey at the link below for all the details or ping me a message!

We have options for Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays in Marford, Gresford and Dodleston - covering both sides of the wrexham-chester border 😆

Here's the link you'll need:
https://www.thatdog.org/product-page/perfect-puppy-course

25/11/2024

So last night my clients were treated to a talk from Great Paws all about big dogs and frustration and it was great! 😁

Greg talked about lots but also mentioned the importance of bond, and he's absolutely right!

When we have problems with our dogs for whatever reason, the first thing that understandably disappears is bond.

If our dogs are displaying behaviours that frustrate us, embarrass us, restrict us, hurt us, or make our lives difficult, the last thing you tend to then want to do is have fun with them. As a result our relationships suffer, engagement suffers, and you become something your dog doesn't really mind not being around anymore.

How many times a day to you actively do something with your dog that they enjoy?

Does this get less during those times where their behaviour is a bit testing?

Definitely worth having a think about! 😁

23/11/2024

This 18 WEEK old puppy is so clever!! I actually kind of dread the day he becomes a teenager 🙈

Recall away from food.
Waiting for his release cue.
Testing his release cue.
Toy manners.
Some other cues like bang and speak!

Having a little bit of self control around food, toys and things your dog wants is so important. Especially when they’re going to be BIG!

It teaches problem solving and how to handle frustrating situations too! ❤️

22/11/2024

Self control, impulse control and/or frustration tolerance is SO important to me.

I'm five foot nothing.... my dogs at the moment together weigh at least 53kg 😂

I need my dogs to be able to show some self control, I need them to not rush things, I need them to be able to see something they want and handle that feeling of feeling frustrated without reacting with behaviours such as mouthing, barking and hu***ng.

So...

I start self control behaviours as soon as possible... and I mean from 8 WEEKS OLD. Puppies are more than capable of learning from that age and younger, don't underestimate them just because they are small and look like babies.

Easy ways to implicate this:
- Not diving out the crate until permission is given
- Waiting whilst the food bowl is put on the floor
- Door manners
- Waiting to be given permission to grab the toy
- A stay on a bed with increasing distractions
- Sitting nicely whilst the lead goes on
- Waiting to be told they can leave the house/car

You learn these skills in classes: stays, leave its, down stays. You don't need 'training sessions' to work on this day to day, train it in the moment, in real life! 😍

Here is me leaving a bowl with some tripe in, in front of Kevin and briefly leaving the room!