HugoWay Dog Training

30/10/2024

I'm still working on my website: translating it, getting back my reviews and putting up offer and I just finished and polished text on loose leash walking. If you struggle with it, check up my blog: https://hugoway.weebly.com/blog/mastering-loose-leash-walking

Let me know what are your thoughts.

Discover expert strategies to teach your dog to walk calmly on a loose leash. This guide covers understanding your dog's behavior, addressing common pulling issues, and building a stronger bond during walks. Say goodbye to tugging and hello to enjoyable s

23/10/2024

It feels stupid after almost 8 years in the dog business but let me introduce myself again.

A little bit about me and my dogs, what are our training challenges.

I’ll be writing a bit more, starting with translating posts I’ve already written in Polish but I think they’ll give you an idea about me and the way I train.

Hope you’ll enjoy it.

Being a constant traveller, moving from place to place can be really hard. Some of you probably know, some of you cannot even imagine how would you pack all the things you gathered staying 15 years...

14/10/2024

Winter is coming, days are getting shorter and dogs still needs their walks.

I know many of them need an individual approach and with my knowledge and experience I can give them that and more.

Interested? Send me a message :)

10/10/2024

Last time I talked about fearfulness in dogs and today I think it’s time to say more about confidence and how it’s related to dog being fearful.

I do believe that my dogs can be full of themselves, kings of the world. I do believe I showed them that the world is their oyster.

Does it mean they are not afraid of things? Not really.

Hugo is sensitive to some sounds, he’s scared of storm and fireworks and Otis has some issues with heights, he’s not 100% confident with people. But I would never say my dogs are fearful.

I think that a lot of “bad” behaviours come from dogs feeling insecure and I know that if I show them they are capable of so many things it’s easier for them to conquer their fears.

Few days ago I’ve read on site that you won’t conquer the fear of waves and water by looking at it and eating ice cream and I agree with him so much.

We and our dogs - we need to experience stuff. That is what makes us stronger and more resilient.

Does it mean you should throw your dog into a deep water and hope for the best? No.

But you also shouldn’t avoid the water itself.

I know there are quite a few fearful dogs in so if you want to conquer their fears contact me and let’s work on it!

26/09/2024

This is my first video in English so please be kind. I know it’s not perfect but I needed to get it out so I can work on my next videos.

It’s mainly basic obedience, how to teach dog certain behaviors. This time the very basics of recall.

In my opinion it’s very important to work on that the way I show, not to get too soon into deep water. You’ll have many years for that. And hopefully I’ll post the next part somewhere between those many years… 😜

And trust me. I’ve trained with rabbits, hares, deers (now we train with dogs - funny the things go in our life), I can even recall Hugo from digging! Unless his head is deep under the ground 😁

My videos are sort of a Hollywood production as the first part of my Heelwork part 1 was released 2 years ago and you know what? It’s time for the 2nd part. It’s almost there 😅

Enjoy and let me know if you have any questions or even better - want to meet for a training ☺️

This time I show you the basic steps into recall training. I know I'm a bit rusty, it's been too long since my last videos and also this one is the first I m...

17/09/2024

Last Sunday I attended this amazing charity event organised by admins from Lily the Lab & Friends. I was delegated by K9 Club to be a judge for the Dog Show. I thought it would be easy peasy but there were so many dogs (over 25 in one class and there were 8 classes all in all) so I had to made some really tough decisions.

I hope you all understand how difficult it was for me because I would be happy to give prizes to every single one of you. You have wonderful dogs and it's so easy to see they got such a great life with you! ❤

It was absolutely fantastic! I'm so happy to be part of this group.

There are about 300 pics taken this day so if you're interested, just write me a message and I'll check if you've caught the eye of the camera.

I'll send you pics via wetransfer so you can have them in great quality - good for print 🙂

And if you like them and feel we've earned a coffee or two you can use this site to support me: buymeacoffee.com/hugoway_dogtraining

It all happened in a beautiful scenery at Church Farm Brewery

11/09/2024

Staying in the subject of fearfulness.

Why do you think dogs are reactive and why it’s out of fear? 😉

Or is it?

I do believe dogs are complicated creatures and they response differently to different stimuli because of… different emotions.

It’s really not always fear. For me fear is a very strong feeling, something that makes you feel scared for your life and security.

And do you really think dogs who bark, lounge or growl are in the 90% that scared?

Well, I don’t.

How do you feel about it? Let me know and let’s have a proper conversation 🙂

26/08/2024

To all wonderful dogs I met, I wish that every day was a special dog day 🥰🐾

22/08/2024

I was quite busy lately (which is absolutely amazing!) and I didn’t get through the images from attending the Dassett Country Show

Time to make it right. I was a lovely country show; full of dogs, people, colourful stands, activities I’ve seen only on TV before and most of all – laughter. It was loud and busy, busy with people enjoying their time with family, including dogs.

I had a wonderful time and I hope I’ll have more opportunities like that to represent K9 Club

Thanks again and if you wonder did your pup has cought the eye of our camera, just send me a pm - I'll check :)

17/08/2024

Stress is slowly getting down, brain is starting to work again, there’s some self-control going on. Otis is becoming himself again.

I do believe in freedom of choice but whether we like it or not, dogs must also obey. If you live in a city you have to implement some rules that work not only from time to time but daily.

Your dog can become overwhelmed, tired or overstimulated from living around things that trigger him. And I believe a good training, good obedience skills will help you survive and put him or her on a right track again.

For me general obedience is not for controlling dogs all the time. It’s for giving them the actual freedom whenever it’s possible.

And it’s true - some dogs won’t need obedience skills. Some are born or inclined to be socially savvy. You won’t need to recall them because they won’t get into trouble. They just go with the flow.

But some dogs are wired differently. They are fast and impulsive, quick to react, mischievous or adventurous. It can be up to breed, experience, lack of experience, instincts, genetics - doesn’t matter, it’s there.

And to say that you can manage them and be safe by allowing them to just be dogs it’s hugely misleading.

My aim in working with dogs is to allow them as much freedom as possible. I believe all living creatures should be able to make decisions and choose where they want to p*e. And I believe there are so many ways of getting there.

So please don’t mock other people and their choices. Life is this wonderful thing that you can do your way 🙃

As for Otis, we had a wonderful walk yesterday, met many dogs on our way, I asked him not to run 100m to greet them and he listened. It made me feel happy and relaxed. He also was happy. We are blackberries and walked in heel. He ran & sniffed. Got some treats. All was good 🌼

15/08/2024

I know.

I know it’s a cliché to make your brand around this one dog you have.

And I know, I know it’s another cliché to say that’s not a dog, it’s THE dog.

But damn, the hard truth is that he is. He is THE dog, he is… (place any cliché you want, it will fit).

The truth is that he turned my life, my views, my opinions and beliefs upside down. Thanks to him I’ll probably never say no to any methods or ideas that are known in training. For me to say I’m open-minded is not a cliché. And it’s because of THAT dog.

When I feel better about myself he can always deliver reality check but when I’m down he can show that he’s there when I need him.

It was important to me to have him in the brand name even though I could go with much better names - funny, witty, more to the point 😉 Same way as it was important to me to get tattoo with his exact paw print.

He can bring the best and the worst in me.

And thanks to him I bring so much to the table. I understand what you are going through because there’s a high chance I’ve been there, I’m creative because I had to, i understand how important are rules but also I know to what lengths dogs can go to bend them. I know what a reactivity is but I also know what labels do for people and their dogs.

Let’s continue this journey our way - the Hugo Way.

10/08/2024

So much has changed in such a short time.

I met wonderful people with their wonderful dogs and with their relaxed attitude I set Hugo off leash.

Today in the woods he chased off a big Labrador male who came out of nowhere (probably bit surprised that he’s running away from an 8kg doggo) and then forced a Weimar into submission.

Just to be fair when Labrador said enough, Hugo immediately said “ok” and after conversation with a Weimar he invited him to our group. We also met few other dogs with whom it was just sniff & go.

I knew I was getting to this point but the huge changes in our life slowed it down.

But when I walk here I see relaxed owners and really nice dogs and it all helps so much. Because what Englishmen do when there’s tension between dogs? They laugh.

They joke, they laugh, they engage in small talk or they just pass you by. If someone puts his dog on leash they do the same. They respect each other but when some minor incident happens (eg some black dog runs to a dog on leash because you didn’t notice and he tries to hump it…) they apologize and life’s go on.

And that makes all the difference.

08/08/2024

When you move so much as I, you learn the true meaning of the word „adjust”.

3 years ago we had to adjust to life in Sweden during COVID. That didn’t end up well for me but I did what I could to survive.

Hugo’s noice sensitivity grows when we are in a new place. He’s more aware of any kind of noise – it could be car doors shutting at night or sound of motorcycle passing 10km away on the highway, or automatic cannon that scares birds from the fields. In 2021 that was it. We came to Lund in march and when you have growing crops you can expect a cannon securing it.

Otis was around 7/8 months back then and he didn’t have troubles adjusting because he was on a different schedule – his gundog predatory insticts kicked in somewhere around the 5th hare we met.

And than it was for me to adjust. Adjust to being alone.

2nd time we moved to Sweden I was much better prepared. I used my time in Poland to continue work on chasing wildlife by Otis and struggled hard with Hugo to adjust to life in Warsaw. We succeeded with Otis but other than that I’ve learnt that Warsaw was not a place for me and Hugo.

It was kind of interesting to go back to Sweden and see if I hold sentiment to our walking places. To be honest, I didn’t. I didn’t feel anything. But step by step I’ve managed to create life in SE. I got friends, work, routine. I’ve menaged to socialize Otis with dogs – up to this point his life was a sinusoida.

He began his life in Warsaw, walking of leash in parks, meeting dogs. Then he moved and his companions were hares and rabbits. No dog friends, just hormonal changes and frustration. Than, back again to Warsaw and plenty of dogs on every walk. He was barky and loungy which I couldn’t blame him. It was too much. But we adjusted. Got into routine, worked on socialization again and as some of you know… we moved again.

Last 4-5 months in Sweden were quite good. We had regular trainings, I found place where Otis could run off leash and meet other dogs, I started competing – we went for WT and B-prov. Hugo had regular walks with his friends (both dog and human) which he really loves. I’d say we adjusted well.

So aparently it was time to move again. And now I have to adjust to a new reality. But… so far so good

05/08/2024

Soooo, I’ll be joining forces with K9 Club

I’m more than happy! The team is amazing and the work they do is top notch. Couldn’t think of a better place to begin my English dog journey 🖤

I can’t wait to get my legs scratched and clothes dirty by other than my own dogs 😂

Please welcome Marta to the K9 Club Team. Marta is joining us as a trainer with a wealth of experience! Have a read below of her background! Welcome to the team!

Marta is a dedicated dog trainer and behaviourist with over seven years of experience. She specializes in working with fearful and reactive dogs, helping them overcome challenges and thrive.
She has extensive experience training puppies and adult dogs, focusing on essential skills such as leash manners and socialization. Having worked extensively in Warsaw, where reactivity is a prevalent issue among dogs, she developed a deep understanding and vast experience in this area.
She’s an owner of a Jack Russell Terrier and a Labrador Retriever. Her journey in the world of competitive dog training began with Obedience and Rally-O. Nowadays, she works on gundog training with retrievers having competed in Working Tests in both Poland and Sweden.

31/07/2024

Few days ago I’ve joined Canine Business Academy challenge.

As most of you probably know I moved (again) and need to start my work (again) from scratch (again).

But after another Swedish episode I feel more confident and slightly more adventurous. And for that I’m grateful and would like to say huge thanks to Magdalena Bibik

She showed me that I actually can do it. I can create a business, I can create a community of like-minded dog people, that I personally have the tools to do it. I miss you so much, my dearest sneezer 🩷

I’m not sure yet how it will all play out here in UK but from what I see I’m optimistic.

Wherever I go, I meet amazing people and dogs. And this is for what I aim in my work. To make connections, to spend time training dogs and helping their humans understand them. I want to implement my, allow me to say this - vast experience, into our training & behavioural sessions.

Please, keep your fingers crossed for this new chapter. And remember, I’m always there for you - even when I’m thousand miles away.

29/07/2024

It’s 26 C today and this more than anything makes me miss Sweden.

I would get in the car and after 7 minutes I’d be at the small beach of a lovely Arrie, one of my favourite places near Malmö. My dogs would swim a bit (some more than others) and we’d go on a rabbit hunt enjoying a picturesque walk.

I love water, I used to swim a lot and I’ve no idea why I’m not doing in anymore but a mere presence of clear water makes me happy.

So when I think of Sweden the 1st thing that comes to mind is the environment - clean lakes, streams, Baltic Sea (Östersjön), forests and meadows.

It’s not that the nature is more beautiful than in Poland or UK, it’s definitely different but I think Swedes appreciate it more than other nations. Wherever I went I felt huge respect for nature and I was so happy that people treat it like I do - as the most important thing in the world.

In Poland we have so many ecological disasters caused by human activities and from what I see it’s similar in UK, especially regarding rivers.

So if I was to take one thing with me from Sweden it would be it - ideas & implementations on taking care of nature.