Dogs bark, it is what they do and what they do well! We all know this but did you know that dogs have different barks for different purposes?

Some are friendly and some are not but the common factor is that all barks are a form of communication. Wolves will bark in the wild, it is not something they do often but they will when they need to warn their pack members of imminent danger. They bark discreetly and not in the same way as dogs, who tend to bark repetitively and loudly, wolves use an especially low-key kind of ‘whuf’.
(more…)

The ultimate display of good behaviour shown to you by your dog is for them to allow you to take pretty much anything away from their possession, whether it is their favourite toy or a food item.

There should be no indication of aggression from your dog and you should feel completely 100% confident and trust that your dog will not snarl, growl or show his/her teeth to you. Many rescue centres will use a mock hand attached to the end of a long pole and when the dog in question is eating the hand will be used to remove the bowl of food and the dog’s reaction will be observed.
(more…)

Even the bravest dogs can be fearful at times and a sudden noise can send them running for cover. It is never a pleasant sight for dog owners to witness their beloved pooch looking scared out of its wits; their ears pinned flat on their heads and their tails down as far as they can possibly go.

Now the normal and perfectly natural response from people is to wish to offer their frightened dog some affection and comfort. This is however the last course of action you should take. To drop to your knees and practically smother your dog in hugs and kisses and tell them it is okay nothing will hurt them unfortunately is only going to make the situation much worse for your dog.
(more…)

The summer is the time for long, relaxing walks with your faithful friend. The sun is shining, the sky is blue and the temperature is rising; now the last part is the important part that does tend to be overlooked. You and I can pop a summer hat on our heads, smother ourselves in sun block and generally keep ourselves cool but our canine companions are not so fortunate.

Yes they can pant to cool themselves down but it is our responsibility to shield our dogs from too much hot, blazing sunshine. Now I am not saying that your dog should wear the latest fashion in shades or indeed that they need to carry a portable fan, it is down to us to ensure that they are comfortable in the heat. Now the first thing to consider is to always walk your dog at a cooler part of the day, do not take them out at midday on a scorching hot day.
(more…)

Many first time puppy owners will consider taking their little bundle of fun along to a puppy training school to gain some knowledge and handy tips but puppy classes offer so much more than just basic learning.

Puppies are presented with the opportunity to socialize with other puppies their own age and also with people and this is so important for their future. Puppies require the proper interaction with others as this helps to ‘shape’ them for their adulthood, they can learn so much from one another. When you see puppies playing together you just think how adorably cute they are and how much fun they look as though they are having, there is so much more going on than you can see.
(more…)

There are certain breeds throughout the canine world which are regarded as the complete speed freaks of the doggy domain, the nutters and the slightly wired pooches! These breeds are best avoided if you would like to remain sane as spending too much time with them will, I assure you, drive you mad!

Springer spaniels, Border collies, Huskies, Jack Russell’s and Dalmatians are the main contenders for the biggest live wire going amongst the breeds.
(more…)

I remember seeing a man walking alongside a busy main road once with a spaniel trotting faithfully at his side and not taking a blind bit of notice of the roar of the traffic as it sped by, I recall thinking to myself how great it looked for an owner to have such a well trained dog.

Well looking back now after many years of owning my own dogs and listening to other owner’s opinions I would not actually advise any dog owner to attempt to train their dog to walk alongside a road off lead. Of course this is my own personal point of view and everyone is entitled to their own thoughts, in my mind it is too risky.
(more…)

Obtaining insurance for your canine chum offers you peace of mind and added security if your dog is poorly or involved in an accident. It is so easy to try and turn the other cheek and convince yourself that your dog will be perfectly healthy and extremely lucky throughout the duration of their life, they will never require any medical assistance so you do not need to bother taking out an insurance policy.

Well this is all well and good but as most dog owners know it takes seconds for a dog to come to find itself in the kind of predicament where it needs the help of a vet.
(more…)

With the warmer weather on the horizon our thoughts start to wander to different walking locations for our faithful friends. Those woods which have stood wet and muddy for the past few months are now drying out and becoming more accessible, even to those dog owners with white dogs!

The moorland which has been out of bounds due to the lashing rain and blowing gales is now bathed in glorious sunshine with no signs of any mud. Beaches which have been turned into mini sandstorms because of the weather now appear calm and inviting once again. Now you have the location sorted for a lovely long walk with your dog but there’s just one small, very small, tiny actually, problem which is lurking waiting for your nice ‘tasty’ pooch to happen along.
(more…)

As you have probably gathered by now if you are a regular visitor to our website we believe in non-coercive methods of dog training, praising and rewarding your faithful friend is so much better than shouting at your dog.

You gain respect from your canine chum and the best part is that treating your dog with kindness whilst training will result in a positive response.
(more…)