It's great to teach your dog that good things happen by looking at you, it's an important skill to have in your toolkit. Having eye contact on cue means you can ask your puppy to look at you and look away from all kinds of distractions. Once your puppy learns that giving you eye contact is rewarding then they will start to give you voluntary eye contact as a way to access rewards and this when the magic happens, at this point your dog is basically saying they are ready to work and engage with you. Lure It! Take one treat, place it on your dog's nose then immediately move the treat to your fo ..read more

Todays hot topic is counter surfing! I work with plenty of dogs who love to get their paws up on the kitchen counters or dining table. Dogs who counter surf have more often than not been hugely rewarded for this, it takes only one repetition of the dog popping up onto the counter to have a look and find treasure. Now I know we all tend to think that the dog is looking for food but many dogs just love to take ANYTHING from the worktop, like a letter, tea towel etc. Think about that scenario they steal something and either they eat it and enjoy it by playing with it or destroying it. You then r ..read more

It's so important to provide your puppy with the right outlet to chew, without the right chews a puppy will find their own chew items which normally means your expensive furniture. Dogs chew for a variety of reasons, it's an instinctual activity which all dogs should have the outlet to do. Chewing has many benefits, chewing releases endorphins (happy hormones), chewing can relieve boredom, chewing can help with dental hygiene. It can be tricky to know which chews are good for puppies and which chews are safe to give a puppy. Often owners resort to building dental sticks which are filled with ..read more

What do bubbles have to do with dogs? It's our job as dog owners to keep our dogs safe, the definition of safe: protected from or not exposed to danger or risk; not likely to be harmed or lost. I want you to think of a bubble being your dog's safe space, every dog will have a different-sized bubble and that bubble size can change from day to day. It's important to not only be aware of your dog's bubble but to also respect other dogs' bubbles too. Some dogs will have big bubbles which will mean they need space in order to feel safer in the environment, other dogs will have small bubbles as the ..read more

Is your dogs recall not very good? Does your dog not come back when called? Do you reward your dog for simply paying attention to you during your walks? This is something that a literally bang on about to my clients, to reward their dog every time that they voluntarily check in with them. Often this behaviour is ignored by us humans because the dog is being good but if no value is added to the dog checking in then the dog is more likely to find the environment more rewarding and stop checking in completely. So pay attention to your dog during your walks and any time that they check in with yo ..read more

The festive season is fast approaching and for many families, they also have the added joy of the pitter-patter of tiny paws. Christmas with a dog doesn't have to be stressful so I've put together my top tips on surviving and enjoying Christmas with a new puppy or dog. The Christmas Tree Dogs are curious little creatures, especially when something new comes into their environment. Puppies can be very interested in the hanging baubles, lights and branches, let's be honest it is pretty impossible to puppy-proof a Christmas tree. So what can you do? Think about popping the Christmas tree on a r ..read more

The festive season is fast approaching and for many families, they also have the added joy of the pitter-patter of tiny paws. Christmas with a dog doesn't have to be stressful so I've put together my top tips on surviving and enjoying Christmas with a new puppy or dog. The Christmas Tree Dogs are curious little creatures, especially when something new comes into their environment. Puppies can be very interested in the hanging baubles, lights and branches, let's be honest it is pretty impossible to puppy-proof a Christmas tree. So what can you do? Think about popping the Christmas tree on a r ..read more

HOW CAN YOU PREVENT INJURIES OR GROWTH PROBLEMS IN PUPPIES It's so important for new puppy owners to be aware of how they can keep their puppy safe and prevent any injuries or future problems. Growth plates are the area of active new bone near the end of the long bones. They’re made up of cartilage, a rubbery, flexible material. Each long bone has at least two growth plates at each end. The growth plate determines the future length and shape of your dog’s mature bone. When your puppies’ growth is complete, at approximately 12-18 months of age, the growth plates close and are replaced by solid ..read more

Fleas are quite literally a pest, they can be a problem for many dogs and dog owners. It can feel a little embarrassing to find fleas on your dog, as there is an assumption that fleas live in an unhygienic environment. What Are Fleas? A flea is a bloodsucking insect, they are small (about 1/12 inch), wingless, dark brown or black, six-legged insects that look flat from side to side. Fleas have been known to jump as far as 13 inches, about 200 times their own body length. Fleas can be picked up very easily out on walks, fleas can jump so they can transfer easily from one dog to another. Once ..read more

If you type in puppy into google one of the top searches that comes up is 'How do I stop my puppy biting'. It must be searched thousands of times a day. Puppy biting and mouthing is a completely normal behaviour. Their jaws are not strong when they first emerge, so they need the super sharp teeth to help with eating and their exploration of the world. Puppies peak in their teething is around 12-16 weeks, so it's not unusual for their behaviour to reflect this. Teething tends to coincide with a stage of development when the puppy is more adventurous and less frightened. So Why Do Puppies Bite ..read more