Happy Hounds

I’ve been working with dogs for nearly 20 years now, and not long after I started working with them, I began studying dog behaviour and training too. Throughout those years, my understanding of dogs has changed and changed. Every time I think I’ve got it, I learn another layer. When you first get a puppy, what you know is really just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many different layers to owning and understanding a dog, and so many things you learn along the way. But fo

Welcome to September 2026 🍂 Let’s get autumn-ready Hi everyone, Welcome to September! As we start moving into autumn, our dog walks are going to look and feel a little different. The evenings get darker, the weather gets colder, and for some dogs those changes can be surprisingly difficult. If you have a puppy, don’t automatically expect them to know how to cope with being out in the dark. Shadows, headlights, people appearing from nowhere, different noises and even familiar

Why Small Problems Are Easier To Fix Early One of the most common things we hear from owners is: “I wish I’d dealt with this sooner.” And honestly, that feeling is incredibly normal. Most behaviour problems don’t start as huge problems. They usually begin as small niggles: A little bit of pulling on the lead Barking occasionally at dogs Jumping up at visitors Not listening when excited Struggling to settle Getting over-aroused easily At first, it feels manageable. You tell yo

Why the Environment Is Often Your Most Powerful Reward in Dog Training There’s a simple concept in behavioural science that many dog owners are already using — often without realising it. It’s called the Premack Principle. You might also know it as “Grandma’s Rule.” Eat your vegetables first, then you can have dessert. In dog training, it works exactly the same way. What Is the Premack Principle? The Premack Principle means a more desirable behaviour can reinforce a less desi

I became a dog walker back in 2007, at a time when there were very few of us around. I still remember a walker travelling all the way from Ponteland just to walk a dog in Riding Mill — it really was that uncommon. Dog walking simply wasn’t the industry it is today. Fast forward to now, and in Hexham alone there are easily more than twenty dog walkers operating. The growth has been huge, and while some of that reflects changing lifestyles and an increase in dog ownership, it h

Frustration vs “Naughty” Behaviour in Dogs Why This Matters Many behaviours that look naughty on the surface are actually signs of frustration. When we mislabel frustration as bad behaviour, we can accidentally make the problem worse by increasing pressure rather than offering clarity. Understanding the difference helps us respond in a way that supports learning and emotional regulation. What Frustration Looks Like Frustration often shows up when a dog: • Wants something but

From the moment we picked up Toryn at eight weeks old, it was clear she was full of energy, joy, and sweetness — but she really struggled with being left. Even for a second. She’s always been a happy-go-lucky, affectionate dog, but being alone was something she simply couldn’t handle. Early on, I realised leaving her on her own wasn’t an option. Moona , my other dog, didn’t want to know either, and I couldn’t leave them together — Toryn’s frustration and need for contact wou

How do you get a reactive dog to the point where they can actually greet another dog? Most of the time with reactivity training, our main...

Where We Start, What We Notice & How We Help Every client and every dog has their own story. My job is to listen — properly. Sometimes...

Giardia is a microscopic parasite that can cause some pretty unpleasant symptoms in dogs, primarily affecting their digestive system. If...

25 years ago! My first outside job was as a trainee Falconer at a local center. (I then worked for others and then finally ran my own...

How long will it take to train my dog?

Walking in the dark

There seems to be a lot more anxious dogs these days or do I just notice it a bit more. Either way I’m no psychologist but now I like with a anxious dog I certainly understand it better, mix that with all the other dogs I have encountered and worked with there is a definitely a way to work and help them. There is also definitely unhelpful ways in which people try to teach them.

Your pup isn't a pup any more and you have at points though "what have i done"? Teenage dogs (dogs between 6 and 18 months) just like...

Dogs and Fireworks The season is upon us when the skies are suddenly filled with random flashes of bright colours and loud noises. I used...

I have recently found my self falling down a hole of which i should know better. It’s an observation i see with my clients often, i have seen how it work and totally understand why. And yet I have still done it myself.

I wrote this for the beginning of my puppy class second week. In hope people with see their communication to our dogs differently. Its hard even as i train this pup the wrong words come out of my mouth sometimes and that is not useful to her. Recently i have really thought through what each words means and watch my pups face when i ask it.

You know sometimes we have a habit of making something complicated when the answer is simple. Put a lead on it.

So the aim at the end of the day is to be able to ask your dog to do something then for them to do it. Anywhere, with anything going...