Happy Hounds

Why the environment is often your most powerful reward 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 desirable behavio

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...

With the anticipation of our little Puppy arriving soon, my thoughts are going to what’s the most important thing to train first and what...

Starting again. New year new start. I've been a Dog Walker for over 12 and half years now, in that time I've had the pleasure to not only...

Environmental Behaviour Sounds like a bit of a weird one but have you ever noticed that your dog often behaves the same way in a certain...