Magic & Mojo

10/10/2026

07/10/2026

Worried about getting rushed by loose dogs? A product like Pet Protector can be a great addition to your walk. The one I carry is just compressed air but they also come in compressed air with citronella.

Probably will also work on loose unsupervised children 🫣😜😇

Now; compressed air might not work for all dogs but it’s better than nothing.

Your dog will also likely get a fright but….risk vs reward.

Compressed air-only version: https://link.amazon/B07BKTmom
Compressed air - Citronella version: https://link.amazon/B0cjkFzNT

07/10/2026

It’s funny. The training world will give you all kinds of fancy, sophisticated, science-y reasons for your dog’s problem behavior.

Whether that be reactivity, resource guarding, human aggression, multi-dog-home aggression, hyper-territoriality, attacking guests, separation anxiety, or just blowing off thoroughly trained and well understood commands.

There’s always something super deep and exotic that’s the actual cause: Imagined trauma or abuse, negative early experiences, breed tendencies, genetic stability, a fancy training protocol that’s missing.

What’s funny is that we get these dogs with super serious versions of all of the above list and more—and yet once we share true leadership, aka create absolute hierarchical clarity, and ensure there’s zero confusion as to who’s running the show in a non-negotiable don’t F-Around fashion—the all too familiar laundry list of behavior issues, magically start to fade. Sometimes mind-bendingly fast… as in within a few minutes, and without any fancy tools or training.

And yet, this reality is almost never discussed in raw, transparent, non-dolled-up language.

Whether that’s because trainers don’t see it, or they do and feel it’s too raw and unsavory to be properly marketable, is hard to say. Probably lots of both.

All I can say is that when I stand back and watch the patterns of dogs who come to us (and others) with serious issues, and I observe the relationship dynamics between dog and owner, I see precisely the same thing… over and over. I see owners who are soft, weak, permissive, tentative, hesitant, emotionally unbalanced, and using dogs-as-replacements for other aspects of life they’re missing… and I see the dogs who see all of the above just as clearly as I do, and who respond accordingly.

What I almost never see are strong, firm, zero-bullsh*t-taking, emotionally balanced, common sense-connected, non-brainwashed, dog-is-a-dog (but also deeply loved), FAFO owners… struggling.

Are there exceptions? Of course. There’s always exceptions. But when you see this pattern in approx 99.9999% of dogs with behavior issues, and how quickly it can be undone, you can’t unsee it. Not if you’re willing to be honest and non-PC.

Do you need training skills and the proper tools? I’d highly recommend them. But without the mindset and attitude which properly fuel them, the struggle will mysteriously continue. Not to mention, when owners have the proper FAFO mindset and attitude to start off, there’s far less tools and training work required… sometimes none.

04/10/2026

⭐ Behaviour Problems Don't Have to End in Goodbye ⭐

"He jumps on guests."
"She won't stop barking."
"He's aggressive with other dogs."
"She's destroying the house."

If any of this sounds familiar, take a breath. You're not a bad owner, and your dog isn't "bad" either. You're both just stuck — and stuck is fixable.

⭐ You are far from alone. Behaviour issues are one of the most commonly cited reasons dogs are surrendered, with recent data showing they're the single most frequent reason owners give, ahead of housing or financial struggles.
⭐ A good trainer doesn't judge. They listen first, then help you understand what your dog is actually trying to tell you — and give you a real plan

Swipe through for a simple 5-step plan:
✔ Check their health with your vet
✔ Meet their exercise and play needs
✔ Get an experienced trainer
✔ Stay consistent for weeks
✔ Reassess honestly

And if surrender really is the safest choice, there's no shame in it. Every pet deserves a real chance first. 💛

Before you make that decision, reach out to Magic & Mojo and find out how we can help. Send us a message and let's talk through your options together. 🐶🐱

22/09/2026

Not all homes or dogs fit together

I have a home. I want a dog.
There's a weird "entitlement" out there.
And rescue organisations and shelters are getting the brunt of it.

A rescue says no to a prospective adopter or foster home.
“They just don't want to help dogs.”

They ask for a secure property.
“I don't have one, but they won't escape.”

They won't place a particular dog in a home with children.
“My last dog was wonderful with my kids. My kids aren't a problem.”

They ask about other dogs, cats, work hours, yards, sleeping arrangements, experience and what happens when nobody is home.
“Why do they need to know all of that, that's NOT the issue here?”

They don't have a home available for a dog that's been there a while.
“Rubbish, I've offered countless times. They obviously don't want to rehome dogs"

They have to say no to more dogs coming in because every suitable home they have is full.
“Ridiculous. What are people meant to do? Letting me take that dog home would help that.”

“They just don't care.”

And somehow, whatever decision is made, the rescue ends up being the bad guy.
Are rescues above criticism?
Absolutely not.
Poor decisions can happen, even in the most respectable, well run and legitimate organisations out there.
Standards vary massively between organisations.
Some policies do deserve questioning.
Some experiences? Yep they can be genuinely frustrating, upsetting and sometimes unfair.

But there's also an enormous number of people in rescue doing incredibly difficult work. They're stretched far beyond capacity, trying to make the best decisions they can for dogs they genuinely care about

Finding a new home isn't simply about finding someone willing to open their front door.

And a home isn't just somewhere for a dog to "go".

Dogs are not blank slates.
Just because the dog you had for 16 years was incredible with children, slept happily while you worked, loved every dog they met and never tried to jump a fence doesn't mean the next dog will.

Wanting to help matters.
Having a heart that cares deeply is exactly what these organisations want.
But it cannot and must not be the only deciding factor here.

And please.
There are good reasons to say no sometimes.
That vetting process that can feel intrusive?
It's there for a reason.
Because sometimes these dogs arrive with an incomplete history.

Sometimes there is no history whatsoever.

What is known about them can change once they leave kennels and enter a home.
And sometimes the lovely person standing there saying, “I'll make it work” isn't the right home for that particular dog.

That's not an insult.
We all have limits.
Recognising them before a dog arrives is far better than discovering them afterwards.

Because placements going wrong have very real consequences.
The dog may be moved on yet again.
Another foster or home needs to be found.
Again.
The rescue has another urgent placement to organise when they are bursting, bursting at the seams.
That dog?
They're about to experience yet another change when they desperately need stability.

And the person who genuinely wanted to help can be left overwhelmed, upset and feeling as though they failed.
Nobody wins.

No one.

The people trying to pair brand-new arrivals with that precious handful of people putting their hands up?
They want those homes to succeed.
They've also seen what happens when they don't.

So perhaps we need to let a few words sink in here.
“This is about finding a dog a forever home.”

And if the answer is no?
It doesn't automatically mean they don't appreciate the offer.
It doesn't mean they don't desperately need homes.
And it certainly doesn't mean they don't care.
Sometimes caring about where a dog goes means being prepared to say no to somewhere they could go.
Because the goal isn't simply to get a dog into a home.

It's to get that dog into the right home.

If we want adopting and fostering to be about helping the dog rather than satisfying our own need to help, we have to be able to hear that.

So let the questions fly.
Think honestly about your home.
Your other animals.
Your children.
Your fencing.
Your working hours.
Your experience.
Your physical capabilities.
Your emotional capabilities.
And what you could realistically manage if the dog who arrives isn't anything like the dog you imagined.
Because, yes, that happens too.

And if the answer is no?
It may not be personal at all.
It may simply mean that this dog, in this home, at this time, isn't the right match.

Sometimes caring about dogs means saying yes.
Sometimes it means saying no.

And both can come from exactly the same place.

20/09/2026

Finding activities for you & your dog to build your relationship don't have to be grandiose.. a ball and a backyard could be the start of something quite ridiculously fun

Here is a dog sport that almost nobody suggests to dachshund owners, and it might be the best fit of the lot. It is called treibball, and it is essentially herding, except the sheep are enormous exercise balls. 🐾

The idea came out of Germany. The dog works at a distance from her handler, takes directional cues, and pushes a set of large inflatable balls into a goal in a particular order using her nose and shoulder. There is no jumping, no tight turning at speed, and no impact travelling up through the spine at all. What it asks for instead is precisely what a dachshund has in abundance: independent problem solving, stubbornness repurposed as persistence, and a genuine willingness to work forty feet away from you rather than glued to your ankle.

The reason it suits this breed so well is that most low impact options are scent based, and not every dachshund is content to sniff quietly for twenty minutes at a time. Treibball is loud and physical and slightly ridiculous, and it still keeps her back out of trouble. It also builds the thing that is hardest to build in a hound, which is a dog who will take direction at a distance while something far more interesting is going on. 💛

Start with one ball, in your own garden, with her pushing it about two feet. That is the entire first lesson.

12/09/2026

Leash.. idk why 😅