Flare Dogs - Dog Training & Behaviour

30/04/2026

Some cooperative care training with Blu. By this I mean she gives consent to be handled. It is her choice. It starts as a game that always has positive outcomes/reward. It can later be played in different places which promotes confidence & flexibility. Really good preparation for vet visits to make the vet experience as good as it can be so it can even be played at the vet practice prior to an appointment day. Blu has been practicing this for a while so you are not seeing this as her first time. She learnt foundation skills of chin targeting & two front paws onto an object first. “Two Feet” is such a powerful game, a huge optimism booster & so very useful at the vet setting too. Here you are seeing consent from Blu for handling her ears and scruff of neck with a syringe. This would be good for the mouth & eyes also. Always making it a good deal & in her control. Lots of pressure releases too & her choice if she re-engages or not. With Blu being used to this we played for longer. It is about the dog wanting to stay engaged & remain in a positive emotional state. To start with it really would be for a much shorter time to keep it positive and fun. Duration comes later and always going back to early, easier steps & quick, easy wins. Games teach important life skills. Games are indeed life.

27/04/2026

I had the pleasure of meeting Lola for the first time just the other day. She is adorable. Lola is learning to be more confident and optimistic as the big wide world can be a very scary place for this sweet girl. She did very well at her first session.

05/04/2026

04/04/2026

Birthday cake for Blu! Made from mince, pumpkin, sardines, peas, blueberries & egg! Yummo, well at least she thinks so! 😆🐾🐶🎊

04/04/2026

Wow ..... how can it be a year already! It feels like we only just brought her home!! Happy Birthday Blu Blu! Happy Birthday to her sister Evie too.

01/04/2026

SO important! Chocolate IS toxic to dogs ❌ - be mindful of chocolate/sweet wrappers too! Hot cross buns are a huge NO NO 🚫 as well.

Give your dog its own Easter treat using some tasty dog treats, meat or vegetables - anything your dog loves and that is safe for dogs. Better still, let them sniff and search - so much more rewarding and heaps of fun.

Happy Easter!

🍫 Chocolate & Pets Don’t Mix! 🐶🐱

With Easter treats around, it’s important to remember — chocolate is toxic to pets.

⚠️ It contains theobromine, which can cause:
• Vomiting & diarrhoea
• Restlessness or tremors
• Seizures in severe cases

🚫 Dark chocolate = highest risk
Even small amounts can be dangerous!

👉 If your pet eats chocolate, contact us ASAP.

✔️ Keep Easter eggs out of reach (important if the Easter Bunny is doing an egg hunt at your house)
✔️ Remind kids not to share treats

28/03/2026

Look who I met for the first time last week? Isn't he such a handsome boy. Ford is going to be so good at his games. He is a 6 month German Shepherd who is learning to regulate his levels of excitement and choose a more appropriate behaviour than jumping up. Jumping is absolutely a normal dog behaviour. We just need to guide them to do something different instead. There is more value in not jumping. There are many reasons a dog may choose to jump; to gather information about the person especially facial expressions, in excitement especially if it means attention, being unsure what to do so jumping becomes the choice behaviour & coping strategy, to control our movement, to action prompt. Then off course if rehearsed often enough, and especially if it makes the dog feel good, it can become a habit behaviour that happens automatically. Ford did very well at his first session. Just look at those ears - yes Ford, you are going to learn to listen to mum and dad more with those ears!

24/03/2026

First game of the day with Blu - a slightly different confidence circuit set up!

24/03/2026

There is now another bright star in the sky. I had a very soft spot for Tom, always called Tom Tom, and I wanted to share what a special boy he was and that he was special to me. Look at that happy face, always smiling. I met him and his mum when I was last back home in UK and kept in touch since. Tom Tom went to Rainbow Bridge a couple of days ago, on Flare's birthday, so he is now with Flare and Chance. He and Chance will be doing all the games - they were both pros. Tom Tom's mum wrote a beautiful poem. You really must read - I challenge you not to shed a tear. Our dogs certainly take a huge part of us with them but will be with us always. I love you Tom Tom xx

"Mummy please don't cry for me
Here's something I should share
Although you can't quite cuddle me
You'll know that I am there.

I know you will be missing me
But please don't be too sad
I'll always be beside you mum
I'll always be your lad.

I'll snuggle under covers
When you go to bed at night
And I'll show the other dogs our games
And how to play them right.

You might just catch my shadow
As I'm sleeping in the sun
Or my footprints in the morning dew
When day has just begun.

Just look around you mummy
For I'm with you everywhere
When Autumn leaves are falling
I'm dancing in the air.

I am there in every snowflake
And in every winter storm
And in Spring I'll water daisies
And I'll always keep you warm.

In summer time when skies are blue
And there's rainbows in the sky
Look for me in the sunshine
And remember I am there."

24/03/2026

Confidence Circuits with Blu. Our first go though we did have a sneaky practice before filming! Needless to say it teaches confidence as well as optimism, problem solving, relationship with me and so much more. Blu is a quick learner that’s for sure. Fun, fun, fun while using high reward daily food allowance. We did some shaping first followed by luring then fading out the luring and my body movement cues more. And not for a long time. So go on, get creative and have fun with your dog while teaching importance life skills.

22/03/2026

Today is FLARE'S birthday! She is celebrating her 20th birthday at Rainbow Bridge. She left us 8 years ago in 2018. Oh how I miss this girl and our boy Chance.

This is the special dog behind Flare Dogs which is of course named after her. Spot her on the side of the Flare Dogs van too with Chance on the other side. I will always, always love this girl. I think about her and Chance every day, and now we have Blu.

Flare was very special. Every dog is special. Every dog is a Flare Dog.

Always celebrate your dogs and listen to them.

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17/03/2026

GAME TIME! SPELL YOUR DOG’S NAME USING EMOJIS!
I’LL GO FIRST!
🫐🚽 (Blu) 😆