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Calma Dogs Training and Boarding

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Calma Dogs Training and Boarding

Calm, kind dog training and boarding in Costa Del Sol. Helping dogs and humans feel safe, relaxed and understood. Welcome to Calma Dogs.

I'm Siobhan, and I've been surrounded by dogs my entire life. My understanding of their behaviour comes from years of real, hands -on experience - watching subtle signals, noticing tiny changes in body language, and learning how to support dogs who struggle emotionally. My approach is calm, and deeply respectful. I work with the dog in front of me, not a one-size-fits-all method. I specialise in:

Dogs with anxiety or fear
Dogs who have had difficult pasts
Subtle, hard-to-read behaviour
Building calm, confident communication between dog and owner
Helping owners understand the emotional reasons behind behaviour

If you want to feel more connected to your dog, or you're struggling with reactivity, stress, jumping, barking ,pulling, uncertainty, or confusion, I'm here to help. Together we create a calmer, clearer more trusting relationship. Please message the page to enquire.

08/08/2026

HE'S ONLY GONE AND DONE IT. 🥹❤️

After eight weeks of tiny steps, setbacks, breakthroughs and learning to listen to Ziggy, something happened today that felt absolutely HUGE.

I touched him.

Not because I forced him.

Not because I grabbed him.

Not because I put a lead on him.

We were sharing food together. He was relaxed enough to stay close, investigate what I was doing, take food from my hand and engage with me.

And amongst all of that, I gently touched around his neck and collar area.

There was a little whale eye — “Erm… what are you doing?” 😂 — but he didn't retreat.

He kept eating.

He recovered immediately.

And at one point, while I was touching him, he actually leaned forward and continued licking his broth.

For a dog who arrived unable to tolerate a person moving near him, this is huge.

Could I put a lead on him now?

Yes.

Am I going to?

No. Not yet.

Because I'm not interested in rushing to the next milestone just so I can tick a box.

I want Ziggy to learn that being close to me, being touched and having his collar area handled are safe experiences.

We'll build from there.

He'll tell me when he's ready.

And today, he told me we took another very big step forward. ❤️

🐾 Ziggy is a rescue dog being rehabilitated with Calma Dogs.

DogBehaviour ForceFreeDogTraining FearFree DogTraining RescueDogs DogBehaviourist CalmaDogs

08/08/2026

If your dog struggles with fireworks every year, don't wait until the week before the next ones to start helping them.

We've reached the final day of our Summer Fireworks Series.

We've talked about preparing before the fireworks, supporting your dog while they're happening, recognising the quieter signs of stress, understanding recovery, and avoiding some of the things we may do with the very best intentions.

But there's one thing I'd really like you to take away from this series.

Your dog's response to fireworks isn't necessarily something you simply have to accept every year.

Whether your dog experiences fireworks during summer fiestas, 4th July celebrations, Bonfire Night on 5th November, New Year's Eve, local festivals or other celebrations around the world, the same principle applies:

Training and preparation need to happen when your dog is calm.

You can't begin desensitisation and conditioning the day before the fireworks.

Once your dog has recovered and returned to their normal baseline, you can begin gradually working on changing their emotional response to sounds.

This takes time.

It needs to happen at a level your dog can cope with, creating positive associations and gradually building their confidence.

It may also be possible to introduce and condition additional tools that could help your individual dog, such as a body wrap, snood or other equipment.

But these things need to be introduced before they're needed.

A dog shouldn't experience a new piece of equipment for the first time when they're already frightened.

And remember that every dog is different.

What helps one dog may not help another.

That's why observing your dog matters so much.

The dog knows what they need.
Our job is to observe, listen and provide it wherever we can.

And if your dog continues to struggle with fireworks or other loud noises, don't feel that you simply have to get through it every year.

Speak to your vet or seek support from a qualified canine behaviourist. Sometimes a dog needs a more individualised approach, and that's okay.

Before — reduce the stress load and prepare where you can.

During — provide safety, support and choice.

After — respect that recovery can take time.

Long-term — build confidence and resilience when your dog is calm enough to learn.

Thank you for following this series. 💚

07/08/2026

🐾 Looking for a compassionate, effective dog trainer?

I offer one-to-one coaching across the Costa del Sol and inland Málaga, as well as online consultations worldwide.

Whether you've welcomed a new puppy, are struggling with your dog's behaviour, or simply want to better understand them, I'd love to help.

My approach is kind, force-free and tailored to the individual dog in front of me—because every dog deserves to be understood, not just trained.

📍 In-person: Costa del Sol & inland Málaga
🌍 Online: Worldwide
🌐 calmadogs.fun
💙 Training with Compassion. Boarding with Care.

07/08/2026

HE'S ONLY GONE AND DONE IT. 🥹❤️

Three days in a row.

Three days of Ziggy allowing me to touch him.

And today felt like another little piece of the puzzle falling into place.

For anyone who hasn't been following Ziggy's story, when he arrived in June he wouldn't come within around 10 feet of me. The slightest movement could send him away. Touch wasn't even on the radar.

Today, he was lying in his crate with his front legs stretched out towards me.

I brought him some chicken and vegetable broth with his kibble in it. I scooped the kibble out with my hand and fed him. He was fascinated by what I was doing — ears forward, watching my hand, licking my hand and then looking back at the bowl as if to say, "Right, do that again."

We ate together.

We opened packets together.

He investigated the yoghurt carton.

He took frankfurter from my hand.

And in amongst all of that, I started gently touching around his neck and collar area.

There was some whale eye.

Of course there was.

I'm not going to pretend he suddenly thought, "Oh brilliant, a human hand on my neck!" 😂

But what mattered was what happened next.

He didn't retreat.

He didn't make himself smaller.

He didn't try to get away.

He took the food and immediately went back to what he was doing.

At one point, while I was touching around his neck, he actually leaned forward and continued licking his broth.

That tells me far more than simply saying, "He let me touch him."

And yes, I know what some people will say.

"But he was in his crate. He couldn't get away."

And yes — being in the crate reduced his flight options.

I was completely aware of that.

That's why I was watching his body language constantly.

If I'd seen him shutting down, becoming tense, retreating to the back of the crate or showing sustained distress, I would have stopped immediately.

But that isn't what I saw.

I saw a dog who was able to stay engaged with me, eat, investigate, recover from small environmental distractions and continue interacting.

A car went past quite close to the fence while we were together.

Ziggy looked towards it.

And then came straight back to me.

Previously, something like that could have sent him into pacing and taken him away from us for a while.

That's a HUGE change.

So, could I put a lead on Ziggy now?

Yes.

Am I going to?

No. Not yet.

And that's an important distinction.

I'm not interested in getting a lead on him simply so I can say "Ziggy is now lead trained."

I'm interested in building something much more valuable first.

Trust.

I want these experiences of being touched, being close to me, having his collar area handled and sharing these little moments together to become normal.

I want his brain to learn:

"This human does things around me. Sometimes she touches me. Good things happen. Nothing bad happens. I can stay. I can choose to engage."

And then we'll build from there.

How long will that take?

I don't know.

And I'm not going to put a deadline on it.

Ziggy will tell me.

What I do know is that eight weeks ago I couldn't have imagined sitting this close to him, feeding him from my hand, touching his neck and watching him continue eating his dinner.

So yes...

He's only gone and done it. ❤️

And I'm incredibly proud of him.

07/08/2026

Sometimes the things we do to help our dogs actually make coping harder—not because we're bad owners, but because we simply don't know.

When our dogs are frightened, we naturally want to help.

Here are a few common mistakes I see, all made with the very best intentions.

🐾 Asking them to "be brave".

Fear isn't something a dog can simply switch off. Instead of asking them to cope, focus on helping them feel safer.

🐾 Encouraging them out of their hiding place.

If your dog has chosen a safe place, respect that choice. Let them decide when they're ready to come out.

🐾 Assuming they're fine because they're quiet.

Some dogs freeze. Some become very still. Quiet doesn't always mean calm.

🐾 Expecting them to be back to normal the next day.

Recovery takes as long as it takes. Watch the dog in front of you, not the calendar.

🐾 Introducing something completely new during the fireworks.

Whether it's a body wrap, snood, calming aid or enrichment toy, these should be introduced and associated with positive experiences well before they're needed.

Above all...

Don't worry about doing everything perfectly.

Your dog doesn't need perfection.

They need someone who is willing to observe, listen and support them as an individual.

The dog knows what they need. Our job is to observe and provide it wherever we can.

Tomorrow is the final post in this series, where we'll look at helping dogs recover and thinking ahead to future fireworks seasons.

06/08/2026

The fireworks lasted a few hours. The effects lasted five days.

This is the part of fireworks that we don't talk about enough.

After the last bang, life carries on.

Children go to school.
People go to work.
Visitors arrive.
Deliveries are made.
Walks continue.

From our point of view, everything is back to normal.

But for some dogs, it isn't.

Recently, the fireworks in our village had a significant impact on Ziggy, a rescue dog currently staying with me for rehabilitation.

Although the fireworks themselves only lasted a short time, it took five days before I saw him return to the dog he had been beforehand.

People often ask how I knew.

The answer is that Ziggy currently lives in a very calm and predictable environment. Because there are so few other stressors, it's much easier to notice the subtle changes in his behaviour and recognise when he has returned to his usual baseline.

Many pet dogs don't have that luxury.

The morning after fireworks, family life naturally continues. It's easy to assume our dogs have recovered because the noise has stopped.

But recovery isn't measured by the clock.

It's measured by the individual dog.

This is why observing our dogs matters so much.

Are they eating normally?

Are they engaging as they usually do?

Are they interested in the things they normally enjoy?

Or are they telling us, in quieter ways, that they're still recovering?

The dog knows what they need. Our job is to observe and provide it wherever we can.

Tomorrow we'll look at some of the well-meaning things we do that can unintentionally make coping harder for our dogs.

01/08/2026

The dogs that worry me most aren't always the ones who bark, shake or try to escape.

Sometimes they're the quiet ones.

When we think about fear, we often picture obvious signs like trembling, panting or hiding.

But many dogs express stress much more subtly.

They may:

🐾 Become unusually quiet.

🐾 Stop taking food they would normally love.

🐾 Become hypervigilant, constantly scanning their surroundings.

🐾 Seem distant or "not quite themselves".

🐾 Sleep more than usual.

🐾 Struggle to settle.

🐾 Follow you constantly... or choose to spend more time alone.

These behaviours can easily be mistaken for a dog who is "coping".

But quiet doesn't always mean calm.

One of the most valuable things we can do is simply observe.

Has your dog's behaviour changed?

Are they eating as they normally would?

Are they engaging with the things they usually enjoy?

Behaviour is communication, and sometimes the smallest changes tell us the biggest story.

The dog knows what they need.

Our job is to observe and provide it wherever we can.

Tomorrow we'll look at something that's often overlooked after fireworks have finished... recovery.

27/07/2026

One of the biggest myths about fireworks is that comforting your dog will make them more frightened.

Thankfully, we now understand that's not how fear works.

Fear is an emotion, not a behaviour your dog is choosing.

If your dog comes to you for reassurance, it's okay to comfort them.

You cannot reinforce fear by responding with kindness and support.

At the same time, remember that support looks different for every dog.

Some dogs want to stay close to us.

Some choose to hide under a bed or in a crate.

Some move between different safe places.

Our role isn't to decide what support should look like.

The dog knows what they need. Our job is to observe and provide it wherever we can.

If your dog chooses to retreat, don't force them to come out.

If they choose to stay with you, don't push them away because you're worried about "rewarding" fear.

Keep the environment as calm as possible. Leave the TV or radio playing, continue to offer access to any safe spaces you've prepared, offer your dog a chew or lick mat, let them enjoy it while you supervise.

If your dog struggles with fireworks, try not to leave them alone if you can avoid it.

Support doesn't always mean sitting beside them or stroking them. Some dogs simply feel safer knowing you're nearby, even if they're resting quietly in another room.

Many simply need the reassurance that they aren't facing something frightening on their own.

Tomorrow we'll look at the quieter signs of stress that are so often missed, even in dogs who appear calm.

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