Happy Dog Javea

06/08/2026

Totally agree Andrew 👏

Andrew Hale, emotional wellbeing expert at Pet Remedy, said: “We are seeing frightened and overwhelmed guardians being told that their dogs are stubborn, dominant or deliberately difficult, when very often those animals are struggling emotionally.

“Advice built around fear, force or punishment may suppress what a dog is doing in that moment, but it does not address why the behaviour is happening. It can deepen distress, damage trust and increase risk.

“This is not simply a disagreement between different styles of training. When unqualified people are influencing how vulnerable animals are treated, it becomes a serious welfare issue.”

Dog experts are warning that an animal welfare crisis is unfolding across Britain as millions of owners struggle to find reliable help for their pets’ behaviour.

21/07/2026

15/07/2026

Another great post , thanks Dogs Disclosed 🐶🐕☺️

THE RECIPE TO CHANGE BEHAVIOUR

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a recipe or instruction manual that when followed would guarantee to solve any issues of each and every dog and every situation?

There might be a general template that we can use to begin with, but there cannot be a specific recipe or a cookie cutter approach to change behaviour effectively or ethically.

Each dog and each situation have different “ingredients” that need to be assessed and considered. There are just far too many variables involved to use the same recipe.

Genetics, history, life experiences, environment, the individual dog, as well as the guardian or family situation and commitment, will all be different and have to be taken into account.

This is why ethical, suitably qualified dog professionals will often answer a question someone asks about dog behaviour by saying “it depends”, because it really does depend on all the different variables.

There are no quick answers, no quick fixes and no specific, cookie cutter recipes to bring about successful, lasting behaviour change. Stay well away from promises or guarantees that there are.

We need to stop looking for the perfect, fool proof recipe and start truly understanding the individual dog in front of us.

11/07/2026

Brilliant post , thanks Throw Me a Bone - Dog Training & Behaviour 🐶🐕👍😊

𝔽𝕠𝕣𝕔𝕖 𝕗𝕣𝕖𝕖 & 𝕡𝕠𝕤𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕣𝕖𝕚𝕟𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕔𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕒𝕔𝕙 𝕚𝕟 𝕕𝕠𝕘 𝕚𝕟𝕕𝕦𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕪:

ꨄ is backed by decades of scientific research
ꨄ is proven to be the most effective teaching method
ꨄ is effective
ꨄ brings long lasting results
ꨄ is enjoyable for both the teacher and the learner
ꨄ accounts for welfare needs
ꨄ is ethical

Does it take time ? Yes. Any behaviour takes time.

▶️Just like in human world - any new skill takes time to master - whether it’s new app on your phone, new workout routine or walking on tightrope.

🙄No amount of electrocuting, or shouting will make you learn these faster, but my goodness - what an awful experience you will have …

⚠️So, is someone tells you they can “fix” your dog in one session …. At least stop and thing if they even know how behaviour learning works. For the sake of your dog.

19/06/2026

Great post , thanks Throw Me a Bone - Dog Training & Behaviour 👍🐕🐕‍🦺😊

🐾 Why Positive Reinforcement Works So Well 🐾

One of the biggest reasons positive reinforcement is so effective is because it follows a simple but incredibly important principle:

👉 A behaviour must happen first before it can be reinforced.

👀This might sound obvious, but it’s a concept that many dog owners struggle with.

〰️When we use positive reinforcement, we identify a behaviour we want to see more of, and then we reward it. Over time, that behaviour becomes stronger, happens more often, and eventually becomes a habit.

〰️Want your dog to sit politely? Reward the sit.

〰️Want your dog to walk nicely on a loose lead? Reward the loose lead walking.

〰️Want your dog to look at you instead of another dog? Reward the check-in.

The dog learns exactly which behaviour earns good things.

💡 It’s clear.
💡 It’s fair.
💡 It’s easy for the dog to understand.

Now compare that to telling a dog:

❌ “No.”

The problem is that “no” isn’t a behaviour.

➡️A dog cannot physically do “no.”

It doesn’t tell them what behaviour you would like instead.

🤔Should they sit?
🤔Should they lie down?
🤔Should they move away?
🤔Should they look at you?
🤔Should they stop and stand still?

🤔 Should they simply repeat the last thing they did?

The dog is left guessing.

And training works best when there is no guessing involved. When guidance is clear - results are better and predictable.

🐕 Another common mistake is accidentally rewarding the wrong behaviour.

Let’s say your dog jumps up at you.

➖They jump.
➖You wait.
➖They stop jumping.
➖You immediately give them a treat.

Most people believe they’re rewarding the dog for stopping.

But from the dog’s perspective, things may not be that simple.

Dogs learn through associations and consequences.

They’re constantly asking:

“What did I just do that earned me that reward?”

If the timing isn’t clear enough, the dog may connect the reward with the entire sequence:

Jump up ➡️ Stop ➡️ Get treat

Very quickly this can become:

Jump up ➡️ Stop ➡️ Get treat
Jump up ➡️ Stop ➡️ Get treat
Jump up ➡️ Stop ➡️ Get treat

The jumping becomes part of the process that leads to reinforcement.

The same thing can happen with barking.

🐶 Bark bark bark!
🦴 Dog stops.
🦴 Treat appears.

The dog will not think:

“I got rewarded for being quiet.”

Instead they may think:

“Every time I bark, treats eventually appear!”

And suddenly you’ve created a dog who barks more, not less.

💢Remember - you CANNOT reward absence of behaviour. There has to be a physical behaviour, which CAN be rewarded. 💢

🎯 This is why skilled positive reinforcement training doesn’t focus on rewarding the absence of behaviour.

Instead, it focuses on teaching and reinforcing an alternative behaviour.

Rather than:

❌ Don’t jump.

Teach:

✅ Four paws on the floor.

Rather than:

❌ Don’t bark.

Teach:

✅ Go to your bed.
✅ Look at me.
✅ Settle on a mat.

Rather than:

❌ Stop pulling.

Teach:

✅ Walk beside me on a loose lead.

Because behaviours can be reinforced.

Behaviours can be practised.

Behaviours can become habits.

“Don’t do that” is not a behaviour.

“Do this instead” is.

And that’s one of the biggest reasons positive reinforcement remains the most successful, humane and scientifically supported way of training dogs. ❤️

18/06/2026

After 12 wonderful years, the time has come for Happy Dog Javea to hang up the harness for a while 🐕‍🦺

During the 12 years using positive reinforcement methods, I have had the privilege of helping over 1,000 dogs of all breeds, sizes and ages learn how to successfully navigate our human world.
I would like to sincerely thank every client who trusted me with their beloved four-legged family members and I truly hope that the advice, guidance and support I have provided over the years has made a positive difference for both you and your dogs.

I will always advocate for kind, ethical, positive reinforcement training methods and will never use or recommend aversive training tools or ‘trainers ‘ that use them.
Thankfully, prong collars and e-collars are banned in many countries, including Spain. However, vibration collars and slip/choke leads are still widely used despite also being considered aversive tools.
Unfortunately, the dog training industry remains unregulated meaning anyone can call themselves a dog trainer regardless of qualifications or training methods used.
My hope is that, in the future, governments will require recognised and accredited certification standards so that owners can feel confident and safe when choosing someone to work with their dogs.
With this in mind, I would like to recommend the following professionals for anyone seeking qualified, legal , insured and force-free training support moving forward.
Belen at La Jungla for detection work and 121 training .
Irene at La Jungla for puppy classes and 121 training.
Emma at Patas & Paws for all the amazing services she offers…..
Walks specialist
Pet taxi
Home visits
Canine coach, specialising in confidence building, enrichment sessions and helping the golden oldies
Qualified, fully insured and legally registered.

Of course , I will keep posting advice and information to try to help stop the rise of ( un)balanced training methods ( vibration collars , slip leads are aversive training tools too! ) and promote ethical, positive reinforcement training methods 👍🐕‍🦺😊