Happy Tails Andover

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Happy Tails Andover

Hi I'm Ash, and I'm the founder of Happy Tails Andover and a Canine Enrichment Specialist.

I offer dog training and walking services; focusing on calm, positive and enrichment-led support to help dogs to feel happier, more confident and fulfilled.

14/08/2026

Impulse control doesn’t just belong in a training session… it can be built into play too! 🐾

This young Staffy absolutely LOVES people — especially when there’s a face nearby ready for kisses! 😂

Jumping up and rushing in for attention can be difficult for dogs to resist when their excitement takes over. So rather than only working on this behaviour when guests arrive, we can practise the skills we want during play, when our dogs are already engaged and motivated.

By adding little moments of impulse control into play, we can teach our dogs to:
• Pause and wait, even when they’re excited
• Listen and respond when their arousal levels are rising
• Choose a calmer behaviour before getting what they want
• Understand that good things happen when they control their impulses

These skills can then start to transfer into real-life situations — like greeting guests without launching themselves at their faces! 😅

The aim isn’t to stop our dogs from being excited or wanting to say hello. It’s about teaching them how to manage that excitement.

Play is such a powerful way to build these skills because we can practise when our dogs are happy, engaged and having fun.

Paws and love 🐾❤️
Ash

13/08/2026

A free enrichment workshop here on Sunday 23 August with Happy Tails. Bring your dog and come and learn something new. Spaces are limited, booking link in the comments

12/08/2026

✨ Happy Tails Appreciation Post ✨

Since it’s my birthday, and I’m lucky enough to do a job I absolutely adore, I wanted to take a moment to say a huge thank you to all of these gorgeous pooches and their wonderful humans for your continued support.

Every dog I work with teaches me something new, and I’m so grateful that I get to spend my days helping dogs feel happier, more confident and fulfilled — while building such lovely relationships with them and their families along the way.

Whether you’ve trusted me with your dog’s training, walks, enrichment or simply helping them navigate the world a little more confidently, thank you. Your support means more than you know!

And I’m already super excited for next week, when I’ll be welcoming some adorable Collies, Spaniels, Labs and a few other lovely faces to the Happy Tails family… 👀 Cute pictures incoming!

Here’s to a year of muddy boots, wagging tails, happy dogs and doing what I love!

Thank you for being part of Happy Tails Andover. 💛

Paws and love 🐾❤️
Ash

09/08/2026

PUPPY TRAINING CLASSES - LAUNCHING SEPTEMBER 🏆

We’re really excited to share something we’ve been working on…

We’re bringing a new 4-week puppy training course to Andover, designed to give you and your puppy the foundations for a happy life together.

As two positive, force-free trainers, we both believe that training should be kind, fun and focused on understanding your dog, rather than simply teaching them a list of behaviours.

Across the four weeks, we’ll cover:

• Sit, stay, recall and lead walking
• Appropriate socialisation with puppies
• Positive reward-based training
• Building confidence and strengthening your bond
• Practical skills for everyday life
• Understanding your puppy and their behaviour
• Additional live Q&A support between classes

The course will be £150 for four weeks, with small class sizes so we can give you and your puppy plenty of individual support.

📅 Tuesday 8th September
⏰ 6.30pm
📍 Andover, Hampshire

Ready to get your puppy off to the best possible start? Book now — spaces are limited 🐶

Paws and love 🐾❤️
Ash and Nick

07/08/2026

This week I’ve had the privilege of helping build this little guy’s confidence… For this sensitive sniffer, the best place to start was the forest🌲

A quiet environment where he could explore at his own pace, take in the world through his nose and feel safe.

When a dog is feeling unsure, it’s important to let them move at a pace they’re comfortable with.

Dogs experience the world primarily through their incredible sense of smell. Every sniff provides valuable clues about who has been there, whether other animals are nearby, and even aspects of their s*x, health and emotional state.

It’s common to see a worried or cautious dog with their nose glued to the ground, taking everything in. Although it can be tempting to encourage them to keep moving, sniffing is often how they process what’s around them and begin to feel more secure.

By giving them the time and space they need, you’re allowing them to make sense of their surroundings in a way that feels safe. That choice can help reduce anxiety, build confidence and create a much more positive experience.

Progress isn’t measured by how far you walk - it’s measured by how safe your dog feels.

Paws and love 🐾❤️
Ash

06/08/2026

✨ Just a little reminder that our FREE Enrichment Workshop is coming up soon! 💚

If you’ve been thinking about coming along, now’s the perfect time to book your place.

Enrichment is about so much more than keeping your dog occupied. By giving them opportunities to sniff, explore, problem solve and engage in natural behaviours, we can help improve their confidence, emotional wellbeing and overall quality of life.

Join us for a relaxed afternoon where we’ll be covering:
• Why enrichment is so important
• Simple scent games you can play anywhere
• The benefits of exploration
• Easy ideas to incorporate into your dog’s daily routine

📅 Sunday 23rd August 2026
🕚 11am–3pm
📍 T&T Pet Field & Café, Overton, Hampshire, RG25 3DR

The workshop is completely FREE and suitable for dogs of all ages, breeds and experience levels.

Whether you’re raising a puppy, navigating adolescence or simply looking for new ways to enrich your dog’s life, we’d love to see you there.

✨ Spaces are limited, so don’t leave it too late to book your free place:
https://ttpetcafe-booking.co.uk/eventList.php?month=08&year=2026&serviceID=1

Feel free to tag a friend who’d love to come along too!

Paws and love 🐾❤️
Ash

05/08/2026

Behaviour chains are a brilliant way to build focus, impulse control and confidence while giving your dog’s brain a proper workout 🧠

Whether your dog’s favourite reward is food, a toy or the chance to sniff, asking them to complete a series of behaviours before they earn it can make training far more engaging.

In this video, I’m asking Simba for a series of cues before releasing him to his Chuckit stick. This helps to:

• Increase engagement and focus.
• Build impulse control around something he really wants.
• Encourage him to think and make good choices, even when excitement is high.
• Reinforce that listening doesn’t stop just because a reward is in sight.

The key is knowing your dog’s limits. If the behaviour chain becomes too long or difficult, frustration can quickly replace learning.

Aim to finish while your dog is still succeeding and enjoying the challenge. As they become more fluent, you can gradually increase the difficulty over time.

Training isn’t just about teaching new cues - it’s about helping our dogs learn to regulate their emotions, think under excitement, and make great choices when it matters most.

Have you ever tried building a behaviour chain with your dog? 🐾

04/08/2026

“When will the biting stop?” 🦈🐾

If you’re raising a puppy, you’ve probably asked yourself this question at least once!

Mouthing and biting are completely normal puppy behaviours. Puppies use their mouths to explore the world, they’re teething, and they’re learning bite inhibition. For working breeds like German Shepherds, these behaviours can often feel more intense because they were bred to use their mouths and bodies as part of their job.

The good news? This phase won’t last forever, and with patience and consistency, you can help your puppy learn appropriate ways to use those sharp little teeth.

Here are a few things that can help:

• Ensure they’re getting enough sleep. Overtired puppies are often far more mouthy than well-rested ones.

• Provide appropriate outlets for chewing, tugging and carrying. Redirecting them onto suitable toys satisfies those natural instincts without turning your hands into chew toys!

• Reward calm behaviour. Rather than focusing only on what you don’t want, reinforce the behaviours you do want to see more of.

• Keep their brains busy. Short training sessions, scent work and enrichment activities can be just as tiring as physical exercise and often help reduce those “land shark” moments.

• Avoid encouraging biting during play. Use toys to channel their enthusiasm instead of allowing them to grab hands or clothing.

Remember, your puppy isn’t trying to be “naughty” - they’re simply expressing normal, age-appropriate behaviours. Your role is to show them what is appropriate through clear guidance, consistency and plenty of positive reinforcement.

Understanding why our dogs behave the way they do is the first step towards helping them make better choices. 💚

Paws and love,
Ash 🐾❤️

20/07/2026

Just a little heads up for you all - I am on my holiday and may take a little bit longer to respond to any messages, but will get back to you as soon as I can!

Paws and love
Ash 🐾❤️

16/07/2026

We’ve been creating some fun challenges for our PUP PACK ahead of my holiday! 🛫

Aside from “Spin” being a fun trick, did you know it can also be a gentle way to encourage flexibility, body awareness and coordination? When practised at your dog’s own pace and within a comfortable range of movement, it can be a great addition to your training sessions.

Having a handful of fun cues in your toolkit can also be incredibly useful. They can help redirect your dog’s attention back to you in distracting environments, build engagement, and strengthen your communication as a team.

Teaching tricks like this is also brilliant practice for your luring skills. Luring forms the foundation of many behaviours, including loose lead walking, and when used thoughtfully it can help build confidence and strengthen the bond between you and your dog.

Once your dog is confidently offering the behaviour, you can begin adding a verbal cue and gradually fade the lure. We call this one “Tornado!” 🌪️

What would you call your dog’s spin?

Paws and love,

Ash 🐾❤️

Address

Sunflower Way
Andover
SP116GD

Telephone

07490128791

Website

https://www.happytailsandover.co.uk/

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