The Whole Hound Academy

21/10/2026

This week I'm doing an intensive with these 3 beauties.

Three dogs, three very different personalities, and quite a lot to work through!

Meet Barney, Ted and Lucy.

Barney is a 4½-month-old Bernese Mountain Dog x Poodle, and the resident youngster of the household.

Ted and Lucy are 2½-year-old Cockapoos, brother and sister, who come to stay around 3–4 times a week.

And whilst they might all be lovely dogs individually, bringing three different personalities together isn't always straightforward!

Barney is your typical enthusiastic puppy. He's still learning how to interact appropriately, when to give the older dogs some space, and that not every interaction needs to involve teeth! We're also helping his owners recognise when play is becoming too much and when it's time for everyone to have a break.

Ted has taken it upon himself to be the household supervisor! He's particularly keen to control Barney's movements and can react when Barney gets a little too boisterous. We're working on helping Ted feel less responsible for managing the youngster, alongside addressing his reactivity towards other dogs on walks.

Lucy can find everyday life a little overwhelming. Her arousal levels can remain high throughout the day, contributing to excessive fence-line barking and wariness around unfamiliar people. Unfortunately, when Lucy gets going, Ted is often quick to join in!

So, rather than simply focusing on stopping individual behaviours, we're looking at the bigger picture.

How do we help Barney develop better social skills? How do we take the pressure off Ted? And how do we create a daily routine that helps Lucy feel calmer and more settled?

Most importantly, how do we help their owners recognise what each dog needs, particularly when those needs are different?

Because living together successfully isn't about expecting every dog to get along all the time. It's about helping them feel comfortable around one another, understanding their individual needs, and knowing when to step in.

There's plenty to work on with this lovely trio, but having a clear plan for each dog is where it all begins.

19/10/2026

17/10/2026

Just keeping the algorithm gods happy!

16/10/2026

SATURDAY 17 OCTOBER

Could your dog help train trainers?

This Saturday we're running practice sessions at the training field for the dog trainers we're training, and we need dogs to work with. You stay with your dog and handle them throughout, while our trainees practise under supervision.

The sessions are free. Each one lasts 45 minutes with a maximum of four dogs, so every dog gets proper attention.

Session times

11.00 to 11.45am 4 dogs
12.15 to 1.00pm 4 dogs
2.00 to 2.45pm 4 dogs
3.15 to 4.00pm 4 dogs
4.00 to 4.45pm 4 dogs
Where: our training field

Cost: free
Bring: your dog's usual lead, treats and water
Which dogs can come?
Pretty much any dog. Dogs who love other dogs are welcome, and so are dogs who are reactive to them.

The one thing we can't take this time is a dog who is reactive to people.

If you're not sure whether this suits your dog, reply and ask. We'll give you a straight answer.

To book, just reply to this post in the comments

Tell us your dog's name and the session you'd like. Places go in the order replies come in.

Thank you, and see you on Saturday,
The Whole Hound Academy

14/10/2026

We only use the best dog training equipment! Houndagrips

14/10/2026

Something a little different today.

I'm very privileged to be a guest speaker today for 2 groups of student at Bath College, talking about all things dog behaviour and my dog training business as a whole.

If you’re a course provider and looking for something extra to teach students, I'm ready! 😄

06/10/2026

Remember, all parts of the toy is up for grabs to the dog!

05/10/2026

Owning a dog who barks, lunges or struggles around other dogs is hard. Don’t make your life any harder.

Here's 5 things I’d focus on:

1. Look at the whole dog

What happens on the walk is only part of the picture.

Sleep, stress, frustration, enrichment, predictability, exercise and whether your dog is getting appropriate outlets for the things they were bred to do can all affect how well they cope outside.

Sometimes the biggest improvements start away from the trigger.

2. Get a plan

Avoiding other dogs is great in theory, but in real life it isn’t always possible.

And while creating space can be really useful in the early stages, avoidance alone isn’t a long-term strategy.

You need a plan for what to do when another dog appears, how you’re going to respond, and what you’re actually trying to teach your dog.

3. Look at their diet

Food isn’t going to magically fix barking and lunging, but it is part of the bigger picture.

Look at what your dog is eating, how regularly they’re eating and whether their diet is actually working well for them.

Behaviour doesn’t exist separately from the rest of the body.

4. Find the right distance

Too far away and your dog might barely notice the trigger.

Too close and they can become completely overwhelmed.

Find the distance where your dog notices what’s there, but is still able to think, move, eat, sniff and make choices.

That’s where the useful work happens.

5. Forget obedience. Work on emotional regulation and resilience

A perfect sit isn’t much use if your dog is completely overwhelmed.

Instead of focusing on obedience around triggers, help your dog learn how to notice things, process them, recover and regulate themselves.

The goal isn’t a dog that simply does what they’re told.

It’s a dog that can cope.

30/09/2026

This is one of the reasons I love the dog training retreats. A chance to reconnect and reset with your dog over 5 days of training and behavioural support.

It's not dog friend, it's dog-centred!

28/09/2026

Sussing out all the latest products and offerings in the dog training world, as well as catching up with those in the industry

And, of course, trying to blag as many freebies as possible!