Paws & Minds

04/09/2026

Blackberry stops have become part of our walks at this time of year.

Woody generally likes fruit so not a good gauge here, but Callie wouldn't routinely choose fruit. Yet ripe blackberries are clearly something else.

Both carefully pick the darkest berries, sometimes returning to check whether they missed one.

As blackberries ripen, they become softer, sweeter and more aromatic. Eating them straight from the plant also offers a very different sensory experience from being handed a piece of fruit at home.

There is scent, searching, selecting and the satisfaction of picking each berry for themselves. Though sometimes, offering a helping hand when the berries are just out of reach is appreciated too!

Blackberries provide moisture and fibre, alongside naturally occurring plant compounds including the anthocyanins responsible for their deep purple colour. We can’t know whether a dog is drawn to their smell, taste, nutritional value, the experience of foraging, other properties, or a combination of factors.

That uncertainty is important when we think more widely about self-selection.

Animals are not simply passive recipients of whatever we decide they need. Across many species, there is evidence of animals selecting plants and other natural substances both preventatively and in response to illness or discomfort. Dogs, too, can show changing interest in different grasses, roots, soil, scents and botanicals.

When safe, appropriate options are presented carefully, some dogs make remarkably clear choices. They may seek something on one occasion, show no interest another time, and change their selection as their circumstances change.

Their choices can give us useful information, although they aren’t a diagnosis. We can’t conclude that a dog has a particular health problem from the botanical they select, and “natural” doesn’t automatically mean safe. Self-selection sits alongside careful observation, appropriate professional guidance and veterinary care.

Perhaps the most valuable starting point is simply recognising that our dogs have preferences, and that those preferences may be more responsive and purposeful than we realise.

For Woody and Callie, blackberry season currently has their vote. Whether they are seeking the flavour, freshness, nourishment or the pleasure of foraging, allowing time for that experience is another small way of facilitating choice.

Does your dog enjoy blackberry foraging?

Tara
Paws & Minds 🐾🧠

03/09/2026

Back to work today, and it’s been a busy one catching up after a couple of weeks away.

There have been new enquiries to respond to, catch-ups with some current clients, lovely updates to hear, and several initial calls about situations that are feeling particularly challenging for the dogs and guardians involved.

It’s always interesting how quickly you’re reminded that no two enquiries are quite the same. What looks similar on the surface can have a very different story sitting underneath it, which is why those first conversations are so useful.

I’m not quite through everybody who has been in touch while I’ve been off, so if you’re still waiting to hear from me, I haven’t forgotten you. I’ll be continuing to catch up tomorrow.

It’s been a full first day back, but a good one.

Tara
Paws & Minds 🐾🧠

01/09/2026

As my break comes towards an end, the garden is finally beginning to look a little more like a garden again.

There has been a lot of building, shifting, digging and figuring things out over the last week or so, alongside some progress with my Module 4 assessment and, thankfully, some proper family time too.

One of the things that has made me smile most has been much quieter.

It’s been watching Woody and Callie simply spend time outside with us while we work.

I actually have very few photos of it. My phone has spent a surprising amount of the week somewhere other than in my hand, which has been another rather welcome part of switching off.

This one caught them both having a rest amongst the ongoing construction, although it doesn’t really capture just how settled Woody has been.

Summertime last year, and for a long while before that, he could lie outside on the grass, but rest was typically brief. A noise would happen and he needed to investigate.

We live somewhere very quiet, which can make every individual sound surprisingly noticeable. Passing traffic, a large rattly farm vehicle or the neighbours’ dogs barking could all pull his attention away, and disengaging from them again wasn’t always easy.

Over the last week I’ve repeatedly watched him hear those same sorts of things, acknowledge them and then decide they simply aren’t important enough to do anything about.

Sometimes he hasn’t even lifted his head.

More than once he has nodded off beside us and slept for hours while we’ve carried on working. He has slept through passing vehicles, farm traffic and even the neighbours’ dogs barking.

It would be very easy to look at a sleeping dog and think that nothing much is happening.

For me, quite a lot is happening.

Being able to notice something without needing to respond to it, to disengage from it, or simply to remain asleep tells us something about how safe and comfortable the world feels in that moment.

That change hasn’t come from teaching Woody to ignore things.

It sits within a much bigger picture: understanding his health, supporting his comfort, changing expectations, considering his emotional needs and giving his nervous system plenty of opportunity to experience life without constantly needing to be ready for whatever might happen next.

Callie has been less settled overall, although she has still enjoyed some stretches of outdoor rest alongside a healthy amount of critter hunting.

We have a plan for some further investigation for her, including a visit to The Renew Centre later this month, so there will be more on that when the time comes.

Away from garden construction and canine observation, we’ve managed some walks, family time and a very welcome mental break from work and routine.

The garden still has a bit of a way to go.

My assessment still has a little way to go.

There is something rather satisfying, though, about ending the break able to see progress in several different places.

I’m back to work on Thursday and looking forward to catching up on how everyone has been doing and getting back into the swing of things.

Tara
Paws & Minds 🐾🧠

27/08/2026

There’s a dog food story in the news at the moment that has understandably caused a lot of worry.

Years pet food company has voluntarily recalled its fresh meals, excluding its ‘chef’s collection’, while reports of dogs developing bilateral dry eye are investigated.

At the moment the investigation is still ongoing. No causal link has yet been established, and the current focus is on possible contamination within part of the buckwheat supply rather than buckwheat itself.

One thing in the coverage particularly caught my attention, though: a sense of guilt.

Some of the guardians affected have spoken about feeling guilty for feeding a food they had deliberately chosen because they believed they were doing something good for their dog.

That feels worth talking about.

We make decisions for our dogs using the information we have available at the time. Health and welfare knowledge isn’t static. Sometimes new information changes the picture very quickly.

Good care cannot mean somehow predicting every possible problem before anybody knows it exists.

What we can do is notice when something changes, take those changes seriously, ask questions and be willing to alter course when new information becomes available.

That principle extends far beyond food.

A change in appetite, an increase in rubbing or licking, suddenly not wanting to be touched, becoming less tolerant, sleeping differently, reluctance to do something previously easy...

Sometimes we know immediately what those changes mean. Often we don’t.

They are still information.

For anyone feeding Years Fresh Meals, the current advice is to stop feeding them.

The company advises contacting your vet immediately if your dog develops excessive blinking or squinting, persistent pawing at the eyes, thick discharge or obvious discomfort around the eyes.

The investigation continues, so this is also one of those occasions where acknowledging what is known, rather than filling the gaps with speculation, really matters.

If you feed Years meals to your dog, keep up to date with any new information on the company’s website.

Tara
Paws & Minds 🐾🧠

25/08/2026

Five days into my holiday I’ve exchanged my usual work for a fairly involved garden project at home, various vet and specialist appointments for Woody and Callie, alongside working my way through my next module assessment!

Perhaps not quite the traditional feet-up version of a holiday, although it is a very different change of pace.

One of the nice things about having some space away from appointments and client work is that my brain gets a bit more room to wander. Dog behaviour clearly hasn’t entirely clocked off, so I suspect a few thoughts will still find their way onto here over the next week or so.

For now, though, there are appointments to keep, things to write, and more progress on the garden project each day!

Tara
Paws & Minds 🐾🧠

19/08/2026

I’m finishing work for a couple of weeks this evening, but before I go, I want to share some exciting news from Krysia, The Creative Canine.

She’s launching her fabulous new puppy class, and this isn’t just an ordinary puppy class...

Alongside the practical life skills and relationship-building that help lay the foundations for a happy life together, Krysia has included a whole lot more to support puppies and their guardians through those important early months.

Have a look at the shared post below, or visit The Creative Canine’s page, to find out what makes this class a little different, get in touch with Krysia to sign up, or share the information with someone you know with a new puppy.

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You'll still see a few posts from me whilst I'm off, but all messages, emails and enquires will be responded to once I'm back to work on 3rd September. Thanks for your patience, and have a good couple of weeks!

Tara
Paws & Minds 🐾🧠

A few weeks ago I shared a photo of my notebook and said there were quite a few new ideas starting to take shape behind the scenes.

Well, I can finally share one of the biggest ones with you!

Meet The Creative Puppy Programme ❤️

This has been in my head for quite some time. I knew I wanted to include all of the practical skills we traditionally associate with puppy classes, but I also wanted to go much further than that.

Recall, walking nicely on a lead, settling, coming away from things they probably shouldn't be investigating... they're all important parts of learning to navigate life together, but raising a puppy is about so much more than what we can teach them to do.

I want people to understand the puppy at the other end of their lead too. How they learn, what they're communicating, what they need as an individual and how the experiences we give them now can help them become a happy, healthy and fulfilled dog.

I also knew I didn't want to talk about something one week and then simply move on to the next. I wanted what we explore together to run through the whole programme, so we can keep coming back to it as our puppies grow and develop.

Alongside the practical everyday skills, we'll spend our eight weeks learning, discovering and getting to know YOUR puppy a little bit better.

I've deliberately kept each group to a maximum of just four puppies because I want the time and space to get to know each of them properly, and to be able to support you and your puppy as we go.

I'm still putting the final pieces into place before I can announce our first dates.

I'm VERY excited to finally be able to share The Creative Puppy Programme with you, and over the coming weeks I'll be sharing a little more about why I've created it the way I have. ❤️

🐾🐕

18/08/2026

A dog can know something and still be unable to do it.

During Fred and Barney’s latest session, we talked about how strong many of their skills have become at home. In that familiar environment, they can settle, connect with their guardians and respond well.

Take those same skills onto the driveway, along a quiet road or into a more purposeful outing, though, and the picture can look very different.

It is easy to interpret this as a dog choosing not to listen. After all, we have seen them able to respond at home.

Dogs do not necessarily understand that a skill learned in one place applies everywhere.

Walking calmly beside you at home and walking beside you along a busy road, or a quiet footpath, or on the way to a vet appointment are not simply the same exercise in different locations.

The smells, sounds, movement, anticipation, physical effort and emotion all become part of what we are asking.

We understand this more readily in our own lives.

Speaking confidently to someone we know does not necessarily mean we feel equally comfortable standing up and saying the same thing to a room full of strangers. We have not forgotten the words; the context has changed how easily we can access them.

This is why practising skills in different places matters.

It is not about testing whether a dog “really knows” something. It is about helping that familiar skill gradually become available in a wider range of situations, beginning somewhere the dog can still think and learn.

When a dog can do something at home but struggles elsewhere, perhaps the most useful question is not:

“Why won’t they do it?”

It is:

“What is different here, and how can I make this easier?”

A supportive route to more reliable behaviour is reducing the difficulty enough for the dog to find the answer they already know...

Tara
Paws & Minds 🐾🧠

17/08/2026

Thank you to all of the Canonbie Flower Show Fun Dog Show entrants!

Helen, Krysia and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting you all and your lovely dogs.

You were all winners, and made it very difficult for us to choose who to place in each of the classes. However we did need to choose, or we'd still be there now!

Our winners were:

Young Minds (under 1 year)
1st - Poppy with Kimmie
2nd - Bisto with Esme
3rd - Jazz with Edith

Golden Oldie (9 years+)
1st - Teddy with Jimmy
2nd - Angus with Isabelle
3rd - Harry with Fearne

Best Pals
1st - Tilly with Shep
2nd - Jet with Roseanne
3rd - Dottie with Gordon

Teamwork Makes The Dreamwork
1st - Didi with Julie
2nd - Daisy with Iylaa
3rd - Sadie with Amy

Best in Show
Poppy with Kimmie

Congratulations everyone!
Hope all your dogs enjoyed their prizes and have proudly shown off their rosettes.

Ooops, in all the excitement I didn't take any photos. I'd love to see photos of your dogs taking part or afterwards with their rosettes and prizes, or having a well deserved nap!

Thank you to the Committee and all of the Volunteers involved in organising and running the show. Canonbie Flower Show returns on Saturday 21st August 2027 - date for your diary.

Tara
Paws & Minds 🐾🧠

14/08/2026

A busy week with one thing and another, and already it’s only one more sleep until the Canonbie Flower Show!

The Fun Dog show will start at 1pm, register for the classes on the show field from 12pm. There are lots of activities and events going on throughout the day from 10am.

Our dog show judge, Helen Foster has very kindly made up lovely goodie bag prizes for each of class places and Best in Show!

There’ll be some JR Pet Products goodies for winners too.

We’ll be on the show field from 12pm to register you and your dog for the classes. Please remember you will need to be registered to enter!

Looking forward to seeing you and your dogs, and keeping fingers crossed for nice, but not too hot weather!

Tara
Paws & Minds 🐾🧠

13/08/2026

Novelty can be valuable. It can also be challenging.

A little variety is an important part of everyday life.

Appropriate novelty can add interest, broaden sensory experiences and give dogs opportunities to build skills such as adapting to change, generalising learning and becoming more confident when things are not exactly as expected.

That does not mean every new experience is automatically beneficial.

For some dogs, novelty is exciting. For others it can create uncertainty, increase arousal or simply ask more of them than they have available that day.

We had a good example of that at home today.

There have been a lot of low-flying military aircraft around us recently. Sudden aircraft noise is not completely unusual here, but the frequency has noticeably increased and being startled awake by a very loud aeroplane is quite different from hearing one when already up and about.

Today's bigger novelty came from the field beside our garden.

It has always been grazed previously, so watching the cut grass being turned and baled was new for all of us. There were tractors moving backwards and forwards close to the garden, machinery running, vehicles stopping nearby and large bales appearing and rolling around the field.

Understandably, Woody and Callie had something to say about it initially.

Rather than seeing the barking as something we simply needed to stop, it gave us useful information into their perceptions: this is new, noticeable and worth paying attention to.

We treated it as a training opportunity, giving them time to watch, process what was happening and discover that this rather strange activity outside the garden did not require anything from them.

The photo is Woody a little later, with the tractor and baler still working nearby.

What makes this particularly relevant for him is that we also know he isn't feeling at his best just now. His pain medication doesn't seem to be working quite as effectively as it could be, and he has had a digestive issue rumbling along over the past week.

That matters.

When a dog is uncomfortable, tired, worried or generally below par, their capacity to deal with other things can change. Sound sensitivity may increase, their threshold for responding can be lower, and behaviours we rarely see at other times may become more likely.

The environment doesn't necessarily become more difficult. The dog experiencing it may simply have less spare capacity available.

Novelty can be a useful part of helping dogs develop confidence and flexibility, but it works best when we pay attention to the individual dog.

Sometimes the learning opportunity is encouraging them to explore something new.

Sometimes it is giving them more distance, more support or more time to process it.

Today, for Woody, it was being able to watch something very unusual happening just beyond his garden and gradually decide it wasn't something he needed to worry about.

Tara
Paws & Minds 🐾🧠