Sam Humberstone - Dog Trainer

05/09/2026

Two in-person appointments today, winding down after quite a full-on August with training sessions and giving support and guidance.

The first appointment was with a lovely couple who had recently enquired whether I would guide them with the process of finding a puppy for spring 2027. They understand the importance of trying to find a healthy puppy. part of the conversation was about experiences in the first 8 weeks and how much this can influence future behaviour. They have also asked for advice and support with initial training... After this meeting, I'm on board!

Earlier this afternoon, a very enjoyable and active One to One helping with confidence building for a lovely lab and their person. We worked on this through the enjoyment of learning through play and a few training exercises.

Good news Nelly is now registered in my name for her pet ID microchip and with the vets, who have been so helpful!

I might be even quieter on social media this week, as I have 6 days off, more time to spend with the dog gang - Osh, Elsa & Nelly
🐾🐾

05/09/2026

We can be a selfish species when it comes to our superficial wants... breeding to cause unnatural morphology of animals has cruel consequences

04/09/2026

Thank you to my assistant for helping to find a puppy-friendly way for a foundations course completion photo... I am not a fan of asking a dog to sit unnecessarily, and it tends to makes me feel a bit icky looking at photos with dogs in rigid poses or if a dog looks conflicted about a situation!

03/09/2026

03/09/2026

Osh approved of Alan the plumber. But didn't think he made good choice about doing a kitchen tap replacement when he could be giving Osh attention instead.
Alan happens to adore dogs, especially Collies - a man of taste!

01/09/2026

Puppy Training - an out & about session with this class yesterday evening

We can help puppies to feel safe and enjoy new experiences. They can gain information from scent and observation.
It is important not to ask too much too soon, and not to rush or overwhelm them.

I was very pleased to see that training at home of 'Drop' was going well when a plastic bottle lid found under a table was spat out by one of the pups who then appreciated the soon to follow high value treat - good job!

I will have some availability for One to Ones from the 14th of September

Event and class dates with spaces are shared on social media. These are usually held in Littlebourne, nr Canterbury.

20/08/2026

Your dog is always learning, even when you're not training.

The brain is wired to connect what happens with how it feels, so every calm moment you notice and reward is quietly building the behaviour you want to see more of. Shaping the good stuff on purpose is often far more powerful than correcting everything else.

17/08/2026

It's day 1 of our 9th week with Nelly our 4 year old Golden housemate.

There's a saying 'you don't know someone until you live with them' and I am definitely learning more about who Nelly is...

We've had one of our longest walks together, just the two of us, it was really good, Osh and Elsa had their one to one walks before... my step count is good!

I'm discovering she has what some call a 'strong prey drive', the movement of some animals results in a quick chase response. Yesterday off-lead, she returned to her recall cue when chasing a pheasant, but I think only as she'd realised it was game-over, as the pheasant was soon going to make a clean break once through a hedge

She loves food, fuss and affection.

She's happy with being brushed. I'm pleased she's been relaxed enough that I have used the clippers to trim a few nails

I get a barky and big welcome returning home, there's almost as much excitement as for meal times!!!

Being a dog, she's rather fab... hopefully we have lots more chapters ahead... for now car training is on hold, as the new-to-me car with a big boot is having some work done... and managing her 'interest' in other dogs 'do' is keeping me on my toes 🙃

12/08/2026

Little Miss B's Tail 🥰
it's great how she looks up after enjoying her reward, ready and keen to go again!
She's in our Thursday puppy group which we moved to yesterday due to the extreme weather

Photo in comments, she was a sleepy puppy after her 2nd training session, cute!

11/08/2026

Some important work by The RSPCA to improve the welfare of companion animals
"RSPCA’s new strategy report[ The Shape of Suffering,](https://us.list-manage.com/YvRZyh99Nq5?e=58a6fba539...) which examines the critical welfare issue of extreme conformation in companion animals.
Across the UK, millions of pets - including dogs, cats, rabbits, reptiles, birds and fish - are being intentionally bred for exaggerated, unnatural physical features. Whilst these traits are often sought after for their aesthetic appeal, they cause serious, preventable health problems and compromise animals' ability to perform important natural behaviours.
This problem is entirely human-driven, and it is, therefore, within our power to rectify.
Our strategy report sets out a collaborative roadmap to address this crisis, defining the vital roles that owners, breeders, service providers, advisors, policy-makers and the public can play in driving change. We believe it is by working together to raise public awareness, shift consumer demand, champion responsible breeding and strengthen legal protections, that we can create a future where animals are no longer bred to suffer for the sake of appearance."