Pennie Clayton-Horse and Hound School

11/09/2026

It's one of those days where most people will remember where they were and what they were doing when they heard about the destruction on the Twin Towers

What I remember the most were the dogs-that worked alongside the amazing people to try and find survivors

https://www.facebook.com/Aguyandagolden/posts/pfbid0n3NkmNuU38TkGGFM7ctXTLybCFL4RWouXuXaYC7485sRXJRaSfyYThaVtrj9nGd8l

09/09/2026

Sometimes there is just too much noise.

If we listen to our dogs-and horses -and observe- we can learn more than social media could ever teach us

That connection is incredibly valuable

As always if you need help with your dog or your horse you can message or contact me on WhatsApp 07910 720961

06/09/2026

Bringing up a puppy

Taking a puppy into your home and teaching them about life and helping them adjust is NOT easy.

Please IGNORE the people that tell you that you are doing things wrong , that by this point ( 4 months, 6 months even a year) they should be perfectly trained

This is incorrect and they don't know YOUR puppy.

Taking a young dog into your house, even if you have had a puppy before is not straightforward

You are not doing anything wrong if your puppy still pees indoors after being with you for 2 months, or if your puppy barks at other dogs, or if they pull

Dogs are another species, we can never fully understand them, neither can they ever fully understand us.

If you are regretting getting your puppy-hold on!

Puppy blues is common and we rarely get things right-we can't always be right because we are not dogs

Puppies are growing from the time they arrive until they are beyond 18 months old.
Their bodies and brains are developing, they often do things we would rather they didn't do-but this is not down to bad training, or because you are not on the ball, or you didn't attend enough puppy classes-it is because we are human and you have a little alien in your home

Be patient.

Do a little less, than more.

Sit with your puppy, even if they are bitey, because they often just need our support and they need to be with us

Its not all about training-it is about learning how to communicate and understanding what the puppy is trying to communicate to us

Puppies are young, they need us. Sit, down, spin, settle can be taught in moments -this is not the amazing life changing stuff we are often lead to believe it is-obedience isn't life, it doesn't have the value that many people think it does

BUT

Connection begins as your puppy steps into your home and will continue for their entire lives

Hold on-it will be fine

If you need help. advice or support can be contacted via WhatsApp 07910 720961

05/09/2026

01/09/2026

It's September-a change is in the air and you may be looking for puppy classes now that most of the holidays are out of the way.

I run puppy classes every Saturday morning. They are outdoor classes-they are rarely cancelled, even over the heat of the summer we just started earlier to avoid the puppies being out in extreme heat.
Now it has already become cooler we can settle back into our normal time of 9.30 am as a starting time

The puppies are important-the classes are moulded arount them. We focus a lot on social skills, recall and walking on a loose lead and we talk a lot about how to help the puppies settle into their lives and how best to teach them the important life skills.

If you have a puppy and are looking for a class you can send me an email or a WhatsApp and I will send all the information over to you.

If you have any problems with your puppy these can be addressed during class and the other people in the class are often a source of support
Living with a puppy is not easy - if you need help or support give me a call I can give you information on classes, or 1-1 sessions if that works better for you

WhatsApp 07910 720961

28/08/2026

Another bank holiday.

The last until the dark days that surround Christmas

Make the most of the cooler days over the weekend and spend some time with your dog.
They rarely need to be spending time in busy areas-it might look like they are enjoying crowds and busy area but most of the time they find it harder than we would imagine

Brushing against lots of human legs-with lots of overpowering scents which they can't access and amongst excited children is often not a dogs idea of a good time

Please think about your dog if you are planning a day out -would they not rather stay at home if you are going to be visiting busy places?
Take a long think-however much you might want to take your dog put your dog first-do they really want to be in a throng of people who are not looking at where they put their feet?

Our dogs experience of what we think of as a lovely day out, may not be theirs

23/08/2026

The body map. It doesn't matter how hard you stare we can't see it-it is the horse that feels it.
We can't possibly understand if a horse is feeling just a little out of sorts or due to previous sickness or pain issues whether that has caused a loss of confidence

Why might this occur? If your horse is growing, had had an illness or lameness, during pre hab and rehab or if pain is present

Because we can't see-doesn't mean we should not listen

21/08/2026

Older dogs need to move-and at last it is a bit cooler
He is 16 this year and he has been on metacam and has regular Bowen sessions
Hands on therapy is important for dogs, it helps with restrictions in the fascia and helps preserve mobility

And please! DO put rugs down on slippery floors-no matter what you think slippery floors cause injury to your dog