The Perfect Puppy Company

The Perfect Puppy Company Dog Training & Behaviour in Glasgow & beyond
Aileen Stevenson
KPA CTP, ABTC ATI, FPPE, FDM
(2)

The Perfect Puppy Company offers one to one training & behaviour consultations using simple, kind, effective techniques throughout Glasgow & surrounding areas. I also specialise in supporting families with dogs prepare for life with babies & young children and am the only trainer in Scotland with specific training in this field. Author of "Dogs, Bumps & Babies" available on Amazon now -

https://bit.ly/DogsBumpsBabies

06/06/2026

In a world of “alpha bros”…be a Monty ♥️

Pet insurance. It's a bit of a hot potato! Rising veterinary costs, ever increasing premiums and terms & conditions so c...
27/05/2026

Pet insurance. It's a bit of a hot potato!

Rising veterinary costs, ever increasing premiums and terms & conditions so complex you'd need to be a Philadelphia lawyer to interpret them have all led to a lot of debate about whether pet insurance is worth it.

There's no single right answer to that question but here's my take based on recent experience.

This gorgeous boy has racked up thousands in vet bills over the last few months. And his issues were nothing especially dramatic - a (thankfully) benign lump removal, blood and tissue testing and some dental work.

I don't even like to think about what the bill might be for something more serious or ongoing.

Luckily for me, I had insurance.

Charlie’s always been a healthy wee guy so, over the years, I’ve occasionally been tempted to ditch the monthly premium and self-insure instead. But now I’m very glad I didn’t, because the savings I’d have made would have fallen far short of the treatment costs he’s needed recently.

Providing our dogs with appropriate medical care is part of the responsibility that comes with owning them. And veterinary treatment is expensive - very expensive.
Whether that means having significant savings set aside, or paying an insurance premium each month, we need some sort of plan for how we would cover the cost of treatment if the worst (or even the mundane) happens.

Insurance is ultimately a gamble. You might pay for years and never need it. But, personally, I’d hate to be in the position of needing it and not having it.

During the Covid lockdowns we were permitted one walk each day for our physical and mental wellbeing.Do you remember how...
25/05/2026

During the Covid lockdowns we were permitted one walk each day for our physical and mental wellbeing.

Do you remember how important those walks felt? How eager we were to escape the confines of our homes and simply be outside?

Before those strange times most of us took our freedom to come and go for granted. We only really appreciated its value when it was gone.

Dogs need access to the outside world too. To movement, fresh air, smells, exploration and mental stimulation. Arguably even more so than we do, because they can’t create those opportunities for themselves.

Dogs are entirely reliant on us for access to the outdoors. If we don’t take them, they can’t take themselves.

Which is why the results of Ordnance Survey research into UK dog walking habits are disappointing -

• Only 40% of UK dog owners walk their dog 7 times or more each week
• 25% walk their dog just 1–3 times per week
• And 5% never walk their dog at all

Time outdoors isn’t an optional extra for most dogs. It’s a basic welfare need.

And when dogs don’t get enough opportunity to move, explore and engage with the world around them we often see the fallout elsewhere - pent-up energy, frustration, inability to settle, destructiveness and excessive barking.

The right amount of exercise will vary according to age, breed, health and lifestyle. Of course there are exceptions. Elderly or unwell dogs, or dogs with access to extensive outdoor space at home or dogs with severe behavioural challenges may not need traditional “walks” in the same way.

But for most dogs, less than one walk a day isn't enough. They deserve more. In every sense.

𝙌. 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙖 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙙𝙤𝙜 𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩?𝘼. 𝘼 𝙡𝙤𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙙𝙤𝙜......
21/05/2026

𝙌. 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙖 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙙𝙤𝙜 𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩?
𝘼. 𝘼 𝙡𝙤𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙙𝙤𝙜...

They learn patience.
They learn empathy & emotional awareness.
They learn to look for good things to reward instead of 'bad' things to be corrected.
They learn that you can influence behaviour kindly, without shouting or force.
They learn how their own behaviour affects others.

And perhaps most importantly of all…

They learn that good relationships are built on trust, understanding and feeling safe.

Turns out dog training teaches children quite a lot about humans, too!

There’s a reason puppies are so cute.And it’s because if they weren’t, we might not give them house room…There’s no gett...
20/05/2026

There’s a reason puppies are so cute.
And it’s because if they weren’t, we might not give them house room…

There’s no getting away from it - puppies can be hard work.
They need constant supervision and attention. They chew things, make a mess and HURT with their tiny razor teeth and claws.

When your hands are covered in nips and you’re cleaning up after your pup for the umpteenth time that day, it can be easy to briefly fall out of love with them. Puppy blues are very real!

Feeling overwhelmed, out of your depth and wondering if you’ve made a huge mistake are all really common feelings among new puppy owners. People often go on a rollercoaster ride from -

“Yay… we’ve got a puppy 😀”

to

“Aaargh… we’ve got a puppy 😫”

You are definitely not alone!

But there are some simple things you can do to restore a bit of order and calm -

🐾 Make sure your pup is getting enough sleep. Biteyness and wild behaviour are often the result of overtiredness. Most puppies need around 16–18 hours sleep a day. If they’re not getting that, increase nap times.

🐾 Build some structure and routine into your pup's day. Sleep>Eat>Play & Train>Settle....repeat

🐾 Set a timer on your phone to remind you to take your pup outside to toilet regularly. Don't rely on memory....you're probably tired and a bit frazzled!

🐾 Thoughtful, judicious use of a contained space like a pen or a crate can help, especially if you have young children in the home

🐾 Get help! You do not need to muddle through on your own. Good professional advice can iron out little niggles before they become big problems. Seeking help doesn’t mean you’re failing - it means you’re sensible.

So if your pup is driving you to distraction take heart. You're not alone and puppyhood doesn't last forever. This too shall pass!

Can you guess why I've fallen in love with Mabel? My own boy, Charlie, came to me when he was 1 and I've always wondered...
07/05/2026

Can you guess why I've fallen in love with Mabel? My own boy, Charlie, came to me when he was 1 and I've always wondered what he looked like as a puppy….

Well…now I know! They are peas in a pod. Even down to shouting a bit at every dog they see! I'm going to enjoy these sessions a LOT! 😍

What's the best thing you can do for your overwhelmed dog? Sometimes...nothing. When your dog is a hot mess of anxiety, ...
05/05/2026

What's the best thing you can do for your overwhelmed dog? Sometimes...nothing.

When your dog is a hot mess of anxiety, emotion & movement - when they are struggling to process the world around them - asking them to "do" something else is often too much. Processing instructions & responding to cues can be a step too far.

Instead, try just standing with them. Breathing deeply. Being still. Offering no more than gentle reassurance if they need it. No cues. No instructions. Give them a bit of time and space for the noise to settle. For their breathing to regulate. For their body to soften. For the movement to slow.

There's often a bias in training to "do". To be actively teaching "things". To be "getting" behaviour. And that's not necessarily wrong - but there's so much learning that happens when we allow dogs to observe, process and think.

When we give them that space, they’re often in a much better place to "do" afterwards

Never underestimate the power of doing nothing, when you do it thoughtfully.

I work with a lot of dogs who are "shouty". They bark, lunge & snap and, as a result, are often labelled as "aggressive"...
28/04/2026

I work with a lot of dogs who are "shouty". They bark, lunge & snap and, as a result, are often labelled as "aggressive".

But more often than not, these dogs aren’t aggressive. They’re overwhelmed & out of their depth. And they are uncomfortable.

These are all dogs I'm currently working with -

• a dog with recently diagnosed hip dysplasia
• a dog battling ongoing skin allergies
• a dog with recurrent, persistent ear infections
• a dog with food intolerances causing gut pain
• a dog with pancreatitis

Is it any wonder they struggle? When they feel so uncomfortable in their bodies?

We aren't at our best when we are in pain. Our fuses are shorter, we are quicker to anger, our tolerance is lower. So we shouldn't be surprised that our dogs feel the same.

If your dog is displaying reactive behaviours - especially if it's sudden or out of character - speak to your vet.

And if you are working with a trainer who hasn't had an in depth discussion with you about your dog's health & wellbeing, find another trainer.

We can't expect dogs in discomfort to be models of tolerance and calm. We need to understand their limitations and address their discomfort, not just their behaviour.

Trainer’s dilemma…When your gorgeous puppy client has settled perfectly…but you need your coat back 😂
16/04/2026

Trainer’s dilemma…

When your gorgeous puppy client has settled perfectly…but you need your coat back 😂

This is what our "walks" look like a lot of the time.Me waiting while Charlie does dog stuff. While he sniffs and digs a...
13/04/2026

This is what our "walks" look like a lot of the time.

Me waiting while Charlie does dog stuff. While he sniffs and digs and hunts and generally snooters about the way a terrier should.

Every so often he pops back just to check I'm still there and then off he goes again to smell the smells and dig the holes.

Taking your dog for a walk should be about so much more than walking. Of course adequate physical exercise is important. But walks are about more than just getting the steps in.

They are about time outdoors. About allowing our dogs to display natural behaviours. To explore and interact with the world around them in a 'dog' way. Or, to sit and do nothing at all if that's what they need.

And it's good for us too. To take our foot off the gas for a bit. To just be in nature with no pressure to 'do'.

Sometimes the best walks don't go anywhere.

Address

71 Laburnum Drive, Milton Of Campsie
Glasgow
G668JS

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 1pm

Telephone

+447905531858

Website

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