Positive Canine Coaching

25/06/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1HX8fBQfRj/

24/06/2026

This!

Robin Williams once said, "Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always".

Imagine if could actually see what a person is going through. That the internal struggles they hide with a smile was floating above their head in a visible thought bubble. Would it change the way you thought about them? Would you be kinder? More compassionate? Would you appreciate how much effort it takes for that person suffering with pain or from trauma to show up everyday and function as normal?

Now imagine you can see what a dog is going through. You look at them and you see a thought bubble that says they were attacked by another dog or that they are struggling with chronic pain. Would you be more understanding of that dogs behaviour? Would you feel more compassion? Would you appreciate their efforts to cope in the scary world around them?

As humans, we often make snap judgments and fail to understand that everyone is going through something. This leads to small mindedness and a lack of compassion. Sadly, many do the same things to dogs.

We may see a dog barking at the end of their lead or hiding in a bush as a result of their past experiences. It is easy for others to see this and jump to conclusions that we haven't socialised or trained our dog. Sadly, we can't see what a dog is going through or appreciate how much time and effort guardians are committing to help their dog feel safe.

But we can think outside the box. We can pause and give the dog the benefit of the doubt. We can conclude that maybe that dog has struggles we cannot see. We can appreciate the guardian is doing what they think is best for their dog's welfare.

So lets change that quote...

"Most dogs are fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be Kind. Always." - Holly Leake ©️

Please feel free to share but please do not copy and paste the text or download/make changes to the graphic. Thank you.

23/06/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1CTnhm784a/

23/06/2026

What a lovely idea - for the animals only - don't think humans can fit in there too.

Do spread the word - if you have friends or relatives who have an elderly dog or cat.

21/06/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1E8XAJ7Kyh/

HEATWAVE WARNING: Put Your Dog’s Welfare First 🙏

Even at 9pm, temperatures are still predicted to be a 🔥 scorching 30°C, and it may still be over 20°C by 7am. 🔥

❗️If you are not walking your dog before 7am, skip walks altogether! ❗️

Please resist the temptation to take dogs to cafés, pub gardens, shops, or out for unnecessary trips. Their safety and welfare must come first during extreme heat.

Dogs should stay indoors as much as possible — ideally in cool rooms with hard flooring, access to fresh water, a fan, and a cooling mat. Only take them outside for short toilet breaks.

This heat can kill. Keep them safe. 🐶❤️

21/06/2026

Dog dads....

16/06/2026

We've had a poorly pup over the last month!

I've made this video in case anyone else's dog gets diagnosed with the below. The Idiopathic part is because no one knows what causes it or how to remedy it.

Initial thoughts were she'd cracked a tooth, but she had an x-ray which didn't show anything.

She was then unsteady on her feet and a CT scan at the specialists revealed lumps in her liver and spleen, which thankfully are not cancerous.

Idiopathic Trigeminal Neuropathy - (aka Drop Jaw).

Horner's Syndrome - affects the sympathetic nerves

Further tests - Neurospora and Toxoplasma came back negative, which is great, but we're waiting to see what the specialists think the next steps might be.

She's getting back to herself a bit, but we're still hand-feeding her and keeping her hydrated.

We'll keep you updated!

15/06/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1cp8c8sJ7X/

08/06/2026

Another GREAT morning spent at Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service in Cheltenham again yesterday. Such a great place for the scent detection dogs to carry out searches.

Banjo, Bentley, Ellie, Gaia, Tally and Wren were awesome and did so well, with the distractions going on. A new venue for four of them and their handlers.

Thank you again for allowing us onto your site.

For more information about scent detection courses, drop an email to: -

[email protected]

06/06/2026

The “immediately friendly equals well-socialised” myth

There’s a widespread assumption - particularly in Western dog culture - that an immediately friendly dog is a well-socialised one. But sociability and social health aren’t the same thing.

A dog that rushes up to every stranger isn’t necessarily confident. It can equally reflect overarousal (due to varying emotions), a lack of impulse control, or a lack of clear social boundaries.

Natural reservation and fear are not the same thing. This distinction matters enormously, and the two are frequently collapsed, which is a significant equivocation with real consequences for dogs.

Fear-based reservation tends to involve active avoidance, visible stress signals, and an inability to recover. Natural reservation looks quite different - the dog may be calm, observant, and fully functional - simply withholding engagement until they’ve made their own assessment. Conflating the two pathologises a healthy characteristic.

Some breeds were never bred for indiscriminate friendliness: Chow Chows, Akitas, and many Nordic and Eastern breeds among them. Applying a universal social template to every dog and finding them wanting does a real disservice to both the individual and the breed. The Eurasier standard, for example, describes the breed as reserved with strangers, but without signs of aggression - and in my experience, that’s accurate. There’s a spectrum, as with any breed, but natural reservation was genuinely one of the things that drew me to them.

The pressure for dogs to be immediately friendly with strangers largely serves the stranger, not the dog. A dog that takes their time is exercising due diligence. Appropriate social boundaries. Something we’d readily respect in a human.

There’s also a persistent assumption that reservation in adult dogs signals inadequate early socialisation. Sometimes that’s true - but a well-socialised dog of a naturally reserved breed, or any breed, may still be reserved. Socialisation does shape confidence and resilience, but it doesn’t necessarily alter how much social contact a dog seeks, or from whom.

Every dog deserves to be read as an individual - not measured against a template, or unrealistic expectations that we wouldn’t apply to other humans.