Ascendk9

16/10/2026

I have a few initial assessment appointments available over the next couple of weeks for anyone looking to get started with training 🐾

📅 Upcoming availability:

• Tuesday 20th October at 2:00pm
• Tuesday 27th October at 2:00pm
• Saturday 31st October at 10:00am

An initial assessment is the starting point for all new clients, giving us the chance to discuss your goals, understand your dog’s needs and put together a plan tailored to you both.

Whether you’re working on basic obedience, lead walking, recall, reactivity or other behavioural challenges, we’ll look at where you are now and how we can move forward together.

📍 Based in Harlow, Essex, with support available across the surrounding areas.

If you’d like to get started, you can book your initial assessment online here:

👉 https://ascendk9.com/book-dog-training-online

Spaces are limited, so get in touch if you have any questions! 🐕

Easily schedule your dog training sessions with ASCENDK9 using our online booking system. Choose from private lessons, virtual consultations, group classes, or puppy training in just a few clicks. Flexible scheduling and expert training tailored to your dog's needs. Visit ASCENDK9.com to book your

16/10/2026

“Don’t worry, they’re friendly! They just want to say hello!”

Something I regularly encounter when training my clients’ dogs is off-lead dogs running into our space, ignoring their owners and approaching the dogs I’m handling with threatening body language, barking, growling or lunging.

And often, the owner’s words don’t match what their dog’s body language, vocalisations and behaviour are telling me. Not every dog approaching yours wants to be friends, and assuming they do can put everyone at risk.

What usually follows is the owner shouting at their dog or telling them off when they won’t come back. But the problem started long before that. It’s the owner’s responsibility to make sure their dog is trained and under control before giving them that freedom.

If your dog doesn’t have a reliable recall, struggles around other dogs or displays reactive or aggressive behaviour, allowing them to run up to other dogs is unfair on everyone involved, including your own dog.

And I want to be clear about something…

If a dog in my care is at risk, I will do what is necessary to protect that dog, just as I would my own! I won’t stand by and allow an out-of-control dog to threaten or potentially injure a dog I’m responsible for. That may mean blocking an approach, creating distance or physically intervening if there’s an immediate threat.

Nobody wants a dog to get kicked or a dog fight to happen. But if you allow your dog off lead without the training and control they need, you are putting them in situations where these things can happen.

Every owner has a responsibility to advocate for their dog, keep them safe and prevent situations they’re not equipped to handle. That means using a lead or long line where necessary and not relying on shouting at your dog once things have already gone wrong.

Your dog doesn’t have an automatic right to approach other dogs, and other owners shouldn’t have to put the dogs in their care at risk because you haven’t got yours under control.

Be responsible. Read your dog’s body language. Respect other people’s space. And remember that freedom comes with responsibility!!!

16/10/2026

Can we talk about what dog owners are actually learning in some puppy classes? 🐾

I regularly work with owners who come to me with behavioural issues that have developed after puppyhood, and when we talk about their previous training, a common theme comes up…

They learnt a sit, a down, maybe a stay and a few basic commands. Their puppies were given opportunities to play with other puppies, but nobody really explained how to prevent common behavioural issues from developing, how to build neutrality around other dogs, how to manage arousal, or what to do when their puppy starts becoming more independent!

…then adolescence hits, the behaviour changes, and owners are left wondering what went wrong and how to manage it!

Teaching a puppy a few basic commands is only a SMALL part of raising a well-rounded dog.

What about teaching them how to settle?
How to cope with frustration?
How to disengage from other dogs?
How to navigate the environment without becoming overstimulated?
How to build engagement with their handler?
How to establish boundaries and develop independence?

And perhaps most importantly, how do you recognise the early signs of behaviours that could become more difficult to manage if they’re left unaddressed?

This is exactly why I don’t offer traditional puppy classes at ASCENDK9.

Instead, I offer private puppy lessons where the training is tailored to your individual dog, your lifestyle and the things you’re likely to encounter as they grow.

You get direct feedback, guidance specific to your puppy and the opportunity to ask questions about the things you’re actually struggling with, rather than trying to apply generic advice to every situation.

Then, we integrate puppies into our group classes with dogs of all ages who are already enrolled in group sessions and are calm role models.

The focus is on building foundations that matter beyond puppyhood, preparing you for adolescence and helping you understand your dog as they develop.

I also think it’s important to recognise that being able to teach puppy basics and being equipped to support owners through more complex behavioural challenges aren’t necessarily the same skill set.

Some trainers specialise in puppy education, while others have the additional experience and knowledge needed to work through reactivity, anxiety, frustration and other behavioural difficulties.

Choosing the right support from the beginning can make a real difference!

15/10/2026

🎂 Happy 1st Birthday to our Inca! ❤️

I honestly don’t know where the time has gone!

Inca is the sweetest girl and watching her come out of her shell, grow in confidence and start to show more of her personality has been amazing🥹

She’s fitted into our little family perfectly and it’s been so lovely seeing her settle in, explore the world around her and become more confident in herself every day.

There’s still so much ahead of us, but seeing how far she’s come already makes me so excited for what’s to come!

Here’s to many more adventures together 🌲❤️🐾

15/10/2026

🐾 INCA DIARIES ENTRY #10 | Neutrality, Play & Boundaries 🐕

One of the things I’m working on with Inca is her ability to be around other dogs, interact appropriately and still engage with me when needed.

That includes when she’s playing!

I don’t want her to think that once another dog appears, I become irrelevant and nothing else matters. Equally, I don’t expect her to ignore every dog or never enjoy an interaction.

It’s about finding that balance.

She can play, communicate, explore and enjoy being around other dogs, but she also needs to be able to disengage, respond to me and move on when asked.

This is where neutrality comes in. It isn’t about ignoring every dog or suppressing natural social behaviour. It’s about being able to make good decisions around other dogs without becoming completely consumed by them.

I’m also very particular about the dogs she interacts with. Young dogs need opportunities to develop social skills, learn appropriate boundaries and understand canine communication.

That means learning when play is appropriate, when to give another dog space and how to respond when another dog communicates that they’ve had enough.

Socialisation shouldn’t be a free-for-all where dogs are left to work everything out for themselves. Not every dog is going to be an appropriate playmate, and not every interaction needs to happen.

For a high-drive breed like the Malinois, I want Inca to enjoy interaction with other dogs without becoming dependent on it for fulfilment.

The goal is a dog who can enjoy other dogs, respect boundaries and still choose to engage with me when it matters.

That balance is something we’ll continue to build as she grows 🐾

11/10/2026

say cheese 🤪

leadandlens.photography 📸

08/10/2026

But our dogs give them effortlessly 🐾❤️

02/10/2026

Not sure which ASCENDK9 training option is right for you?

I’ve put together my training pathways to make it easier to know what to book and, more importantly, to give you a clear route from where you are now to where you want to be with your dog.

Rather than booking a lesson here and there and trying to work out what to tackle next, the pathways give us the time and structure to actually build on what we’re doing.

🐾 CORE SKILLS PLAN
3 lessons focused on building the foundations your dog needs. Perfect if you want to improve things like engagement, obedience, lead skills, recall and general life skills with a clear plan to follow.

🐾 BEHAVIOUR RESET PLAN
6 lessons for dogs who need a little more support. This gives us the time to work through challenges such as reactivity, overexcitement, poor neutrality or confidence issues while gradually increasing the difficulty.

🐾 PUPPY BUNDLE
5 private lessons designed to give you and your puppy a solid start. We can build the foundations, work through the inevitable puppy challenges and give you the tools to keep progressing as they grow.

And for those who want to take things further, there are also options to continue your training with classes alongside your private lessons, so we can start taking those skills out into different environments and around real-life distractions.

I don’t want to just give you something to practice for the week!

I want to know what you actually want to achieve with your dog and build a pathway that gets you there.

Whether that’s being able to enjoy walks again, having a dog who can switch off around distractions, improving your reliability or eventually giving your dog more freedom, we start with the goal and work backwards.

Your dog doesn’t need to be perfect before you start.

You just need to be ready to put the work in. 🤍

Start with an Initial Assessment and we’ll work out which pathway makes sense for you and your dog.

You can see all of the ASCENDK9 training pathways here:

Join ASCENDK9 and be part of a supportive dog training community in Essex & Hertfordshire. Build real-life obedience, confidence, and a stronger relationship with your dog.

01/10/2026

🍂 Autumn is here - which means wet, muddy walks are about to become the norm 🫣

And while most of us are preparing for the weather, have you prepared your dog for everything that comes with it?

Wet paws. Muddy legs. Raincoats. Towels. Baths. Having their feet wiped down before they’re allowed back into the house.

If your dog hates being handled, don’t wait until they’re absolutely covered in mud to start working on it.

Start practising now when there’s no pressure.

Get them comfortable with you:

• Handling and wiping each paw
• Touching between their toes and around their pads
• Running a towel over their legs and body
• Drying their belly and chest
• Standing calmly while you clean them up
• Being handled after a walk when they’re excited
• Having muddy feet washed
• Wearing a coat or waterproof if they need one

Keep it gradual and make it worthwhile. You’re teaching your dog that being handled, dried and cleaned is just a normal part of life.

And this applies to more than just autumn.

The more comfortable your dog is with everyday handling, the easier life becomes when you actually NEED to do something.

So before the muddy season properly kicks in, start practicing 🍂