Pawsitive Training

09/10/2026

Hope everyone enjoyed their week!🐶

Not all days and weeks are the same, but I always make sure I have time to give Beano and Badger cuddles 💖

08/10/2026

Update from puppy Lettuce 🥬

Socialisation isn’t about meeting every dog and person, but about helping puppies feel safe and confident around the world they’re growing up in 🌎

We discussed creating positive experiences, introducing new sights and sounds at her own pace, and recognising when she needs a little break.

Building confidence now helps lay the foundations for a happy, well adjusted adult dog 💗✨

07/10/2026

At 14, we’re seeing changes in the boys, but it’s Badger’s evening episodes of barking, restlessness, confusion and moments where he seems almost disconnected from us that have been particularly hard to watch. We’re trying to understand whether canine cognitive dysfunction could be playing a part, alongside pain, sensory changes and other possible medical causes 🩺

I spend so much of my time helping other people understand their dogs, but when it’s your own, it feels completely different. You question everything, worry about whether you’re doing enough and desperately wish they could tell you what they’re feeling 💔

So, we’re trying to put all the pieces together and make life as comfortable as possible for them.

🐾 Working with our vet to investigate the changes and explore the right medication and supplements to support them

💊 Reviewing their pain management and looking at how their physical health may be affecting their behaviour

🏡 Removing or reducing environmental triggers that may be causing additional stress, especially during Badger’s difficult evenings

🌿 Adapting our routine and exploring gentle activities, like sniffing and freework, while recognising when they need less stimulation and a quiet, safe space

📝 Watching, recording and learning from their behaviour so we can better understand what they’re experiencing and how to help

🤍 A huge thank you to everyone who has checked in, offered support, shared their knowledge and helped us work through this, especially Whole Dog Behaviour and Luisa Greig. Having people who listen, understand and help you think through the possibilities means a lot.

We don’t have all the answers yet, and that uncertainty is one of the hardest parts. We’re taking things day by day, celebrating the good moments and doing everything we can to help them feel safe, comfortable and happy 🌈

07/10/2026

17/09/2026

This is Belle, she’s just 14 weeks old and absolutely adorable!

Belle lives with two cats, including Magic, who is a little unsure of her and will run away when Belle gets too excited. For Belle, this can be very exciting and can quickly turn into chasing 😢

In our session, we worked on reinforcing calm behaviour and engagement around the cats, using treats to help Belle learn what we want her to do instead.

And then I got this lovely update from her family🥹

Magic came back through the door, Belle was called over and rewarded for being calm, and she didn’t jump on either of the cats!

Such a lovely little win for this gorgeous girl 💖

04/09/2026

Make your own enrichment in 5 easy steps ✨

This is great for dogs who love to sniff, explore and problem solve easily.

For dogs who may destory, you can use newspaper 📰

For dogs who may ingest, you can scatter in the outside environment on grass and between logs/ trees 🌳

Or, you can hide treats in a cabbage or lettuce ball!

02/09/2026

Milo says hi 👋😜

In Milo’s 1-2-1 we looked at his behaviour as a young spaniel who was missing a few breed needs in his daily routine.

Because of this, Milo would go self employed and show unwanted boredom behaviours.

After looking more into his routine, we made sure all of his daily boxes were ticked, including his favourite activity ‘find it’ with toys and treats.

If you would like help finding your dogs breed and individual needs, and feel some unwanted behaviours are due to this, get in contact today! 💖

28/08/2026

That little nibbling, chewing or almost “biting” at their own body can be so easy to overlook.

But what is actually going on?

Dogs may nibble, lick or chew because something doesn’t feel right. It could be pain, muscle soreness, joint pain, nerve discomfort, inflammation, itching, skin irritation or another physical problem.

Sometimes they are trying to soothe or change the sensation they are feeling.

Think about when we rub a sore shoulder or scratch an itch. Our dogs can do something very similar.

And this is where I think we need to stop looking at the behaviour in isolation.

If your dog is repeatedly nibbling or chewing at themselves, I want to know WHY.

Not just “they must have allergies”.

Not just “they’re cleaning themselves”.

There may be a reason they are doing it, and our job is to find that reason.

If you’re seeing this regularly, take videos and note where they are nibbling, when it happens and what else you notice around it.

Then get the right people involved.

💗 Skin or itching concerns → your vet, and potentially a veterinary dermatologist

💗 Muscle or soft tissue pain → your vet and a qualified canine rehabilitation professional / physiotherapist

💗 Joint pain or arthritis → your vet for diagnosis and pain management, alongside rehabilitation/physiotherapy where appropriate

💗 Suspected nerve or complex/chronic pain → your vet may refer you to a veterinary pain specialist or appropriate veterinary referral service

And sometimes it takes more than one professional to put the puzzle together.

That’s okay.

Pain can be complicated.

As a behaviour professional, I never want to simply train a behaviour away when there could be a physical reason behind it.

My dogs have taught me that the tiny things matter.

They can’t say “my hip hurts today” or “something feels strange here”.

But they can show me.

We just have to be willing to listen 💗🐾