The Well Heeled Hound

28/08/2026

I’m always thrilled to receive updates after a lesson and when a client can record her own loose lead walking to send you a video you know they are doing their homework because the results speak for themselves!
So proud of this handsome boy and his guardians.
Train with kindness.
Dispelling the myth that harnesses make a dog pull.

28/08/2026

Luna is a sweet girl up for adoption via Spaniel Aid.

27/08/2026

We are all so proud of this fella today.
From being reluctant and refusing to get in a car he virtually ran up the ramp in our second lesson.
We have worked entirely at Norman’s pace, giving him the opportunity to make choices. By working at a dog’s pace it builds confidence.
I personally don’t like using food to lure dogs in these situations, it can create conflict but the cheese tax was certainly paid when he decided to get in the car!
Please note the car used for training is mine - it has got my training equipment in it and Norman wasn’t travelling in it at the time before anyone advises me I shouldn’t have a dog in the car with all ‘that stuff’!

25/08/2026

I have a confession, I am a resource guarder!
And I’m sure if you think about it at some point in your life you have been too.
If a waiter or glass collector starts to take your unfinished drink from you you react!
What if a waiter started to take your unfinished plate of food!?
I don’t even appreciate family members taking chips from my plate!

So why then are we surprised when a dog may exhibit this natural behaviour?
Obviously it’s not a behaviour we want our dogs to exhibit and we need to keep people safe from a potential bite.
We need to understand the behaviour, learn the warnings signs (body language) and how we can help prevent our dogs to feel the need to resource guard.
Your dog may resource guard food but they will guard anything they value like toys, space or people.
Resource guarding can also be genetic and it is worth asking a breeder if either of the parents have exhibited the behaviour.

How could we prevent my resource guarding?
Well if the waiter came over to my table and instead of taking my glass of wine they topped it up I may start feeling differently as they approached!

How do we prevent resource guarding in dogs? This can be more complex but I would initially recommend managing your dogs environment when they have a high value item.
If you are living with a dog with resource guarding tendencies and would like to learn how to help your dog feel differently why not book a lesson?

23/08/2026

Back with this handsome adolescent boy and adolescence is influencing his loose lead walking!
Surges and urges are playing their part.
For me training loose lead walking begins before we step out of the door.
Door manners for me are an essential life skill and sets you up for for your first step in your llw.
This fella has gone from pulling his handler out the door to sitting and waiting patiently to be asked to step out.
All training is fear free and positive reinforcement.

22/08/2026

This fella had his second lesson this morning and we put into practice what we covered in their first lesson which is helping him cope with guests visiting the home and then we made a start on his loose lead walking.
Initially we worked on his focus on the front drive and once we had that we could make a start on his loose lead walking.

I am a reward based trainer, I do not use aversive training methods or equipment. I do not offer quick fixes but I do help you, the handler understand how you can work and train together with your dog to get the results you want.

19/08/2026

Who has heard me say don’t worry about taking/enforcing your puppy/dog for a walk, just let them sit and watch the world?
They have so much to learn for themselves without us forcing our expectations and education on them!

18/08/2026

This post ⬇️❤️

🐕 Be careful where you get your dog training advice from.

Being good at Instagram or TikTok does not make somebody good at training dogs.

📱 Social media is FULL of dog training advice. Some of it is brilliant. Some of it is outdated, misleading or potentially harmful.

And some of it is being made primarily because dramatic dogs, quick transformations and controversial opinions get views, likes and comments.

👀 A huge following doesn't make somebody an expert.

A beautifully trained dog doesn't tell you how they got there.

A dramatic before-and-after doesn't show you what happened between the before and the after.

And confidence on camera isn't the same thing as understanding behaviour.

🧠 So look beyond the content.

Do they understand how dogs learn?

Can they explain why they're doing something rather than simply telling you to do it?

Does their advice reflect current behavioural science?

Do they keep learning, questioning and developing what they do?

What happens when a dog struggles or gets something wrong?

🔎 And, importantly, are they transparent about their methods?

If somebody is giving you dog-training advice, you should be able to easily find out what tools and methods they use.

If they use food, toys and access to things the dog enjoys — great. Say so.

If they use corrections, slip leads, prong collars or e-collars — they should say so too.

⚠️ You shouldn't have to dig through somebody's content trying to work out what happens when the camera isn't showing you.

There are some absolutely fantastic trainers and behaviour professionals sharing their knowledge online, and social media can be a brilliant place to learn.

💭 Just remember:

A polished social-media presence tells you how good somebody is at social media. It doesn't tell you how good they are at training dogs.

🧡 Look for knowledge. Look for transparency. Look for kindness. Look for someone whose ethics align with yours.

You and your dog deserve that. 🧡

17/08/2026

What are your dogs feelings about the car?
Does yours leap in excited about their next adventure?
Or
Is your dog reluctant to get in?

This fella is a familiar face to many of my followers. As a companion dog his guardian likes to take him out with her but he has slowly become more and more reluctant to get in to her car.

Is your dog the same?

If your dog is reluctant to get in the car the first thing we have to rule out is pain and discomfort.
If your dog is experiencing any pain this can be exasperated by the movement of the car or getting in and out of it.

I’m a huge fan of using a ramp or steps to assist your dog getting in and out.
You might have a young spritely dog but persistent jumping down from a height to hard concrete can accelerate arthritis in dogs.

Norman was introduced to the ramp prior to our lesson and happily walked along it on the flat.
We decided to use my car for the training, we felt he had no previous history with it (so no negative associations). This is the first time in weeks that Norm voluntarily, at his own pace got in a car.
We didn’t rush him, he wasn’t forced, we still have more work to do but today’s lesson was about confidence building.

There can be many reasons a dog is reluctant to get in the car if you are struggling please get in touch I may be able to help.

Please be aware when travelling with a dog in your car under Rule 57 of the Highway Code ‘Dogs must be suitably restrained so they can not distract you or cause injury during a sudden stop’.
Approved restraints include;
• Seat belt Harness (not all harnesses are safety approved)
• Pet carrier
• Dog Cage (ideally crash tested)
• Dog Guard (separating boot area from passengers)