Elite Dog Training

28/02/2026

Due to an unforeseen emergency, I’ve had to step away from training for the past month. Today was the first day I’ve managed to return to something dog-training related 😅

I spent the day attending the IMDT Impulse Control Seminar with one of my favourite trainers, Dave Bryce. I really appreciate how clearly he explains training and behaviour — his teaching style is easy to follow, and the videos and diagrams he uses make it much easier to visualise the methods being discussed.

I’ve previously completed Dave’s webinar Safety and Risk Assessments for All Trainers and Behaviourists, which I found incredibly useful when reviewing and updating my own policies and procedures.

This year is especially important to me in terms of refreshing and expanding my knowledge, and this felt like a great way to begin my learning journey 👨🏼‍🏫

06/01/2026

With the cold weather currently, this is something we are mindful of 🥶

⚠️ Antifreeze can be fatal to pets. Just licking the ground or their paws after a walk can lead to poisoning.

Please remember to store antifreeze safety, keep your pets away from driveways and always wipe their paws after being outside.

If you suspect your pet has been exposed to antifreeze, contact your vet immediately!

03/01/2026

Puppy Mouthing: A Force-Free Perspective 🐾

Puppy mouthing is normal. It’s how puppies explore the world, play, and learn social skills — not a sign of dominance, defiance, or “bad behavior.”

Force-free training focuses on teaching, not punishing.

✨ What works:

Management first: Keep appropriate chew toys within reach and rotate them often.

Redirection: If teeth hit skin, calmly redirect to a toy — every time.

Reinforce calm mouths: Gently reward moments when your puppy chooses not to mouth.

Teach breaks: Short play sessions with pauses help puppies regulate excitement.

Meet their needs: Overtired, overstimulated puppies mouth more. Rest matters.

🚫 What doesn’t help:

Yelling, pinning, grabbing the muzzle, or using aversives

These can increase frustration, fear, and even lead to future bite issues

Force-free doesn’t mean permissive — it means clear boundaries taught with patience and consistency. Puppies learn best when they feel safe.

Mouthing fades with time, guidance, and trust. You’re not behind — you’re teaching a puppy how to dog. 💛

25/12/2025

Merry Christmas from the team at Elite Dog Training 🎄
What do you get your dogs for Christmas? 🤩

23/12/2025

I hope Simba is home soon with his family in time for Christmas 🎄 🙏

22/12/2025

Government animal welfare reforms: stronger protections for dogs?

Today the UK Government has confirmed what it describes as the biggest animal welfare reforms in a generation, with several measures that directly affect dogs and dog owners under the new Animal Welfare Strategy for England. The reforms focus on improving welfare across a dog’s entire life, from breeding and sourcing through to ownership, training, and enforcement.

A key priority is ending puppy smuggling and puppy farming. New laws tighten pet travel rules to prevent underage puppies, heavily pregnant dogs, and animals bred in poor conditions from entering the UK. Further measures are planned to close loopholes, strengthen enforcement, and disrupt criminal networks involved in low-welfare puppy imports.

The strategy also signals major changes to dog breeding practices. Proposals include a new registration system for all dog breeders to improve traceability, higher minimum welfare standards, and bringing previously unregulated activities—such as canine fertility clinics, stud services, and whelping services—into the licensing system. These changes aim to reduce health problems linked to irresponsible breeding and harmful physical traits.

On ownership and public safety, the government has renewed its focus on responsible dog ownership, including tackling dog attacks through better education, training, data sharing, and enforcement. The strategy clearly supports positive, reward-based training and includes plans to consult on a ban on electric shock collars, citing concerns about harm and distress.

Additional measures include improving the dog microchipping system to ensure records are accurate and easy to access, supporting owners to keep pets in rented homes, and recognising the link between pet abuse and domestic abuse, with commitments to better protect dogs in vulnerable households.

Overall, the reforms represent a significant shift toward tougher regulation, clearer standards, and stronger enforcement. The government’s stated aim is that every dog should experience high welfare at every stage of life, supported by science, responsible ownership, and meaningful accountability.

19/12/2025

Keeping Your Dog Safe Over Christmas
Christmas is a joyful time for families, but it can be overwhelming and even dangerous for dogs if we’re not careful. With changes to routine, extra visitors, festive food, and decorations, it’s important to take a few simple steps to keep your dog safe and comfortable during the holiday season.

🎄 Changes in Routine and Stress
Dogs thrive on routine, and Christmas often brings late nights, loud gatherings, rearranged furniture, and unfamiliar faces. These changes can cause stress or anxiety. Signs may include panting, pacing, hiding, yawning, or lip-licking. Make sure your dog has a quiet, familiar space where they can relax away from guests and noise.

🍗 Festive Food Dangers
Many Christmas foods that are safe for people can be harmful or even toxic to dogs.
Common hazards include:
Chocolate, mince pies, Christmas pudding, and sweets
Grapes, raisins, and sultanas
Onions, garlic, stuffing, and rich or fatty foods
Alcohol and foods containing alcohol
Keep food well out of reach, remind guests not to feed your dog from the table, and clear plates and leftovers promptly.

🌿 Decorations and Seasonal Plants
Christmas decorations can be tempting for curious dogs. Tinsel, ribbons, wrapping paper, and small ornaments can cause choking or serious internal blockages if swallowed. Christmas trees may drop needles that irritate paws or stomachs. Seasonal plants such as holly, mistletoe, and poinsettia can be harmful if chewed.
Secure decorations, keep fragile or hazardous items out of reach, and supervise your dog around the tree and presents.

🐾 Exercise, Supervision, and Attention
Even during the busy festive period, dogs still need regular exercise, mental stimulation, and quality time. Walks and play help reduce stress and prevent boredom-related behaviours. With doors opening frequently for guests, take extra care to prevent your dog from escaping.

A Dog-Friendly Christmas Checklist
✔ Keep your dog’s routine as normal as possible
✔ Provide a quiet, safe space away from guests
✔ Keep festive food and drink out of reach
✔ Watch out for dangerous decorations and plants
✔ Maintain regular walks and attention

​With a little planning and awareness, you can ensure Christmas is enjoyable, calm, and safe for your dog — letting the whole family enjoy the festive season together. 🎄🐶

05/12/2025

The Elite Dog Training page has been largely inactive for the past few years due to ongoing difficulties with Facebook’s platform. However, we’re pleased to say we’re planning to restart activity, with more updates coming soon.

Meanwhile our recent updates can be found on our training blog:

Probably my favourite webinar of 2025 - Mike Shikashio on managing aggression between family dogs. Living with dogs that fight under the same roof can create a highly stressful and potentially...

08/02/2025

****** IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR PET OWNERS ******

Update 2/6/2025 - we are no longer able to reach SAVE THIS LIFE microchip company - they appear to be shut down - if your pet is registered with them, please be sure to register to another microchip company! There are a few free registries and others that require a small fee! We recommend any of the larger chip companies, those that participate in the AAHA registry. This is imperative to getting your pet home if they go missing!

____________________________________________________

If your pet's microchip is registered with Save This Life (commonly starting with 991001 or 900164), we strongly recommend registering it with another microchip company.

As of mid-January 2025, accessing owner information or notifying families of found pets linked to Save This Life has become increasingly difficult. We hope this issue is resolved soon, but in the meantime, ensuring your pet’s microchip is linked to a reliable and responsive registry is crucial for reuniting with them quickly if they ever go missing.

To check where your pet's microchip is registered, visit AAHA’s Universal Microchip Lookup Tool at this link: https://www.aaha.org/for-veterinary-professionals/microchip-search/

Please take a moment to review your pet's registration!

- Microchip Hunters -

24/08/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/DPhoJ83fGc1a6MXS/

Click on the pop-out icon ( ) in the top-right corner of the resource to open it in Google Drive. Click the download icon ( ) in the upper right-hand corner of the Google Drive page to save the resource to your computer.

01/10/2023

❤️

Want a fun way to show off your dog fancier personality & your dog sport love? ♡🐾 shopcanineaesthete.com