Thrive Dog Training

14/07/2026

🚨 Why Are So Many Family Dogs Being Rehomed After Children Arrive?

One pattern I’ve been seeing more and more is families reaching out because their dog is struggling after the arrival of a baby, or the adorable but unpredictable energy of a young child is causing stress and anxiety.

This isn’t because the dog is “bad,” “jealous,” or because anyone has failed. It’s because, from the dog’s perspective, their entire world has changed.

A home that was once predictable may now be filled with crying, running, toys, visitors, interrupted routines, less quiet time, and understandably exhausted adults. For many dogs, especially those who value routine or are naturally more sensitive, that’s a huge adjustment.

At the same time, parents are trying to meet the needs of their children, keep everyone safe, work, manage the home, and somehow still give their dog the time, exercise, enrichment, and support they need. It’s a lot.

Sometimes, despite everyone’s best intentions, the dog becomes increasingly stressed. That stress might look like barking, hiding, reactivity, resource guarding, overexcitement, destructive behaviour, or simply withdrawing. Sadly, by the time many people reach out, they’re already considering rehoming because they don’t know what else to do.

The truth is that these situations are often preventable, or at least much easier to manage, when support is sought early.

Preparing your dog before a baby arrives, understanding canine stress signals, creating safe spaces, adjusting routines gradually, and having realistic expectations can make an enormous difference. And if your family has already grown, it’s never too late to put a plan in place that supports both your child and your dog

If your dog is finding family life overwhelming, or you’re expecting a baby and want to prepare your dog for the changes ahead, don’t wait until things reach crisis point. Get in touch and let’s work together to build a plan that supports your whole family, humans and dogs alike.

10/07/2026

🛑 Stop telling your dog "No." (Yes, really!)

We’ve all been there. Your pup is chewing a shoe, barking at the window, or jumping on a guest, and the first word out of your mouth is a sharp, automatic "NO!"

But here’s a quick training secret: Your dog doesn’t actually know what "No" means.

To a dog, "No" is just a noise we make when we're frustrated. It tells them what not to do, but it leaves them guessing on what they should be doing instead.

Think of it like being lost on the highway. If your GPS just yelled "WRONG!" every time you made a turn, but never gave you the actual directions, you'd get pretty stressed out, right? 🧭

The Fix: Flip the Script
Instead of trying to stop the bad behavior, ask yourself: "What do I want them to do instead?" Then, teach and reward that behavior.

❌ Don't just say "No" when they jump. ➡️ Tell them to "Sit" or "Go to place."

❌ Don't just yell when they bark at the door. ➡️ Teach a "Bring me a toy" cue (it's hard to bark with a tennis ball in your mouth!).

❌ Don't just chase them when they grab a sock. ➡️ Trade them for a high-value chew toy.

When you give your dog a clear job to do, the problem behaviors usually vanish on their own.

👇 Let’s test this out! What is the ONE annoying habit your dog does that always makes you want to yell "No"? Drop it in the comments below, and I’ll give you a "Do This Instead" alternative!

25/05/2026

🐾 ADOPTION APPEAL - PLEASE SHARE 🐾

Louie is in foster care in the Oxfordshire area.

At just a year old, Louie the Labradoodle has already been through more change than any young dog should. Despite this, he’s an incredibly loving, loyal and affectionate boy who is ready to find a calm, patient forever home where he can finally feel safe and secure.
Once Louie trusts you, he absolutely adores his people. He loves cuddles, forms strong bonds quickly, and is happiest by your side. He’s also bright, eager to learn and responding brilliantly to reward-based training in foster care — especially with his lead walking, where he’s already making fantastic progress.

Louie can feel nervous around unfamiliar people and situations, so he’s looking for a quieter home with kind adopters who will let him settle at his own pace. In return, you’ll gain the most devoted companion who simply wants to love and be loved.

🏡 Louie’s ideal home:
• Calm and patient environment
• Older children only (12+)
• Could live with another friendly dog
• No cats or small animals

This gorgeous boy truly deserves his second chance at happiness. If you think you could offer Louie the understanding and love he needs, please get in touch — his perfect ending could start with you ❤️

📩 Jenna: [email protected]
📞 07850 465077

https://www.onewishdogs.co.uk/louie

24/05/2026

You don't need me to tell you it’s warm, or to walk your dogs early to avoid the heat. You’re not stupid.

You might, however, want some tips on how to keep them entertained whilst having some more time at home. Enter enrichment. 🐶☀️

Enrichment isn’t just stuffing a Kong and hoping for the best. It’s giving your dog appropriate mental stimulation that taps into natural behaviours like sniffing, licking, shredding, problem solving and searching. The bonus? 15 minutes of brain work can tire a dog out more effectively than marching them around in dangerous temperatures.

A few easy enrichment ideas to try this week:

🐾 Scatter feeding in the garden or around the house instead of using a bowl
🐾 Freeze their meals in a lick mat, Kong or slow feeder
🐾 Make a “find it” game with treats hidden in towels, boxes or around a room
🐾 Give them safe things to shred like cardboard boxes or paper parcels
🐾 Short training sessions for tricks, positions or scent work
🐾 Paddling pools, frozen treats and supervised water play for cooling off
🐾 Snuffle mats and puzzle toys to encourage natural foraging

And remember, doing less physically during extreme heat doesn’t make you lazy or a bad owner. It makes you sensible!

Dogs do not need heatstroke to prove they’ve had a good day.

If you’d like more enrichment ideas tailored to your dog’s breed, age or energy levels, drop a comment below or send me a message, I’d love to help you build a summer routine that keeps your dog safe, fulfilled and happy. 🐕💛

12/05/2026

09/05/2026

09/05/2026

It’s all a balancing act.

Not just my Spaniel attempting to make it across a bench in our very questionable homemade agility course, held together with garden furniture, a broom, and my daughter’s play tunnel (permission was granted… eventually).

I’ve got two dogs with completely different needs. One is a 6-year-old working Cocker with the athletic ability of Simone Biles. The other is my roughly 10-year-old Staffy, who has a dodgy elbow and considers face-licks and naps a full-time hobby.

Enrichment is one of my biggest passions, and I honestly can’t overstate how important it is.

Yesterday we’d already had a lovely morning walk before I headed out for three client sessions. Later on, I had a little window of time with my dogs before the school run. I could’ve squeezed in another low-effort walk, stuck a podcast on, and called it a day… but was that actually what my dogs wanted or needed?

The Spaniel would’ve happily gone along, of course. But as my Staffy gets older, he’s far less interested in that second walk. So what do I do? Leave him at home while I take the Spaniel out? That doesn’t feel fair to me. Just because he can’t do as much physically doesn’t mean he should miss out. At the same time, the Spaniel absolutely needs both physical and mental stimulation.

So how do you balance it?

Enrichment activities.

I threw together a rough-and-ready agility course and taught Hazel to zoom around it for treats. You’ll notice two things from the video:

1. I am absolutely not an agility expert.
2. You do not need expensive equipment or specialist training to create something fun and engaging for your dog.

While I love food-based enrichment, there are so many other options, and some movement-based enrichment was exactly the right outlet for that afternoon.

While Hazel was tearing around the “course,” my Staffy was happily foraging through snuffle mats and long grass. Both dogs got species-appropriate enrichment tailored to them. We all got to spend time together, and my legs got a bit of a break after four hours on the go with clients.

Before automatically grabbing the lead and heading out for the sake of it, pause and ask yourself:
“Could I do more for my dog, instead of just doing more with my dog?”

Enrichment doesn’t have to be complicated. It doesn’t need fancy gear, expensive classes, or hours of prep. At its core, it’s simply about giving your dog safe, fulfilling outlets for natural behaviours.

And the benefits are huge:
• reducing unwanted behaviours
• building confidence
• encouraging relaxation
• strengthening your bond

If you’re unsure whether enrichment really matters, ask yourself this:

When you finish work, get the kids to bed, and finally sit down for the evening… do you just stare at the wall until bedtime?

Or do you read, listen to music, watch something you enjoy, exercise, socialise, create, learn, play?

We all need enrichment. Our dogs are no different.

Enrich your life, and enrich your dog’s life too.

And if you’d like help figuring out what your dog truly needs to feel fulfilled, give me a shout. We’ll work it out together.

07/05/2026