Muddy Trails dog coaching

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Muddy Trails dog coaching

Welcome to Muddy Trails
🎓certified dog trainer
🦮specialist in reactivity, gundog & scent work

02/06/2026

Do you actually know what’s rewarding for your dog? 🤔🐾

Many people assume food is the ultimate reward. And for a lot of dogs, it is. But not all food is created equal.

Does your dog work harder for chicken, beef, cheese, liver, fish, or something else entirely?

And what if your dog isn’t food-motivated at all?

Maybe their biggest reward is a tennis ball, a tug toy, a flirt pole, a game of chase, or the opportunity to sniff and explore.

The key isn’t using a reward.

The key is using the right reward.

The more valuable the reward is to your dog, the more motivation they have to engage with you, learn, and make good choices.

A dog that will ignore kibble might do anything for a piece of roast chicken.

A dog that turns their nose up at treats might light up the moment you pull out their favourite toy.

Reward is personal.

So ask yourself:

👉 What does my dog truly love?
👉 Have I tested different rewards?
👉 Am I using what motivates my dog most in that moment?

The better you understand your dog’s currency, the more successful your training will be.

What’s your dog’s ultimate reward? Let me know below! 👇🐾

15/05/2026

Humans are masters at camouflage.

I remember working as a nurse after an intense shift on the ward… I could walk into the toilet, cry for 10 minutes, pull myself together, wipe my face and walk back out like nothing happened. Most people would never know.

We learn to hide pain.To mask fear.To pretend we are “fine.”

Dogs don’t do that.

Dogs don’t present fake emotions to make others comfortable. They don’t smile when they’re overwhelmed or suppress their feelings to fit social expectations.

When a dog is scared, stressed, worried or uncomfortable… they show it. Honestly. Genuinely.

And somehow humans punish them for that honesty.

A growl, a bark, avoidance, reactivity — these are not acts of manipulation or “bad behaviour.” They are communication. They are the dog telling the truth about how they feel in that moment.

Maybe instead of expecting dogs to suppress themselves the way humans do, we should learn to listen to what they’re trying to say. 🖤

14/05/2026

People confuse a “friendly dog” with an over socialised dog all the time 👀🐾

A genuinely friendly dog:
✔️ can greet politely
✔️ can walk away calmly
✔️ respects boundaries
✔️ can disengage when asked
✔️ doesn’t feel entitled to every dog or person

An over socialised dog?
❌ thinks every dog exists for interaction
❌ gets frustrated when they can’t greet
❌ pulls, whines, stares or lunges to say hello
❌ struggles to regulate emotions around dogs
❌ often has very poor social skills despite being called “friendly”

That’s not confidence.
That’s dependency on interaction.

A truly socialised dog is neutral most of the time.
Calm.
Able to exist around the world without needing access to everyone in it.

We’ve normalised chaotic “friendly” behaviour for so long that people forget emotional regulation is actually the goal.

Your dog does not need 100 dog friends.
Your dog needs emotional stability, safety and the ability to make good choice

10/05/2026

I absolutely adore rescue dogs.
Especially overseas rescues.

But would I recommend a foreign rescue to everyone?

No. 🐾

And I think that shocks people when they hear it.

Because getting a dog should never be about proving a point online or to society.
Not to look morally superior.
Not to gain validation.
Not to fit an image.

A dog is a living being, not a statement.

Overseas rescues can come with trauma, genetic unknowns, health risks, cultural/environmental adjustment and behavioural struggles people may not be prepared for. Some dogs adapt beautifully. Others find modern life incredibly difficult.

Love alone does not prepare someone for the reality of it.

Some of these dogs have survived things most people cannot imagine. They may struggle with handling, urban environments, confinement, frustration, visitors, traffic, noise, dogs, people or simply existing in a completely different world to the one they were born into.

That does not make them “bad dogs.”
It makes them dogs trying to survive in a world that often makes no sense to them.

The same goes for UK rescues too. Rescue can be incredibly rewarding, but many dogs come with complex behavioural or medical needs people are not prepared for.

And ethical breeders? Good breeders are preserving health, temperament and breed purpose. A well-bred dog with predictable genetics and proper early development can genuinely be the right choice for many homes.

The real issue was never where the dog came from.
It’s whether humans fully understand what they are taking on.

Questions matter more than judgement:
• Does the dog fit your lifestyle?
• Can you meet their needs?
• Are you emotionally and financially prepared?
• Do you understand the breed or background?
• Are you prepared for possible behavioural struggles?
• Are you choosing the dog for the right reasons?

Sometimes the most ethical choice is the one that sets BOTH the human and dog up for success.

The dog world needs less judgement and more honest conversations 🖤

08/05/2026

One of the biggest mistakes I see with pet gundogs is guardians trying to stop natural behaviours instead of teaching dogs how to use them correctly 🐾

These breeds were designed to work closely with humans, use their nose, problem solve and stay active. When we give them appropriate outlets, training becomes SO much easier 🎯

A fulfilled dog will always learn better than a frustrated one 👌

What breed do you own? 👀👇

04/05/2026

Giving treats to other people’s dogs… let’s talk about it 🐾

we walk in somewhere…
dog goes up to say hello…
people smile, kneel down… and give a treat

most of the time, people do ask
and i know it comes from a good place 🤍

“your dog is so sweet”
“they deserve a treat”

and yes… it probably does make their day better

but here’s the thing 👇

most dogs don’t need extra treats
they’re already fed, already rewarded

what they don’t need… is strangers becoming even more valuable than they already are

because people are already exciting to dogs
that’s why they go up to them in the first place

now add food into the mix…
and suddenly every person = jackpot 🎰

and that’s when the problems start

➡️ dogs pulling towards every stranger
➡️ ignoring their handler
➡️ expecting interaction every single time
➡️ frustration when they don’t get it
➡️ bigger reactions over time

and this is where it really matters…

for some dogs, this doesn’t just stay “cute”

it turns into over arousal
it turns into lack of boundaries
it turns into behaviour that people later say is “out of nowhere”

when really… it’s been reinforced all along

and then there’s the other side 👇

what about the dogs who are nervous?
what about the dogs in training?
what about the ones learning to ignore people?

one random treat can undo a lot of work

and let’s not forget…
not everyone likes dogs
not everyone wants one running up to them

we don’t want dogs learning that every human is for them

because the real world doesn’t work like that

and i get it… i really do

i feel bad saying no sometimes too
so i changed how i ask 👇

instead of:
“can i give your dog a treat?”

i say:
“would you like them to have one, or would you rather not?”

it gives the guardian an easy out
no pressure, no awkwardness

because respecting the handler matters more than feeding the dog

and honestly…
the best thing you can give someone’s dog isn’t food

it’s space
it’s neutrality
it’s calm energy

that’s what actually helps them

so yeah…
who else is with me on this? 👀

Address

Portsmouth

Website

https://muddytrails.wixsite.com/my-site

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