Anna Molloy - Hound and Handler

11/10/2026

Well said

Not a fan of bark collars, they don’t address WHY a dog is barking so likely the behaviour will manifest into something else instead

Also, we are we punishing communication?

Bark collars! I have had several conversations about these in recent weeks. And even saw a post on a local page when a poor escaped dog was wearing one. I cant imagine anything more awful for a panicked dog, being frantic, and every time it vocalised, it received a puff of lemon in the face, or a 'vibrate' 🙄 around it's neck.
So... will they stop your dog barking? Probably.
But seriously, can you imagine if every time you spoke, someone flicked your ear, punched you in the face or screamed at you through a megaphone. You'd soon stop talking / communicating at all. The collar can't tell the difference between an alert bark (someone coming to rob your house), a distressed and fearful bark where your dog may be asking for your help, or maybe a bark where your dog is asking you to come and play tug. Again 🙈
Dogs bark. We talk. They bark.
I get it... for a dog lady my tolerance for barking isnt great. One of the reasons i got a rottie 👌😉 They're quiet 👌
But... the question should be... why are they barking, rather than how can we stop it.
Please, please do not use these on your dogs. They are cruel - whether they 'hurt' or not.
Feel free to get in touch, and I'll help 🐾

09/10/2026

Benn had his second session this week to have a little look into his car manners and difficulty to settle

There’s a couple of ways to go about this, so we tried a few methods and taught a few training exercises, and by the end…. Not a peep!

It was lovely having a bit of peace and quiet 🤣

09/10/2026

The lovely Callie had a session focusing on fully proofing her recall today

Whilst her recall is good most of the time, that isn’t quite safe enough, so had a little look at technique and understanding why she is sometimes choosing to ignore her handlers and she LOVED the session!

She was super playful and engaged which was great to see 🤩

08/10/2026

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At Hound and Handler, we don’t believe that behaviours define your dog or your home.

We focus on practical, fair and science-led training that supports all of you.

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07/10/2026

🦮Trailing🦮

Last night we had a stomp around Sale to find some ‘missing’ people and pets!

Bruce and Bailey were adamant there were ‘missing’ people at B&V Trading and wouldn’t move from the door… either that or they could smell all those delicious treats! 😉

Bruce is progressing really well with his backtracks, he used to struggle when the scent ran out, but now he doesnt even bother exploring the difficulty! We’ll be practising some other difficulties now he’s perfected the backtracks!🤩

Bailey also did super well ignoring backtracks, even if she was busy trying to get into all the pubs and pet shops 😂 You could really see her think for herself tonight which was lovely, that nose didn’t stop! 😜

Lastly, Callie had her second session and is already confidently taking junctions, even unexpected ones with differing terrains! Amazing! Dogs often like habits, especially when they’re inexperienced, so confidently coming off an outdoor path to enter an indoor corridor was incredible! Fab to see 🥰

07/10/2026

Clover’s being a nob

But it isnt her fault

She’s very sore and she’s trying to cope, but she’s also acting on impulse because of her
lowered thresholds and tolerances

The past few days I’ve really noticed a difference and it’s been HARD. Thankfully I have lovely clients who are my emotional support system and let me rant about her antics 😂

Some things she’s doing that suggest pain;

LOTS of hunting. This is called Pseudo Predation and happens when a dog obsessively hunts to get the release of endorphins and stress hormones that make them feel better

Increased resource guarding. She’s stressed and is guarding her resting areas. She’s also on high alert because she isn’t comfortable

Pacing. She WILL NOT settle, not even a sit when I ask, instead she’ll move backwards or offer a down. She’s uncomfortable and sore, so moving and momentum helps ease the pain

Zoomies. It’s a misconception that only happy dogs get zoomies. Zoomies is merely a reaction to a sudden increase of hormones like adrenaline. Endorphins are also released. This can be a reaction to excitement, but also a release of build up of stress

Wonkiness. She’s very wonkey donkey at the minute. Her sit has a back right leg sticking out, she’s peeing with her weight shifted to the left, and her legs aren’t symmetrical in a down

But you know what? She isnt limping, there’s no obvious gait abnormality, she isnt crying or wimping. Nothing

This is why context matters because anyone would think she’s a happy, healthy dog but unfortunately at the minute, she isnt 😔

05/10/2026

Bruno the pug!

Bruno is only 10months old but is showing some behaviours we want to iron out before they become rehearsed and reinforced way into adulthood.

Did you know, dogs go through a period in adolescence where things can ‘suddenly’ become super scary, and the dog can become nervous, fearful and anxious? They’re known as fear periods and can vary from dog to dog

Anyway, ideally, any unwanted behaviours during this phase can become rehearsed, and so reinforced, so it’s important to nip it in the bud!

And that’s exactly what we did!

30/09/2026

Look at those ears!

Benn had his first session today to address his excessive barking. With his birthday tomorrow, we’re hoping to start a new year of new behaviours because a big boy at a big age should not be using quite a big voice all the time 🥴😂

He’s such a quick learner and made huge progress in just the first session, we can’t wait to see what we can iron out next week when we address his ability to settle in the car and manners on the lead 🦮

30/09/2026

I just want to highlight that dogs are legally required to be on lead within most cemeteries. Unfortunately a lot of cemeteries arent signed at all exits so many people don’t know.

But there seems to be an increase of dogs running over graves, and toileting up plants/gravestones. There’s also a big increase in dog faeces left on grassy verges and nearby graves where I imagine owners arent noticing their dogs toileting.

A different perspective is that owners of dogs who require space from other dogs have very limited places we can go. Having only pavements and cemeteries where our dogs can have an explore and sniff (respectfully sticking to paths etc) is becoming increasingly difficult (particularly with so many dogs being walked off lead on pavements too nowerdays?).

But just offering a different perspective, and maybe if you also want to enjoy a peaceful walk on the paths or reflect on the grounds, please could you consider treating the area respectfully by having your dog on lead and following the law 😌

ft Sassy and her extremely serious face for a serious matter

25/09/2026

🦮Trailing🦮

🎃MORE TRAILING DATES RELEASED🎃

October trailing dates have filled up fast, so two new dates have also been added to avoid disappointment

Sunday 11th October @ 10:30am in Didsbury (recreational parks)

Tuesday 20th October @ 19:00pm in Sale (residential)

🦮Trailing🦮

New dates for October trailing 🎃

Tuesday 6th October @ 18:45pm in Sale (residential) ‼️FULL‼️

Sunday 11th October @ 10:30am in Didsbury (parks) ‼️FULL‼️

Sunday 18th October @ 17:30pm in Urmston (residential) ‼️FULL‼️

Sunday 25th October @ 10:30am in Didsbury (parks) ‼️FULL‼️

Wednesday 28th October @ 19:00pm in Sale (residential) ‼️FULL‼️

£25 for 1.5/2hours

Any ability welcome