Dog Training with Laura Mars

16/10/2026

Your dog's recall isn't a test of how much they love you. ❤️🐾

Your dog can absolutely adore you and still find it difficult to come back when there's something far more interesting happening!

Don't get me wrong, having a kind, safe and predictable relationship with your dog will definitely help with recall. But when your dog doesn't respond, please don't take that as an indication of how much they love you.

A fascinating smell. Another dog. A squirrel. Something disappearing into the hedge.

Wowzers! That's like asking me to resist a bottle of w**e and a bag of crisps on a Friday night. 😂🍷

And let's face it, some of those things are pretty exciting when you're a dog!

It's easy to take it personally when your dog doesn't come back, especially when you've been working hard on their recall.

But rather than thinking, “Why won't they listen to me?”, try asking:

“What am I asking my dog to leave behind, and how much training have I done to help them learn to come away from things they find exciting?”

Because coming away from something exciting is a skill in itself.

And it's something I absolutely love helping dogs and their people learn. 💛

If you'd like some help with your dog's recall, you can book a free 15-minute Discovery Call with me.

🐾 Facebook: I'll pop the booking link in the comments.

🐾 Instagram: You'll find the booking link in my bio.

09/10/2026

The amazing Sarah Hedderly ❤️ 👇

One year ago today, something I'd spent an enormous amount of time writing, rewriting, worrying about and probably boring everyone around me talking about finally became a REAL BOOK.

And then I had to do the scary bit.

Let people read it. 😬

Fast forward a year and thousands of copies of Understand Your Border Collie are now sitting on bookshelves, coffee tables and bedside tables around the country — and beyond.

Some are probably pristine.

Others are dog-eared, highlighted and covered in notes.

And I suspect at least a few have Border Collie teeth marks in them. 😂

But what matters to me isn't really the number.

It's what those books represent.

Thousands of humans trying to understand their dogs a little better.

Because Border Collies aren't always easy.

They're clever.

Sensitive.

Observant.

Quick.

Instinctive.

Sometimes intense.

And very often several steps ahead of us!

But they're also extraordinary dogs.

And I genuinely believe that the more we understand WHY they behave as they do, the easier it becomes to build the relationship we wanted when we first brought that little bundle of black-and-white fluff home.

So today I'm celebrating.

And I also want to say thank you.

If you've bought my book, recommended it to someone, left a review, shared a post or simply told another Border Collie owner about it…

Thank you.

You've helped me get this message into more homes.

And if you've been thinking:

"I really must get Sarah's book…"

Today would be a particularly good day to finally do it!

My special first birthday bonuses are available until midnight tonight.

When you buy Understand Your Border Collie, you'll also be able to claim:

🎁 My exclusive birthday training

🎁 The downloadable Border Collie Training Planner

🎁 A free entry into the competition to win a place inside the Border Collie Academy

​Get the Book​
https://mybook.to/b5vGwFB

​Claim My Birthday Gifts​
https://courses.dingbattdogtraining.co.uk/uybc-bundle

After tonight, the book obviously isn't disappearing.

But the first birthday celebration — and these bonuses — are.

So if Understand Your Border Collie has been sitting on your mental "I'll get that one day" list…

Today's your day.

Happy Birthday to my little book.

And here's to helping even more people understand the wonderful dogs at the other end of their leads.

07/10/2026

Whose walk is it anyway? 🐾

Ultimately, it’s his walk.

Yes, I teach loose lead walking. Milo has excellent loose lead and heelwork skills. He can walk comfortably alongside me when he needs to.

But I also want to support my dog in being a dog.

He gets to sniff.
He gets to stop.
He gets to p*e — because let’s face it, we all need to p*e when we need to. 😂

And we go on choice and sniff walks, where Milo gets to have a say.

🐾 Which way we go
🐾 Where we stop
🐾 What he sniffs
🐾 How quickly we move
🐾 When he wants to change direction

Safety, the law and consideration for others always come first.

Where a lead is necessary, we use one.

And if the environment — or a dog’s current skill level — means being off lead isn’t appropriate, a long line can be a brilliant way to give them more freedom and choice safely.

Loose lead walking is an important life skill.

But it doesn’t need to be the purpose of every walk.

Sometimes Milo needs to walk with me.

Most of the time, I’m walking with him. 💛

After all, it’s his walk.

06/10/2026

Celebrating the YES moments! 🎉🐾

Jumping up has been a real struggle for this little pup, but after an online session, we made a few tweaks and focused on setting him and his pawrents up for success using reward-based methods.

And then this lovely update arrived. 🥰

An unexpected visitor came into the house, he greeted them without jumping up and then chose to go and settle on his mat.

It’s so important to notice and celebrate these moments, especially when something has felt difficult.

Happy guardian. Happy pup. And a very happy dog trainer! 💛

05/10/2026

Less miles. More moments.

Next time you’re out with your dog, try something a little different.

Sit down.

Don’t ask them to do anything. Don’t hurry them along. Just pause and see what happens.

Do they sniff? Watch? Come and sit beside you? Check in? Lie down?

This can be especially lovely for puppies, giving them time to take in new sights, sounds and smells without constantly moving on.

For adolescent dogs, those little pauses can help them slow down, regulate and decompress when the world suddenly feels very big and very interesting.

And for dogs of any age, it’s a simple way to create a little more space for observation, choice and connection.

Not every dog walk needs to be about distance. Sometimes the most valuable part is simply stopping long enough to notice what your dog notices.

So every now and then, forget how many steps you’ve done.

Less miles. More moments.

📍 Eggardon Hill, Dorset

04/10/2026

Meet Elsie. Possibly the best stooge dog ever. 🏆

Today she helped Merlin practise something that has historically been really hard for him:

Being around another dog and feeling safe.

We've spent weeks building the foundations — regulation, disengagement, connection — and helping his humans know when to stay, when to move and when Merlin needs more space.

Today we put it all together.

And Merlin?

Absolutely smashed it.

He noticed Elsie.
He disengaged.
He worked with his humans.
He coped when things changed.
He made brilliant choices.

And Julie and James got to practise everything we've been working towards with a real dog, safely and at Merlin's pace.

Which brings us to photo two...

Yes. It's only 2pm.
Yes. That's a glass of w**e.

Some sessions are worth celebrating. 🥂

Go on, Merlin. What a boy.

And huge thanks to Maisie and superstar Elsie for helping us today.

04/10/2026

Things we may not notice can add up.

Sometimes a dog’s reaction isn’t about one big thing. It can be lots of smaller experiences building up across the day — a noisy walk, a stranger getting too close, another dog appearing, being tired, being startled.

Each thing on its own might seem manageable, but together they can become too much.

So when your dog suddenly seems to struggle more than usual, it can help to think about what else has happened today rather than only looking at the moment in front of you.

Sometimes the reaction is simply the final little bit in a much bigger picture.

02/10/2026

Sometimes they just need a minute to take it all in.

No rush. No agenda. Just a bit of space to look, sniff and be.

Happy weekend, everyone

Love from Milo & Laura ❤️

30/09/2026

My dog clients love these treats so simple to bake with no hidden extras give it a go and let me know if your dog loves them