Ruff Pooch

Call Directions Website Contact the business

Ruff Pooch Qualified dog trainer using force-free, science-based methods. I also offer individual dog walking adapted to each dog’s needs.

I offer tailored 1:1 training, adolescent dog support (and dedicated adolescent dog course) and scentwork training. Ruff Pooch Training and Dog Walking is all about what’s best for you and your dog to live a happy life together. Understanding each other is key that helps you build a bond between you and your pooch and is a first step for your dog to gain life skills he or she needs in the human world. My dog walks are sniffaries that will keep your pooch happy and fulfilled while in a good care of certified dog trainer who understands their individual needs.

10/08/2026

Overexcitement? Jumping up?

Not anymore 😀

Frankie nailed his training 💪

Music is a celebration, really made me smile 😀

Frankie's parents contacted me needing some help with his big emotions. Super friendly ball of fur didn't quite understand how big and heave he is.

Additional challenge was that Frankie couldn't have the usual outlets for his big boy energy, as he was struggling with pain. He couldn’t exercise a lot, long walks were not an option.

We worked with Frankie on polite greetings, emotional regulation, recall (when he was feeling better).

Frankie was super excited when I came for my first home visit

The video I'm sharing, is when I came to see Frankie when he was home by himself (his parent requested that).
Frankie absolutely nailed it.

He wasn't jumping up, he was saying hello in a safe, lovely way and there was no management of his big emotions anymore.

Frankie regulated himself - he learned how to stay happy but calm 💕

Same dog, safer greetings (those with big dogs know what that means)

I couldn't be prouder of Frankie and his parents. It's their work that mattered the most. Incredible dedication.

Frankie joined my Teen tails course to train alongside other teenage dogs now to strengthen his awesome skills.

I'm looking forward to seeing even more progress in his training.

02/08/2026

Meet Emrys, amazing Labradoodle who came to Teen Tails course to work on recall, lead walking and focus.

This is Emrys' recall in the last session of the course. He smashed it! 💪

I'm on the floor, distracting him with a squeaky toy. He gets interested but when called, immediately turns away and runs to his mum and dad.

This is what we want recall to be.

Your dog learns that the exciting thing is less rewarding than what you have to offer. It requires a lot of work. And Emrys' parents did a brilliant job.

This is what we do in Teen Tails course for teenage dogs.

We work on:

🐾Disengagement from distractions

🐾Focus

🐾Recall

🐾Jumping up

🐾Lead walking

🐾 And so much more.

Emrys, by the end of the course was beautifully disengaging from me and another dog, happily working with his mum and dad - strengthening his skills. He is the sweetest, good boy, full of beans and love.
We just needed to give him some guidance to help him understand how to navigate in the human world.

You can see for yourself what his parents say about Teen Tails course here on in their Google reviews.

Get in touch to book your space in Teen tails course for adolescent dogs (5 to 18 months) starting in September.

27/06/2026

Look at those teenagers lerning to catch treats and focus on their handlers.

Adolescent dogs are likely to struggle to focus, especially around distractions.

Flactuating hormones in their body make it really hard to stay in the thinking part of the brain.

These two boys here are a wonderful example of how fun catch is for dogs and how it helps to channel attention on you, even though there's an amazing play mate right next to you pup.

Get in touch to book your place on Teen Tails course. A dedicated course for junior dogs 🐾

̇nstagram

12/04/2026

Another busy environment clip…

Here’s Alf waiting for his pup cup in a busy café (sound on 🔊)

One of the most valuable skills you can teach your dog for places like this is “settle.”
For most dogs, that starts with treats…

But Alf? He couldn’t care less about food 😅

What does help him stay calm is touch 🤍
The warmth of my hand, gentle pressure on his chest, or simply holding his paw.
It’s his way of feeling grounded.

This didn’t happen overnight.
We’ve been building this for a long time.

I didn’t expect perfection straight away — instead, I set him up to succeed:
✔️ Starting in quieter times
✔️ Keeping things easy
✔️ Gradually adding more challenge

Every dog is different — the key is understanding what they find rewarding.

Imagine your dog relaxing with you in a café or pub ☕🐶
It’s absolutely possible.

Drop me a message and let’s make it happen 💬

09/04/2026

Busy environments, it's a tough one!

Alf can get overwhelmed very easily, so it was importamt to me to get him used to busy places. It's work in progress, largely because we prefer nature walks, but I still want him to be capable of walking around busy streets etc.

This sort of work needs to be done at your dog's pace.
Sounds, smells, people, other dogs and it all is moving fast!
That is soo much to process for your pooch.

Start easy
Short walk when there's not much happening around
Gradually build on that
Take high value treats
Reward calmness, check-ins

As you can see pup-cup is an amazing reward for Alf.
He is still looking around, but then happily comes back to his puppucino 😊🐾☕️

Get in touch if you'd help in getting your pup used to places like this.📨

29/03/2026

What is it?

A fear period is temporary (often between 6–18 months). Dogs become more sensitive to new or even familiar things.
Unlike the first fear period in puppyhood, this secondary fear phase isn't fixed. This means it comes and goes, while your dog is maturing during their teenage years.

What you might notice:

• Sudden fear of objects, people, or places they were fine with before

• Increased barking or reactivity

• Hesitation on walks

• Clinginess or withdrawal

What NOT to do:

❌ Don’t force them to “face their fears”

❌ Don’t punish fearful behavior



What TO do instead:

✔ Give them space and time to process

✔ Keep experiences safe and low-pressure

✔ Stay calm and patient

✔ Use positive reinforcement (treats, praise) when your dog is brave, do not lure towards a scary thing



This phase is temporary—but how you handle it can shape your dog’s confidence long-term.

Sascha in the video isn't happy. She's vigilant, she's investigating and keeps checking if the scary thing (bcak, plastic bag) isn't after her.
I gave her time and space to create more distance on her own terms 🐾🧡

🐶 Be their safe place



Alf had an operation on Friday.It went well, and he’s now recovering at home with his “recovery llama” from his dad 💜He ...
22/03/2026

Alf had an operation on Friday.

It went well, and he’s now recovering at home with his “recovery llama” from his dad 💜

He had to go under general anaesthesia, which, to be honest, was really scary for us. The surgery itself wasn’t very complicated, and I knew it would most likely go well—but that didn’t make it any less worrying.

Seeing how much he trusts us, how small and vulnerable he looked as he fell asleep… it hit me hard for a moment.

Some people say dogs aren’t our babies. And sure, they’re not human—but that doesn’t mean we love them any less.

I love this little guy so much. I still remember the wave of emotion I felt the first time I saw him. I’d never felt anything like it before, and I still feel it now. It’s one of the most beautiful experiences you can imagine.

Recovery is going okay. He’s pretty frustrated with his little bandage, and his tail is a bit sore. We’re managing with calming herbal spray, pheromones, and pain meds—which Alf gets to take with a small bit of vanilla ice cream.

I just want to send lots of love to all of you.

Spend time with your dog. Go on adventures. Play.

And when things get hard, for whatever reason, take a step back and go slow.

Remember, you and your dog share something special. It’s a relationship built on feeling safe, happy, and loved.

Take care of your little fur baby—and take care of yourself, too. ❤️🐾

18/03/2026

Look at that recall 🐾💪

And how happy Alf is

The simple act of him coming back to me is rewardimg to Alf

He is not food motivated at all

So he is not coming back for sausage here

Just pure joy of being together 💚🐾

How did I do that?

My focus was on:

Building trust

Exploring together

Having andventures

Understanding his body language

Get in touch if you'd like recall like that 📨😊

15/03/2026

Explore!

Go on an adventure

Don't just follow the path (when safe)

Dogs looove exploring with you

This will show them how amazing it is to stay around you

It won't magically fix your lead walking

But...

It is easy, fun and leaves you and your dog so, sooo satisfied 💚🐾🌲

Alf totally nailed this one, look at them floppy ears! 😁 This selfie is not a random set of events It's a set of three d...
13/03/2026

Alf totally nailed this one, look at them floppy ears! 😁

This selfie is not a random set of events

It's a set of three different skills

No 1 Climb - really fun trick, great for parkour too 🐾💪

No 2 Wait - one of the most useful skills you can teach

No 3 Wait in climb - that one is not easy 😅

Get in touch if you want to learn how to teach your dog take pictures with you 📨

Address

Swindon

Telephone

+447840407589

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ruff Pooch posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Ruff Pooch:

Shortcuts

Share

Category