Dawn Carnell Dog Training

08/08/2023

Dawn Carnell Dog Training has relocated to
Cornwall.

04/07/2023

Averroes.
Yesterday I said goodbye to my boy, and it left yet another huge hole in my heart. Averroes was so special in many ways. Averroes came to live with me as he had a bite history, he was very reactive towards men and children, he also went for me, but that was my fault. I was told if he ever did anything again I was to have him PTS. Well we lived together for years, with no trouble.

Averroes to me on many journeys with his fears, but we were a team and he trusted me to keep him safe and to listen to his needs.
He slept at my feet or on my feet on the bed, he loved his cuddles and tummy rubs. He showed lots of affection and kisses. He was a best friend to me and he had a special bond with Lanaras, they were play buddies.

I would love to thank Averroes for being such a wonderful teacher and for sharing his life with me. He will never be replaced. I am going to miss him dearly.

Run free my boy ###

03/06/2023

I have joined this amazing group. The ethics are fantastic and it is all about how to help your dog by doing less. We put so much pressure on our dogs to be perfect, we constantly put them in situations that they are not happy with and expect them to cope. This group looks at how we as owners, trainers etc can help our dogs to build their own skill sets and to learn how to watch and listen to their communication/body language and to slow down. I learnt a hard lesson about stress levels that included both me and my dogs. The stressors were out of my control I had a few breakdowns and then I lost Medea. I blame what we went through for her loss as she suffers when I do and she went into acute heart failure one of those causes is high stress.

Please take a look at this group, I know I am learning loads and starting to change many things with me and my dogs.

https://www.slowdogmovement.org/?fbclid=IwAR1gmk2mk-xLFjLRLboipvJfKsj7W9hpIGNyu-xMGSKhOHnNxT5bsARPWI8

https://www.facebook.com/groups/slowdogmovement

11/04/2023

Medea
I have lost my best friend this morning. I have had my heart torn to shreds. Medea was taken ill suddenly, late last night but it became an emergency this morning.
I have had the honour of sharing my life with Medea. I can honestly say she was one in a million, she had taken me on many journeys in our short time together. She shared my pillow and made the top of the bed hers. She would remove my duvet and pillow. Lie on my head when I had a migraine. She tried to eat a frozen pizza and was caught on the worktop in the caravan with a sandwich in her mouth.
She hated the clicker, but she then loved it. Loved her tug toys and frisbee.
Would like people one day and not want to know them the next, a very complex little lady. But I adored everything about her.
My life will never be the same without her, she was my shadow.
Thank you Medea for coming to live with me, please never leave my side or heart. I will miss you so much it is going to be so empty without you here.
Run free my little one

08/04/2023

17/01/2023

10/01/2023

Proud to belong to Associations that are Members of such a great Organisation

24/12/2022

Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas, from Dawn, Socrates, Averroes, Theia, Medea, Electra and Lanaras xx

14/12/2022

My new puppy/ dog will not settle?

I have been there many times with my dogs and yes it is hard. But think about this we might have lived in our homes for a while, we are able to talk to someone who will listen, we are used to certain noises.

Our new dog/puppy does not know us, our routines, our home, the other members of our family, visitors, noises that we make or are in our outside our home. They do talk to us but do we as owners understand their communication. Should we not make it our priority to learn about it.

Now there is a Rule of 3 that I see posted on social media. But is it doing our dogs any favours as people like to work to time lines. I also see many posts on so many pages where people are asking for help as their new arrival is barking, growling, not listening, hiding, wont walk, lunges, whines, wont sleep in the crate, or is having toileting problems and they want the dog/puppy fixed asap.

Wow! what a lot for a new arrival to have to be good at as soon as they walk in through the door. It is so important to allow your new arrival time to settle. Now I will probably get some bad remarks on this, but here I go.

1. Your dog/puppy is an individual
2. Your dog/puppy has emotions and feelings
3. Do not do everything at once.
4. Allow your new arrival time to get used to you and your family before venturing out into the big wide world.
5. Start to listen to your dog/puppies needs. Growling, showing teeth, air snapping, hiding, whining, lack of appetite and toilet accidents are forms of telling you they are worried.
6. Sleep beside your new arrival, whether that is downstairs, upstairs. Remember some dogs/puppies have never seen a crate of could have bad associations with one.
7. Do not stand over them when they are eating and never, never try to take away their food bowl until they are finished and moved away.
8. Time scales will be set by your dog and their ability to build trust and develop their problem solving skills.
9. Do not rush to take them out for a walk, get them used to your garden, then go to a quiet area so you can get to know your dogs behaviours.
10. Allow your new arrival to get used to your routines and their new routines. Some might have been allowed access to food all day and you are now changing that.

Time will be your best asset in welcoming your new arrival. Remember that your dog/puppy will need to work at their pace.
Allowing your dog/puppy to settle is more important than training, Now that is a statement that I know people will not take too.
Why not training! well your dog/puppy is learning as soon as you pick them up, they are learning all the time, so give them a break, This is a stressful time for them and you so be kind.

13/12/2022

Responsibilities

Now this is an odd title for a dog trainer but it is so needed for so many reasons. Its about having a dog and meeting their needs.

Now I have long term depression, migraines, arthritis, anxiety, lack self worth etc, and I find some days are just way over my head. I don't want to get out of bed, see people, can't see due to migraines or lift my head off the bed. I want to shut myself away, keep the world away from me. It is a constant battle to do the easiest of tasks such as making a drink, eating, washing, getting out of bed you name it I can struggle with it.

I have a family of 6 dogs so I have to look after them, it is not their fault I am not coping, not well etc. They know I am not right I can see that in their behaviours which makes me sad and feel even worse because this is having an impact on them too.

Now I might not be in a good place, but I have to and must meet their needs. They have to have as normal a time as possible. I have to get up at a reasonable time and take them out to the toilet, it is after all a basic need. They have to be fed and I keep to a routine that they are used to, it might not be what I want to do but it is meeting their basic needs. There is no excuse for me not to do this, after all I took them on and made a commitment to look after them. They have to go out for walks, now mine love to sniff so that makes it easier for me as I let them do what they should be doing. We sometimes don't even walk that far, after all it is their walk not mine, they guide me to what they want to do. Take today Socrates wanted to sit and watch the birds and air scent so we did, even though it was cold I stood with him and watched too. the ground was not frozen today so all of mine took to sniffing the grass, leaves, branches, air they loved it.

Now my dogs are pets not working dogs so they do not have the added pressure of supporting me officially although they do anyway. When you have a dog that supports your needs whether you have sight, hearing, any health related issues, they deserve consistency and support back. They have added stress levels in their designated jobs. If these needs are not met this can affect your relationships and their abilities to do their jobs. They have ways of showing you they are not coping such as switching off, changes in behaviour, digestive disorders, changes in sleep, reactivity, looking at ways to cope, sniffing, chewing, avoidance of working, when working not being involved and distant.

So if your dog whether a pet or working dog has changes whether subtle or extreme, look at what affect your health and behaviour is having on them. There are always 2 sides to every story and we need to look at and investigate and not pass the blame onto one party. So even if you are in a bad place make sure that your dogs basic needs are met for their wellbeing.

09/12/2022

Preparation for Christmas

Now this time of year is fun, expensive, stressful, full of changes in our routines, more visitors, trees, decoration and new food.

Have you also remembered your pets. They are used to routines, and they find change hard.

Look at how you can help them

1. Provide them with a quiet area to go away from all the noise and people.
2. Keep to their routines as much as possible.
3. Advocate for your dog, don't allow everyone to stroke or pet them it should be your dogs choice to interact.
4. Listen and watch your dog for signs they are not coping, such as showing their teeth, walking away, over excitability, unable to relax, barking, pacing, sleeping less, growling. These are not things to be punished but a cry for help from your dog.
5. Put your presents out of reach, dogs like to investigate.
6. Chocolate is poisonous to dogs
7. Christmas cake, mince pies are dangerous.
8. Decorations such as tinsel, glass decorations, cables from lights can be dangerous.
9. Watch your drinks.
10. If they don't like the door bell, get people to message you on arrival.
11. Don't allow children to play with their toys
12. Don't allow anyone to interfere when they are eating, give them a quiet area.
13. Don't leave your dogs and children unsupervised.

I want you all to enjoy Christmas but just be mindful of your dogs