4 Furry Paws Dog Training

26/09/2026

How fast should your dog come back to a whistle recall? 🐾

It depends on where they are, what has caught their attention, and how much you’ve practised together.

In this video, Mixie and Raven had gone farther ahead than I was comfortable with, especially near a junction in the forest. Exploring and following a scent are natural behaviours, but I needed them back with the group for everyone’s safety.

This is the recall in real time: 1 minute and 45 seconds for both dogs to return.

When they reach me, they get praise and a warm welcome. I want my dogs to know that coming back to me is always a good choice. 💛

We’ll keep practising—and I’ll keep paying attention to how far ahead they go.
training.with.nicole

26/09/2026

Body Language - Checking In & Recall

People sometimes see my dogs off leash in the forest and assume I’ve just let them run free with no control or manners. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

I have large dogs, including restricted breeds. Getting to the point where they could enjoy that freedom took years of practice.

We started with everyone on leash. Then I worked with one dog at a time on recall. Next came long lines, a little more space, and more recall practice. Eventually I let the long lines trail while we kept working, and we built up to a whistle recall.

I didn’t take them into the forest, unclip the leads and hope they’d come back. We still practise throughout every walk.

My dogs don’t go far ahead. We move together as a group, and they check in with me. I choose where and when we walk carefully: I have permission to use the area, I choose paths where I can see ahead, and I call everyone back before we go around a corner.

And if one of my dogs is too wound up to check in and respond that day? They go back on the leash. They might settle and try again later, or their next off leash walk might be another day.

Off leash freedom is something we’ve worked hard for. It comes with practice, good choices and knowing when to clip the lead back on. 🐾

25/09/2026

Non dog related post, it might not seem like a huge difference, but I have lost 19 kilos over the last few months.

I’d give the credit to the unbelievable stress I have encountered over the last few months, but that would put attention on the wrong thing.

A few months into using peptides, I feel more like myself again.

I have more energy for everyday life, and I feel better in my overall health.

That change has meant so much more to me than anything I can see in a photo. 💚

23/09/2026

SORRY, NOT SORRY 🐾

A few things I refuse to feel guilty about as a dog trainer and companion dog guardian…

🐾 All of my dogs who have legs walk the same distance.

We practise recall.
We practise “touch.”
We work on engagement and communication while we’re outside.

But I also allow my dogs to be bored.

I stop and let them sniff. I let them take in their environment. Not every second of a walk needs to be training, entertainment or enrichment.

🐾 I don’t pressure myself to “go the distance.”

If I need to get my steps in, I can take my own walk. My dogs’ walk doesn’t need to become my fitness challenge.

🐾 I don’t panic and leash my dogs every single time we meet another dog in the forest.

For me, that would be far too much restriction.

I understand canine body language. I know my own dogs, I watch the dogs around us, and I act accordingly.

🐾 I don’t automatically label another dog “vicious” or “aggressive” because they bark at my dogs.

Sometimes dogs bark. Sometimes mine bark back.

A bark is communication — it’s information that needs context.

We live in a society where humans and companion animals have to coexist, yet side-eyeing, muttering under our breath and judging every interaction seems to have become the norm.

Dogs are incredibly skilled at reading one another’s body language. Our responsibility is to learn to read our own dogs and build enough engagement and communication that they know they can look to us for help when they need it.

Train your dog.
Understand your dog.
Advocate for your dog.
And also… let them be a dog.

🌲 Enjoy the forest.
It’s free, it’s good for the head, and sometimes the best thing we can do is stop worrying about doing everything “right” and simply enjoy being outside together.

Sorry, not sorry. 🐾🌲

16/09/2026

10/09/2026

‼️ STILL MISSING‼️

Raya is still missing from the Santry area of Dublin. She is neutered.

Although Raya is very friendly, please do not approach her as she might get spooked. Instead please take note of the area she was in, direction she was heading and the time and contact one of the numbers below.

Please share 🐾

10/09/2026

📣 PRACTICE, PRACTICE… AND PRACTICE AGAIN!

A little whistle recall practice on our everyday walk 🐾

It’s always important to practise — even on the ordinary daily walks.

Our pet dog companions learn through repetition, practice, engagement and understanding what we’re actually asking of them.

A recall cue — whether that’s a word a hand movement or a whistle — only works if the dog has first learned what that cue means.

🏠 Start inside the house where it’s easy.
🌿 Then move outside.
🐕 Gradually add different environments and distractions.
🔁 And keep practising!

Don’t wait until you desperately NEED your recall to find out whether your dog understands it.

And remember…

Our pet dogs aren’t on display. They’re not being judged or given points for their performance.

We can make mistakes.
Our dogs can make mistakes.
Training doesn’t have to look perfect.

What matters is that we keep learning, keep practising and keep going — regardless of what the negative voices around us have to say.

Build the skill.
Practise the skill.
Then practise it some more. 💚🐾

EverydayDogTraining PetDogTraining DogTrainingTips TrainTheDogInFrontOfYou GalwayDogs

07/09/2026