A&S Dog Walking & Pet Visits

22/07/2025

This article is very clear about how heat stroke happens in dogs. It also explains that if dogs are already in a very warm house and then go for a walk even in the shade, this can escalate heat stroke.

Once we notice the signs of heat stroke it is very often too late.

Please understand when a dog walker is concerned about walking your dog even in 22 degrees coming from your home that can sometimes be very warm, please trust their judgement. It could honestly save your dogs life

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18/07/2025

This post is painful because many dogs live their lives trying to avoid leash corrections, shocks, pain in their neck, harsh stares & being shouted at only to face it all again the next day.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19BiY2vmua/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Did you ever have a teacher you couldn’t stand? Now, imagine living with them and feeling that way all the time.

Don’t be that person to your dog. Be the inspiring teacher who boosts confidence, helping your dog thrive under your guidance.

18/07/2025

One to One Puppy classes in the comfort of your own home.

Choose from a one off problem solving session, this might be linked to crate or toilet training, puppy teething, biting or even sometimes just going out on your puppies first dog walk, to give some guidance and advice.

You can also choose from a course of 4 or 6 classes which will give you a really good introduction into a selection of life skills for your new puppy.

These life skills may include

Toilet & or crate training
Recall
Wait
Down
Hand touch
Drop
Leave it
Settle
loose lead
Under the legs
Body language
Husbandry tasks such as grooming & handling.

Of course if you choose a booking of 4 you won't be able to learn all of the above but we can pick and choose the ones that will be most valuable for your puppy depending on their breed and your life style.

You can message me on here or contact me at

Solo dog walking, canine behaviour consultations, puppy training and pet visiting services within Aylesbury.

15/07/2025

Today we have started a subscription to Different Dog for Hend. Having changed him from raw completes to Boost last year, although we were really happy with the actual food itself we were having quite a lot of issues with boxes being incomplete, items missing & food not coming frozen. So we’ve decided to give Different Dog a try instead. First impressions, great delivery, good packaging & cardboard cartons which i prefer over flimsy plastic.

The introduction cost was £45 and they will last Hend 2 weeks. I think normal fortnightly cost will be about £65 which I’m quite happy with.

12/07/2025

This week it was about keeping everyone safe cool & hydrated 💦

12/07/2025

HOT WEATHER & AN INCREASE IN BITE RISK 🥵

We've had some very hot weather recently in the UK, and for many parts of the UK- the next three days are going to be scorchio!

It's important to be aware that being too hot can lower thresholds for tolerance and overt reactions- and not just in 'reactive' dogs.

And not just in dogs!

There's a correlation between human riots and an increase in crime during a significant rise in temperature (27 to 32 degrees).
It is well established that in people, heat stress causes irritability and an increased likelihood of aggressive behaviour.

Being hot and bothered is a physical stressor - the body works hard to return to homeostasis.

Cognitive processes can be negatively affected. So if your dog is not responding to as they would normally, consider the effects of heat.

Furthermore- being too hot can interfere with a dog's ability to rest and sleep. During rest and sleep, stress is lowered, and subsequently compromised rest and sleep affects behaviour.

This can affect (lower) the dog's threshold for emotional stress.


🐕 Two unfamiliar dogs meeting while both are hot and bothered is less likely going to result in a healthy interaction. Now is the time to largely keep yourselves to yourselves on walks, or monitor the body language of both dogs very carefully.

🏡 Extra caution should be taken in situations that your dog may struggle with, such as around visitors to the home.

🧒 But the greatest caution of all should be taken around up-close interactions in ALL dogs, especially those who live children.

Remember these basic safeguarding rules;

1. No faces near faces.

2. Let sleeping dogs lie.

3. Do not forcefully take resources (toys, food or anything the dog has found/picked up) off a dog.
Children should never take things off a dog.

4. Do not 'box dogs in' with your interaction.

- Always ensure they can easily move away by not blocking a dog's ability to move forward/away (for example, wrapping your arms around to hug a dog front on makes it near impossible for them to easily disengage).

- The safest way to interact is to invite a dog to come to you.
Alternatively, if you do approach then do so when they are awake and instead of swooping straight in with strokes- wait for them to signal to you they are keen for an interaction.

- Stop stroking after 2-3 seconds, and see if your dog communicates to you they would like more, or if they are done.
This is called the consent test, and it's something all children (and adults) should be aware of.


Most people who get bitten by a dog know the dog well, didn't think their dog would ever bite someone and didn't see the bite coming.

Most dog bites are on faces and hands of someone close to the dog, and this tells us a lot about what the person was LIKELY doing (Note, there are always exceptions).


As I always say to my clients ......

🗣️ Never take your dog's current level of tolerance for granted.

10/07/2025

Great team work without tools

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1VNHVqyDbP/?mibextid=wwXIfr

05/07/2025

My week…..

01/07/2025

And breath! What an awlful few days of weather we’ve had. This is where our lovely dog has landed for the past few days. I cancelled all the dog walks (a few very early ones) walk & trains, puppy classes and training one to ones. Someone asked why did you cancel the puppy classes & training one to ones when it’s in someone’s house or garden?

Of course the first one is because of the risk of heat stroke, it can happen in a garden. Heat stroke can creep up so quickly especially when very humid. Remember once we have finished the lesson, class, unless you live in a house completely air conditioned there is nowhere cool to settle after your dog, puppy has exerted some extra energy. They stay feeling hot, bothered & I don’t feel that’s a very positive experience for our pups.

The other reasons are that we are all feeling a bit grouchy having limited sleep, being dehydrated, feeling like we don’t really want to eat and want to just chill out and settle. Some of us just want to be left alone. I’ve been sleeping in the spare room as other body & dog heat is just too much! Hend soon follows but he stays at the end of the bed as he’s hot too!

Surprisingly our dogs are no different to us, they are also feeling out of sorts & in this state of mind their ability to learn & process information is lessened by these humid conditions.

So hoping that the temperature drops overnight and the predicted lower temperatures tommorrow is accurate so classes & one to ones can resume. 🤞🤞

30/06/2025

A great video about the concept of Neutrality in dog training.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1JG44xu4Fh/?mibextid=wwXIfr