Pawsitive Training

30/05/2026

📦🐾 Destruction Box Fun 🐾📦

Who says enrichment has to be complicated? 💖

A destruction box is simply a box filled with safe treasures like smaller boxes, newspaper, toys and treats for your dog to rummage, sniff, shred and discover! 📰🎁👃

This type of enrichment taps into natural dog behaviours like foraging, scavenging, sniffing and problem solving. It’s especially loved by terriers, hounds, gundogs and any dog who enjoys using their nose and brain 🐶✨

Enrichment activities like this can help provide mental stimulation, build confidence, encourage species appropriate behaviours and give energetic minds a positive outlet 💖

If your dog is likely to eat cardboard, try hiding treats in layers of cabbage or lettuce leaves instead 🥬 It’s a great shredding alternative and just as much fun!

As you can see, my two 14 year old Border Terriers are still proving that enrichment has no age limit! 🐾💖

29/05/2026

Recall training for high prey dogs 🐶

Eddie has been working hard with predation substitute training, learning how to use his predatory motor pattern safely after having a history of chasing deer and killing rats 🐀

Alongside this, we have conditioned the sound of the whistle with his toy to help reinforce recall, but also give him that outlet for chasing which he loves 💖

At the moment, we don’t want recall to become an aversive and use it around prey, we want to practice it alongside teaching Eddie to disengage from deer or tracking 🦌

Prey doesn’t mean leave and avoid, it means working with the predatory motor pattern🐾
Don’t suppress prey drive, work with it!

All done with force and fear free methods ✨

27/05/2026

Training recall and predation behaviours with puppies isn’t about “stopping” instincts, it’s about teaching them how to work through them safely and successfully 💛

This session with Frankie (5 month old terrier cross) shows exactly why we train UNDER threshold first.

Learning can only happen when a dog feels safe enough to think, process and make choices.

Frankie already knows her marker word “YES”, has started recall training, and has learnt the engage/disengage game so now we’re building on those foundations gradually and fairly.

What makes this harder for Frankie is her breed traits and learning history. Terriers were bred to complete the predatory motor pattern:
Orient → Eye → Stalk → Chase → Grab Bite → Kill Bite → Dissect → Consume

And with terriers we often also see the “shake” behaviour during grab bite.

The important thing to remember is this:
Predatory behaviour is natural, normal and self-reinforcing. Frankie has already practised completing this sequence by catching a rat and even recently finding a rabbit carcass before filming this session.

That means these behaviours are highly rewarding to her, so changing emotional responses and creating new habits takes TIME.

Rather than constantly recalling her away from prey and creating frustration/conflict, we’re focusing on reinforcing the EARLY parts of the sequence:
👀 Watching
👃 Sniffing
🐾 Tracking
💡 Choosing to disengage and check back in

You’ll see us marking and rewarding those moments of calm observation and natural check ins. We want Frankie to learn that engaging with her human is part of the process, not the end of the fun.

We’re also giving appropriate outlets for those natural instincts through:
✔️ Tug games
✔️ Destruction boxes
✔️ KONGs
✔️ Scatter feeding
✔️ Treat balls
✔️ Enrichment activities

Force and fear free training is not about suppressing behaviour through punishment or intimidation. It’s about understanding the dog in front of you, meeting their needs, and teaching skills in a way that builds trust and emotional regulation.

For dogs like Frankie, progress isn’t linear but every calm check in

26/05/2026

26/05/2026

Not sure where to start with dog training, overwhelmed by all the conflicting advice online, or wanting to find out more about how force and fear free training works? 🐶✨

Maybe your dog pulls on the lead, ignores recall, reacts to other dogs, chases everything that moves, struggles being left alone, or has suddenly hit the adolescent stage where they seem to have completely forgotten how to listen 🙈

Book a FREE 20 minute discovery call with Pawsitive Training 💛

This is a relaxed, no pressure phone call where we can chat about your dog, the behaviours you’re struggling with, your goals, and which support option would best suit both you and your dog 🐕

My services include personalised force and fear free dog training and behaviour support across West Sussex, including 1-2-1 sessions, behaviour assessments, and supportive packages with WhatsApp support ✨

Support available for:
🐾 Puppy training & socialisation
🐾 Adolescent dog support
🐾 Recall & lead walking
🐾 Reactivity & barking
🐾 Resource guarding
🐾 Predation & chasing behaviours
🐾 Separation anxiety
🐾 Rescue dog support
🐾 Confidence building
🐾 Impulse control & over arousal
🐾 Vet visits & grooming handling
🐾 Nervous or anxious dogs

My approach focuses on both learning and emotional wellbeing using kind, science based methods 🧠🐾

This includes:
🐾 Operant conditioning, rewarding behaviours we want to see more of
🐾 Classical conditioning, helping dogs create positive emotional associations with situations they currently find stressful or overwhelming
🐾 Looking at your dog’s emotional state, stress levels, breed traits, environment, and individual needs rather than simply suppressing behaviours

Because training isn’t just about obedience. It’s about helping dogs feel safer, calmer, and more confident while improving everyday life for both of you 💛

With 10 years of experience working in rescue, veterinary practice, daycare, boarding, and training, I understand how important personalised support and realistic training plans are ✨

Book your FREE discovery call here 🐶👇

https://calendly.com/kathypawsitivetraining/discovery-call

📍 West Sussex
📧 [email protected]
📞 07888262417

This is a 20 minute ONLY discovery call. This does not include any training plans.If you wish to find out more on how Pawsitive Training works check out on social media and YouTube.

25/05/2026

☀️🐶 Hot weather is here and while we all enjoy a bit of sunshine, the heat can be extremely dangerous for our dogs.

Dogs can overheat very quickly, even on walks that seem “not too hot” to us.

🚨 Signs of heat stroke in dogs
🐾 Excessive panting
🐾 Drooling more than usual
🐾 Bright red gums or tongue
🐾 Vomiting or diarrhoea
🐾 Weakness or wobbling
🐾 Confusion or disorientation
🐾 Collapse
🐾 Glazed eyes or appearing distressed

⚠️ If you suspect heat stroke
✅ Move your dog somewhere cool immediately
✅ Offer small amounts of cool water
✅ Pour cool water over paws, tummy, and body
✅ Use damp towels, not ice cold water
✅ Contact your vet immediately
❌ Do not force your dog to walk
❌ Do not cover them in thick wet towels as this can trap heat
❌ Do not use ice baths

🌿 Ways to keep your dog cool this week
🐶 Walk early morning or late evening
🐶 Skip walks if it’s too hot and replace them with enrichment games at home
🐶 Use snuffle mats, lick mats, scent games, and training sessions indoors
🐶 Provide constant access to fresh water
🐶 Use cooling mats or frozen treats
🐶 Avoid hot pavements as they can burn paws
🐶 Let your dog rest and choose shady spots
🐶 Never leave dogs in cars, even for a few minutes

Enjoy the weather and stay safe with the heat 🐾