South Wales Dog Training Academy

14/08/2025

You’ll get this if your dog has ever…

Just been cleaned, dry and freshly brushed, then makes eye contact with you… and sprints into the biggest, muddiest puddle they can find at the first available opportunity! 🏃

Comment with your muddy dog pics so we can form a support group! 🤣🐶🐾

13/08/2025

Talia – the dog who changed everything for me.

She was the reason I made a promise to myself - I will only ever use kind, compassionate training methods with every dog I meet.

Talia came into my life from Woodgreen Animal Shelter, a stunning, long-coated, 18-month-old German Shepherd with hip dysplasia and a backstory that, sadly, is all too common in rescue.

It was love at first sight. 😍 But our bond definitely didn’t form instantly. I thought I was doing the right thing by taking her to lots of busy training classes straight away. In reality, she’d just been uprooted to a new home, was completely overwhelmed and I knew nothing about decompression, the importance of sleep, nutrition, routines, enrichment, safe spaces, or how to help her relax and feel safe.

Because of her breed, I felt an extra responsibility, so I pushed to “train, train, train.” The classes only made things worse. She became more stressed, her behaviour was labelled “naughty,” and the advice I received was to “correct” her. That never felt right. She would bark endlessly, leap around, and I felt so embarrassed, but deep down, I knew I’d never follow the harsh methods being suggested.

So, I stopped, I left the classes and started to study canine behaviour and training methods myself.

I still made plenty of mistakes, but little by little, I learned how to understand her needs. Once she felt safe and knew I would advocate for her, the barking and leaping stopped. She became calm, confident and content. She came everywhere with me, to work, on dog-sitting jobs, into town, on walks with friends’ dogs whilst feeling happy, calm and relaxed.

Talia became my heart dog, the most special companion I’ve ever had. She was the turning point that set me on the path to study with some of the best trainers and course providers. I earned my first qualification 10 years ago and to this day I have never, and will never, use unkind methods or tools. Every dog deserves to be understood, supported and trained with kindness. 🐶🐾❤️

Have you ever had a lightbulb moment with your own dog that changed everything? Share it below — I’d love to hear your story.

13/08/2025

I can’t agree with this more! There is a huge link between undiagnosed pain and behaviour. It’s something that cannot be ignored. 🐶🐾

https://www.facebook.com/share/1Ci5R5WLwA/?mibextid=wwXIfr

The link between pain and behaviour is a topic I have a particular interest in.

With an ever increasing frequency I often meet young dogs with health issues that contribute to undesirable behaviours and/ or slow progress in terms of their training.

As I’ve spoken about so many times before- dogs don’t show pain or discomfort as we do and please do not assume that because your dog is young they do not have pain.

Have a look at some examples below of dogs I’ve seen recently in clinic

1️⃣ - 2 year old lab.

Referred to the vets for anxiety and reactivity around her owners young son- guarding the sofa from him, serious confidence issues, also becoming reactive with other dogs. No limping, lameness, no functional issues, no outward signs of pain.
Sent onto me by the vets for a pain assessment, after my assessment I recommended X-rays which led to a subsequent diagnosis of Hip dysplasia.

2️⃣- 6 year old big bull breed.

Very noise phobic and then started to become reluctant to go on walks - still really energetic and super happy to play and run and jump on and off furniture and run up and down stairs- sent for a pain check by Victoria Cooper Canine Behaviourist. On physio assessment I found pain in her low back and hip - sent her back to vets for pain relief and X-rays and she was given a subsequent diagnosis of lumbosacral disease and hip dysplasia.

3️⃣- very cute energetic 1 year old poodle cross.

Always been over excitable around other dogs and nervous of new situations. Lunges at runners and dogs when out and about. Very barkey but friendly. Again no limping or lameness. Loved chasing the ball in the garden- would play for hours until the ball was taken away from her.
Went to see the vet who passed her onto me for a pain check - I found patellas that were loose on both knees. Subsequent X-rays led to a diagnosis of bilateral luxating patellas.

4️⃣- 2 year old cocker spaniel

Normally no issues ,very sociable and friendly - suddenly started serious resource guarding at home and then bit his owner - sent to me by the vet for a pain check and afterwards subsequently diagnosed with elbow dysplasia

I could go on and on with these examples but I think they paint the picture.

⚠️ All these dogs have one thing in common. They were experiencing pain⚠️

They were not being naughty or aggressive or dominant or testing boundaries.
Their pain was triggering undesirable behavioural changes.

It is now accepted that the most accurate method for evaluating pain in animals is not by physiological parameters but by observations of behaviour.

None of the above issues would be resolveable with addressing behaviour modification .
Indeed if your dog is not responding to a treatment programme as you would expect, in many cases this means that there is pain present limiting the animals ability to proceed.

Some of them will have drastic improvement from the moment the pain is addressed however often, once pain is addressed , behavioural intervention will then be required to address established and learned avoidance responses.

If your dog has any behavioural issues, take them to a vet and ask for a thorough examination or a referral to a suitably qualified physiotherapist. If you’re still not sure, get a second opinion.

You CANNOT train the pain or discomfort out of your dog. Address this first and foremost before you consider trying to modify their behaviour .

If your behaviourist or trainer doesn’t immediately advise a veterinary visit if any aggression, excessive ‘naughtiness’ or strange behaviour is present, walk away.

Please always rule out pain being the cause of your dogs behaviour change first.

Please share to increase awareness

12/08/2025

Some people think I'm fussy… but there’s a reason. 🐾

I’m always reminding clients that when they say “uh uh” or “no” to their dogs, they’re not actually teaching them anything.

Think about it - you can’t train a “not” behaviour.
You can’t teach a dog to “not jump,” “not pull” or “not steal food.”

What you can do is teach them what you’d like them to do instead.

✨ “Sit” instead of jumping
✨ Walk nicely on the lead instead of pulling
✨ “Leave it” instead of stealing food

Clear guidance beats confusion every time and your dog will thank you for it.

Think of it like Google Maps, your dog needs directions, not just “You’re going the wrong way!”

Clear cues = a happier, better-behaved dog. 🐶

Who finds themselves doing this? Let me know in the comments.

Pics of the very handsome Mr Balthazar 🥰

12/08/2025

EDIT - 1 place left. 🐶🐾

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FXf5yXTJH/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Looking for a fun, family-friendly and supportive puppy class?

Come and join our Puppy Power Course!

Your puppy will learn all the essential life skills like settling calmly, keeping four paws on the floor, walking nicely on the lead, coming when called, waiting patiently and even having a go on our mini puppy agility course!

You’ll learn how to understand what makes your pup tick, how to train using kind, effective, fear-free methods, which toys and equipment are best and how to avoid those common puppy pitfalls. It’s fun, informative and a great way to bond with your pup. 🐶🐾

To book, call Julie on 07814400299, message via WhatsApp, or drop us a message on the page!

3 places available.

11/08/2025

What No One Tells You About…
Why Your Dog’s Recall Works at Home But Not in the Park

'But he comes every time in the garden!' Sound familiar?
The truth is, the park is like Disneyland for dogs, full of smells, sights, sounds, people, other dogs and wildlife. At home, distractions are minimal and familiar. You’re the most exciting thing around, but outside, you’re competing with a thousand other ‘channels’ all broadcasting at full volume.

It’s not that your dog is ignoring you, it’s that the environment is louder than your voice.
This is why recall training needs to happen in layers:

✅ Start somewhere quiet and easy (like your garden)
✅ Slowly increase the level of distraction
✅ Reward generously when they make the right choice

Think of it like teaching a child to read, you wouldn’t start them with a university textbook.

📌 Top Recall Tips to Try This Week:

🐾High-Value Rewards Only – Save the really tasty treats or favourite toy just for recall.

🐾Practice in Different Places – Gradually work from your house, then garden, then quiet fields to eventually busier areas.

🐾Keep It Fun – Call your dog, reward and let them go straight back to what they were doing.

🐾Never Punish for Coming Back – Even if they took their time, always make coming back to you a good thing.

Where’s the hardest place to get your dog’s attention? 🐶

09/08/2025

The latest Puppy Power class having fun on the agility course.
The pups explore the equipment at their own pace, some might go at 100 miles per hour, some might be a little cautious, but this lovely lot did the whole course today confidently.
Well done pups! 👏🐶🐾

07/08/2025

Teenage Troubles? You’re Not Alone - Even Your Dog Goes Through It!

Ever felt like your sweet pup suddenly turned into a teenager terror overnight? Welcome to canine adolescence, that “fun” stage between 6 to 18 months where your dog might look all grown up, but still has the brain of a toddler on a sugar rush.

Just like human teens, adolescent dogs go through a lot of changes. Their bodies grow in random spurts, their hormones are surging, their brains are rewiring and suddenly they’re all about exploring and making questionable life choices.

You might notice:
- Your dog is more interested in other dogs than you.
- They may have become fearful of things they encounter every day that they would have taken no notice of previously. (This is known as a 'sensitive' or 'fear' period.)
- Becoming over stimulated and over excited in a nano second.
- Getting frustrated very easily.
- Inability to 'listen' to you.
- They lack impulse control.
-They forget basic manners (what recall?).
-They start dodging their harness or get grumpy about being touched.

Keep an eye out for signs like:
🐾 Avoiding petting
🐾Chewing more
🐾 Licking their lips or turning their head away from you
🐾 Walking away when you reach out to them
🐾 Vocalising more
🐾 Acting "off" with their harness
These are all ways they’re trying to communicate with us and it's important we listen.

💡 Top tip: If your dog starts hating their harness, it might just feel weird or painful right now. This could be from them experiencing growing pains. Try changing it for a more comfortable fit, or use a collar if your dog isn't a puller.

The GOOD news? This stage doesn’t last forever! With patience, kindness, continued training and some tweaks here and there, you’ll come out the other side with a confident, well-rounded adult dog.

If you’re ever worried something more serious is going on, don’t hesitate to check in with your vet, better safe than sorry.

Let us know if your pup is in their teen phase right now. Have they forgotten their name? Are they pulling on the lead more? Do they get over excited when another dog walks past? Avoiding having their harness on? 🐶

01/08/2025

National Yorkshire Terrier Day! 🐶🐾

30/07/2025

🚫 "Not All Hellos Are Happy!" 🚫
Why I don’t allow on-lead greetings with puppies.

It might feel friendly to let your pup say hello to every dog they pass, but it can actually cause more harm than good.
When dogs are on lead, they can’t move or communicate naturally. This can lead to frustration, tension, and even reactive behaviour if things go wrong.

And here’s the big one…
If your puppy is always allowed to greet other dogs on walks, they’ll start to expect it.
What happens when they can’t? Cue pulling, barking or overexcitement. Not ideal when you’re trying to enjoy a calm walk!

Instead, in classes, I focus on teaching puppies that not every dog is a friend to meet and that staying calm and listening to their pawrent is the most rewarding thing of all.

✅ Quality socialisation isn’t about quantity - it’s about positive, controlled experiences.

If you'd like to book in for the Puppy Power Course or Private sessions, then please get in touch.
Julie - 07814 400299

29/07/2025

Rescue dogs and stories of hope. That’s the new series of Tails from the Shelter tonight at 8pm.