Connected Canines

24/06/2026

❓ Does any of this sound familiar?

🐾 Your dog breaks as soon as a retrieve is thrown.
🐾 They struggle to stay focused on you.
🐾 Their retrieves are enthusiastic on the way out but a little chaotic on the way back.
🐾 You'd like to start introducing casting but don't know where to begin.
🐾 You feel like you're repeating the same exercises without making much progress.

If so, you're not alone.

One of the biggest mistakes we can make in training is trying to build advanced skills without first putting strong foundations in place.

That's exactly why I'm running the Place Boards Workshop.

Place boards are one of the simplest yet most effective tools I use to help dogs understand:
✔️ Where they should be
✔️ When they should stay
✔️ How to focus despite distractions
✔️ How to build structured retrieve patterns
✔️ The foundations needed for future handling and steadiness work

Whether you have a young dog just starting out or an older dog with gaps in their training, place boards can help create clarity and understanding.

This isn't about teaching your dog to stand on a box.

It's about building the foundations that make future gundog training easier for both of you.

📅 Limited places available
📍 Connected Canines

Drop me a message if you'd like to know whether the workshop would suit you and your dog or click the link below to join us.
https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=17954006&appointmentType=94478321

23/06/2026

🌞 Keeping Your Dogs Cool This Summer 🌞

With the current spell of extreme temperatures, it's more important than ever to exercise our dogs safely and during the coolest parts of the day.

Our secure dog walking field offers not only a safe, enclosed space for your dog to enjoy some freedom, but also the added bonus of a pond where they can paddle, splash and cool off when the weather is hot.

To help everyone make the most of the cooler temperatures, the field will be opening earlier and closing later over the coming days, giving you greater flexibility to walk your dogs during the safest times of day.

Whether your dog enjoys a gentle stroll, a swim, a retrieve from the water, or simply having a secure space to explore, the field provides a fantastic option when the weather is warm.

Please remember:
🐾 Avoid exercising during the hottest part of the day.
🐾 Bring plenty of fresh water.
🐾 Watch for signs of overheating.
🐾 Let your dog enjoy the water at their own pace.

Stay safe, stay cool, and give your dogs the chance to enjoy their walks without battling the heat.

To book your session, get in touch or use the online booking system. https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=17954006&appointmentType=category:Field%20Hire

22/06/2026

💦 Water Training for Beginners 💦

Yesterday, Connected Canines held two Water Training for Beginners workshops for young and inexperienced dogs, primarily aimed at those with an interest in gundog training.

The focus of the workshops was not only introducing dogs to water work, but also helping owners teach manners, self-control, and safe behaviours around water. We began by working on disengagement from the water and encouraging calm behaviours before progressing to food bowl games. Dogs were sent to food bowls and recalled away from them, with the bowls gradually moving closer to the water's edge.

From there, we moved on to teaching dogs to enter and exit the water on cue, encouraging calm, thoughtful entries rather than launching themselves in with excitement. For some dogs, it was also appropriate to work on hand delivery from the water and introducing a shake cue.

The workshops finished with an individual exercise where each dog and handler had the opportunity to put everything they had been working on together in a full retrieve. This included steadiness around the water, controlled entry, retrieving, and for many, a successful hand delivery back to their handler.

The workshops provided a variety of challenges for both dogs and handlers. For some dogs, the excitement of the water itself was the biggest challenge. For others, it was working around other dogs, coping with movement, or maintaining focus in a stimulating environment. The workshops gave everyone the opportunity to work on the elements that mattered most to them and, most importantly, to work with the dog they had in that moment.

Everyone made fantastic progress throughout the day and should be incredibly proud of what they achieved. Well done all! 👏🐾

Finally, a little apology from me. Whilst I tried my best to capture photos and videos of everyone working throughout the day, I know I didn't manage to get everyone. Between coaching, setting up exercises, answering questions, and keeping the workshops running smoothly, the camera sometimes gets forgotten! If I missed you this time, I'm sorry, and I'll do my best to do better next time. 📸

A huge thank you must also go to Ben and Helen, who did their best to help me out with photos and videos throughout the morning. Your help was very much appreciated and helped capture far more of the action than I could have managed on my own. Thank you both! 😊📸🎥🐾

20/06/2026

19/06/2026

18/06/2026

18/06/2026

17/06/2026

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17/06/2026

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16/06/2026

Training dogs can be wonderfully rewarding and incredibly frustrating, sometimes within the same training session!

I've just written a new blog sharing an honest update on Griff's training journey. There were some real wins, including a steadiness breakthrough that could prove significant for us, alongside a challenge that tested both my patience and Griff's determination.

As trainers and handlers, it's easy to focus on what isn't going well, but sometimes it's important to step back and recognise just how far our dogs have come.

If you've ever wondered whether trainers' own dogs are perfect (spoiler alert: they're not!), this blog is for you.

Read the full blog here: https://www.connectedcanines.co.uk/blog/griff-s-training-update-the-wins-the-challenges-and-the-reality

I'd love to hear about your own training wins and challenges this week.