All About Dogs

27/08/2026

Great poster designed by the wonderful Debby Lucken at KAD

22/08/2026

💜 A very special piece of homework… 🐾

This wonderful story was written by a child as one of their weekly tasks while taking part in the Kids Around Dogs (KAD) Protocol.

The task was simple: write a story involving dogs. ✏️🐶

And what a lovely story it is! Poppy and Juno secretly play football together before being spotted by the England manager, invited to join the team… and going on to win the World Cup! ⚽🏆🐾

Activities like this might look like a simple piece of creative writing, but they are an important part of the KAD journey. They give children a gentle, pressure-free way to think about dogs, talk about dogs and create positive associations with them without needing to interact directly with a dog.

Every small step matters. 💜

And I think we can all agree that Poppy & Juno for England would make quite the team! 🐶⚽🐶

20/08/2026

💛 A lovely review that means so much 💛

“Nikki,
Thank you so much for making such a big positive difference to our son’s life. I commend the patience of you and your dogs.”
— Kathryn

Receiving feedback like this is incredibly special. 🐾

Working with children and dogs is about so much more than simply learning how to interact with a dog. It’s about building confidence, developing understanding, creating positive experiences and helping children feel safe and empowered around dogs.

Knowing that our sessions have made such a positive difference to a child’s life is exactly why I love what I do. ❤️

A huge thank you to Kathryn for taking the time to share these lovely words — and, of course, to my wonderfully patient four-legged helpers! 🐶🐾

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20/08/2026

Great post 🐾

Dog doesn’t want a stranger touching them: “Needs socialisation.”

Human doesn’t want a stranger touching them: “Reasonable boundary.”

Dog doesn’t like every dog they meet: “Not friendly.”

Human dislikes approximately 74% of the people they meet: “Good judge of character.”

Dog barks because someone unexpectedly walks into their house: “Territorial.”

Human hears a noise downstairs at 2am: Turns on every light in the house and investigates while holding an object that was absolutely not designed for self-defence.

Dog gets overwhelmed at a busy café full of people, children, dogs, food and noise:
“He needs to learn how to behave.”

Human gets overwhelmed in IKEA on a Saturday: Completely understandable. Possibly grounds for medical leave.

Dog growls when uncomfortable: “Dominant.”

Human says “DON’T TOUCH ME”: Clear communication. Boundary successfully established.

Dog has one bad interaction and remembers that type of dog forever: “Reactive.”

Human has one bad experience with a cat: Hates all cats forever.

Dog loses their mind because the postman comes every single day and somehow STILL refuses to learn his lesson: “Problem barking.”

Human watches the same neighbour park slightly over the line every day: Has been documenting it photographically since March and is “just keeping a record.”

Dog doesn't immediately come when called because they're halfway through smelling something interesting: “Stubborn. Knows exactly what he's doing.”

Human hears their name being called from another room: Remains completely silent in the hope that whoever it is will solve the problem themselves.

Dog gets nervous at the vet after previously having something unpleasant done there: “He knows there's nothing to be scared of.”

Human has one uncomfortable dental procedure in 2009: Hasn't been back since.

Sometimes dogs aren't the weird ones

20/08/2026

🐾 This is why I love what I do! 🐾

Receiving feedback like this from Otis’s family means so much. 💛

“I knew I was going about walks with Otis and his interactions with other dogs the wrong way, but I just didn’t know how to change it.

Re-introducing the long lead, changing his interactions with other dogs and making ourselves more ‘attractive’ with treats has made such a difference.

We have so many tricks and tips now to use to keep walks safe and stress-free for me, while making them less overwhelming and overstimulating for him.”

For Otis, the goal was never simply to make him “behave” around other dogs. It was about understanding why he was struggling and giving both Otis and his family the skills to make better choices.

🐕 Reintroducing the long line gave Otis more freedom while keeping everyone safe.
🧠 Changing how he interacted with other dogs helped reduce overwhelm and over-arousal.
👀 Building engagement and disengagement skills helped him learn that he doesn’t have to interact with every dog he sees.
🧀 And yes… becoming more rewarding than the environment sometimes involves plenty of tasty treats!

The result? Safer, calmer and more enjoyable walks — for both ends of the lead. ❤️

It’s been an absolute pleasure working with Otis and his family and seeing their confidence grow together.

18/08/2026

Today I saw a woman walking a dog who was clearly nervous, anxious or reactive.

She was keeping her distance, sitting calmly with her dog and doing everything she could to manage their space.

As we got closer, I could see her body language change.

I recalled the dog I was walking, got him sitting beside me and worked out which way I could go to give her more space.

Then another dog appeared from the other direction.

I could see her worry immediately. She turned around and I could almost feel the stress.

I've been there.

So I called over and asked if she'd find it helpful if I went another way and gave her more space.

She said yes.

So I did.

I also told her she was doing an amazing job and that I walk nervous dogs too, so I completely understood.

And it really highlighted something for me:

People don't always notice.

A dog being on a lead doesn't mean they want to meet your dog.

Someone changing direction isn't being rude.

Sometimes they're advocating for their dog.

Sometimes the kindest thing you can do is simply notice what's happening around you and give someone the space they're clearly asking for.

You don't need to know their story.

Just pay attention.

That little bit of awareness can make a HUGE difference to someone else's walk. 🐾

14/08/2026

THE FEAR OF DOGS IS REAL, AND IT SHOULD NEVER BE UNDERESTIMATED.

Imagine being genuinely scared of one of the animals you see everywhere.

For many children and adults, a dog approaching them can trigger real fear, anxiety and distress. And telling someone 'Don’t be scared, he’s friendly!' doesn’t make that fear disappear.

A fear of dogs can be debilitating, making trips out, or a walk around the park a source of anxiety rather than an opportunity for relaxing bonding time.

Whether there is a clear cause behind the fear or not, I can help you or your child overcome these worries.

Our approach is kind and done at the person’s pace, with empathy, understanding and the right approach, never by forcing interaction or simply putting someone next to a dog and hoping they get used to it.

At Kids Around Dogs®, our KAD Approved Professionals are qualified to use the KAD Protocol to Overcome the Fear of Dogs, helping children and adults build confidence around dogs safely and compassionately.

🌟 Fear is real.
🌟 Progress is possible.
🌟 And nobody should be made to feel silly for being afraid.
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Available for children 4+, this service is delivered with a thorough, yet fun and engaging approach, broken down into a minimum of 8 sessions.

Get in touch about the Fear Around Dogs Programme

Based in Kingswood, Bristol

[email protected]

07305 523870