VIP Dog Training

29/05/2026

Have you been to a new environment, thinking your dog walks well only to be disappointed??

You go to a new environment and all your training goes out the window. The hours of graft you have put in feel pointless. Your dog is at the end of the lead hunkering down like the world’s strongest man pulling a lorry and you wonder where you went wrong...

We have all been there!!

Start by teaching some pattern games, things your dogs can succeed at and enjoy, in much calmer environments such as your house. Ensure these patterns are really reliable and then take them outside working up in tiny increments to increase the distraction level.

By creating predictable patterns and setting up achievable sessions, you will find your loose lead walking progresses much quicker and both
ends of the lead will feel happier!

For more free dog training tips and advice drop me a follow!

23/05/2026

19/05/2026

What do we reckon?? A new career for Clementine? She’s got a better chance of being a famous singer than me I reckon 🤣

Comment “Melodic” for her top tips… 🎵

Or follow me for more free dog training tips and advice 🤍

15/05/2026

Nobody prepared me for how hard puppyhood could feel!

Here are my top 3 survival tips:

1️⃣ Make sure your puppy gets enough sleep! Overtired puppies can become extra bitey, zoomy, and emotional.

2️⃣ Mentally tired puppies are calmer than physically tired ones. Sniffing games, training, enrichment toys, and problem-solving activities can do wonders.

3️⃣ Puppies are learning all the time 👀
Not just during training sessions! Every interaction teaches them something about the world - and about us too.

If you’re struggling, you’re definitely not alone. Puppyhood can feel overwhelming, but it does get better 🤍

Need help or more tips? Reach out - I’d love to help you and your pup!

14/05/2026

Is your puppy or dog a digger? Honestly… a lot are! 🤎

And while it can be frustrating when your lawn starts looking like a mole has moved in, digging is actually a really normal dog behaviour.

Dogs may dig because:
✨ it’s fun
✨ it helps release energy
✨ it’s mentally enriching
✨ it’s instinctive
✨ it helps regulate stress or excitement

The goal isn’t to completely stop natural behaviours, it’s about giving dogs an appropriate outlet instead.

Things like:
🐾 a designated digging area
🐾 sand pits
🐾 hidden toys or treats to uncover
🐾 enrichment activities
🐾 opportunities to sniff, shred, and explore naturally

When dogs have safe ways to meet those needs, they’re often less likely to turn your prize winning lawn into their personal excavation project. 😅

Behaviour makes much more sense when we stop asking:
“How do I stop this completely?”
…and start asking:
“What need is my dog trying to meet here?” 🤍

13/05/2026

Loose lead walking is one of the hardest things to train. In most areas of dog training, if we were having a problem, we would manage the situation so we didn’t allow our dog to keep rehearsing the behaviour we don’t want. But you have to walk your dog right?!

So this is going to be the first step in the right direction. Rewarding your dog for check ins, slower movement, small moments of calm and when they are voluntarily walking next to you.

By rewarding the small things we like, we should see more of them which is going to help on the unavoidable walks. We can then train loose lead walking at other times - when we are set up for it and when we have time to teach our dogs and set them up for success.

Follow me for loose lead walking tips and more… 🤍

10/05/2026

Have you been there? Have you spent ages calling your dog over and over again just to be ignored? It’s very easy to do!

The trick with training recall is to make sure that you’re setting your dog up for success. So practising in a low distraction area and then working your way up in small increments. The biggest mistake I see people make is practising their recall at home and then trying it at the same distance in a busy park. This is the equivalent of asking a child to do maths in a library and then in a sweet shop. Impossible! We need to do some practice in between. Finding places which are more exciting than at home but not as overwhelming as a park for example.

Management is important and a long line is your best friend for this. Preventing external reinforcement if your dog runs off is really crucial.

High value rewards are vital in recall, you are competing with the environment and so it needs to be worthwhile to come back to you. The value of your rewards are determined by your dog and not you!

The biggest tip I can give you is have fun together.. if you are both doing your own thing, you have little to no chance of your dog coming back to you. So engage with them, play the game, find the joy in walking together 💕

Follow me for more free recall advice and tips…

03/05/2026

Absolutely shocking advice given to my clients by their vet…

I find it hard to believe that a vet can seriously, and without laughing, suggest a cardboard cut out would seem exactly the same to a dog as their caregiver - and write it in their notes 🫣😅

As we all know our dogs can notice if something is out of place in the garden and can pick up on micro expressions on our faces - I think they may notice the cardboard cutout is not their caregiver 🤣

As mentioned in the reel, 80% of behavioural problems have a an element of pain or discomfort. So if you’re not getting anywhere with your training, this would be the first place that I would look.

As I also mentioned this is not a dig at vets, I have had help from many wonderful vets but some in both our fields need to do better and keep up to date!

Follow .dogtraining for more tips and advice..

02/05/2026

Ruling out pain or discomfort is super important for your dog but also essential within separation training or if you’re trying to help your dog with a behavioural problem.. here is why...

So imagine you aren’t feeling well, possibly you have tooth ache or tummy ache, the likelihood is you’d quite like someone to look after you but also you might be more sensitive to other things.

Having pain or discomfort in our lives makes us less resilient to every day occurrences and this is the same for our dogs. In order to help our dog effectively learn, we need to make sure it is possible for them to fully relax. If we can ensure this is the case, we give them the best chance of resilience and greater ability to learn and succeed ..

Follow .dogtraining for more tips and advice..

02/01/2026

Here is a little about me, about how I became a dog trainer, how I train and what to expect from working with me…

I train dogs and their caregivers in person, in and around Bury St Edmunds, and online. I train with compassion, empathy and look to support you for as long as you need me.