Bound Ahead Dog Training

30/05/2026

May officially marks one whole official year of Bound Ahead Dogs! 🐾

I started this business with a simple mission: to help dogs and their humans live happier, more harmonious lives together. Looking back at all the footage from the past 12 months, I’m so proud to say we’ve done exactly that.

From transformative 1:1 programmes to high-energy Scurry Dog classes, helping rescue pups thrive, running student events, and hosting our very first Scurry Dog trial in North Wales - it’s been a year packed with joy, laughter, and helping humans and dogs grow deeper bonds.

To every dog and person who has been part of the Bound Ahead family - whether in class or on here - thank you. Your support means the world.

As for today? I spent it running a private workshop for a group of Labradors who just turned 1 themselves - honestly, the most perfect way to wrap up our birthday month. 🥰

29/05/2026

The hardest thing for a working dog to do? Absolute nothing. ❌

We often think that because a dog has been walked, they should naturally switch off when we go for our after walk pint or coffee.

But for high-energy breeds, a busy environment is wiring for their brain! They are processing so much movement, scent and noise.

Teaching a true settle means moving away from just demanding a “down-stay” and instead focusing on changing their emotional state so they feel relaxed enough to actually close their eyes.

Ready to finally enjoy a peaceful coffee or a quiet pint with your dog?

👇 Comment the coffee emoji ☕️ below, and I will automatically DM you my video guide on starting steps help your high-energy dog to genuinely switch off.

27/05/2026

If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know I talk about this a lot. But it’s been especially relevant in the last few days!

5 ideas for ways you can entertain your dog when it’s too hot to go out (or any day, really…)

💾 Save this for when you need inspiration!

1️⃣ Scatter feed - doing this in the grass with your dogs breakfast and dinner gets their nose going and is also very calming for them.

2️⃣ Scentwork (in the shade) - if you’ve ever taught your dog to search for kong or catnip, now’s a great time to dust off those skills. If you haven’t, you can use food or toys and hide them around the house or garden for your dog to find.

3️⃣ Doing nothing / settling - take your dog to a shady place, take a drink for you both, and watch the world go by. My top skill for busy brained dogs to learn, and much more tiring than you think.

4️⃣ Swimming - lakes, the sea, streams and paddling pools are all good for splashing in and keeping cool. If your dog likes to actually swim, go in with them! I promise it’s more relaxing than I make it look here 😆

5️⃣ Home training sessions in the shade - work on more technical skills or new tricks that get your dog thinking rather than moving.

26/05/2026

The secret to better off-lead walks is building a connection that’s like an invisible thread between you and your dog - even when they’re off the lead.

A glimpse into our Scurry Dog Scramble Grid Level 2 setup 🧭✨

Cadi and I are demoing for our recent Instructors course.

This game is all about precision, distance handling, and directional cues.

Just like a working dog being guided to a blind retrieve over a field, my spaniel is learning to navigate a specific grid of tasks entirely through communication at a distance.

Why do we train this?

Because the benefits transfer directly to everyday life:

1️⃣ Better Off-Lead Responsiveness: When your dog learns to look back and listen for cues from a distance, they stop zoning out on walks.

2️⃣ Safety and Control: If they get stuck on the other side of a fence or head toward danger, you have the mechanics to stop them and direct them safely away.

3️⃣ Mental Fulfillment: It gives active, high-drive breeds a massive brain workout, satisfying their natural working instincts so they come home happy-tired.

Precision, control, and a rock-solid bond - without a lead in sight.

26/05/2026

🔥 It’s going to be a scorcher this weekend 🔥

Especially after the cool weather we’ve had the last couple of weeks, this sudden spike in temperature can be really difficult for dogs to adjust to.

Some do’s and don’ts to keep your dog safe in the hot weather:

❌ DON’T take them out in the middle of the day. Go early in the morning or late at night when the temperatures have cooled (if you must go at all).
❌ DON’T walk them on pavements or hard surfaces like tarmac and concrete. These surfaces can heat up to temperatures that burn dogs paws.
❌ DON’T do strenuous activities in the heat like lots of running of exciting play. If your dog does need some exercise or brain stimulation, sniffing games are your best friend!

✅ DO make sure your dog has access to fresh drinking water.
✅ DO provide a cool and shady place for your dog to rest. If your house also gets warm then a cooling mat for them to lay on will help (Aldi have good reasonably priced ones)
✅ DO give your dog access to water to splash in. As water dries and evaporates, it cools your dog and helps lower their body temperature. Cooling towels are also a good option for this if you don’t have a splash pool.
✅ DO keep an eye on your dog for signs of overheating or difficulty breathing, especially if your dog is a flat-faced or short muzzled breed.

24/05/2026

⚠️10 minute games to get the perfect pub dog!

☕️ Before we ask dogs to sit quietly and calmly with us under a pub bench or a cafe table… try doing something to tire them out first.

👋🏼 Here’s my 5 top games for easily tiring your dog out:

1️⃣ Retrieve/ fetch - There are endless variations to a game of ‘fetch’ which can give your dog a mental and physical workout. Over obstacles, into cover, and multiple retrieves are just some of the my favourites!

2️⃣ Find it with food - searching for food on the floor is a calming activity for dogs, that really gets them using their nose. You don’t need special food to do this - you can just use your dog’s breakfast! Start with them seeing you scatter it on concrete or short grass, and work up to scattering it in long grass without them seeing.

3️⃣ Tug with rules - tug is a great way to get your dog playing with you. When your dog really loves this game you can also build in impulse control like Stop, Go, and Out cues.

4️⃣ Wrap around an item - Start with a tree, a bollard or a cone. I love this one as you can make it harder over time, to ask your dog to wrap from a really long way away, to get them running around and then sprinting back to you (also a great recall game!)

5️⃣ Catch the human - this is a great game for improving recall, and it gets you moving as well! Call your dog - then run away. When your dog gets to you, reward them with food or a toy. After a few seconds, repeat! How far can you run before your dog catches up to you?

👇 What do you do before going to a pub or cafe to help your dog to settle?

20/05/2026

A reliable ‘hold’ and a clean delivery aren’t just for birds or dummies.

Our gundogs love when they can help us with everyday tasks too!

What’s the most useful thing your dog fetches for you? 👇

16/05/2026

A dog that understands how to manage their own impulses and big emotions is a dog you can really trust ✨

11/05/2026

Stop giving your dog riddles! 🧩

If your dog is a high-energy ‘puller,’ they don’t need more slack - they need more information 🐾

09/05/2026