Carrie's Canines & Friends

Carrie's Canines & Friends I help puppy & dog owners with their training to ensure their dog is a well-behaved, calm, easy to care & is the envy of their friends.

Download my Puppy Tips
https://www.carriescanines.co.uk/perfect-puppy-blueprint/ 'Because they're worth it!'

We started simply because of our genuine love and passion for dogs and animals. We provide Puppy & Dog Training classes, One to One Dog Training and Dog Behaviour Consultations based in Coventry who care for your dogs as if they are our own and offer you a friendly, professional and reliab

le service. Our Puppy and Dog training classes are set up to get you in the right pathway for a great life together giving you the skills you need. Our One to One Dog Training Sessions and Behaviour Consultations are set out to provide you with the skills you need to help you communicate effectively with your dog and giving you the skills and knowledge you need for everyday life in a effective and fun way! We will help you build your bond with your dog and their trust in you.

07/06/2026

When it comes to feeding an arthritic dog, the joint supplement market can feel like a total minefield 🤯

To help you protect both your budget and your dog's joint comfort, we have broken down The Core 4 of Nutrition - the four foundational principles every caregiver needs to know to cut through the noise in less than two minutes:

🍏 1. Whole-body health over quick fixes
There is no single "magic pill" that will fix arthritis. True joint support comes from a long-term focus on overall nutrition, reducing systemic inflammation, and keeping the body in optimal condition rather than relying on a flashy bottle of capsules.

💊 2. Supplements are "add-ons," not the whole plan
Supplements are designed to supplement a robust, multimodal management plan. They can be fantastic secondary tools, but they should never replace targeted, veterinary-prescribed pain relief when a dog is hurting.

💰 3. Manage your care budget wisely
The cost-of-living crisis is real, and caring for a dog with chronic pain can become expensive. Prioritise spending your money on treatments and food with robust, independent scientific evidence rather than blowing your budget on unproven social media trends.

🚩 4. Spot illegal marketing red flags
By law, over-the-counter supplements cannot claim to "cure," "treat," or "relieve pain." If a brand uses these medicinal words on their packaging, it's an immediate red flag that they are circumventing trading regulations - and it's a cue to protect your wallet.

⚖️ The ultimate joint health tool in your cupboard?
If you want to make the single biggest clinical impact on your dog’s mobility today, you don't need a new supplement, you just need a set of weighing scales!

Adipose tissue (fat) actively secretes pro-inflammatory chemicals into the bloodstream, making joint pain worse. Regularly tracking your dog's weight and keeping them at a lean, ideal body condition is the most powerful, evidence-based nutritional intervention available.

Check out CAM endorsed weighing scales here:
https://www.camonlineshop.com/?s=scales&id=23973

“I haven’t had time to do the training.”The truth is that most owners think dog training means setting aside 30 minutes ...
05/06/2026

“I haven’t had time to do the training.”

The truth is that most owners think dog training means setting aside 30 minutes every day and running through a training plan.

It doesn’t.

Some of the best training happens in the little moments:

✔ Waiting for the kettle to boil
✔ Walking through a doorway
✔ Rewarding a check-in on a walk
✔ Calling your dog back once or twice on a walk
✔ Asking for a sit before dinner

Those small moments add up.

In fact, consistency will almost always beat the occasional burst of perfect training.

You don’t build a reliable recall in a weekend.

You don’t teach loose lead walking overnight.

You build it through lots of small wins repeated over time.

I’ve written a new blog all about how to stay consistent with dog training when life gets busy.

Read it here:

https://www.carriescanines.co.uk/dog-training-consistency/

What training are you currently working on with your dog?

Busy day?Here are 3 simple ways to train your dog without finding extra time in your day. 🐾1️⃣ Kettle TrainingKeep a pot...
04/06/2026

Busy day?

Here are 3 simple ways to train your dog without finding extra time in your day. 🐾

1️⃣ Kettle Training

Keep a pot of treats near the kettle and use those few minutes while it boils to practise a hand touch, a sit, a down or simply rewarding calmness.

2️⃣ Lead-On Manners

Instead of rushing to get out the door, use putting the lead on as a training opportunity. Reward calm behaviour and pause if your dog gets overexcited.

3️⃣ Garden Recalls

Every time your dog is out in the garden, call them back a few times and reward them. These tiny repetitions build a stronger recall over time.

The best training often isn’t about finding more time.

It’s about using the moments that already exist in your day.

Small moments.
Done consistently.

That’s where the magic happens

One of the biggest traps dog owners fall into?The all-or-nothing mindset.You miss a few days of training and suddenly th...
03/06/2026

One of the biggest traps dog owners fall into?

The all-or-nothing mindset.

You miss a few days of training and suddenly think:

❌ “We’ve gone backwards.”

❌ “I’ve ruined it.”

❌ “There’s no point now.”

But dog training doesn’t work like that.

Think about it this way…

If you miss a few gym sessions, you don’t lose all your fitness overnight.

The same is true for your dog.

Progress isn’t built from being perfect every single day.

It’s built from showing up consistently over time.

Some weeks you’ll have more time.
Some weeks life will get in the way.

That’s normal.

What matters is getting back to it when you can.

A few missed days won’t undo months of good habits, training and relationship building.

Consistency beats perfection every time.

A client once told me:“I feel like I’m failing my dog because I don’t have enough time to train.”Honestly?I hear this a ...
02/06/2026

A client once told me:

“I feel like I’m failing my dog because I don’t have enough time to train.”

Honestly?

I hear this a lot.

Life is busy.

Work.
Family.
Household jobs.
Appointments.
The endless to-do list.

This owner felt guilty because they weren’t setting aside long training sessions every day.

But when we looked at their routine more closely, they were already doing so much.

They were:
🐾 walking their dog
🐾 feeding meals
🐾 putting the lead on
🐾 asking for sits
🐾 calling their dog in from the garden
🐾 spending time together every day

What they were missing wasn’t time.

It was recognising the opportunities already in front of them.

Dog training doesn’t have to happen in one long session.

Some of the best training happens in the tiny moments we repeat every day.

That’s often where the real progress is made.

Consistency beats perfection every single time.

One of the biggest myths in dog training?“I need an hour every day to train my dog.”Honestly, you really don’t.The owner...
01/06/2026

One of the biggest myths in dog training?

“I need an hour every day to train my dog.”

Honestly, you really don’t.

The owners who make the most progress are rarely the ones doing long training sessions every day.

They’re the ones finding small opportunities throughout the day and being consistent with them.

A few examples:

🐾 Practising calmness while you put the lead on

🐾 Rewarding your dog for waiting politely before meals

🐾 Calling them back in the garden

🐾 Teaching a settle while you’re watching TV

🐾 Using “kettle training” and doing a minute or two of training while the kettle boils

🐾 Practising focus and engagement during your normal walks

All of these little moments count.

Dog training doesn’t have to be another task on an already busy to-do list.

The magic often happens when training becomes part of everyday life rather than something separate from it.

Small moments.
Small wins.
Repeated consistently.

That’s what creates lasting change.

One of the biggest frustrations owners tell me is:“My dog listens perfectly at home… but outside it’s like I don’t exist...
29/05/2026

One of the biggest frustrations owners tell me is:

“My dog listens perfectly at home… but outside it’s like I don’t exist.”

And honestly? Most of the time this isn’t stubbornness.

The outside world is simply more exciting, more distracting and far more rewarding than we are… yet.

A lot of owners think getting attention on walks means:
• repeating cues
• constantly recalling
• micromanaging every second
• saying “leave it” fifty times

But real-life dog training should feel more like connection than control.

The goal isn’t to constantly command your dog.
The goal is a dog that wants to stay connected with you.

That’s why I spend so much time teaching:
• engagement
• check-ins
• proximity
• focus games
• relationship building
• “party in the park”
• calm connection outdoors

Because when you build those things first, recall, lead work and attention become so much easier.

In this week’s blog, I’m talking about:
• why dogs “switch off” outdoors
• common mistakes owners make
• why over-calling can actually make recall worse
• how to build engagement properly
• games you can start using immediately
• why connection changes everything

And yes… I’ve even tested myself by doing full walks without recalling my dogs once.

Because when dogs are truly connected, they naturally check back in.

Read the full blog here:

https://www.carriescanines.co.uk/how-to-get-your-dog-to-pay-attention-on-walks/

“Mum.Mum.Mum.Mum…”Eventually you stop hearing it.Dogs do exactly the same thing with repeated commands.“Sit sit sit.”“Co...
28/05/2026

“Mum.
Mum.
Mum.
Mum…”

Eventually you stop hearing it.

Dogs do exactly the same thing with repeated commands.

“Sit sit sit.”
“Come!”
“COME!”
“Leave it leave it leave it…”

When cues are constantly repeated, they often become background noise instead of meaningful information.

Attention on walks isn’t about getting louder or repeating ourselves more.

It’s about helping dogs stay engaged, setting them up to succeed and making it worthwhile for them to stay connected with us in difficult environments.

Sometimes less talking actually creates better attention. 🐾

One of the biggest frustrations owners face?Having a dog who listens beautifully at home… then suddenly acts like you do...
27/05/2026

One of the biggest frustrations owners face?

Having a dog who listens beautifully at home… then suddenly acts like you don’t exist outside. 🐾

But this usually isn’t stubbornness.

Outside is a completely different environment for dogs.

More smells.
More movement.
More sounds.
More excitement.
More distractions competing for attention.

Dogs don’t automatically generalise training from your living room to the real world.

This is why training needs to be built in layers, helping dogs gradually learn how to stay connected with us around increasing distractions rather than expecting perfection immediately.

Attention on walks isn’t forced.
It’s built through practice, clarity and connection. 🤎

Testimonial Tuesday 🐾 Artemis & AlessandroLife with two young Dalmatians is never going to be quiet… but with the right ...
26/05/2026

Testimonial Tuesday 🐾 Artemis & Alessandro

Life with two young Dalmatians is never going to be quiet… but with the right foundations, it can become much calmer and far more enjoyable.

Over the Dream Puppy Programme, we worked on all the real-life skills that matter most:
✔️ Recall
✔️ Lead work
✔️ Impulse control
✔️ Jumping up
✔️ Food manners
✔️ Play skills and drop
✔️ Learning how to settle and make good choices

One of the biggest things we focused on was helping Artemis and Alessandro learn how to live alongside their humans, not just perform cues for treats.

Their owners did a fantastic job putting the work in between sessions, and the difference in both dogs over the five weeks was lovely to see. Better focus, better engagement, and calmer day-to-day life together.

Puppy training is never about perfection. It’s about building the foundations for the adult dog they’ll become 💛







Address

Coventry

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 7pm
Tuesday 9am - 7pm
Wednesday 9am - 7pm
Thursday 9am - 7pm
Friday 9am - 7pm
Saturday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

+447710628449

Website

https://www.carriescanines.co.uk/membership/puppy-right-start/, https://www.carriescan

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