Paws for Thought - Canine & Equine Coach

10/12/2025

06/12/2025

03/12/2025

Body language opens up a conversation, sometimes an invitation from one dog can be a request for space from another.

Some tactics work well for avoidance, jumping up stops people leaning over, licking moves children away and showing a belly might mean you can’t do something else, such as putting on a harness.

We aren’t supposed to be experts, but we can gather information, stay informed, open our minds and conversations.

Did you know I have free body language videos on the App? Find the links to Android and IOS in my bio.

02/12/2025

*warning bad language* 😂

Had another complaint. Someone emailed us saying that this billboard upset them because they themselves didn’t like dogs. We emailed back “well you know what to do then” 😂

30/11/2025

It won’t be long until Christmas and the New Year, make sure you order your snoods in plenty of time to help your dog over the festive period. Not only fireworks but noisy parties th snood will help your dogs stay calm.

29/11/2025

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNHMXhVomgf/?igsh=MWZlZGFsaHB4Zm8ybA==

28/11/2025

Imagine if you were walking down the road and a stranger ran up to you and you just had to let them do whatever they wanted without sticking up for yourself?

It's a bit unthinkable isn't it?

That's often the position we are asking dogs to be in when we try to silence their "reactive" behaviours that are actually not reactive at all, they're boundary setting.

Dogs are allowed to set boundaries. Some dogs have stricter boundaries than others. Some dogs get overtly cross when their boundaries are crossed, others get fearful. But expecting dogs to NOT have boundaries and allow absolutely everything anyone wants to do with them without push back is unrealistic.

🐾 If play gets too rough and rude, dogs are allowed to say so
🐾 If a greeting is far too fast and impolite, dogs are allowed to say so
🐾 If a human is touching a dog in a way that's making them feel threatened, dogs are allowed to say so.

The thing is, if we try to punish these boundary setting behaviours, we run the risk of making them worse. Boundary setting behaviours are controlled and appropriate to the situation. But if we try to silence them the dog may just react with more aggressive behaviour responses in a way that becomes inappropriate to the situation. For example, much more exaggerated a response, unable to control themselves, unable to have their say and move on.

Any cross words from our dogs and we immediately feel we need to apologise, they're in the wrong. But are they? Lily is one of the most gentle and friendly dogs I know. Certainly the most sociable I've ever parented! But even Lily gets cross. Even Lily has boundaries. A short sharp collection of woofs towards dogs jumping in her face too often and she moves on. That's boundary setting. That's normal.

Picture: we give our dogs boundary setting behaviours ALL THE TIME. Telling dogs to get off things, telling dogs to sit and wait, teaching a dog to walk nicely.... These are all boundary setting behaviours. We need to allow our dogs to have their own boundaries too. Boundaries aren't aggression 🐾💜

28/11/2025

Who is the one animal that has changed your life?

I have so so many!

27/11/2025

27/11/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CtChEwbJD/?mibextid=wwXIfr

A research group at Kyoto University pulled off one of the funniest and most revealing dog experiments in 2022.

They brought in 60 dogs and had them watch two actors open food containers:
One who handled the task like a pro, and one who fumbled around like they had never opened anything in their entire life.

When it came time for the dogs to choose which person to approach, the results were pretty wild.

Female dogs didn’t hesitate.
Eighty-three percent walked right to the competent human.
Male dogs? No thoughts. No opinions. Purely vibes.

But the girl dogs didn’t just pick better. They observed better.
They stared longer at the capable human.
They kept their distance from the hopeless one.
They used actual judgment to figure out who knew what they were doing.

There was one catch.
They only cared when food was involved.
If the containers were empty, they didn’t bother sizing anyone up.
Which honestly feels extremely relatable.

According to scientists, this ability puts female dogs in a category alongside dolphins and chimpanzees, who can also evaluate the competence of others. It suggests dogs aren’t just paying attention to our actions. They’re assessing our skill level when it actually matters.

So the next time your girl dog watches you wrestle with the treat bag…
Just remember she’s quietly reviewing your performance. 😆

27/11/2025

*Edit* - two men can be seen breaking into the van at 3:30 this morning Thursday 27th November in southville, Cwmbran. Crime reference number is GWP-20251127-0104 if anyone has any information.

Urgent

Big adventures are suspended today!

Sarah's van has been broken into. We'll let you know more when we know more but we've the police, insurance and other things to sort today..

We're sorry!

😭