Paws for Thought - Canine & Equine Coach

10/09/2025

Shout out to my newest followers! Welcome to my page 😊 A huge thank you for supporting my little business 🫶🏻🐾

Natalie Evans, Bradleigh Wood

09/09/2025

I just have to share this post because I’m so incredibly proud of both of them, this was a huge step 🥺

Some of you may know that Misty has a major fear of the vets due to some traumatic experiences during her adolescence stage.
She also struggles with stranger danger in unfamiliar settings, isn’t a fan of being petted on the head and prefers to go to people in her own time.

But today, not only did she step foot inside of a veterinary practice for the first time in more than three years, she also allowed her vet to check her heart and lungs with a stethoscope and took some treats from him and who I believe was one of the receptionists🥺

This is also the first time she’s been inside a veterinary practice without a muzzle for the first time since she was around a year old😭😭

I honestly can’t recommend Horizon Vets enough, especially with anxious, nervous and reactive dogs.

They were all incredibly patient with her, took their time, and didn’t rush things at all.

Thank you so much Horizon Vets for making her first time back into veterinary practice so welcoming🐾

08/09/2025

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1353763832771985&set=a.590441192437590

07/09/2025

07/09/2025

⚡️Yellow Thunderstorm Warnings⚡️

Some dogs can be easily spooked by loud sudden noises, their ears are a lot more sensitive compared to ours, and they can’t check the forecast to prepare for storms like we can.

So what can we do to help our dogs through times where sudden loud noises and intense weather changes are likely to occur?

❗️Avoid walks during times of storms, fireworks and strong winds.
Many dogs every year are spooked by the sudden and loud noises that come with storms, fireworks and strong winds, out of fear they can escape their harness and collars in an attempt get away from the sounds.

❗️Check fences and gates haven’t come down before allowing your dog out into the garden during strong winds.

❗️Habituate dogs to the sounds of thunderstorms, fireworks and other loud noises from a young age. You can do this by playing these sounds on YouTube on a low volume, gradually increasing the volume so long as your dog isn’t showing signs of stress. A great way to do this is during ACE free work sessions.

❗️Block out the sounds of storms and fireworks with music, most dogs enjoy classical, but I know others that settle with heavy rock and Misty settles with Reggae. It may take a few genres to get your dogs preferred music taste right😅

❗️IT IS OK TO COMFORT YOUR DOG DURING TIMES OF STRESS!!!
Behaviours can be reinforced, but emotions can’t. Comforting your dog lets them know that you have their back and that you won’t leave them during times of stress.

❗️T-TOUCH!
T-Touch is a method that uses gentle touch to help dogs through fears, anxieties and frustrations. T-Touch can include the famous thunder shirts and body wraps to help soothe dogs during times of stress, but there are also some gentle massage techniques that you can try. Speak to a T-Touch practitioner or have a look at their website for more information on this https://www.ttouchtraining.co.uk

❗️Herbs and essential oils.
Some herbs and essential oils can help dogs via self selection. Dogs and other animals will often know and be able to choose which herbs and essential oils they need which is why being able to self select is so important.
Not all herbs and essential oils are safe for dogs, so please speak to someone that is qualified and experienced in botanicals and zoopharmacognosy, such as Paws for Thought - Canine & Equine Coach.

07/09/2025

⋆｡°✩ A Simple Practice to Reframe Your Training Challenges ⋆｡°✩

Learning or training challenges with a dog isn’t about what happens, it’s about how we see things.

If we see training our dogs as a hard we’ll brace for failure.

If we see training as a battle and the dog not doing what we ask, we’ll always look for something to fight.

But if we see having a dog and seeing their struggles as a gift to help us learn, we’ll feel gratitude.
If we see these challenges as a dance, we’ll find joy in the rhythm.

Here's three easy steps to help you reframe your struggles :

1. Identify Your Default Lens:

• When training your dog feels challenging, ask yourself: How am I seeing this?
• Is training or your dog’s behaviour feeling like a battle? A test? A burden? A lesson for me to reflect on?

2. Choose a New Perspective:

• What if having a dog and learning with them were actually a gift?
• What if this challenge were a teacher, not a punishment?
• What if, just for today, you saw your dog’s challenges as a chance to love them for who they are.

3. Anchor the Feeling:

• Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and feel what this new perspective is like in your body.
• Let it settle, even if just for a moment.

This isn’t about denying hardship of learning. It’s about choosing a way of seeing that empowers us rather than weighs us down.

06/09/2025

Nothing better than seeing green spirulina coated muzzles 😍 in a zoopharmacognosy session.

What an amazing afternoon spent learning from animals selecting just what they needed.

06/09/2025

Seren Thomas-Wilcox 😂