Pawsitive Companions

02/11/2026

Rescuing a dog is only the beginning of his journey.

A 2026 study from the Universities of Liverpool and Edinburgh looked at the welfare challenges around dogs imported into the UK for rescue. The researchers ran interviews and focus groups with 54 people involved, including rescue staff, trainers, transporters, vets, animal health officers, government representatives, fosterers and owners. They also looked at 18 online forum threads.

A few themes came up again and again. Dogs not always fit to travel, welfare during transport, disease risks, the struggle to settle somewhere completely new, and expectations that didn't match reality, often with costly surprises for new owners. They also found problems with regulation, from rules not being followed to a lack of joined up oversight. Rescues were seen as having a responsibility to give accurate information and proper support before and after adoption.

It's worth saying this was qualitative research. It tells us what people experienced and what worries them, not how often these problems happen across all imported dogs. It doesn't mean every rescue or every imported dog has these issues.

Now for my side of it.

I've worked with a lot of Romanian rescue dogs across two big rescues here in Scotland, and I took one on myself. Chily was a Carpathian cross, a third or fourth generation street dog, and his fear aggression was off the chart. I'd never seen anything like it before, and I haven't since. He'd stay hidden until his moment came, then nip someone from behind as they were leaving and hang back to see what happened.

It took well over a year before he stopped barking at people coming into the house. Well over a year. A lot of people expect a rescue to settle in a few weeks.

That quick nip and retreat is something I saw in a lot of Romanian dogs. It's fast, and it's a warning, but it's not harmless. Some of those bites did real damage.

The other thing that caught people out was adolescence. I lost count of the lovely, easy puppies who hit around 12 months and changed completely. Fear, reactivity, aggression, the lot. Often with good, responsible owners who'd had them since they were tiny. Many of these dogs come from generations with no real human upbringing, so we can't always treat them like a UK bred pet dog.

If there's one thing I'd tell every adopter, it's this. Yes, give your dog space, but don't put training on hold. Start with the dog you want at the end. That doesn't mean long sessions. It means seconds here and there, many times a day. That's where the trust and the bond start, and waiting costs you.

As for the idea that rescue importation is just shifting a problem, I don't agree. Overbreeding is a worldwide problem, and it's everyone's responsibility.

What matters is honest information, realistic expectations, proper support, and the dog's welfare first. Before, during and after the journey.

Have you taken on a rescue from abroad? What surprised you most?

Reference:
Wallis, L.J., Murphy, A., Pinchbeck, G., Stavisky, J., Buckley, L., & Westgarth, C. (2026). "They're just shifting a problem": A qualitative study of stakeholder perceptions of the welfare implications of UK rescue dog importation. PLOS ONE, 21(9), e0343416. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0343416

31/10/2026

That’s how he’d get me!

31/10/2026

31/10/2026

🐾 What is your dog's tail telling you?

A dog's tail can give us useful clues about how he might be feeling, but it's only one part of the picture.

Here's a young Doberman trying an impulse control exercise for the first time. I was watching his tail closely, but you have to look at the whole dog and what's happening in the moment.

Research has linked a wag that swings more to the dog's own left with less comfortable feelings, and more to the right with more positive ones. It's subtle and often hard to spot in real time, so treat it as a clue, not a rule.

At the start, his tail was one of several signs he wasn't entirely comfortable. As he worked it out, it settled into a more neutral position, and he checked in with me before his release. Over the next few reps, that more neutral tail showed up sooner. The full session is further down my page if you want to see it.

That's why context matters. Don't read a tail on its own, and don't assume every wag means a happy dog. Watch the individual dog and how his body language changes as you work with him.

Watch the whole dog, not just the tail. 🧡🐾

31/10/2026

The Story Behind Dark Devices

The story behind the feature film Dark Devices is almost as important to us as the film itself.

The idea began with my ( producer/writer ) daughter, Sophie, when she was just ten years old. Having come from a working class background herself, she wanted to create something that could help other children and young people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience the film industry. Having been fortunate enough to find her own way into film, she wanted to help open doors for others and show them that their circumstances need not define their future.

Sophie is now almost sixteen and has already appeared in several films herself. We feel incredibly humbled by the opportunities she has been given, but throughout her own journey, she has never forgotten why she wanted to make this film in the first place.

As her mum, I have always wanted to show Sophie that with hard work, determination and belief, things that once seem impossible can become reality. She wanted the children and everyone involved in this project to experience something special — to be part of something that many people may never have the opportunity to experience in their lifetime, just as she has been fortunate enough to do.

What began as a child's dream has grown into a genuine grassroots film project, bringing together people from many different backgrounds, each with their own stories, experiences and ambitions.

The journey has taken five years. As a single mum, I have worked hard to keep the project moving forward alongside the many other challenges life has brought our way. These have included Sophie's diagnosis of Crohn's disease, periods of severe illness and time spent in hospital. There have been many difficult moments and circumstances beyond our control, and times when continuing has not been easy. Yet, somehow, we have kept going with some real good support in the background, holding on to the original vision and the belief that this project could make a difference.

The film itself is inspired by lived experiences. It draws on real-life situations, challenges and experiences that have been dramatised and developed for the screen. Although the story has been fictionalised, the emotions and themes at its heart are rooted in reality. Dark Devices explores issues that many people may recognise, with online grooming central to the story.

But this project has always been about much more than making a film.

Our original vision was to create opportunities for children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. As the project developed, that vision grew to include people in recovery and film students, many of whom became part of the crew alongside experienced industry professionals and professional actors.

For film students, the production offered the opportunity to work on a real film set, gain practical experience, develop their skills and build confidence within the industry. For some, the experience has been a stepping stone towards further opportunities, with individuals going on to work on other productions and projects.

For people in recovery, the project provided an opportunity to become involved in something positive, creative and purposeful. It gave people the chance to contribute their skills, work as part of a supportive team and be involved in something meaningful, with a shared goal that brought everyone together.

For many of the young people involved, it meant seeing a dream come to life — the dream of being part of the film industry. But it became so much more than that. It was about believing in themselves, discovering what they were capable of, learning new skills, building confidence and realising that opportunities can exist where they may never have imagined them.

People with very different levels of experience have come together, learned from one another and worked towards creating something special. In many ways, the film has already achieved what Sophie hoped it would when she was just ten years old: it has helped open doors, create opportunities and bring people together who might never otherwise have crossed paths.

Financially, Dark Devices has been a true grassroots effort. The film has been primarily self-funded, with five years of our own time, money and resources invested into bringing it to life. We have also been fortunate to receive support from sponsors who believed in the vision and dreams of a ten-year-old girl, and we will always be grateful to those who saw the potential in what Sophie wanted to achieve.

We are equally thankful to the local businesses and induvials across the UK who have supported us along the way. Every contribution, every act of kindness and every person who has believed in this project has helped us continue when the journey has been difficult.

For us, Dark Devices is not simply a feature film. It represents resilience, opportunity, inclusion and the power of believing in a dream. It is about showing young people that they deserve opportunities, that their voices matter and that they can be part of something bigger than themselves.

Most importantly, it is about a little girl who, at just ten years old, wanted to make a difference for other children and who has held on to that belief throughout a journey that has tested us in ways we could never have anticipated.

We are incredibly proud of how far this project has come, not only because of the film we have created, but because of the people who have been part of the journey and the opportunities that have grown from it.

What began as Sophie's dream has become something we all share. And for us, that is what makes Dark Devices truly special.



Poster credit Neil Fraser Graphics

31/10/2026

🎬 BE PART OF SOMETHING SPECIAL – BECOME OUR MAIN SPONSOR OF THE PREMIERE OF DARK DEVICES FEATURE FILM ❤️

✨ One young girl’s dream. Five years of determination. One powerful film with a purpose.

With the premiere of our feature film Dark Devices now five months away, we are looking for main sponsors... an individual or business who would like to be part of something truly meaningful.

But why sponsor Dark Devices?

This is much more than a film. It tackles important issues including online grooming, mental health, addiction and the challenges people face in real life. Inspired by lived experiences and dramatised for the screen, its message is one we believe deserves to be heard.

But the story behind the film is just as special as the film itself.

❤️ It all began with Sophie, who was at the start just 10 years old.

Coming from a working-class background, Sophie dreamed of creating opportunities for children and young people who might never otherwise experience the film industry. Having found her own path into acting, she wanted to open doors for others and show them that their circumstances do not have to define their future.

Now almost 16, Sophie has appeared in several films, but she has never forgotten the dream that started it all.

Over the past five years, that dream has grown into an incredible grassroots project, bringing together children, young people, film students, people in recovery, experienced industry professionals and actors — creating opportunities, building confidence and bringing people from all walks of life together.

🎗️ AND NOW, WE NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE THE PREMIERE COUNT!

The premiere is booked, and ticket sales will cover the event costs. However, Dark Devices has always been a 100% not-for-profit project, with the aim of raising money for charity. Securing a main sponsor would help us maximise the money we can donate to charity in recognition of the five-year journey that brought this film to life.

🌟 WHAT WOULD YOU RECEIVE AS OUR MAIN SPONSOR?

✅ Your business promoted in the film credits.

✅ Recognition as a main sponsor across relevant promotional and press materials.

✅ An invitation to attend the film premiere and celebrate this incredible achievement with us.

✅ The knowledge that your support has helped bring a young girl's dream to life, created opportunities for others and supported a project with a charitable purpose.

This is your opportunity to be part of a story that goes beyond the screen — one about hope, opportunity, determination and giving back. ❤️

Whether you are a local business, a larger organisation or an individual who believes in supporting grassroots projects, we would love to hear from you.

📩 Interested in becoming our main sponsor?

Please message our page or email [email protected] to find out more.

Help us turn five years of hard work and one young girl's dream into something that makes a lasting difference. 🎬❤️

30/10/2026

Asleep or watching you?

This is Odin, fully asleep. Those two glowing spots in the top picture aren't his eyes, they're his tan eyebrow markings. The bottom picture is what it looks like when he actually opens them: the night camera catches a hard white glare off the back of the eye.

People have noticed this for thousands of years. In ancient Persia, a "four eyed" dog with spots above its eyes was brought in to look over the dead and drive away evil spirits. In the Rig Veda, the god of death keeps two four eyed dogs guarding the road to the afterlife.

The spots themselves are just part of the black and tan coat pattern. The meaning is all ours.

Does your dog have four eyes? Drop a photo in the comments, night camera shots especially welcome.

Full story on the blog.

🐕🐾❤️

28/10/2026

Most trainers know the four quadrants of operant conditioning. Here are the four I think make a better trainer.

1. Experience. Years with dogs teach you things no book can: reading the dog in front of you, timing, spotting patterns.

2. Education. Learning theory, ethology and behavioural science help explain what you're actually seeing, and why.

3. Evidence. Does what you believe hold up when it's tested, or is it just what we've always been told?

4. Critical thinking. Being willing to ask "what if I'm wrong?" and change your mind when the evidence says so.

None of them work on their own. Experience without education can mean repeating the same mistakes for years. Education without experience can mean knowing the theory but struggling with the dog in front of you.

The good trainers I've met keep going round all four.

Which one do you think gets skipped most?

26/10/2026

Could we spot changes in a dog's thinking before they become obvious?

As dogs get older, their memory and problem solving can slip. The hard part is telling normal ageing apart from something more going on.

Researchers have come up with a test called CANID to look into this. It takes about 40 minutes and uses three tasks. The dog has to remember where a treat was hidden, adapt when the route to a treat changes, and work its way round to food it can see but can't get at directly.

They tested 239 dogs, then brought some of them back six and twelve months later. The results were fairly consistent between visits. Older dogs scored lower, and the differences were already showing in middle age, around 8 years old.

That caught my eye. Most of the signs we'd normally link to canine dementia don't show up until much later.

It's early days. They still need to show it can pick up decline in an individual dog, and it's a research tool, not something you can do at home to diagnose dementia.

But if it holds up, it could mean catching changes years earlier than we do now.

Have you noticed your older dog changing in how they remember things, learn or work things out?

Reference
Hargrave, S.H. et al. (2026). Cognitive assessment for neuropsychological impairments in dogs (CANID): an efficient, repeatable, and sensitive evaluation for studies of cognitive aging. Animal Cognition. Published 12 October 2026. DOI: 10.1007/s10071-026-02112-x

24/10/2026

Could dogs have something comparable to ADHD?

I'm not saying they do. But I don't think we should dismiss the question just because we're talking about a different species.

There's actually a fair bit of research on this. A study of over 11,000 dogs found differences between breeds in hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention, and working breeds tended to score higher. Another study linked a particular gene variant to higher activity and impulsivity in police German Shepherds, but not in pet ones. That one really interested me, because it suggests genes and environment work together rather than separately.

Vets have also been talking about a condition called hyperkinesis since the 1970s, but there's still no agreed way to diagnose it.

And anyone who trains dogs knows a dog can know a behaviour inside out and still struggle to do it when something exciting is going on. Self control isn't one simple thing that works the same everywhere.

None of that proves dogs have ADHD. And before we put anything down to a condition, we need to look at the whole dog first. Exercise, rest, stress, pain, routine. All of it.

But I think it's a question worth asking.

I've written a full breakdown of the research. Comment ADHD and I'll send it over.

What do you reckon? Something worth investigating, or are the similarities misleading?

🐕🐾❤️