Creaturekind by Helen Greenley

04/05/2026

Couldn’t resist 😂

13/03/2026

The behavioural history for many of the adult behaviour cases I see, features inadequate or inappropriate exposure to social stimuli during the sensitive phase (3-16wks) ... great advice in this post from Life on Four Legs

01/02/2026

14/01/2026

It is absolutely fine to help your small breed dog, or your puppy, by picking them up if feeling overwhelmed. It does not ‘make other dogs aggressive’ as I have heard people say one too many times 🙄

It’s OK to pick your small dog up

I see this come up a lot, people worry that “you should never pick a dog up” or “you’re reinforcing fear”.

For many small dogs, being picked up can be a completely appropriate, kind and sensible choice.

Small dogs live in a world where other dogs are physically much bigger than them. A well-meaning large dog, a bouncy adolescent running up can feel overwhelming or genuinely unsafe when you’re tiny. They are also at much more risk in an actual dog attack. If you know your tiny dog will feel scared, picking them dog can reduce stress if faced with genuine threat, they are probably safer being lifted than on the floor

Picking a dog up is not “spoiling” them. It can be management.

If your small dog is already worried, asking them to cope when they’re over threshold doesn’t build confidence. It just teaches them that their feelings aren’t being listened to. Lifting them out of a situation they can’t cope with can actually reduce the need for distance-increasing behaviours like barking or snapping.

The key is how and when you do it.

✔️ Pick up before your dog is panicking
✔️ Use it as a temporary safety strategy, not a way to avoid all exposure forever
✔️ Get them used to being picked up and teach them a cue
✔️ Combine it with longer-term work to build confidence at your dog’s pace

Be aware that other dogs may jump up at you if you pick your dog up, hopefully by that point the other owner has appeared to control their dog!

For some dogs, being picked up is a safe place. For others it isn’t. As always, ‘it depends!’ and the individual dog matters more than blanket rules.

If you’ve never had a tiny vulnerable dog, it may be hard to empathise. Now that I have a tiny dog with awful legs who could be really hurt by a dog jumping on her, I really do get it.

If picking your small dog up helps them feel safer in that moment, you’re not doing anything wrong. You’re responding to the dog in front of you. You may have to learn to ignore comments from other dog owners but your own dogs safely is the priority! ❤️

14/01/2026

Amazing sunrise this morning, and our water supply reinstated after 6 days. It feels like a good day today 🙏

16/11/2025

Nessie was anxious about strangers getting too close, and her humans got in touch for help. Having worked diligently on management and training over the last 5 months, Nessie is now able to pass strangers on walks without barking or lunging. Here's what Judi had to say about working with me ...
'Nessie is doing really well thank you, I have had no concerns since we last met. Thank you so much for all of your help with her, you have given me so much more confidence. We have really enjoyed working with you as well, I have felt very supported by you so thank you. You are very good at what you do.'

19/10/2025

Spaces with the very lovely Sarah at ClarkiesWalkies are like gold dust, don't miss this opportunity!

💛 "More friends required please, we now have a regular space available on a Monday & Thursday for a small/medium sized dog, please message my assistant (The Lady) to book, she see's to all the admin 😉"

💥 Refer a friend for a free walk for your dog 💥

07/08/2025

"I am so happy I contacted Helen when Dustin started having issues with his litter tray. One online consultation was all it took for Helen to get to the root of the problem. After implementing the changes Helen suggested, Dustin’s issues completely resolved—he’s now happily using his tray again!” – Susan
Dustin was adopted by Susan two years ago, but only recently began struggling with his tray use. After a behaviour consultation, we identified that early signs of osteoarthritis were making it harder for him to access, and feel comfortable using his litter tray .
By adapting the tray set-up and making small changes to the litter and environment, Susan helped Dustin feel confident and pain-free using his tray again. She was absolutely brilliant at supporting him through this.
If your cat's toilet habits suddenly change, it’s always worth investigating. Age, pain, and social stress, confidence and prior learning can all play a role—and small tweaks can make a big difference.
Get in touch if you’d like support with your cat’s behaviour, we are here to help.

21/07/2025

'Sparky is doing well; he seems much calmer. He definitely still has his barky moments, but he seems happier, and we feel we know how to "communicate" with him better, so thank you for your help. We even had the blinds open the other day and didn't seem too fussed when people walked past, (or he would huff and look back at us, not bark).'

Sparky's owners asked me for help with his barking, and I have been working with them to help him to feel safer and more confident around strangers. Our sessions are now finished, and it was lovely to hear he is continuing to improve. Changing behaviour is never a quick fix, and Sparky's owners now have the knowledge and skills to continue to support him on their own.

If you would like help with your dog's behaviour, please get in touch via the website www.creature-kind.co.uk
'

24/04/2025

I worked with Wendy & Tabitha back in 2023, I can't believe I missed sharing their story! How beautiful is Tabitha? 🥰
"Tabitha was a re-homed from a rescue charity, so I had very little idea of her past experience. When she first arrived, as a family, we struggled for a number of months with her toileting outside her tray, albeit in the right room. I knew enough to appreciate she was trying to communicate she wasn't happy with something, but couldn't put my finger on the problem. At this point, I thought we were going to have to re-home her again, and as a last resort, I sought help from Helen.
Helen, methodically worked with me to establish Tabitha's preferences and was fundamental in liaising with Tabitha's Vet to diagnose and gain treatment for her anxiety. Helen kept me on track, documenting and evidencing Tabitha's behaviour. This allowed us to build a picture, that Helen helped me understand, from Tabitha's point of view.
I am so glad we took the decision to look for behavioural help from Helen. Tabitha is a much happier cat these days, she is consistently using her litter tray and I know Helen is on hand for advice if I need it in the future. "