K9 Connectionism

K9 Connectionism I specialise in force free progressive reinforcement training. K9 Connectionism - A calm approach to canine confidence.

🐾🐶 CALLING ALL DOG LOVERS! 🐾🐶 🌟 Unleash the potential in your furry best friend with my dog behavior services! As a prof...
31/07/2023

🐾🐶 CALLING ALL DOG LOVERS! 🐾🐶

🌟 Unleash the potential in your furry best friend with my dog behavior services! As a professional dog behavior specialist, I'm thrilled to offer you and your canine companions a paw-some experience like never before! 🌟

🎯 From boisterous barkers to shy tail-waggers, I've got tailor-made solutions to address all your dog's needs. Whether it's obedience training, socialisation skills, or curbing those pesky habits, I've got it covered! 🎾🦴

💡 My mission is to create a harmonious bond between you and your dogs, transforming your household into a happy haven. Together, we'll unlock their potential and watch them flourish! 💖

📅 So mark your calendars and take advantage of my limited-time offers:

🐶 Behaviour Assessment: £20 (Included with the purchase of a 1:1 session)
🐶 1:1 Training Session: £25
🐶 1:1 Zoom Training Session: £20

📣 Act fast and let's embark on this journey of growth and joy! Send me a DM or comment below to book your slot today! 📩

🐕 Your pup's happiness is just a paw shake away. Let's wag our way to a brighter future together! 🌈

🌟🐶 Rewarding Our Pawesome Pals: Why Treats Matter! 🐾🏆 Hey fur-tastic friends! 🌞 Let's talk about something that puts a w...
26/07/2023

🌟🐶 Rewarding Our Pawesome Pals: Why Treats Matter! 🐾🏆

Hey fur-tastic friends! 🌞 Let's talk about something that puts a wag in our tails and a sparkle in our eyes - TREATS! 🎁🍖 As dedicated dog lovers, we know that our canine companions hold a special place in our hearts, and today, we're diving into the importance of rewarding our furry pals!

Imagine this - you wake up early, ready to take on the world, and head to work. But hold on a sec, what if you were expected to give your all, day in and day out, without any form of appreciation or paycheck? 🤔 Doesn't sound too appealing, right? Well, guess what? Our adorable four-legged friends feel the same way! 🐾💔

Our fur-babies may not head to a 9-to-5 job, but they definitely have their daily "duties." From learning new cues to performing unnatural behaviours and simply being the best companions, they put in effort and love unconditionally. 🐕💕 So, just like we wouldn't work without a reward, why should they do it for free?

🏆 Treats are more than just yummy snacks; they play a crucial role in training and bonding! 🏆

🐶 Training: Reward-based training is like giving our pups a gold star for a job well done! By using treats as positive reinforcement, we help them associate good behavior with delightful rewards. This not only makes them happy but also boosts their confidence in understanding what we expect from them.

🐾 Bonding: Treat time equals quality time! Sharing treats creates moments of connection and trust between us and our furry buddies. It strengthens the unbreakable bond we cherish, making them feel loved, appreciated, and part of our family.

🌟 Fun Fact: Did you know that some treats are not only tasty but also great for their health? Dental chews can help keep those pearly whites shining bright, and certain treats offer essential nutrients to keep them bouncing with energy! 🦷💪

So, let's make a pact, fellow dog lovers! 🤝 The next time our good boys and girls show off their brilliance, let's shower them with tasty treats and a ton of love! 🎉🥰 After all, they bring so much joy and happiness into our lives; it's the least we can do to show our appreciation.

Share your favorite treat-time moments below and spread the word on why rewarding our furry friends is a must! 📣 Let's make the world a happier place, one treat at a time! 🌍💖

🐾 Back in Action! 🐾Hey there, pawsome pals! 🐶 It's been a while since I last graced your feed, but I'm thrilled to annou...
24/07/2023

🐾 Back in Action! 🐾

Hey there, pawsome pals! 🐶 It's been a while since I last graced your feed, but I'm thrilled to announce that I'm back in the game and ready to fetch some exciting content your way! 🎉

Life's been a whirlwind of wagging tails and training sessions as I've been working hard behind the scenes to sharpen my skills as a dog trainer extraordinaire. 🏋️‍♂️🐕 During my time away, I've had the privilege of meeting so many wonderful fur babies and their amazing hoomans, and it's been an absolute joy helping them achieve their training goals.

Now that I've unleashed my creativity and revitalised my passion for all things canine, get ready for a treat-filled journey ahead! 🐩 From essential obedience tips to advanced tricks and everything in between, I'll be sharing my expertise and insights to help you and your four-legged friends build an unbreakable bond. 💕

But it's not just about training; I want to create a community of dog lovers who can share their experiences, challenges, and heartwarming moments with each other. 🐾 So don't be shy to bark up in the comments, because your stories are just as important as the lessons we'll be teaching!

Let's embark on this adventure together! 🌟 Whether you're a seasoned dog owner or a brand new pup parent, there's something for everyone in my upcoming posts. I'm here to guide you every step of the way and make your canine companionship journey as delightful as a belly rub! 😉

So hit that "Follow" button if you haven't already, and let's fetch some tail-wagging content! 🐕📸 Stay tuned for regular updates, training tips, and a whole lot of canine cuteness coming your way! 🐾✨

Happy Monday everyone! I hope that you all have a lovely week planned, it looks like the temperatures are going to drop ...
15/08/2022

Happy Monday everyone! I hope that you all have a lovely week planned, it looks like the temperatures are going to drop this week which will certainly help our dogs to feel more comfortable 🥵🔥

I just want to take a minute to really recommend this series of three books (all available on amazon).
If your dog displays any signs of reactivity, fear or anxiety then this book is definitely for you!
Beverley Courtney is a force-free positive/progressive reinforcement trainer and I thoroughly endorse the content of her books.
These books will hopefully help open your eyes to why your dog is exhibiting certain behaviours and will also give you advice and tools on how to tackle these challenging reactions.

If your dog is struggling with reactivity, fear, anxiety or a lack of confidence please contact me as I would love to help you both understand each other better and work towards a more harmonious household ☮️

Having a rescue of my own, I completely understand the strain that reactivity can put on a relationship. Remember that you are not alone and my aim is to help make tomorrow just that little bit easier 💗

Happy Tuesday everyone! The weather isn't looking as good this week but let's still make it a good one 😊 Remember, you c...
28/06/2022

Happy Tuesday everyone! The weather isn't looking as good this week but let's still make it a good one 😊 Remember, you can only get rainbows after it has rained 🌈

Aversives are unpleasant stimuli used to try and cause changes in behaviour through punishment.

This poster says it all really, the negative impact of aversives aren't just felt in the moment but are held by dogs for the rest of their lives even when they are no longer being used.

I would include the following as aversives:

1. Shock collars
2. Prong collars
3. Slip leads when used to try and stop pulling
4. Halti's or any other "anti-pulling" device that applies pressure to the muzzle
5. Choke chains
6. Lead corrections (i.e. sharp tugs on the lead)
7. Shouting at dogs
8. Negative physical contact (e.g. hitting or kicking)
9. Downwards pressure to get a dog into a position (e.g. pushing down on the bottom to get them to sit)
10. Negative pushing (e.g. pushing and shoving in a non-play setting)
11. Spray bottles
12. Loud noises used for training, e.g. shaker cans
13. Ultrasonic collars and devices
14. Invisible fence collars
15. Spray collars
16. Threatening body language or confrontational staring
17. Holding a dog's mouth closed
18. Poking or stimulating a bite with fingers (commonly used by Cesar Millan)
19. Grabbing the collar and using it to pull the dog

There are others but these are the most common, are you able to comment with anything that I have forgotten to mention?

Countless Scientific research projects have shown that the most effective way to train a dog is through positive/progressive reinforcement. If you would like to learn more about this type of training please don't hesitate to contact me ✉️

If you have used any of these methods in the past please don't be too hard on yourself as you didn't know the impact of them. You can't change the past but let's work together to change today and the future 💪


I'm definitely enjoying all of this sunshine, it's given me a much needed boost ☺️☀️I love how this diagram highlights j...
21/06/2022

I'm definitely enjoying all of this sunshine, it's given me a much needed boost ☺️☀️

I love how this diagram highlights just how many factors affect a dog's behaviour 🐕

Its important to remember that 'deliberately trying to wind up owner' or 'stubborness' aren't on there (I keep telling myself that when Bella appears to be ignoring me).
Despite what we may tell ourselves dogs don't do things to purposefully annoy us and what appears to be stubbornness is actually something else, such as fear or pain.

Having a better understanding of what affects a dog's behaviour is so important when training.
Knowing more about our dogs will help to improve our relationships and will allow them to feel safer and happier.

I absolutely love this image, it really says it all 🐕
14/06/2022

I absolutely love this image, it really says it all 🐕

Happy Monday everyone, its the start of another week, let's make it count 🌟I really love this picture as it clearly expl...
13/06/2022

Happy Monday everyone, its the start of another week, let's make it count 🌟

I really love this picture as it clearly explains the difference between positive/negative reinforcement/punishment.

Modern dog training that is based on current scientific research uses a combination of positive reinforcement and negative punishment 👍

Negative punishment sounds scary but it actually means removing your attention (which is what dogs are always seeking).
For example, a dog jumping up desperately wants your attention, when using negative punishment you would remove the desired attention by turning your back on them, when all 4 paws are on the floor you then turn to give your dog the attention that they are seeking 🐾🐕

Negative reinforcement and positive punishment should always be avoided.
If you are looking for a dog trainer/behaviourist and you see these terms mentioned that means that they aren't a force free positive/progressive reinforcement trainer so they're methods are outdated and not backed by science ⛔️🚫🙅‍♀️



The sun is shining! I don't know about you but I always feel lifted when the sun comes out to say hello ☀️Unfortunately ...
07/06/2022

The sun is shining! I don't know about you but I always feel lifted when the sun comes out to say hello ☀️

Unfortunately many people still believe in alpha/dominance theory when it comes to dog training and behaviour 🚫
This theory has been disproved multiple times through rigorous scientific research.

It really saddens me that trainers using these theories still regularly appear on our TV as it is preventing the force free positive/progressive reinforcement movement from being spread.

I love this picture because it really brings home the message that your dog isn't being dominant or submissive, they're just being a dog 🐕

Don't worry if you have believed in these theories in the past, everyone makes mistakes.
Treat today as a new lesson learnt and please contact me if you would like to know more about training that is rooted in science.

Happy Monday everyone, let's make this week count 😁I regularly see owners preventing their dog's from playing because th...
06/06/2022

Happy Monday everyone, let's make this week count 😁

I regularly see owners preventing their dog's from playing because they mistakenly think that they are fighting 🥊
Play with other dogs is essential for good socialisation skills and mental enrichment 🧠

I hope this image helps you to identify play body language and gives you confidence to let dogs do what they do best which is be dogs 🐕

Thank you so much for all of your support, it means the absolute world to me 💗I've been having some time away from socia...
20/05/2022

Thank you so much for all of your support, it means the absolute world to me 💗

I've been having some time away from social media but I'm back now and here to stay 🫂

I can't believe how much this page has grown! Let's see if we can hit 200 followers 🎉

Today has been a big day for Bella! She has successfully conquered the big city 🏙This morning we took the tram to Nottin...
20/05/2022

Today has been a big day for Bella!
She has successfully conquered the big city 🏙

This morning we took the tram to Nottingham, visited starbucks and then went to the hairdressers. She was an absolute superstar and didn't put a paw wrong 🐾🌟
She's gone from being scared on the streets of Minsk to strutting her sassy self down Nottingham high street 💃
Beyond proud of how far this girl has come 💛

Wednesdays are assistance dog training days with the wonderful  🦮Here is Bella showing off her between the legs cue 🐶Thi...
11/05/2022

Wednesdays are assistance dog training days with the wonderful 🦮

Here is Bella showing off her between the legs cue 🐶
This cue is fantastic for sitting in waiting rooms, it not only saves space but it also brings your dog closer to you for reassurance and support 🐕‍🦺

If you have a mental health condition and think that you would benefit from training your dog to be a medical assistance dog please don't hesitate to contact me for more details.
You can also check out RAD's website https://www.recoveryassistancedogs.org.uk/

Have you ever wondered if dogs can have feelings of stress and being overwhelmed?The answer is yes they can!Dogs don't j...
10/05/2022

Have you ever wondered if dogs can have feelings of stress and being overwhelmed?
The answer is yes they can!

Dogs don't juggle work, family and friends like we do but that doesn't mean that they are immune from things getting on top of them.
Dogs can feel just as burnt out as us humans 😫

When we are struggling to cope we try to engage with self care and helpful coping strategies.
Dogs unfortunately don't have this emotional toolbox and rely on us to help make them feel better 😌

This week I challenge you to take part in activities that will fill your dog's emotional cup ☕️

I would love to see some photos of your progress 📸

Are you looking for some additional help and support with training and socialising your new puppy? Are you wanting to ta...
09/05/2022

Are you looking for some additional help and support with training and socialising your new puppy?
Are you wanting to tackle problem behaviours that you are experiencing with your young dog?
Or are you just looking for some additional training opportunities?

If you answered yes to any of these questions then these courses are for you!

I will be teaching these courses on behalf of RAD (Recovery Assistance Dogs) and I can't wait to see you there ☺️🐶

Today has been a public access training day 🦮I think the stardom she gained at the weekend has gone to her head a little...
26/04/2022

Today has been a public access training day 🦮

I think the stardom she gained at the weekend has gone to her head a little as she was certainly a bit cheeky today!
She seems to think that when you're this pretty you can get away with being a bit of a diva 💃

Address

Kingston On Soar, Nottingham
Kegworth
NG110

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Tuesday 10am - 7pm
Wednesday 10am - 7pm
Thursday 10am - 7pm
Friday 10am - 7pm

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+447754764641

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