True Wags Behaviour & Training

04/03/2026

Middle!

Some of my lovely walkers practicing tricks.

Fun, positive training is great enrichment and keeps things interesting when we are out and about.

24/02/2026

Hello! Just a reminder that I am completely full for dog walking and unfortunately cannot take anymore clients.

Behaviour and training are available as usual :)

Thank you for your understanding

06/02/2026

Just look at those puppy eyes 🥺

Bandit is a spaniel x setter who had been in his new home a few weeks now.

He came all the way from a shelter in Spain and his caregivers are doing an amazing job helping him learn that his new world is a safe and happy place!

They chose my puppy package which includes a pre arrival session so that they could be prepared for puppy life and have personalised training sessions tailored to his needs.

Today we went over some basic training and focus games in the house. I will keep you updated on Bandit’s progress as he learns and grows ☺️

Want to learn more about my new puppy/ rescue dog package? Message me today 💕

31/12/2025

Thank you so much! 🎉
This year has been so crazy (and scary) but I am so lucky to finally be working my dream job!
I am looking forward to continuing to never stop learning and meeting so many more amazing pets and people in 2026.
Were you happy with the service provided? Please leave an honest review on my Google page or Facebook. It would make my day! 💖

16/12/2025

Look at those amazing ears! 😍
Daku is a 6 month old German Shepherd who needs help improving his loose lead walking and people greeting skills.

His caregivers chose my Walk and Train package where I lay down the foundations in teaching the new skills.

On this session we ended up staying in the garden with low distractions, practicing focus games and keeping the lead loose, he did brilliantly! It is hard for adolescent dogs, the world is just so exciting 😆

Hard on time? Would you like a dog trainer to help train the basics for you? My Walk and Train package is for you ! Check out my website or send me a message to find out more 🐕

09/12/2025

So proud to be CCAB precertified!

Congratulations Niamh Scott on your MSc and on gaining pre-certification!

"I am very excited to have gained my pre-certification after finishing my MSc at the University of Lincoln. Thank you to all the amazing staff at the university and my brilliant colleagues on the course. I am looking forward to continue gaining further practical skills and knowledge in clinical animal behaviour."

19/11/2025

I never like saying this.🫣
We see it as affection.
Dogs can see it as a restraint.
That's the issue here.

As humans we feel a desire to show our love and affection the exact same way we show it to our family.
We wrap our arms around, pull closer and squeeze tight.
They may wriggle, so we hug tighter.
We might playfully wrestle with them when they move away or try to leave, we often do that to other people we know well.

That doesn't mean it translates well to dogs.

If a dog is trying to leave or is not accepting or receptive to a hug, don't insist.
If we need to use our strength to hold our dogs from leaving, they don't want a hug.
They want space.
Space equals safety to a dog.

Don't take it personally, many dogs don't like hugs.
It goes back to feeling restrained and having their freedom of movement restricted.
Being able to move away from anything they're uncomfortable with builds trust way more than insisting they accept that very close, tight physical contact.

Children often greet family dogs with hugs and that's absolutely fine if that dog is happy to be hugged by that child, but this may form a habit of greeting other dogs by getting low, face to face and restraining/hugging a dog they don't know.

Hugs aren't a right we should insist on.
If a dog accepts them and enjoys them, that's trust built over time and feeling safe.

It's not from restraining and removing options to move.

14/11/2025

Sunnie and Urza 🥹

Out of all of the dogs I walk, Sunnie has got to be the biggest poser and the most enthusiastic about my treat pouch 😆 Just look at those ears!

Urza is a typical fizzy collie who is so eager to learn. We are building in some pattern games into his walk as well as a bit of scent work. He is gorgeous and we are already becoming fast friends.

Need some solo walks? I have an early afternoon space available on Tuesdays. Message today :)

03/11/2025

Isn’t Chester handsome? 🐾💕
We did lots of loose lead walking practice today and he did so well!
He absolutely loved the racoon toy and carried it with him everywhere.
Does your dog struggle in group settings? I still have some morning solo walk spaces available 💕

16/10/2025

Are you struggling with your pets behaviour? I can help!

🐈Dog or cat behaviour consultations

Individualised to suit you and your pet.
Payment plans and low income discounts available.
In person (West Yorkshire) or remote

🐕Reward based training

🐇Solo dog walks and pet visits (North Leeds)

Please don't hesitate to send me a message if you have questions!

BOOK A FREE DISCOVERY CALL TODAY ☎️

www.truewags.co.uk

[email protected]

07872897446

16/10/2025

Love this!

‘But my dog isn’t food motivated!’

I hear this often. Online or in person. ‘He doesn’t like treats’. ‘I’ve tried reward based and it doesn’t work for my dog’. ‘I’ve used a whole roast chicken and he ignored it!’

I hear this every week.

I have a question for you. What is your favourite food in the world? Mine is probably anything with pesto. Pesto pasta with lashings of cheese and some tomatoes and a crackle of black pepper.

Now imagine we are at a theme park. We sit for lunch and you’ll probably say yes to that absolute favourite food. Now we are on the biggest rollercoaster about to go down the drop. You know that moment it holds and you can feel your adrenaline spike? You turn to me and offer me a plate of pesto pasta.

Honestly. I’m gonna tell you to f**k off in that moment. I’m about to go down a huge drop on a terrifying roller coaster! Now is not the time for food even if it’s my absolute favourite!!

Now I’d like you to picture your dog in a park. There’s other dogs around. Your dog is reactive to other dogs. You offer him some cheese and he ignores it totally. You look at me exasperated saying ‘see! He isn’t food motivated!’

He is. He is just on the emotional rollercoaster. His body has kicked into that ‘fight flight’ response and food simply isn’t appropriate. This can be out of fear or excitement. It isn’t that he doesn’t like food, it’s that there’s an emotional barrier stopping that food from being motivational in this moment. It’s a sign your dog is overwhelmed if he starts to ignore food.

There’s lots of ways to improve this. Food is one of the easiest reinforcers we can use because it is cheap, we can reinforce often, it’s easy to carry and have on our person and one of the most simple ways to train. We just need to get him off the rollercoaster and show him that dogs in the park do not mean PANIC STATIONS or PARTY TIME! There’s lots of other reinforcers we can use of course, but food is typically one of the easiest for us humans to use.

I guarantee your dog is food motivated. You’re just trying to feed him on the rollercoaster and that will never work. You need a trainer who can show you how to get the dog on firm ground first.