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Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

Donna Rhodesian Ridgeback Trainer

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United Kingdom
Newcastle upon Tyne
Donna Rhodesian Ridgeback Trainer

Rhodesian Ridgeback Specialist
Helping you understand your Ridgeback 🐾
Choice • Connection • Confidence
🌍 Training & behaviour support worldwide
↓ Free guide

I am a member of The Association of Pet Dog Trainers, which mean all the training that i do is both Kind, Fair and Effective. I am confidant that with my guidance your dog will learn to be the very best it can be, becoming a well mannered, well adjusted dog,

I do not get you to sign a disclaimer to say that anything that happens is your responsibility or that you can not discuss the training that i have advised or that has taken place. Why? because i am happy and confident with my skills as a dog trainer, and would never do anything to harm your dog or you. Puppy Training and Socialisation Classes for puppies from 10 weeks old. Adult Obedience Classes

Agility Classes from Beginners to Advanced. Flyball

29/10/2026

🐾 Your Ridgeback doesn't need to spend the entire walk staring at you!

Rhodesian Ridgebacks are independent thinkers. They're naturally curious, observant and love investigating the world around them.

And that's a GOOD thing! ❤️

A successful walk isn't about demanding constant attention or perfect obedience.

It's about helping your Ridgeback feel comfortable in their environment, giving them opportunities to sniff, explore and make choices, while still staying connected to you.

For a reactive Ridgeback, understanding their emotional needs is an important part of building calmer, more enjoyable walks.

✨ Want to start understanding your Ridgeback's reactions?

I've created a FREE 7-day email guide to help you get started.

👇 Comment RIDGEBACK below and I'll send you the details!

23/10/2026

Have you tried EVERYTHING to stop your Rhodesian Ridgeback barking and lunging at other dogs? 😩🐾

You've tried treats, distractions, changing direction, avoiding other dogs… yet walks still feel like hard work.

You're constantly scanning your surroundings, wondering what's coming around the next corner.

Sound familiar?

Here's the thing. Reactivity isn't simply about stopping the barking and lunging.

It's about understanding WHY your Ridgeback reacts and helping them feel more comfortable in situations they currently struggle with.

And that's where real progress begins. 🧡

I've worked with hundreds of Rhodesian Ridgebacks, and I know just how challenging life with a reactive Ridgeback can feel.

That's why I've created a FREE 7-day email series to help you better understand your dog and start making positive changes.

👇 Comment RIDGEBACK and I'll show you how to get started!

21/10/2026

8 dogs. One previously reactive Ridgeback. What happens next? 👀

Not so long ago, seeing other dogs was a real challenge for this girl.

Yesterday, a dog walker passed with around 8 dogs.

She stopped. She watched. And then she calmly carried on with her owner. 🧡

No barking. No lunging. No drama.

Because progress isn't about teaching your Ridgeback to ignore everything around them.

It's about helping them feel safe enough to notice what's happening without needing to react.

And THIS is the kind of progress I absolutely love seeing! 🧡

Does your Ridgeback struggle when other dogs walk past?

18/10/2026

🐾 Have you got a reactive Ridgeback?

Does your Ridgeback go from calm to completely overwhelmed in seconds?

Barking, lunging, pulling, fixating on other dogs… and once they're worked up, nothing you do seems to bring them back down?

You're not alone. ❤️

I've worked with hundreds of Rhodesian Ridgebacks over the years, and I know just how challenging this can feel.

That's why I've created a FREE 7-day email series to help you better understand your Ridgeback's behaviour and start making positive changes.

Over 7 days, I'll share practical advice, insights and real examples to help you understand what's happening beneath the behaviour.

Because helping a reactive Ridgeback isn't just about getting them to listen.

It's about helping them learn to cope. ❤️

👇 Comment RIDGEBACK and I'll message you the link to join.

RidgebackLife

25/08/2026

Reward-based doesn't automatically mean individualised.

Of course I use rewards and train without force or intimidation — but that's only part of what I do.

When a Ridgeback is struggling, I'm interested in why.

What are they feeling? What is influencing the behaviour? What are they trying to achieve? And what can we change so that making a better choice becomes easier?

Ridgebacks are independent, sensitive thinkers.

I don't want to spend their lives micromanaging them.

I want to build a dog who can think, an owner who can understand, and a relationship where both ends of the lead have confidence in each other. ❤️

Choice. Connection. Confidence.

That's what my Ridgeback training is about.

Donna x

20/08/2026

Basingstoke Ridgeback owners — I'm coming your way! 🐾

I'm going to be in Basingstoke next week, 24th to 27th August 26 and, while I'm there, I'm opening up a small amount of time for in-person Ridgeback training and behaviour sessions.

So if you've been following me from down south thinking "I wish Donna was closer!" — this might be your chance. 😊

Whether you're struggling with reactivity, recall, adolescence, pulling, confidence, behaviour around other dogs — or you simply feel like you and your Ridgeback aren't quite understanding one another — we can look at what's actually happening for your individual dog.

No generic training formula and no trying to turn your Ridgeback into an obedience robot.

We'll look at the dog in front of us and work from there.

I only have limited time available while I'm in the area, so if you'd like to see me while I'm there, send me a message with the word BASINGSTOKE and I'll send you the details. ❤️

Donna x

12/08/2026

Ridgeback recall isn’t built when there’s nothing else going on… it’s built for moments like this. 🐾
Dogs around, plenty to investigate, freedom to make her own choice — and she chooses to come back when called. ❤️
That doesn’t happen by accident. It’s something we build gradually through consistency, trust and LOTS of practice around real-life distractions.
What’s the hardest thing for your dog to recall away from?

10/08/2026

A Ridgeback running towards other dogs can make your heart jump into your mouth 😅
But this is why I don’t think recall is just about teaching a dog to “obey” a word.
He saw the dogs.
He had the freedom to make a choice.
I called once.
He chose to come back. ❤️
That’s the relationship I want to build with my dogs — not constant control, but a dog who can think, make good choices and stay connected to me even when the environment gets exciting.
Choice. Connection. Confidence.
DogTraining

08/08/2026

Does anyone else feel like their lovely Ridgeback puppy disappeared overnight and was replaced by a teenager? 😂

One minute they're following you everywhere...

Then suddenly they've discovered dogs, people, smells, squirrels and apparently their own opinions.

Recall disappears.
Walks get harder.
They stop listening.
Excitement goes through the roof.

And it's very easy to start wondering...

"What am I doing wrong?"

I've worked with Ridgebacks for many years, and this teenage stage is one of the times I see owners struggle most.

But they're not suddenly being naughty or stubborn.

There's actually a LOT going on underneath the behaviour.

So I've put together a free guide:

🐾 5 Things That Can Transform Your Teenage Ridgeback

It covers some of the things I wish more Ridgeback owners were told before adolescence hits — including why doing MORE training isn't always the answer.

It's completely free ❤️

Comment RIDGEBACK below and I'll send you a copy.

Donna x
Ridgeback Trainer & Behaviourist

04/08/2026

One of the quickest ways to make a recall cue lose its meaning is by repeating it when your dog is already too emotionally invested in the environment to respond.
Once a dog is fully fixated, chasing, overwhelmed or over-aroused, they're often no longer in a place where they can thoughtfully process what you're asking.
So what happens?
We repeat the cue again... and again... and again...
Eventually, your dog learns that hearing their recall cue doesn't actually mean they need to come back. It simply becomes part of the background noise.
This isn't because they're being stubborn or ignoring you on purpose.
It's because emotion changes what the brain is able to process.
A reliable recall isn't built by shouting louder or repeating yourself more. It's built by practising in situations where your dog can still think, make choices and succeed.
Set your dog up to win, reward those good decisions, and gradually build the skill before expecting it in the hardest situations.
Have you ever caught yourself repeating your recall cue over and over? You're definitely not alone. ❤️

Address

Newcastle Upon Tyne

Opening Hours

Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://www.barkingmaddogtraining.co.uk/

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