Puppy Plus

10/06/2026

This is Pedro. He is a Cocker Spoodle, so he is 75% spaniel and 15% poodle.

I think he's like a spaniel in a furry coat.

He's gorgeous, very busy, but super smart, and loves to train. I first met him in February, when he came to me for a one to one Puppy Training Session. We've worked through toilet training, play biting, a bit of sensitivity around resources, excitement around other dogs some loose lead walking and practical recall training.

We've also worked through some adolescent 'quirks' and discussed neutering for the future, if that is something his guardians feel is necessary. Pedro's guardians understand the need to wait until he is mature before making any decisions.

He's almost all grown up now, and is thriving. His guardians love him, understand him, and have the knowledge that I will be here to help them if they encounter any further bumps' on the road x

08/06/2026

Just a reminder that we have a rather fabulous little shop at the barn.

It's not huge, but you can reliably fit four fully grown Labradors in there so I'm told....

As usual Sula is the leader, Doris is making herself small in the hope that she won't be noticed, Prue is waiting for me to fetch her a trachea, which is her favourite, and Good Girl Alys is waiting patiently outside so as not to offend anyone.

07/06/2026

Shall we do some training Allie? Puppy Plus

07/06/2026

Really enjoyed out HTM / Freestyle Workshop with Jen Smith of Be Brilliant Dogs this morning.
Nice to spend some time with one of my own dogs, and be able to sit back and watch our clients train their dogs.
Lots of learning about HTM, music to train to, and trying exercises we’ve not done before!
(Or for a long time on my case).
I love doing these workshops, so much emphasis on good training mechanics, cues, markers, reward systems. Transferable skills that are useful in not only HTM but all sports dog training.
Thank you Jen!

05/06/2026

🐾 Puppy Classes – Spaces Available 🐾

We have a few spaces available on our next Puppy Plus puppy course starting at the end of June.

Our classes are designed to help you and your puppy build a strong relationship whilst developing the skills needed for everyday life. We focus on practical training, confidence building, handling, social skills, good manners, and helping puppies learn how to cope with the world around them.

Classes are kept small to ensure everyone receives individual support, and are suitable for puppies who are ready to start their training journey.

If you’re welcoming a new puppy this summer, now is the perfect time to get started.

Book online from our website
www.puppyplus.co.uk

Early training isn’t just about teaching a sit. It’s about helping your puppy grow into a confident, well-adjusted adult dog 🐶

Because your puppy deserves the best best start in life x

05/06/2026

This is Ada, a Romanian rescue who came to see me after struggling to settle into everyday life here in the UK.

The first time I met Ada, she found it very difficult to relax in the barn environment. She appeared constantly watchful of everything around her, and whenever she became overwhelmed she would redirect onto the lead and frequently onto her guardian also. At the same time, she clearly wanted social contact and reassurance from me, often attempting to move closer before becoming too worried to fully approach. Her behaviour confirms how conflicted some anxious dogs feel.

As part of Ada’s behaviour plan, we discussed the importance of behavioural monitoring alongside a veterinary pain trial, as pain and discomfort can have a significant impact on anxiety levels, emotional regulation, sleep, and a dog’s overall ability to cope.

We also looked at reducing some of the environmental pressure within the home itself, including adding frosting film to some of the windows to reduce visual triggers and constant monitoring of outside movement and activity.

I have met up with Ada's guardian once a month for the several months following the initial consultation where we have discussed progress, adapted and changed our plans, discussed medication (in collaboration with Ada's vet), and worked on training. We continue to do so.

The last time I saw Ada, she climbed into my lap for a cuddle, before mooching around the barn and settling on a raised bed next to her Guardian. We then walked around the paddock together, she spent much of the walk sniffing and wondering around on a long line rather than walking with her head high whilst constantly scanning the environment She looked visibly more comfortable within herself and the world around her.

I think moments like that are such an important reminder that progress takes time.

And it's certainly not linear.

But with a combined effort from ourselves, Ada's Guardian and their brilliant vet, change is possible, and when you finally start to get there, it is pretty amazing x

03/06/2026

This is Elsie. She is a lovely little Shih Tzu rescue who came to me for a Behavioural Consultation last November after being adopted from Dogs Trust by her guardian. She was thought to be around 18 months old at the time, although we suspect she may actually have been a little younger.

Elsie was very worried about other dogs and would lunge and bark at them in order to create space and encourage them to move away. We often refer to these as distance increasing behaviours, because the dog is attempting to make the situation feel safer for themselves.

Our initial focus was on reducing some of the stressors within Elsie’s environment, helping lower her overall stress levels, and arranging a veterinary check to ensure there were no underlying medical factors contributing to her behaviour.

From there, we gradually began working on increasing her comfort around other dogs in a way that felt safe and manageable for her. Initially a lot of the work involved barriers and fence lines, allowing Elsie to observe and process other dogs without feeling overwhelmed. Her guardian has worked incredibly hard outside of the sessions too, practising his lead handling and training consistently in a range of different environments and progressing everything at Elsie’s pace.

Recently Elsie spent some off lead time in the paddock with Prue, and then came into the barn with her to do some exploring and snuffling in the snuffle mats together. It was a lovely moment.

When I first met Elsie at the end of last year, this would have felt almost impossible for her.

01/06/2026

These beautiful dogs are Czechoslovakian Wolfdogs.

I met one of these dogs recently for a Behavioural Consult. Ragnar was finding daily life quite difficult due to high levels of environmental sensitivity and anxiety both around unfamiliar people and dogs, both in the home, and out on walks.

He is extremely aware of movement, sound, changes within the environment, and the proximity of people around him, and much of his behaviour appears to be connected to a need for safety and predictability within environments he finds overwhelming.

Dogs who are highly environmentally sensitive are often constantly processing information around them, which can leave them struggling to fully relax. Sounds, movement, unfamiliar people, changes in routine, visual triggers, and busy environments can all contribute to dogs remaining in a heightened state of arousal for long periods of time.

In breeds such as Czechoslovakian Wolfdogs, some level of suspicion around novelty and environmental awareness can also be quite typical, which is why understanding breed tendencies is so important when supporting any dogs.

Behaviour change for dogs like this is not about obedience. It is usually about reducing stress, increasing predictability, and creating emotional safety.

Don't get me wrong - we will be training, but it will be in relation to setting up scenarios which teach Ragnar that the outside world is safe. Luckily I have access to some amazing stooge dogs (namely Prue) that can help to build stable behaviour around other dogs also.

Ragnar's guardian sent me this feedback after her visit to the training barn;

'I just wanted to say huge thank you for yesterday, Ragnar was the most relaxed he has been in an unfamiliar situation, bless him, he was so tired on his way home, he actually fell asleep!

I have just seen your email, and look forward to reading it and moving forward on this journey with my boy..

Thank you again so much, we came away with smiles a light heart, and no tears 😊'

I'm looking forward to meeting up with Ragnar again this month to move forwards with his progress x

28/05/2026

My little super star x
If you are interested in therapy dog work with your dog, just get in touch to find out more ❤️

Congratulations to Emma Stoker who is one of our Trusted Trainers at Puppy Plus and the lovely Doris who smashed their Therapy Dog Training UK Assessments yesterday

You will both make a great visiting therapy team!

Thankyou Train Your Dog- Kerry Attwood for doing the Assessments.

28/05/2026

Dogs are incredibly observant of us. Our movement, body position, lead handling, breathing, pace, tension, verbal cues, and even where we look can all influence the way a dog works within a search area.

Sometimes handlers inadvertently slow down near a hide location, hold their breath, tighten the lead, repeat cues, or unintentionally direct dogs towards source. This is how dogs begin learning patterns within training and start relying more heavily on handler behaviour than independently working odour.

This is one of the reasons good scentwork instructors spend so much time observing handlers as well as their dogs.

The goal is not simply for the dog to find the odour, but for the dog to confidently work odour independently and communicate clearly to the handler when they reach source.

Handlers don't often realise just how much information they are giving away without intending to.

Learning to stay neutral, allowing dogs space to problem solve, resisting the urge to overhelp, and trusting the dog more within searches can sometimes be one of the hardest parts of scentwork training for people!

A photo of Moxie, one of our less experienced dogs, working an odour hidden in an Easter Egg on the desk. Moxie's handler is standing back giving Moxie the space and time to work the odour to source. This photo was taken at Glansevern Gardens. On our Easter Egg hunt. Because why not?