Rachaels Retreat & Rehoming

02/06/2026

Does your dog resource guard?
Have a look and see what to keep an eye for to avoid a nippy correction from your dog.
This will not work for all resource guarding dogs as the reason dogs guard are different. This is if your dog is unsure if youre playing or attempting to steal something high value.
Do not do this unless you know what kind of guarding your dog is doing.
Lack of boundaries/dominating/bad habits get treated different to dogs that have learned sometimes I lose something high value when a human picks it up.
This video helps show you how to build back the trust that caused your dog to react like this.

01/06/2026

Real talk on the attempt of banning slip leads in the UK&IRELAND

31/05/2026

29/05/2026

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Have a fabulous Friday folks... ⁠


🎙️ Listen, Learn, & Train – Dive into expert blogs, articles, and podcasts 👉🏻 https://lezgraham.com/
Credit: hundeschule-potsdam.de

27/05/2026

TEACHING TO NOT BOLT AT DOOR IN 4 MINUTES.
(COMPLETELY UNEDITED 4 MINUTES)
See the full thing, the shaky start, the penny drop & the last try at the old habit 🤣
Clear correction of door closes when they leave the stay position and making sure the dog does not get the reward of getting outside for a sniff unless youve released them. Then clear marker of yes when theyre in position and when they've successfully stayed in position until you release them.
Follow for more dog training tips & tricks 🤞🏼🐾
I use this as a first step of loose lead training to show the dogs when we cross this threshold you need to listen to me. ❤️

27/05/2026

Some recent training sessions!
No.1 - Ted!🐾
Ted was showing some growling/Snapping with resource guarding. We sorted this with both frustration relief for his temperament & clear boundries of that is not acceptable ❤️ (He & owners have smashed it🥰)

No.2 rhubarb & barley!🐾
These red setter brothers have a tendency to pull so we decided some simple loose lead on a flat collar for these guys.
Showing how to clearly comunicate what we need from the dogs.
They & the owners took to the first session brilliantly and I cant wait for further updates 🥰

No. 3 Cruis!
This gorgeous hungarian Vizla pup is chancing his arm with pulling on lead.
Since hes going to grow into a big boy pretty quickly and is still just a pup weve started with a harness and lead. Although we might swap to a collar depending.
Cruis has also joined our walking crew so you'll see plenty of updates 🥰

No.4
Last but not least this gorgeous rotty/collie cross rambo!🐾❤️
Rambo is a big bundle of fun and is always a pleasure to see and work with.
We've previously sorted jumping up on people which he & owner smashed. Amazing seeing him again and not jumping even once 🥰
This session we worked on bad associations with unfixed males. (Not neutered) i introduced 2 friendly cocker spaniels one at a time & backed off when heckles came up. Then allowing a happy meet and good association. I then brought our gorgeous walker bear (golden retriever) to see rambo and they even played ❤️🐾

26/05/2026

🙏🐾🙏

Right now, rescue is incredibly difficult and emotionally draining for us. We are doing everything we can, but the stress and heartbreak is overwhelming as more and more dogs need safe, loving homes, those overlooked, failed by humans, or sadly returned to us through no fault of their own.

We do not accept private surrenders, with the growing number of animals already needing our help, we simply do not have the capacity to take on more.

Every dog and cat carries a story. In many cases, we may never truly know what they have endured or the hardships they have faced.

All we ask is that if you choose to foster or adopt one of our animals, please don’t give up at the first hurdle. Challenges can happen, but with patience, understanding, and support, many issues can often be resolved.

These animals deserve patience, empathy, compassion, and above all, another chance.
🐾🙏🐾

26/05/2026

These dogs can “give in” instead of growl.
And because of that, there’s no obvious conflict, but there can be discomfort.
“They’re OK together.”
“Let them work it out.”
“They’ll get used to each other.”

Tolerating something happening is not always the same as feeling safe with it.

Some dogs become very good at avoiding conflict instead of resolving it or escalating.
Some will just simply endure social pressure.

Being aloof can work for them too.

A quieter dog, that doesn’t move too much or isn’t vocal around others has sometimes worked out how to “fly under the radar”
Now there really isn’t anything wrong with that, but we need to be mindful.
Some freeze as a dog approaches.
Some repeatedly roll over and just stay there until the other dog loses interest.

But sometimes they can escalate only after ‘tolerating’ things for too long.

Unfortunately, these quieter dogs are often the ones people can miss completely.
They can also be put into social situations they don’t want to be in at all.

That quietness is mistaken for calmness, acceptance.

Not every struggling dog is loud.

26/05/2026

Walks this week will be adjusted or changed to drop ins depending on the dog and time of day etc this week.
Thank you for your understanding ❤️