Doghampton

11/11/2026

🐾🎃 DON’T FORGET, THIS SUNDAY IS OUR SCARECROW HUNT AT T’S COFFEE! 🎃🐾
Come along and join us at T’s Coffee, Pitsford, this Sunday 15th November, for a morning of dogs, scarecrows, a little bit of chaos and, most importantly, raising money for Animals in Need Northamptonshire! ❤️🐾
☕ 10:00, T’s Coffee opens! Pop in for a drink, enjoy the atmosphere and check out the scarecrow displays.
🐕 10:15 to 10:45, HAVE A GO AT SCENT DETECTION! Bring your dog along and let them put their nose to work.
🎃 11:00, THE BIG SCARECROW HUNT! Come and watch our sponsored dog teams put their noses to the test as they hunt down those pesky scarecrows!

We’d absolutely love to see as many of you there as possible, whether you’re taking part, bringing your dog to have a go or simply coming along to cheer everyone on.

❤️ All money raised goes to Animals in Need Northamptonshire, helping animals that really need our support.

So grab a coffee, bring your friends, bring your dogs and help us make a difference!

🐾 See you Sunday at T’s Coffee! 🎃

10/11/2026

🐾 PEANUT’S FIRST SCENT ASSESSMENT! 😂🏆
Well, the Ginger Wheelie Bin has officially completed his first UCS Kong Novice Assessment!
Peanut came away with a lovely red rosette, looking rather pleased with himself.
The judge, however, looks like she’s just survived three days in the wilderness with nothing but a clipboard and a nervous breakdown. 😂
Apparently, assessing Peanut is an extreme sport.
The UCS assessments are a great way to put your training to the test, see where you and your dog are progressing and build confidence before stepping into the competition ring.
And now Peanut has his first assessment under his belt, perhaps it’s time to enter his first UCS competition?
Although we may need to give the judges a little warning first. 🤣
One dog, one rosette, one assessor who may never volunteer again! 🧡🐾

06/11/2026

🐾🎆 FIREWORKS NIGHT, LET’S LOOK AT IT FROM THE DOG’S PERSPECTIVE.
As we’re about to head into what will undoubtedly be another 24 hours of bangs, flashes and general madness, with half the country enjoying the fireworks and the other half wondering whether someone’s declared war on the neighbourhood, spare a thought for our four-legged friends who have absolutely no idea what’s going on.
So, for a moment, forget what YOU know about fireworks and imagine experiencing them through your dog’s eyes.
Imagine waking up in a foreign country.
You don’t speak the language. You don’t understand what anyone is saying, you’ve no idea where you are, and you can’t ask anyone what’s happening. Suddenly, there’s an almighty explosion outside. The windows shake. The sky lights up. Then another explosion, and another. You look around at the people you trust, desperately trying to work out what’s going on. But nobody seems particularly bothered. One’s watching television, another’s making a cup of tea, and someone actually goes to the window to admire what’s happening.

ARE YOU ALL COMPLETELY INSANE? THERE’S CLEARLY A WAR GOING ON OUTSIDE!

You can’t escape. You don’t know when the next explosion is coming. You have absolutely no idea whether you’re safe. And the worst part? Nobody can explain what’s happening, when it’s going to stop or why you shouldn’t be frightened.
Welcome to fireworks night through the eyes of a frightened dog.
Now, not every dog is bothered by fireworks. Some will happily sleep through what sounds like World War Three happening in the back garden.
Others genuinely believe their world is coming to an end.
And before anyone starts with the old “don’t comfort them, you’ll reinforce their fear” nonsense, can we PLEASE put that particular dinosaur of dog training advice to bed?

🐾 A LITTLE SCIENCE LESSON, BECAUSE APPARENTLY WE STILL NEED ONE.

Fear isn’t something your dog sits down and consciously decides to do.
It’s an emotional and physiological response involving the brain, nervous system and a whole collection of chemical messengers, including adrenaline.
The amygdala plays an important role in processing potential threats and activating defensive responses.
It’s part of a survival system that evolved over millions of years to help keep us alive, long before anyone invented Facebook University.

Think about watching a horror film.
You’re sitting there quite happily, possibly stuffing your face with popcorn, when something suddenly leaps out of the darkness.
You jump. Your heart races. You might even scream something that would make your grandmother blush.

Did you stop and think, “Oh, I believe I’ll be frightened now”?
NO! YOUR BRAIN AND BODY REACTED BEFORE YOU’D EVEN WORKED OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING!
It’s a survival mechanism, developed over millions of years to stop our ancestors becoming lunch for something with considerably bigger teeth.

Now imagine that after you’ve jumped, somebody gives you a hug.
Does that mean you’ll jump twice as high next time????
Of course not.
And if somebody tells you to “man up cup cake” instead, does that magically switch off your nervous system?
No. It just means you’re frightened AND surrounded by idiots who don’t give a cr@p!

The same principle applies to our dogs.
Being there for your dog emotionally when they’re frightened does not teach them to become more frightened.
Fear responses can change through learning, but offering comfort isn’t the same as rewarding a behaviour you want repeated.
If your dog wants reassurance, give it. If they want space, respect it.
Comforting your dog won’t necessarily cure a noise phobia, but calmly offering affection does not inherently reinforce their fear.

And to those still insisting that comforting a frightened dog makes things worse, perhaps it’s time to catch up with the behavioural science.
Alternatively, I’m sure Miss Trunchbull has a lovely holiday package you could book.
I hear the accommodation is delightful, although the cupboard might be a bit cramped. 😂

🐾 SO WHAT CAN YOU ACTUALLY DO TO HELP YOUR DOG?

🐶 Give them somewhere safe. If they want to hide under the bed, behind the sofa or in their crate, let them. Don’t drag them out because you think they should be coping better.

🐶 Close the curtains and put the television or some music on. It won’t eliminate the noise, but it may help mask some of the bangs.

🐶 Let them choose. Some dogs want cuddles, others want to be left alone. Watch what YOUR dog is telling you.

🐶 Offer something to do. A stuffed Kong, a lick mat or a little scent game might help a dog who is still able to engage. If they’re too frightened to eat, don’t force it.

🐶 Think about toilet breaks. Get them out before it gets dark, and make sure gardens are secure. Even normally reliable dogs can panic and bolt.

🐶 Don’t force exposure. Taking your frightened dog outside to “show them there’s nothing to worry about” is not training. It’s potentially making the problem worse.

And please, don’t punish a dog for barking, shaking, pacing or hiding.

They’re not being naughty. They’re struggling to cope.

❤️ NOW HERE’S THE BIT I REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT.

Once the fireworks have finished and your dog has had time to recover, START PLANNING FOR THE NEXT TIME.

Every year, social media fills with people complaining about fireworks, and yes, I completely understand why. They can be absolutely horrendous for some animals.

But here’s the thing.

WE KNOW THEY’RE COMING. EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

Whether it’s Bonfire Night, Diwali, the Fourth of July, New Year’s Eve or any of the countless celebrations involving fireworks around the world, these events aren’t exactly a surprise.

Guy Fawkes hasn’t suddenly changed the date without telling anyone, the Fourth of July has been fairly consistent for a while now, and New Year’s Eve hasn’t exactly crept up on us either.

So rather than waiting until the next celebration to panic, why not spend the next few months helping your dog develop better coping skills?

🐾 Desensitisation. Gradually introduce firework sounds at a very low level, one your dog can comfortably tolerate, and increase exposure carefully over time. If your dog is showing fear, you’ve gone too far.

🐾 Counterconditioning. Pair those sounds with something your dog genuinely enjoys, helping to change their emotional response from something frightening to something more positive.

🐾 Build confidence. Appropriate training, enrichment, scentwork and positive experiences can all contribute to a dog’s overall wellbeing and resilience, although they aren’t a substitute for specific noise fear treatment.

🐾 Get professional help. If your dog has a severe noise phobia, speak to your vet and a suitably qualified behaviour professional. Some dogs need additional support, including medication, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

And remember, sticking fireworks on YouTube at full volume and hoping your dog eventually gets used to them is NOT a desensitisation programme.

Neither is forcing them to endure something they’re terrified of until they stop reacting.

The aim isn’t to teach your dog to put up with being frightened. It’s to change how they feel about the noise in the first place.

Of course, real fireworks involve more than sound. There are flashes, vibrations, unpredictability and sometimes even changes in air pressure. Sound recordings alone won’t necessarily prepare every dog for the real thing.

But carefully planned training can make a difference, and for some dogs, a very significant one.

And that brings me to my final point.

We might not be able to control when people let fireworks off, but we can take steps to help our dogs cope.

So by all means, have a moan about fireworks. I’ll probably join you.

But once you’ve finished moaning, make a plan.
Because the next fireworks celebration will arrive whether we’re ready for it or not.
And while we can’t promise every dog will learn to love fireworks, we can certainly do more than cross our fingers, shut the curtains and hope for the best.
Your dog doesn’t need you to be tough. They need you to understand them, support them and, wherever possible, help them feel safer.

05/11/2026

🐾 WHEN DID WE START EXPECTING DOGS TO BE PERFECT?
Apparently, somewhere along the line, dogs stopped being dogs and became furry little employees expected to behave impeccably 24 hours a day.
Never bark, never pull, never get distracted and certainly never embarrass us in public.
Peanut’s recent rise to Facebook fame has brought some absolute gems of advice my way. And naturally, the Facebook University graduates have been out in force. 😂

💬 “You clearly haven’t trained that dog.”

Oh, I can assure you he’s trained in plenty of things. Scent detection, searching, problem solving and working independently, to name a few. What I haven’t trained him to do is sit there like a malfunctioning garden ornament waiting for permission to breathe. I’m training a detection dog, not programming a robot. But thank you for your expert assessment based on a Facebook post. 😂

💬 “You need to be the pack leader!”

Absolutely, Derek. I’ll dig out my chalkboard, put on my shoulder pads and head straight back to 1983. Shall I bring a rolled up newspaper and my Barbara Woodhouse reference guide while I’m at it? Perhaps we could bring back the Ford Cortina and smoking in pubs while we’re at it.

💬 “He’s trying to dominate you!”

He’s eight months old, Margaret. He’s trying to steal my lunch, work out how the kitchen bin opens and occasionally investigate the contents of his own backside. I really don’t think world domination is particularly high on his agenda.

💬 “You need to take control!”

Brilliant, Brenda. years working with dogs, a degree, countless qualifications and years learning from some of the best professionals in the industry, and all this time the answer was simply to TAKE CONTROL. I’ll cancel the next training course and get that printed on a T-shirt.

Here’s the thing.
Peanut is training to become an operational detection dog. Assuming, of course, he survives adolescence and doesn’t get himself permanently wedged in a kitchen bin.
I NEED him to be courageous, curious, independent and capable of solving problems. I need a dog that thinks, makes decisions, works through challenges and has the confidence to keep searching when things get difficult.
I want him to investigate things, try things, get things wrong and work out how to get them right. That’s how dogs learn, and that’s how we develop confident, capable working dogs.

What I DON’T need is a moronic little soldier sitting there waiting for his next command, frightened to make a decision without permission from headquarters.
That doesn’t mean he doesn’t need boundaries, manners or training. Of course he does. Particularly when safety is involved. I’m not suggesting we all throw the rulebook out of the window and let our dogs run the household like a badly managed youth club full of horney teenagers .
But obedience and intelligence are not the same thing, and neither is compliance and confidence.
Dogs have good days, bad days, teenage hormones and occasionally the listening skills of a brick.
And yes, even professional dog trainers have dogs that do ridiculous things. The difference is, some of us are quite happy to admit it and have a laugh about it others pretend it never happens to them!

Training is about communication, understanding, developing skills and building a partnership, not intimidating a dog into submission.
And if you genuinely believe an eight month old puppy is plotting to become the alpha of your household, perhaps it’s time to put the chalkboard away and catch up with a few decades of behavioural science.

I’ve been around dogs all my life. I’ve trained hundreds of them, worked with some fantastic professionals and learned an enormous amount along the way.
And one thing I can tell you is that a dog doesn’t have to be perfect to be brilliantly trained.
Mine certainly aren’t perfect, and I wouldn’t particularly want them to be.

I want dogs with personality, confidence, curiosity and a bit of character. Dogs that enjoy life, think for themselves and aren’t frightened to put a paw wrong.

Yes, Peanut is a teenage hooligan at times. Yes, he tests boundaries. And yes, occasionally I look at him and wonder whether I should have taken up knitting jumpers for dolphins instead.

But he’s also an incredibly capable young dog with a fantastic brain, an enormous amount of drive and a very promising future.
And seriously, just take a look at him! Does he honestly look like he’s trying to overthrow anything? The only thing he’s successfully overthrown so far is my bloody patience. 😂🐾

02/11/2026

🎃👻 HALLOWEEN COMPETITION, DONE AND DUSTED! 🩸🐾
A huge thank you to everyone who came along to our Halloween Competition! What a brilliant day, fantastic dogs, great handlers and plenty of spooky fun!
🏆 Massive congratulations to The Winners

We had an absolute blast, although it did take us an hour to dismantle the crime scene, pack away the props and restore some sort of normality.
I’m also still washing fake blood off everything. At this point, I’m considering just leaving it until next Halloween. 🤣🩸
Thank you all for making it such a fun event. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did! 🐾❤️

01/11/2026

Halloween detection competition
Congratulations and thanks everyone for coming xx

31/10/2026

Halloween for dogs

30/10/2026

🐾 NAUGHTY DOGS ARE OFTEN THE BEST PROBLEM SOLVERS!
That dog who opens cupboards, steals things you thought were out of reach, works out how to escape the garden or systematically dismantles your house?
Congratulations. You may be living with a bloody genius. 😂
Dogs that are curious, persistent and determined to work things out for themselves can be absolutely brilliant at scentwork.
Why? Because scent detection encourages independent thinking, problem solving, persistence and decision making.
The very qualities that make you want to throttle the little sod at home can become their greatest strengths when given the right outlet.

Take Peanut, for example.
When he’s doing scent detection, he’s an absolute mastermind. Driven, determined, a brilliant problem solver and not remotely interested in giving up until he’s found what he’s looking for.
Unfortunately, if we haven’t given that little ginger brain enough to do, he simply finds his own problems to solve.
These generally involve bin raiding as though he’s never been fed, counter surfing and stealing whatever food Dad has foolishly left unattended.
This usually results in Dad’s voice reaching frequencies only dogs can hear, followed by the pair of them hurtling around the house like a Benny Hill sketch.
Peanut considers this an excellent enrichment activity. Dad has yet to agree. 🙄
Sometimes the dog labelled “naughty” isn’t a bad dog. It’s a clever dog whose brain needs a better job.

Of course, intelligence doesn’t excuse a complete lack of manners, and mental stimulation isn’t a substitute for boundaries and training.
But that’s one of the things I love about scentwork. We don’t always need to stop dogs thinking for themselves. Sometimes we just need to give them something better to think about.

Preferably something that doesn’t involve the kitchen bin or Dad’s blood pressure.

So, who’s living with a criminal mastermind disguised as a family pet? 😂🐾

28/10/2026