Feral Hearts: Dog behaviour and training solutions

Feral Hearts: Dog behaviour and training solutions Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Feral Hearts: Dog behaviour and training solutions, Pet service, Brinsley, Nottingham.

🐕 Dog training with Jenny Barker

🌻 I help you with your young dog who has BIG feelings, using a kind, and holistic approach.

🐾90-day 'Disorderly Dogs' coaching program. ☎️ 07505000709 📍 Nottinghamshire / Derbyshire. Qualified and fully insured dog trainer specialising in nervous and aggressive behaviour, specifically in adolescent rescue dogs, using a relationship and play-based approach.

The Treat&Train aka Otis' magic sleep machine. Honestly, the best dog thing I've ever brought 🤣 👌
22/06/2025

The Treat&Train aka Otis' magic sleep machine.

Honestly, the best dog thing I've ever brought 🤣 👌

I love mantrailing. It's an activity where somebody lays a scent trail and hides, then you have to work with your dog as...
22/06/2025

I love mantrailing. It's an activity where somebody lays a scent trail and hides, then you have to work with your dog as they follow the trail and find them!

It's great for so much, including...

🐾 Building your dogs confidence
🐾 Increasing your dogs focus and concentration
🐾 Fulfilling breed specific needs
🐾 Building neutral / positive associations with strangers
🐾 Helping you and your dog bond
🐾 Helping your dog learn to ignore distractions while 'working'

It's super inclusive too, and is suitable for:

🐕 Any age of dog! From just vaccinated baby, to OAP.
🐕 Great for dogs who need low impact activities.
🐕 All breeds

It's such a fab all round activity. And i love this 'sport' to use as an add on to training, especially in young and over reactive or aggressive dogs. 👌

Milo went for the first time over 3 years ago now. He thought it was all a bit stupid initially and It took 4 workshops before he would start acknowledging the person who was hiding! (Why the heck should I approach someone hiding in the bushes he asked!?).

Now his confidence has grown significantly, he races over to the person he's finding. And his social skills have absolutely blossomed since starting.

Otis is now going through a similar process. As a nervous puppy, seeing his confidence grow through being part of this activity is just so wonderful to see.

Who else has tried it?

If you need help building your dogs confidence pop me a direct message to see how I can help!

🐾 Dog Trainer Jen, helping you with your young dogd BIG feelings.
📍 Nottinghamshire / Derbyshire

You find yourself walking at 5am or 10pm so as to avoid other dogs on your walks?And end up literally dragging your dog ...
21/06/2025

You find yourself walking at 5am or 10pm so as to avoid other dogs on your walks?

And end up literally dragging your dog away and hiding in bushes so they don't see someone and kick off?

Ready to start making change?

Message me with 'Get Started' to find out more about how I can help!

🐕 Dog Trainer Jen - Helping you with your young dogs BIG feelings. www.feralheartsbehaviour.com

📍 Nottinghamshire / Derbyshire

Surely this is a record tongue length for a 5kg pupper? 😅
20/06/2025

Surely this is a record tongue length for a 5kg pupper? 😅

Happy 3rd birthday to the world's best doggo, Kai ❤️
20/06/2025

Happy 3rd birthday to the world's best doggo, Kai ❤️

Avoid or expose? If you've heard people say 'Avoiding things that upset your dog will only make it worse.' Or the confli...
18/06/2025

Avoid or expose?

If you've heard people say 'Avoiding things that upset your dog will only make it worse.' Or the conflicting comment of: 'exposing your dog to the things that worry them will scare them more' then I want to give you clarity on this.

Both are correct. Both are incorrect. It isn't black and white.

In order for your dog to be able to learn, they need to feel safe and secure. They need to have a decent physiological 'baseline', one that's not filled with adrenaline and anticipation of feeling scared or out of control.

In order to achieve this baseline that supports learning, we sometimes have to 'reset' by avoiding the things that cause them distress for a little while.

However. Once that baseline is reached Avoidance will not help your dog get used to or more confident with the world they live in.

This is why it's then important to reintroduce things that upset them. But in a steady, gradual way that doesn't completely overwhelm them.

How much of a Avoidance 'reset' your dog needs, and how fast you are able to reintroduce 'the world' back to them is personal to each dog, owner and environment.

So if you feel like you're being told you're getting it wrong no matter what you do, remember, you're not.

It's always far more nuanced than what you get told by your neighbour 3 doors up who 'had 3 GSDs 10 years ago' or that random anonymous commenter on your Facebook thread.

🐕 Dog Trainer Jen - Helping you with your young dog with BIG feelings - www.feralheartsbehaviour.com
📍 Nottinghamshire / Derbyshire

Maybe you've made progress with your reactive dog but have reached a sticking point. You can pass a dog across the stree...
18/06/2025

Maybe you've made progress with your reactive dog but have reached a sticking point.

You can pass a dog across the street but still are unable to choose your walks freely.

Sitting and relaxing on a park bench is a distant fantasy. Let alone popping to a café.

So many people get to the point of things being just about 'managable' but then live with that.

What if we can make more progress than that?

What if your and your dogs world's can be bigger without a tonne of stress?

Pop me a DM to explore working together on this.

🐕 Dog Trainer Jen, helping owners who have young dogs with BIG feelings - www.feralheartsbehaviour.com
📍 Nottinghamshire / Derbyshire

When I first started working with dog behaviour I used to really struggle with social anxiety of meeting the dogs owners...
17/06/2025

When I first started working with dog behaviour I used to really struggle with social anxiety of meeting the dogs owners!

People is more of a part of the work I do than the dogs are.

Being Neurodivergent, and experiencing anxiety for a lot of my life this was tricky for me initially.

Fast forward a few years and seeing people i work with is now one of my favourite things.

I have made some of the most wonderful friends through my work. And have a wonderful network of such amazing people.

I truly do have some of the most fantastic clients. Past and present.

Just goes to show, practice makes better when you're surround yourself with the RIGHT people and doggos. ❤️

Thank you to all of you who have helped my my business so wonderful 🥰

Panic. A physiological response to perceived danger, stress or sometimes even excitement. Usually a combination of biolo...
16/06/2025

Panic.

A physiological response to perceived danger, stress or sometimes even excitement.

Usually a combination of biological, psychological and environmental factors.

During a panic attack the body releases adrenaline, leading to an increased heart rate, breathing rate and can induce sweating, difficulty catching your breath, or make you feel out of body and spaced out.

Panic can be predictable, but it can also appear to 'come out of nowhere'. There can be many reasons for experiencing panic... such as:

🐾 Chemical dysregulation with neurotransmittors such as serotonin and dopamine, can play a role in emotional regulation, and stress tolerance.

🐾 Genetic predisposition - some bloodlines are more likely to experience panic than others.

🐾 Past life and learning experience. Anticipation of being unsafe, in danger or out of control.

🐾 An escalation of generalised anxiety.

The unconscious anticipation of being unsafe can lead to a panic attack even when there is no immediate threat.

To add even more complexity, the fear of experiencing a panic attack can actually trigger a panic attack. And the fear, can lead to Avoidance of people, places or experiences that caused the sense of panic initially. (Survival, this makes sense biologically!).

This applies to us all! Human and dog alike!

If you have a dog who copes with life beautifully, but has the occasionally big wobble, and panics. You're not alone. These feelings, and experiences aren't linear. And can be very specific to not only the situation, but the physiological and chemical balances on the day!

Otis, Bea and I are all panicky at times. Often disproportionately. They have dog responses to it. I have human responses to it. To be fair. They're not that far apart. (Though I don't bark!).

If you've ever had a panic attack, you know just how not fun it is.

Which is why we prioritise self care for us humans, and the doggos.

If you have a dog who panics, what are their triggers for it? ❤️

🐕 Dog Trainer Jen, helping you with your young dog who has BIG feelings. www.feralheartsbehaviour.com
📍 Nottinghamshire / Derbyshire

You are not alone if...🐾 You've worked with multiple trainers, but not felt heard, or maybe just not felt able to apply ...
16/06/2025

You are not alone if...

🐾 You've worked with multiple trainers, but not felt heard, or maybe just not felt able to apply what's been explained.

🐾 Signed up for pay as you go sessions in the past, but not managed to stay consistent.

🐾 Feel like you've failed because your relationship with your dog isn't how you thought it would be.

🐾 Feel out of control, because your dog doesn't listen to a thing you say...

I hear these things SO OFTEN. Especially if you're living with a young dog, who has BIG feelings.

It can be hard. Frustrating. Infuriating even.

It's so common. But it doesn't have to be this way!

Focusing in on what YOU and your DOG NEED is where we start when we work together.

We look at the whole picture. Finding ways to fulfill and motivate your dog, while also accounting for your own wellbeing as an owner.

It's a partnership, and a dance. And it's never one size fits all. Sometimes we have to explore and experiment to find the right 'recipe' that works for you.

Just because you've not found that right recipe yet doesn't mean you've failed. And it doesn't mean you've got a bad dog. It just means you need to tweak a few things to balance out the spice. 🌶🌶🌶

🐕 Dog Trainer Jen, helping owners of young dogd who have BIG feelings. www.feralheartsbehaviour.com
📍 Nottinghamshire / Derbyshire

Spent this morning at with my 4 beasties before it got too hot. ❤️ Puppy isn't so small anymore... 🫠Those if you who ha...
16/06/2025

Spent this morning at with my 4 beasties before it got too hot. ❤️ Puppy isn't so small anymore... 🫠

Those if you who have had young dogs... what age did you find them to be the most challenging for you?

🐕 Dog Trainer Jen, helping young dogs with BIG feelings - www.feralheartsbehaviour.com
📍 Nottinghamshire / Derbyshire

Address

Brinsley
Nottingham
NG165AX

Opening Hours

Tuesday 12am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm

Website

https://linktr.ee/feralhearts_behaviour

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Dog walking and enrichment service.

One on one dog walking and home visit / enrichment service based in Brinsley (near Eastwood) Nottinghamshire, UK.

Hi, I’m Jenny. I am a fully insured, DBS checked dog walker who has special interest in animal behaviour and training. I have two of my own puppas; Rita our now blind 13 year old Staffy X Collie (apparently!?) girly and Milo my Jack Russle X Whippet boy. Both were ‘rescues’ with vary different backgrounds who came to with various issues and who have taught me a LOT about coping with and helping the more fearful, anxious and reactive dogs. I’ve been lucky to have always been able to walk my own two pups myself but I have always worried about who I could trust with them if I was ever in the position to have to find someone else to help me out because of their complex needs (I mean who would want to put up with the pair of them?!). That’s why I wanted to offer this service. To provide people with a reliable and kind dog walker who is understanding and compassionate about behaviour and training.

Each walk or home enrichment session will be bespoke, made to fit you and your dogs unique needs. Pop me a message or give me a call to discuss what you’re looking for.

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