RY Dogs

30/10/2026

The stop, in whatever form you choose to use, is one of my must have cues. Far too many people rush it and in doing so end up with the dog charging into them to gain their reward. The reward can only take place at the spot you asked them to stop. That reward is whatever rocks your dog's boat, in many cases it will be freedom or the chance to retrieve their toy etc.This beautiful young (10 month) flat coat is like a learning sponge and a joy but every breed and every dog is different, so be patient and work with the dog in front of you, not the one you see in videos.

30/10/2026

Sound familiar?

‼️MY TOP 10 HATES IN DOG TRAINING!!

I've been doing this long enough to know what actually works and what is total bo****ks dressed up as "kind training"

Here are 10 things I hate that are ruining dogs across the UK!!

1 - HARNESSES
For 90% of dogs a harness is a pulling machine. You put it on a dog that doesn't know how to walk, it leans in, you have zero control, and you spend the whole walk being towed. "But it's kinder!" No-being dragged down the road isn't kind. Teach your dog to walk properly first- put in the reps and the work!!..then put whatever you want on them. Control is kind! 🙌

2- BUMBAGS FULL OF CHEESE
If you look like a walking deli counter every time you leave the house, your dog doesn't respect you, he just tolerates you because you smell like cheddar. If you need a tactical treat belt to get your dog to listen to you, your relationship is transactional. Be more interesting than the ugly bag.

3- LICKY MATS AS BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION
Smearing peanut butter on a bit of plastic is not going to fix your dog's separation anxiety. It's not going to fix aggression. It's not going to fix reactivity. It's a distraction, not training. You're putting a plaster on a broken leg and calling it rehab. Train the dog.

4 - MEDICATION FOR EVERYTHING 🤢
"Oh he's anxious/ He's reactive I’ve been told to medicate”
No. How about we try training, boundaries, exercise and leadership BEFORE we sedate the dog into a zombie? 90% of the "anxious" dogs I see are not anxious, they're untrained, under exercised and have no rules- their owners are anxious! Fluoxetine does NOT teach dogs how to behave! It’s becoming a Munchausen by proxy nightmare

5 - BALL THROWING OBSESSIVES
You created a crackhead. You stood in a field for 2 years and chucked a ball 200 times a day, now you have a dog that can't switch off can't walk without whining, and screams at every tennis ball on TV. You didn't give her an outlet, you gave her an addiction. Stop throwing the ball. Teach your dog to be calm.

6 -ONLEAD MEETINGS
The most damaging thing you can do. 2 stressed dogs, trapped on leads, forced nose-to-nose while two owners go "it's okay, they're friendly!" 🥺
It's not friendly, it's tense, it's rude, and it's how fights start. Onlead walks are for walking. Keep moving. Your dog doesn't need to say hi to every dog it sees.

7- CHEESE CHUCKING FOR REACTIVE DOGS

Your dog is trying to bite a dog across the road and you're throwing cheese on the floor shouting "find it find it” like a lunatic What are you teaching? You're teaching him that going psycho makes cheese appear. You're rewarding the meltdown. Stop bribing reactivity. Correct it, move yoir dog, and teach them what to do instead.

8- BLAMING THE DOG
He's stubborn
He's dominant
He did it on purpose
NO he didn't. He did it because you haven't taught him otherwise.
Most problems I see is a human problem, not a dog problem. Stop labelling your dog and start looking in the mirror. Your dog is a reflection of what you've taught….or failed to teach.

9- LACK OF EXERCISE
You have a working breed a Mali a spaniel a husky…and you do a 20minute sniffy walk around the block and wonder why he destroys your house and loses his mind.
That dog was bred to work for 8 hours a day. A walk to the coffee shop isn't exercise. Run them, work them, give them a job or don't get the breed.

10 -S**T FOOD
You spend £80 on a harness £60 on a licky mat but you feed your dog bright orange kibble full of sugar, fillers and crap you can't even pronounce. You are what you eat. Feed them s**t, they feel like s**t, they act like s**t, their coat is s**t, their behaviour is s**t. Invest in decent food, not gimmicks.

You know what you get from me… brutal TRUTHS
Most modern dog training isn't about training dogs anymore. It's about making owners feel better.

No boundaries, no leadership, no exercise, just cheese and excuses!!

27/10/2026

If you rely exclusively on one single reward, such as food, your dog can experience "satiation" they get full, bored, and their drive and learning can decrease. Being able to switch rewards, in this case to a game of chase and tug, not only keeps your dog guessing, wondering what the reward will be, it also maintains their focus, especially important if they're an adolescent!!!

27/10/2026

And there you have it.

‼️HOW TO FIX THE 10 THINGS THAT ARE RUINING YOUR DOG! 😂😂😂
Yesterday I told you what you're doing wrong… Now here's how to fix it.

1 FOOD DOWN ALL DAY 🦴
Stop freefeeding TODAY!!! 2 meals a day, down for 5 mins, what they don't eat pick it up
No extras/No toppers to bribe them.
A healthy dog will not starve itself!!! You control the food, you become valuable. Use their daily kibble as training rewards. Hunger is a motivator, not cruelty.

2ATTENTION 24/7 🥺
Start the 80/20 rule
80% of the time, you ignore your dog in the house. No eye contact, no talking, no touching when they demand it.
20% you call THEM over and give them amazing attention on YOUR terms!!
Teach a solid PLACE command. Dog on bed, you live your life. You're not being mean, you're curing attention-seeking.

3 REWARDING BAD BEHAVIOUR ❌
Before you speak ask yourself Do I want MORE of this behaviour?" If the answer is no, do NOTHING. Dog barking at the window? Don't touch, don't talk, just calmly remove them from the room. Dog jumping? Turn away, no contact, wait for 4 paws on floor THEN reward. Ortell them “off” stern voice Reward what you want, ignore or correct what you don't.

4) THE RECALL SIT 🐩
From now on Call your dog and as soon as they get to you FEED THEM High value food, tug, big praise for 10 seconds RIGHT THERE whern they arrived. No extra commands. Let them go again.
Make coming back the best thing that ever happened, not a trick to get them to do something else!!!

5 WAITING ON THE LEAD 🐕‍🦺
Your lead means "let's go"not "drag me to the best sniff"
Hold the lead and walk with purpose. If they hit the end, change direction. No talking. No yanking. Just go the other way. When they catch up and make eye contact, mark "yes" and keep moving.
You lead the walk, not them. Give them a sniff spot ON YOUR TERMS as a reward for good walking.

6 NEVER CORRECTING ❌
Learn how to say NO and mean it. A flat, firm "No" or "Ah Ah" the SECOND they do it wrong
Timing is everything. Then SHOW them what to do instead. Teach them an alternative behaviour!!! If they’re jumping up correct them and then teach them SIT

7 NO BOUNDARIES ⛔️
Pick 3 house rules TODAY and enforce them for 30 days straight.
My non-negotiables for every client!!!
🐶Must wait at doors (you go first)
🐶Must be invited onto sofa/bed
🐶Must have a PLACE where they settle while you eat
Your house, your rules.🙌🙌

8 REPEATING COMMANDS 🗣️
Say it once. ONE TIME. If they don't do it, you MAKE it happen with leash pressure or luring, then reward. Don't repeat.
Don't shout louder…Your dog heard you the first time, they just learned they can ignore you 😂😂😂One command, one consequence. They will learn to listen the first time very fast.

9 LETTING EVERYONE SAY HI 👋
Stop it 🤦‍♀️On walks your dog is with YOU not on a social day out 😂😂😂Cross the road Say
"SORRY WE ARE IN TRAINING “Reward your dog for looking at you when dogs/people pass. Your goal your dog sees a dog and looks at YOU, not lunges. You have to be more valuable than the distraction. Be interesting. Use food, use play, use movement.

10 INCONSISTENT TRAINING ⏰
5 minutes, every.single.day… Same time if you can. Phone away. No kids, glass of w**e obvs 👌😂Just you and the dog.
20 bits of kibble 5 mins of reps like Sit, down, place, recall in the house, lead work in the garden. Consistency is what separates pet owners from dog owners who actually have control.🙌🙌🙌

Most of you don't have a bad dog….
You have bad human habits that ruin dogs!
I bet Most of you won’t be able to do number 2 😂😂😂😂

25/10/2026

Just saying

25/10/2026

The truth is sometimes difficult to digest but when it comes to putting the dog's welfare first, that's exactly what you'll get.

6 Things you need to know before going to a behaviourist! Tough love edition!

1) We can’t undo your dog’s DNA!! Genetics matter!

2) We can’t fix what you’ve broken and programmed over years, in minutes!

3) You may have to change your mindset, routine, language, environment and ideology to make a difference!

4) We are here for the dogs welfare - not to make you feel good!

5) You may have done things wrong and not want to accept it - that’s not for a behaviourist to fix!

6) We will support you and build the skills you need to fix your dog - but we can’t do it for you!!

20/10/2026

More action from the weekends Advanced Dog Ownership initiative successes.

19/10/2026

Although Di praises us, this isn't about me or my training team, I know many trainers who can make this happen. It is more about having a scheme on which to have a structure to facilitate changes in dogs like Ruby and owners like Di. We guided them outside of their comfort zone, not to be macho but because it would help them both lead better lives. From a trainer's perspective, it has been so rewarding, on to the next couple of groups.

18/10/2026

The mantras of the Advanced Dog Ownership initiative are safety and welfare. CIDBT - Cambridge Institute of Dog Behaviour & Training trained examiners go through a safety protocol with all assistants prior to any testing. This isn't about someone ticking boxes, the examiners have a responsible role, they not only guide nervous handlers through the assessment, they provide valuable and constructive feedback. They are willing you to pass and if it's not on the day, then they are well placed to give advice on how to achieve success on another day.