Becky's Walkies, Training & Behaviour

24/06/2025

Today I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Sinead and her team at Ocean City Vets , a brand new independent veterinary practice that has recently opened in Plymouth.

From the moment you step in, it’s clear that their setup has been thoughtfully designed to reduce stress for both pets and their people:

✅ Separate areas for dogs and cats

✅ A dedicated space for dogs who struggle around others

✅ Quiet time visits to help dogs get used to the environment

✅ Support for guardians to help their dogs feel calm and confident with equipment and handling

Plus so much more

What really stood out to me was the compassion and understanding behind it all. Sinead and her team are passionate about making vet visits a positive experience, and they’re committed to working alongside behaviour professionals to support their patients long-term.

It’s incredibly exciting to hear that they’ll be referring clients to Plymouth's Positive Dog Training Community to ensure dogs and their guardians get consistent, qualified, force-free behavioural support.

This kind of collaboration is exactly what our city’s dog owners need 😊.

If you're looking for a vet that truly understands the emotional needs of your pet, I can’t recommend them enough. Go check them out and give them a follow! 🥰

20/06/2025

Thank you Gables Dogs & Cats Home for the write up in your tails magazine. We really did have an amazing day Plymouth Dog Owner’s Summit - UK .

Really looking forward to organising next year's 😊

19/06/2025

🐾 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚 𝐃𝐨𝐠 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐧𝐞?🐾

This one’s for you.

Dog walking might look simple… but those of us who do it know better. It’s managing group dynamics. It’s reading body language before things escalate. It’s knowing how to keep every dog in your care safe, even in unpredictable situations.

That’s why I’ve teamed up with Sara Landricombe from About Town Pet Care to run this in person workshop specifically for professional dog walkers (and those looking to get started the right way).

With 28 years of combined experience in the dog walking industry, we’re bringing you real world tools, expert knowledge, and practical strategies you can apply straight away.

You’ll learn how to:

🐾 Spot subtle signs of stress or tension
🐾 Build safe, compatible groups
🐾 Handle dogs exiting vehicles calmly
🐾 Respond confidently to conflict or reactivity

Plus more.....

Whether you’ve been walking dogs for years or are just starting out this workshop is for anyone who wants to raise the bar and walk with confidence.

For more information or how to grab your spot click below.

Dog walking isn’t just a stroll in the park—it’s risk management, group dynamics, body language interpretation, and above all, trust.

16/06/2025

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdDDo69L/

Check out Becky's Training & Behaviour’s video.

06/06/2025

𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐚 𝐝𝐨𝐠 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠… 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.

It’s easy to assume that if a dog isn’t barking, lunging, or growling, then they must be fine. But dogs communicate in so many more subtle ways and one of the most overlooked forms of communication is displacement behaviour.

These are behaviours that may seem out of place or random, but they’re actually a dog’s way of saying:
“I’m feeling unsure,” “I don’t know what to do,” or “I’m trying to calm myself down.”

Here are some common displacement behaviours to look out for:

🐾 Sniffing the ground (even when there’s nothing interesting)

🐾 Scratching or sudden shaking off

🐾 Yawning when not tired

🐾 Licking lips or grooming themselves

🐾 Turning the head away

🐾 Blinking excessively or avoiding eye contact

🐾 Lifting a paw or freezing briefly

🐾 Appearing “distracted” or overly interested in something else

These behaviours often show up when a dog is experiencing internal conflict.
For example, a dog may be close to a trigger like another dog or person and look calm but if they’re sniffing, yawning, or turning away, that may be their way of managing discomfort.

Just because they’re not reacting yet doesn’t mean they feel safe.

In my experience, it’s often the dogs that appear to be coping who are actually struggling the most.

They’re the ones people often say “Oh look, they’re being so good!” when in reality, the dog is doing everything they can to avoid acknowledging the trigger. They’re not relaxed, they’re just not ready yet.

In these moments, the dog might need time to simply adjust to the environment, to feel safe and familiar with everything going on before they’re ready for any kind of interaction.

Recognising and respecting that is key to helping them build confidence at their own pace.

So why does this matter?

When we learn to spot these early signs, we can:

🐶 Give our dogs more space

🐶 Create a more positive experiences

🐶 Prevent escalation into bigger reactions

20/05/2025

𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐃𝐨𝐠’𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞

When working with dogs who struggle around specific triggers, whether that's other dogs, unfamiliar people, or certain environments, one of the most important first steps is identifying what works for your individual dog.

Before any progress can be made, we need to understand the baseline: what helps your dog feel safe, calm, and able to cope? For example, some dogs may feel more relaxed meeting another dog in a very specific way, perhaps side-by-side on a walk, or with plenty of distance and no direct approach. Recognising this helps avoid overwhelm and sets the stage for more positive experiences.

Once we’ve established that foundation, then we can begin to gently build on it. A dog who is unsure around others and has limited social experience might start off by being around a calm, socially-skilled dog who knows how to give space and read signals. This gives your dog a safe reference point and the chance to learn at their own pace.

From there, we can gradually introduce new layers, - different dogs, different contexts, slightly closer proximity, - always working from a place of safety and success.

Progress doesn’t come from pushing a dog through discomfort; it comes from understanding how they succeed, and building from there.

03/05/2025

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐈𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫 - 𝐄𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐨𝐠𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞

Maddie is a Bosnian rescue who came into her new home carrying the weight of deep trauma. Like many overseas dogs, her early experiences and more than likely genetics left her fearful of human interaction, unfamiliar environments, and the world outside her front door.

Sadly, shortly after arriving, Maddie was pushed too far too fast into wearing walking equipment and taken outside before she was ready. That experience has had an impact on her.

Since then, her amazing guardians have worked hard to rebuild trust through patience, understanding, and consent-based handling.

Today, Maddie has a strong bond with her female guardian, and we’re taking small, steady steps to help her feel safer around others, including me and her male guardian.

During my weekly visits, I sit quietly in the garden with no expectations. At first, Maddie watched me from a distance. Now, she chooses to be near me and even sniffs me, entirely on her terms. It’s a joy to watch her confidence grow. We’re also gently reintroducing walking equipment and this time, Maddie is coping beautifully.

An unexpected hero in Maddie’s journey has been Benson, a calm little Westie I look after. I’ve been bringing Benson along to my sessions, and he’s made a real difference. His quiet presence helps Maddie feel more at ease, and she often mirrors his relaxed behaviour.

Having a well-adjusted, neutral dog nearby can be incredibly reassuring for nervous or traumatised dogs. It reminds them that the world isn’t always scary and that calm interactions are possible.

Here’s the thing:

Progress like this isn’t fast.
It isn’t linear.
And it shouldn’t be.

Some days bring big breakthroughs. Other days require us to take a step back. But every small win counts, because for traumatised dogs, healing takes time, safety, and trust.

If you’re supporting a fearful dog, know this: setbacks are not failures. They’re just part of the process.

If you’re struggling with a fearful, anxious, or rescue dog and need support, - you’re not alone. I specialise in helping rescue dogs like Maddie rebuild trust and confidence, one step at a time.

Send me a message if you’d like to chat about how I can help.

18/04/2025

What an Incredible Day!

I’m still buzzing from the success of our very first Plymouth Dog Owners Summit—and I just wanted to take a moment to celebrate and say a huge THANK YOU!

After years of seeing dog owners in Plymouth struggling with mixed messages and outdated advice, I knew we needed something different. That’s why I created Plymouth's Positive Dog Training Community —and this summit was a huge step forward in that vision.

I’m so proud to say we raised £786.92 for Gables Dogs & Cats Home, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

Thank you to everyone who came along, supported, asked brilliant questions, and helped make the day so special. This was just the beginning—and I’m already planning how to make next year’s summit even bigger, better, and more impactful, with even more brilliant professionals from our growing community.

Thank you for all the support we received from some of the amazing professionals from Plymouth’s Positive Dog Training Community. The support you guys showed really helped make the day what it was. 🥰

About Town Pet Care
Dogological
Shaping Dogs
Snuffle Truffles

11/04/2025

Tomorrow is the day. There is still time to book your space.

Will be lovely to see you there 😊

I am so happy to finally announce our very first in person event for dog owners of Plymouth.

Plymouth’s Positive Dog Training Community is hosting its first annual Dog Owners Summit—an in-person event designed for dog lovers who want to deepen their understanding of their canine companions.

This is a must-attend event for anyone passionate about dogs, whether you’re:

🐾 A first-time dog owner
🐾 A seasoned guardian
🐾 A professional in the pet industry

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞?

✅ We have several of our very own group experts covering essential topics—from preventing puppy problems to surviving separation anxiety.

✅ A charity raffle with prizes you do not want to miss out on.

✅ Goodie bags available to ALL attendees packed full of amazing products and learning materials.

𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐮𝐬:You’ll get exclusive access to recordings of the presentations, so you can revisit the content anytime!

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭?

We’re proud to announce that ALL profits from the event and raffle will be donated to Gables Dogs & Cats Home—a local non-euthanasia rescue and rehoming center that has been supporting unwanted and abandoned pets in Plymouth since 1907.

Join us for a day of learning, connection, and giving back to the animals who need it most.

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰:

www.plymouthdogs.co.uk