Homefield K9 Training

Homefield K9 Training Local reward-based dog training classes and 1:2:1 support for Portland, Dorset and surrounding areas.

13/05/2026

Yes, that’s me! Loving being back at scent club and watching my girls learning! They both absolutely love this activity, and it’s so good for me to be the learner sometimes!🥰

🐾 Let’s talk dew claws! 🐾Dew claws are extra toes, usually a single one on the inside of the dog’s front legs (although ...
13/05/2026

🐾 Let’s talk dew claws! 🐾

Dew claws are extra toes, usually a single one on the inside of the dog’s front legs (although some breeds have double and/or hind leg dew claws.

When I first had dogs many years ago, they were pretty much regarded as vestigial and were routinely removed during the first few days of a puppy’s life.
This certainly avoided some problems developing - but dew claws do actually have a purpose. They provide stability and traction, and help with gripping items such as the slippery frozen Kongs in the photos.

For these reasons, most dogs nowadays retain them - but extra care is needed. Unlike the other nails that often wear down a fair amount through walking on hard surfaces, dew claws don’t touch the ground so need even more regular clipping - otherwise they can grow round into the leg or be ripped off in undergrowth.

Using lots of association between clippers and rewarding food can help make this a positive experience for the dog - or at least a tolerable one!😁
❤️

12/05/2026

This!!🙌🏻

12/05/2026

There’s more than one way of delivering food reinforcers! Feed to the mouth; roll; throw; catch! Mixing up how you feed snacks keeps the rewards more interesting and the dogs more engaged!
Mine are hopeless at catch!🤣But it doesn’t stop them enjoying having a go!
Make your rewarding fun!😁🐾🤩
❤️

Portland Puppies and Improvers making wonderful progress as we get near to the end of the courses - lots of work on impu...
11/05/2026

Portland Puppies and Improvers making wonderful progress as we get near to the end of the courses - lots of work on impulse control and engagement with their humans is really starting to pay off.
Puppies had a go at a loose lead walking route and ignored distractions as well as the cone game; Improvers passed their Star Award assessments and just look at Ernie learning an emergency stop!
Great job Ted, Fern, Ernie and Rosie (sorry Rosie, I didn’t manage a photo!)
🌟🐾🥰

09/05/2026

Lovely loose lead walking with the very gorgeous Scooby yesterday! Some of you may spot the similarity with Ernie from the current Improvers class - and you’d be right, they’re half-brothers! Scooby was, other than some slightly anxious behaviour when I arrived, impeccably behaved! Now to see if we can transfer that behaviour to time spent with his brother!
I’m really looking forward to watching his progress!😊🐾🌟

Portland Beginners enjoyed using their noses and brains this week with the Cup Game, a simple sniffing exercise that’s f...
09/05/2026

Portland Beginners enjoyed using their noses and brains this week with the Cup Game, a simple sniffing exercise that’s fascinating to watch as the dogs work out how to find the hidden food.
Even Roan had fun with this! It’s been lovely to watch her confidence grow that little bit each week!
Well done Dylan, Hugo, Lola, Ziggy and Roan - see you next week for games to test what you’ve learned!!🥳🐾😁

Why did I choose positive reinforcement training? I’ve had dogs for nearly 40 years, and I’ve been through training meth...
08/05/2026

Why did I choose positive reinforcement training?

I’ve had dogs for nearly 40 years, and I’ve been through training methods since Barbara Woodhouse, bless her! I’ve used methods that I’m not proud of - just like with children, times have changed and we see things differently now.

I’ve also been a secondary teacher, and do you know what? I’ve discovered more about learning theory since training as a dog trainer than I ever fully understood as a teacher.

Positive reinforcement works! The dogs in the photo were happy enough and good to live with - but I could have done so much more with them. One in a headcollar, one on a half-check; this time round I’ve used a head collar, yes, but as management not a permanent solution. It’s rarely out these days.

Now, I make sure that all training, both with my own dogs and others’, is fun and enjoyable - yes, we have boundaries, but punishment has no place in my work.
Are my current dogs perfectly trained? Absolutely not! Some things are still a work in progress - but they’re happy, fulfilled and enjoy training sessions. I don’t want my dogs to obey me because they’re scared - I want them to choose to engage.

We ask these dogs to be part of our human world - it’s up to us to make that a positive experience for them!♥️

I’ve mentioned before that Ember has mild hip dysplasia, suspected due to some odd sitting positions when she was very y...
07/05/2026

I’ve mentioned before that Ember has mild hip dysplasia, suspected due to some odd sitting positions when she was very young and confirmed at around a year old by x-rays.
It wasn’t an issue for about a year - and then it was. Not only did I notice that, under all that adult coat, she was still sitting oddly, she was more tired after exercise and we had a few instances of on-lead reactivity towards other dogs.

And this is why I often suggest a referral to a Vet Physio when I think that pain might be an issue: Lauren has now been treating Ember for a few months, we are working on exercises prescribed to build and strengthen muscles, and she is already showing signs of improvement. No need so far for veterinary intervention or medication - this is a really effective way to tackle some pain issues, with the knowledge that if vet treatment is needed, your dog will be referred back to the practice with a more targeted idea of what needs investigation.

Relaxing during treatment!🥰

Science snippet: Classical Conditioning.Our dogs aren’t just learning in class or when we’re training - they’re learning...
06/05/2026

Science snippet: Classical Conditioning.

Our dogs aren’t just learning in class or when we’re training - they’re learning all the time, often through classical conditioning - a learning process based on association. An insignificant action is linked to a natural response when both happen at the same time and the brain learns to predict an outcome.

I use a wallet case for my phone (because I’m clumsy and drop it a lot!🙄) and my dogs will automatically get up when I close it - to them, it’s come to mean ‘she’s finished faffing and something more interesting is about to happen’! Which sometimes results in disappointment for them, if I’m just going to wash up!🤣

This can cause difficulties at times: if getting your harness and lead out results in frantic excitement, because your dog associates it with a walk, it can make leaving the house calmly almost impossible.

How can we change this? By altering the association: get the harness and lead out, put them on the side and go back to what you were doing. Put the harness on, then sit back down. Slow all the pre-walk steps so that the equipment doesn’t automatically send your dog into a state of high arousal - setting out on your walk will become less stressful!🙂

What associations has your dog made that you didn’t plan?😁

🌟 Comedy Shot of the Week award goes to Ernie! What? Just recalling like a pro - don’t distract me!!🤩🤣🐾
05/05/2026

🌟 Comedy Shot of the Week award goes to Ernie!
What? Just recalling like a pro - don’t distract me!!🤩🤣🐾

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Portland
DT5

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