20/05/2026
This isn’t the kind of post we would normally make, but after what happened today at the Morfa’s in Prestatyn and after seeing stories and accusations spreading online we feel we need to speak for ourselves.
As many of you know, one of the services we offer at Clwyd Canines is dog training and behavioural modification. This morning, we brought a very nervous dog to the park as part of her training journey. She has been doing incredibly well over the past few days, and we felt she was ready for some controlled exposure around other dogs while remaining safely on lead and under our control.
Within seconds of entering the park, an off-lead Labrador dropped its tennis ball, locked eyes on our dog, and sprinted directly towards her at speed. We had never met this dog before and had no way of knowing its intentions. In that split second our dog squealed in fear, and Geraint instinctively stepped in and used his leg to block the dog from reaching the nervous dog we were responsible for protecting. Immediately afterwards, we were shouted at and accused of “kicking” the dog.
The reality is this: we had our dog fully under control and on lead. The other dog was not under control and approached without recall or permission. Whether someone believes their dog is “friendly” or not is irrelevant. Not every dog wants interaction, especially nervous dogs in training. Allowing dogs to charge up to unknown dogs is exactly how fights and incidents happen.
Just moments later, another off-lead dog approached us with no recall from its owner. We repeatedly and politely asked for the dog to be called back and put on lead, but it continued pushing into our dog’s space after she had already experienced a stressful encounter. We eventually had to use our feet to encourage the smaller dog away after our requests were ignored, and we were subjected to further verbal abuse.
We want to make something very clear:
Protecting a dog in our care will always be our priority, even above our reputation.
We have dedicated our lives to helping dogs and improving the lives of both dogs and their owners. To now see accusations online calling us “animal abusers” has been genuinely upsetting and distressing for us. Anyone who knows us, has worked with us, or has trusted us with their dogs knows how seriously we take animal welfare and responsible handling.
We never want to be put into a position where we have to physically intervene to prevent a potentially dangerous or life-threatening dog fight. However, when dogs are allowed off lead without reliable recall and rush into another dog’s space, situations can escalate in seconds. Owners need greater education and awareness around responsible dog ownership, lead control, and respecting other dogs’ boundaries.
The police have been contacted and kept fully up to date with everything regarding today’s events, and we are more than happy to assist with any investigation if required.
No harm was intended to either dog involved today, but we will never apologise for preventing situations from escalating and for advocating for the dogs we are responsible for.
There seems to be a growing issue lately with dogs being allowed off lead without reliable recall. An off-lead area does not mean dogs should be allowed to run up to every dog they see. Responsible ownership means having control of your dog at all times and respecting that not every dog is social, confident, or comfortable with interactions.
To those spreading false versions of events online, we know exactly what happened today, and so do the people who witnessed it.
We would also just like to thank all of our customers for their loyal support through today and for alerting us, for if it was not for them we would not have seen these false accusations being made and spread across Facebook.
And finally, to the owners of both the Labrador and the Yorkshire Terrier involved today: if recall and control are areas you’re struggling with, we can offer training services and would genuinely be happy to help.
