Happy Hounds Dog Services

12/05/2026

I’m booked on this!

30/04/2026

Please can everyone and anyone share. Let’s try to help get this dog back home. I can’t imagine how they’re feeling.

27/04/2026

Something I have at times said to many owners. How you touch your dog can greatly affect their mood and reactions.

I’m sure you know that talking in high pitched, rapid speech patterns excites your hound and gets them all ramped up. Same applies to touch. Same applies to me. If Colin walks past and ruffles my hair it’s annoying. He gets a shove back. If he walks past and strokes my back he gets a smile….and a shove back of course can’t let that slide. 😆😆😆 You understand the sentiment though. Slow and steady brings about sense of calm and relaxing. Bouncy, bouncy brings about bouncy, bouncy back. Your touch is similar to a massage. Nice, long gentle strokes. Makes sense doesn’t it?

For help with reactivity, excitability, bad manners ☎️ Paula 07866 270133

Think all petting feels good to your dog? Not even close. Science shows a lot of what we call affection is actually overstimulation. Slow it down. Your dog doesn’t want a drum solo on their head. Slow strokes equal calm, fast pats equal stress.

A new peer-revied study surveying dog and cat owners looked at how touch relates to pet wellbeing and found clear differences between species. For dogs, gentle petting had the biggest positive impact, especially slow, calm stroking along the chest, shoulders, and sides. The more time and physical contact, the better, with added benefits when dogs lean on their owners or sleep close by. This type of touch mimics natural social grooming and helps reduce stress while promoting relaxation. In contrast, owner-initiated petting didn’t have the same effect in cats. What mattered more was cat-initiated contact, particularly head rubbing, also known as bunting. Gentle touch can improve wellbeing, but only when it aligns with the animal’s natural behavior and comfort level. Takeaway: If your dog leans into you, relaxes, or closes their eyes, you’re doing it right, if they pull away or get restless, adjust pressure or location.

26/04/2026

When you’re getting on in years and have sore paws, but your mum knows you’re a secret beach bum. So with a dodgy hire van she drives you 30mins away so she can park on the flat and give you a walk in peace.

Teashack has gone too. Didn’t even get a brew!!! That was my reward! 🙄🤷🏻‍♀️🏖️🐾

25/04/2026

Hard life for some. Certainly was for me this morning. Got hire van and darn thing wouldn’t behave this morning. AA to the rescue. User error??? Maybe but it’s done same thing again to me by sheep field. Never mind. Hopefully my new van arrives next week. Just have to have hill walks next few days. Or I might park up on the flat and walk the hounds down. Absolutely living their best lives on the beach!! 😍🐾☀️🏖️🏖️

23/04/2026

If I’m late replying to messages here are some of the reasons why!!! 11pm in the stables last night. Willow and Wilma having supper. 😍😍😍 mummy Witch watching me making sure I don’t steal cuddles. 😆. She knows I need to feed them but as far as she’s concerned I don’t need to kiss and cuddle them!! That’s her job.

Wish Colin had told me he was filming. I look wrecked. 🤣🤣🤣🥴🥴. Not much difference from normal then I guess 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤭🤭

22/04/2026

🐍 Adders have been spotted in the area! Please read the below
guidance:​

🐶 Keep your dog close to you or on a lead around areas known for adder populations. This will reduce the chance of them disturbing a snake and it striking in defence.​

📲 If an Adder has bitten your pet, call your vet immediately, and if possible, carry your pet to stop the venom from spreading.​

⚠️ Even if you have been on a walk and haven't seen your pet get bitten but they are acting out of character or notice any swellings, call your vet to be safe.​

As the weather warms up, the European Adder (the only venomous snake native to the UK) will be out and about even more.​

Remain calm and contact us on 01606 723202, if you think your dog has been bitten. ☎

21/04/2026

Black Beast has done it again. Cracking set of twins. One of each. Literally delivered them between grassy mouths. Soooo tempted to pull the second lamb. I could see hooves hanging but left her to it. Ate a dock leaf, coughed and dropped the ram lamb. Ewe lamb had already taking milk before brother was born!!

So apologies if I’m slow getting back to you, but at the moment the fastest I move is uphill to a lambing.

18/04/2026

As predicted Witch has produced a cracking set of twins. Both ewe lambs. Huge!! Needed help with both. Locked at shoulders but out they slid. She’s totally loving on them.

18/04/2026

Lambs on the ground!!! Lambs on the ground!!!

Poor Maeve waiting in the car boot but didn’t need her help with this one. Think we have another labouring. Witch. I’ll need all my patience for her! That name isn’t by error!!

Belting set of twins to start with though.

17/04/2026

Very blustery walk with the conkers this morning. Nearly got blown off the top. I think Maeve’s face says it all when I asked for them to pose for a photo!! 🥴🤣🤣🤣🤭🐾💨💨💨

Dougie can have some ‘silly moments’ passing people just now. He’s not used to seeing people on walks and we came across a photographer who had set up across the pathway. Tad daft but there you go. First time passing I was too worried 3 dogs on lead would wallop the camera. So I avoided. Second time I set myself up for the challenge. Popped dogs on leafs and walked up. Discovered the wind had whipped my treats out my bag somewhere. Fidget!!! For want of the word I did use. 😉😉. So onwards we went. Few silly barks from Dougie but the girls were great. I figured his camera, his problem. Set up across a path…. Well….there you go. Dougie very rapidly reset after 5 paces. So I was pretty pleased with him.

You see, even trainers have ‘those moments’ Even trainers can go into avoidance rather than seeing the opportunity. Because walking around was that bit easier for me at first with 3 dogs full of energy. After that I had some inner words and changed my mindset to ‘ Wgat an opportunity to practice’ rather than ‘Bummer I think Dougie might have a moment’. Even with lost treats. Because Dougie is just resetting due to the move. So I have to help him. More impulse control games with him ti help him self regulate and adjust. Isla needs more impulse control so she’s not snogging everyone!!🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️.

For help with reactivity and no judgement because we’ve all been there. Paula 07866-270133.