Paws & Progress

27/10/2026

How my Cocker Spaniel changed my life….. and some controversial house rules in return ✨🤍

Because the number one thing I hear from most clients these days is “I know this is bad but…..” before listing one million things I simply don’t care about. And not in a rude way, but just in a “Your house, your rules” kinda way. 🏠 Because I myself will NEVER hide the fact that Millie sleeps on the bed, controls our walking routes, or even has even off days sometimes.

However these little things are the things that make me love her even more. My “perfect dog” is simply a dog who is happy, loved, and bonded to me - and she’s become that because we both truly accept and care for each other without fail.

We also don’t listen to any of the silly old-fashioned rules. Times have changed. 🕰️ Dogs are no longer there to serve us. They are now huge members of the family. They don’t need dominance, firmness, or to “learn the hard way”. In fact, Millie’s attitude changed for the better as soon as I dropped these mindsets that some random £££ trainer told my family years ago (which absolutely didn’t work, would you believe it? 🤔).

To clarify, I still let her be a dog. And she lets me be a human. But with a modern day mindset. Backed up by science, and proven directly by us (and our amazing clients that want to achieve the same). 🙌🏻

However, if you are struggling to offer your dog these things because it all feels too much, that’s okay. I also get it. But why not speak to someone who can make it all feel a bit more manageable, and separate the “bad” from the amazing? The right trainer won’t judge, or criticise. ⭐

14/10/2026

Group classes at Paws & Progress have never been busier! 🙌🏻With multiple courses running almost every evening at the moment, last night we welcomed 9 pups to their “Week 1” ✨

It is always so lovely to meet all the new four-legged friends, and their owners too! The atmosphere is filled with fun, and positivity as dogs learn plenty of new tricks in just their first hour session.

This week the focus was on settling calmly, building engagement both naturally and in response to their name, lead walking, and more! Next week we begin recall, greeting people politely, and several other life-saving skills.

We have opened up one final 2026 course for Poole in November - but only 2 spaces remain! Don’t hesitate to book on.

19/09/2026

When we first met Odi almost two years ago, staying calm around other dogs and people was a real challenge for him. Fast forward to today, however, and look at him go! 🥹

Thanks to his fantastic owners putting in the time, consistency and hard work, we’re now able to take Odi to public places like this and watch him truly thrive. And honestly, it’s such a joy to see. 🤎

Progress like this doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s a brilliant reminder of just how much the right support, patience and commitment can change things.

So, what’s the next step?… 👀☕️

Our new goal for Odi is now going to be trialling him in our group “Coffee Shop Training” Workshop, where the aim is to take everything he’s learnt and put it to the test in an EVEN BUSIER setting, alongside other dogs and their owners. 🐾

It’s such an exciting stage of his journey, and I can’t wait to see him smash it!

Fancy joining him? Drop us a message to find out more! ☕️🐶

And thank you as always to the wonderful and for letting us use your space! See you soon! ✨🤍

16/09/2026

12/08/2026

Who’s excited for our upcoming Paws & Progress workshops, courses, and events?! 🐾🐶

We have been working super hard behind the scenes to come up with something for everything! So whether you want to work on all of your pup’s general manners, or one thing in particular like our Lead Walking & Recall workshop - we’ve got you covered! ⭐️

To book, please message us or give us a call on 07887 822578. Spaces are limited to a first come first serve basis.

10/07/2026

Helping dogs feel confident around novel moving objects 🐾

Prams, bikes, scooters and cyclists can all be difficult for dogs to process, especially when they move quickly or come towards them! Desensitisation is therefore about introducing these triggers at a level your dog can cope with, pairing them with positive experiences, and gradually building confidence.

In this video, you’ll see Clyde, our Belgian Malinois, working around a pram. Clyde struggles a lot with moving objects like this, especially when they’re fast or unpredictable, so we’re focusing on calm exposure, rewarding the right choices, and helping him learn that these things aren’t something to get over-excited about.

The goal isn’t to force a dog to ignore their triggers or natural instincts - it’s to help them feel safe and make better choices when they encounter them instead. 🐶✨

08/07/2026

Contrary to popular belief… dogs aren’t actually born knowing English. 🤯 So why do we expect them to understand commands we’ve never actually taught them? ❌

One of the biggest mistakes people make is saying a cue over and over before their dog even has any idea what it means.

Instead, we need to show your dog the behaviour first. Guide them, reward them, and help them succeed. Once they clearly understand what you’re asking, *then* add the verbal cue by pairing the word with the behaviour. 🎯

Teach first. Name second.

It sounds simple, but it makes learning so much clearer for your dog, and takes away a lot of frustration for both of you. Progress doesn’t come from repeating words louder or more often - it comes from clear communication, consistency, and practice. 👏

And after all, it makes a lot more sense than shouting random words and hoping for the best, right? 😉

07/07/2026

After a quiet week with heat-ridden cancelled sessions, and lots of requests for any ideas to keep dogs mentally busy during the heatwave, we started running something new….an early AM class for our current clients based on using their nose and brain in partnership to learn the basics of scent work 🐾

Watching each dog (and owner!) grow in confidence, learn new skills, and have so much fun has been amazing. What started as a way to beat the heat has quickly become something we want to keep going throughout the summer with this lovely group.

There’s lots of amazing scent work companies around, but if you’ve ever been curious about scent work in the New Forest area and weren’t sure where to start, this is for you! There’s no pressure, no experience needed, just a relaxed environment where your dog can use their nose, build confidence, and have fun.

✨ If you’d be interested in giving it a go, send me a message. I’d love to hear from you!

06/07/2026

A few weeks ago, we saw the gorgeous Oscar for a lead walking session at Upton Country Park 🐾

His owners came to us wanting to focus on one thing: loose lead walking. But instead of jumping into that like they expected, we actually worked on the complete opposite…

This is because Oscar is a classic Golden Retriever - he loves everyone, everything, and every smell! 🍃 🐶 Unfortunately though, that meant his owners were pretty low on his priority list and asking him to walk nicely by their side with no fun wasn’t going to change that.

So instead we focused on making us the most exciting thing in the environment again! Through simple engagement games, we built value in being close to us and became his favourite people and place (hence the audio on this video 😉).

The result? Oscar started choosing to stay near us without even being asked.

Of course we still rewarded those choices to help strengthen the behaviour, but the rewards became secondary to the enjoyment of interacting with us. That’s the goal after all: a dog who wants to be with you, not one only stays with you because they have to.

Lead walking isn’t just about teaching a position. It’s about building a relationship that your dog genuinely wants to be a part of.