Dog Training with Laura Mars

02/06/2026

An important message any week. A great post below

DOG BITE PREVENTION WEEK
This is my child and my dog (When we first brought the puppy home! He didn’t know us, he didn’t trust us)

Close faces.
Holding tight.
No space for the dog to move away.

— ITS EXACTLY IN THESE “CUTE” moments where things go wrong! — Dogs don’t suddenly bite out of nowhere.
They communicate first.
And when those signals get missed, that’s when accidents happen.

This is why Bite Prevention Week matters.

As a dog photographer and mum, I am now aiming to help you understand what’s really going on, so we can keep our children safe.

I’ll be sharing simple things to look for this week 🐾

02/06/2026

Attention clients who have been asking me about day care or boarding. A rare opportunity below 😊

02/06/2026

Celebrating Billy AND his lovely humans today 💛🐾

I love receiving updates like this.

Progress, not perfection. Small wins add up… and it’s so lovely to read messages like this:

“We think he’s getting it and his focus when we were actually walking to the park was amazing!” ✨

One of the loveliest parts of this work is watching confidence and connection grow at both ends of the lead 💛

01/06/2026

Socialisation Myth

🚫 Your puppy does NOT need to say hello to every dog!
I know... That sounds controversial! 😅

Many owners worry that if their puppy doesn't greet every dog they see, they won't be "socialised". Good socialisation isn't about meeting everyone.
It's about teaching your puppy how to feel calm and confident in the world. 🌎

A well-socialised puppy can:
✅ Walk past other dogs calmly ✅ Focus on their owner
✅ Settle in new environments
✅ Cope with distractions
✅ Feel safe and relaxed

At Bristol Dog Days, we focus on creating neutrality rather than puppy parties🐾. A dog who can remain calm around other dogs often has far more freedom than one who feels the need to greet every dog they see.

❓What's your puppy's biggest distraction right now?

01/06/2026

Working on something really important with Bracken at the moment 💛🐾

Emotional regulation & Calm

She absolutely loves training… so much so that she’d happily work the whole session without stopping 😂

If she could choose, it would probably be:
training → barking for more → more training → repeat

So part of our work now is helping her learn the calm bits in between.

We use the snuffle mat as a little reset between activities. Sniffing can really help dogs slow down, breathe, and switch gears emotionally instead of staying “on” all the time.

For dogs like Bracken, learning to pause and settle is just as important as learning cues or games. 💫

30/05/2026

If you’re secretly wondering whether getting a dog was a terrible idea after all…

please know this:

You are not alone. 💛

Sometimes the puppy honeymoon period wears off and suddenly they’ve turned into Kevin the teenager.

The birds matter more.
The smells get stronger.
And every dog, leaf and pee mail suddenly feels VERY important.

Not because they’re stubborn.
Not because they’re trying to ignore you.

Their body just grew up faster than their brain did. 🐾

You’re not failing.

You’re raising a learner.

And if you’d like support from someone who understands both ends of the lead, you’re very welcome to reach out 💛

29/05/2026

🌿 Sharing this because I’m a huge believer in looking at the whole dog ❤️

Behaviour, movement, comfort, pain, stress levels and emotional wellbeing are often far more connected than people realise.

Veterinary physiotherapy can be such a valuable part of supporting dogs — whether they’re sporty dogs, older dogs, recovering from injury, or simply needing help staying comfortable and moving well

Lovely local post from Taylor Hoey Veterinary Physiotherapy that may be useful for some of my clients and followers 🌿

✨ Help your animal move comfortably again with physiotherapy ✨
From rehabilitation and mobility support to strengthening and pain management, I’m here to help your pet feel their best 🐾
Message me to find out how physiotherapy can support your pet’s recovery and wellbeing. 💙

29/05/2026

Another client recap where I do an impression of the dog going:

“Oh bloody hell… there’s no treats.” 😭😂

But honestly, it explains learning so well.

Dogs don’t learn because we get cross.
They learn because behaviour has consequences.

And those consequences don’t need to be painful.

We simply want dogs to learn:
✨ what pays
✨ what doesn’t
✨ and how to get it right

No one likes being told off.

I want learning to feel fun.
I want to know when I’ve done well.
I want laughter, connection, and encouragement while I’m learning something new ❤️

And honestly?
I think our dogs deserve the same.

If you’d like to learn whilst actually enjoying training with your dog… reach out 🌿