insync K9

10/12/2025

With Christmas round the corner, dont forget that these common holiday plants are poisonous to your pets 🌲

07/12/2025

Important update for dog owners about the new livestock worrying law 🐑 🐄 🐐🐖

A new amendment to the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act is coming into force in the UK and it brings several important changes. These include:

• More types of animals are now protected, including alpacas and llamas
• Offences can now occur on public paths, tracks and roads, not just fields
• Courts can now issue unlimited fines for livestock worrying (prev max was £1000)
• Police have stronger powers to investigate incidents and seize dogs when necessary

Tips:

🐾 Keep your dog on a lead when walking near farmland or anywhere livestock may be present
🐾 Stay alert, even if your dog is usually calm and friendly
🐾 Only allow off lead walking when you have reliable recall and are well away from livestock
🐾 Be a responsible owner and avoid situations where a dog could run or approach animals
🐾 Practise recall and calm walking skills regularly

If you need help improving your dog’s recall, reactivity to livestock or rural manners, I am here to support you. Let’s keep livestock safe and enjoy the countryside responsibly 🐑

(Photo is my own dog and sheep)

06/12/2025

While on a trip to Georgia, today I visited a little animal sanctuary just outside Tbilisi and dropped off donations of dog food, fruit and veg for the animals in their care 🥕

The center rescues all sorts of animals including bears, wolves, horses and dogs. They’re doing amazing work with very limited resources and every bit of support makes a difference to the animals in their care 🐻

If you’re ever in the area or looking for somewhere meaningful to support, they’re well worth a visit or a donation 🐾

22/11/2025

A very wet and windy trial at my club Northampton IGP today! Marcy passed her BH exam, many thanks to judge Dougie Bannerman.

Super proud of those I teach at the club on their results today too 🐾

18/11/2025

Stay vigilant!

Pet owners who have lost their dogs to Alabama rot warn others about the disease.

11/11/2025

Awareness post!

Last week threw me an absolute curveball I won’t forget in a hurry, my first (and hopefully last!) case of bloat. One of the dogs in my care, Kai, developed bloat very early in the morning, but without the classic signs you’d expect. No swollen abdomen, no pacing, just very subtle changes that didn’t sit right with me and some vomit of white foam.

Trusting that gut feeling made all the difference. Thanks to acting quickly and getting him straight to the emergency vets, Kai is now recovering well, minus a spleen ❤️

I’m sharing this because bloat doesn’t always present the way the textbooks say. Sometimes the signs are quiet and easy to dismiss. If something feels “off” with your dog, no matter how minor, please don’t hesitate. Get them seen ASAP.

Typical signs can be:

• Distended or swollen abdomen
• Retching or trying to vomit but nothing coming up
• Excessive drooling
• Restlessness, pacing or unable to settle
• Panting or rapid breathing
• Signs of pain (looking at the belly, whining, tense abdomen)
• Sudden anxiety or agitation
• Weakness, collapse, or going into shock

Ways thought to reduce risks are to feed smaller meals and avoiding vigorous exercise around feeding times (which I've always done) Stay vigilant, especially those of you with large, deep-chested breeds.

Huge thanks to the team at Towcester Vets who acted fast, and I’m so grateful this story has a positive ending 🙏 Wishing Kai a speedy recovery

27/10/2025

Marcy had a lot of spectators on today's track 😅

20/10/2025

Little Dachshund Wilbur is completing intensive training with us to work on his fear based behaviour towards people and other dogs 🐾

15/10/2025

02/10/2025

Deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Dr. Jane Goodall.

Her groundbreaking work in animal behavior and tireless advocacy for wildlife conservation inspired generations around the world. Her legacy will continue to shape how we understand and protect the natural world.

Rest in peace, Jane Goodall 🌿🕊️

18/09/2025

🚪 Front door chaos? You’re not the only one!

A lot of owners tell me, “The second someone knocks or rings the bell, my dog goes *mad*!”

It’s a noisy, stressful moment for you, your visitors, and your dog. But the good news? It can be changed.

Barking at the door is often your dog’s way of alerting you or reacting to excitement or sometimes anxiety. They’re not trying to be naughty, they just haven’t learned a calmer way to respond yet.

Here are a few things that can help:

- Desensitise the sound of the doorbell, make it boring through practice
- Teach an alternative response, like going to a bed or mat when the bell rings
- Stay calm yourself as tension from us can make things worse
- Reward quiet, calm behaviour instead of waiting until the chaos starts

It might not change overnight, but with consistency, dogs can learn to stay calm when someone comes to the door.

There are lots of things we can do. Just drop me a message if this is something you'd like help with 😊

14/09/2025

Scared of the clippers? So was Beau.

I worked with an amazing little rescue dog who absolutely hated having her nails clipped. The moment the clippers came out, she’d panic; tail tucked, pulling away and snapping from stress.

Every attempt made things harder for everyone involved. So instead of forcing it… we took a different route. We taught her to file her own nails!

Using a scratch board covered with sandpaper, her owners shaped the behaviour step-by-step, starting with paw touches, then rewarding every scratch. Over a few short sessions, she was confidently filing her own front nails with no stress, no restraint and no clippers in sight.

Here’s why this kind of approach matters:

- It gives the dog control, which builds confidence
- It removes the fear from grooming tasks
- It creates a calm, positive experience for both dog and owner
- It’s actually fun, she now *loves* showing off her trick!

If your dog finds grooming scary or stressful, it doesn’t have to stay that way.

Want to explore this with your dog? 121 sessions are a great way to get started, feel free to message if you’re looking for creative solutions 😊