Ally's Dog House - Home of It's Not Magic Dog Training

05/08/2026

Thank you so much to this Chocolate Beauty’s family for writing such a lovely recommendation.

Eric is pretty well known around these parts as he’s become a regular at our local park as part of his training with Ally’s Dog House | Home of It’s Not Magic Dog Training and he’s become best friends with The Hamilhounds especially Big Murdo has accompanied him on various and varied training adventures.

His family’s dog training started before puppy Eric even before they brought him home because having never had a pup before, they wanted to make sure they got it right, right from the start.

Eric’s training journey has not always been straightforward as he’s faced an adversity or two in a relatively short life (he loved a trip to the vet does this lad!) but we’ve lived, cried and laughed a lot through it all and he’s in the best place ever.

He’s growing up into a fine young gent and is winning hearts and minds wherever he goes making his whole family proud.

You are so very loved Eric. Never stop being special!

04/08/2026

The kindest of words today from wee Ginny’s following her training series of sessions with Ally’s Dog House | Home of It’s Not Magic Dog Training.

This little girl was traumatised by her past and has come on leaps and bounds since her mum and dad adopted her from a rescue centre.

There have been ups and there have been downs but my goodness, the little girl absolutely smashed it out on her training walk today where she charmed everyone and met and coped with more dogs and people than ever before.

Ginny, you are a ⭐️

31/07/2026

Meet gorgeous little Bunny!

This adorable long-haired Dachshund puppy has joined me at Ally’s Dog House | Home of It’s Not Magic Dog Training, and what a little superstar she is already!

Although we’re covering all the usual puppy basics, this isn’t just about teaching Bunny to sit, stay or walk nicely on a lead. It’s about giving her the foundations she’ll need for a happy, confident life.

Everything we do now helps shape the adult dog she’ll become. Building confidence, developing focus, learning how to cope with the world around her, making great choices, and creating a strong bond with her owner are all far more important than simply learning cues.

Bunny also has an exciting future ahead as a potential show dog, so these early experiences and life skills will be invaluable. A dog who can relax, concentrate and confidently take new environments in her stride is every bit as important in the show ring as having good conformation.

As I always say, there really is no magic!

It’s all about taking the time to build the right foundations, one small step at a time, using kind, ethical, reward-based training that helps puppies enjoy learning and gives owners the knowledge to continue that journey at home.

I can’t wait to watch Bunny grow in confidence over the coming weeks and see where her adventures take her. She’s certainly off to a fantastic start!

23/07/2026

Meet Buddy!

This handsome 7½-month-old Border Collie’s mum got in touch with an all-too-familiar cry for help.

After graduating puppy school “with honours”, Buddy had, in mum’s words, “recall training nailed” when called or using his whistle…

Then the real world happened.

“It’s like he doesn’t hear me when we’re out on a walk… Being a Collie he has to herd and chase everything. He’s so overstimulated outside. Currently he’s into cyclists, squirrels, pigeons and magpies. I’ve bought a long line but he just ties himself in knots. I’ve tried four different leads, a harness and three collars to stop him pulling. I still daren’t let him off lead in case he sees something and bolts. He’s a good dog, just super hyper… How do I master loose lead walking and perfect recall?”

Sound familiar?

The important thing is this wasn’t a failure of Buddy’s training, or his owner’s efforts. Far from it.

Like so many adolescent dogs, Buddy had learned the individual exercises brilliantly. The challenge was putting all those pieces together when faced with the sights, sounds and excitement of everyday life. That’s a very different skill.

That’s exactly where my one-to-one training comes in.

Rather than looking for a magic lead, harness or quick fix, we build the foundations that help dogs make better decisions in the real world. Engagement, focus, calmness, lead walking, recall, impulse control and confidence all work together so your dog can cope with distractions instead of being overwhelmed by them.

Because real life doesn’t happen in a training hall… it happens with squirrels, cyclists, pigeons, other dogs and all the wonderfully distracting things our dogs love! 🐿️🚴🐦

Buddy and his mum have already made a fantastic start, and I can’t wait to share more of their journey over the coming weeks.

Because it’s not about creating a perfectly obedient dog… it’s about creating a dog who can confidently navigate the real world with their family.

That’s what It’s Not Magic Dog Training is all about.

28/06/2026

The last week has been a bit of a scorcher hasn’t it!

As much as we’d love to keep training through everything, the dogs’ welfare always comes first at Ally’s Dog House | Home of It’s Not Magic Dog Training. Trying to teach dogs in extreme heat isn’t fair on them , or on us humans who melt just as quickly, so a few sessions had to be rescheduled until the temperatures became a little more sensible.

Thankfully, normal British summer has returned… and we’re back to business!

Today’s star pupil was the very handsome Buddy, an 8-month-old Border Collie with plenty of brains, energy and enthusiasm to match.

Buddy and his mum are working towards enjoyable, relaxed walks together, reliable recall, better focus around real-life distractions and polite greetings instead of launching himself at every visitor who comes through the door!

Today’s session was all about laying the foundations. Great training isn’t about expecting perfection overnight—it’s about giving dogs the skills, confidence and understanding to make good decisions when life gets exciting.

Buddy made a brilliant start, and we’re looking forward to seeing his progress over the coming weeks. One step at a time, one success at a time, helping him become the very best boy he can be.

04/06/2026

Who would believe that Ginny was only adopted a couple of months ago?

This little rescue has come a long way in a very short time, thanks to the dedication and patience of her fantastic family.

Before finding her new home, Ginny’s life had been anything but easy. As far as anyone knows, she spent much of her early life surviving on an allotment, learning to rely only on herself and keeping her distance from people and other dogs. Eventually she was taken into care and given a second chance.

The behaviours that helped Ginny survive weren’t so helpful once she moved into a loving home. Barking, lunging and reacting to dogs on walks, as well as struggling when visitors came to the house, were all signs that she didn’t yet feel safe in her new world.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been working on building Ginny’s confidence, helping her feel secure, and teaching her that her family can handle the things she finds worrying.

Today, here she is putting all that hard work into practice in her local park.

Just a short while ago, her owners weren’t sure they would ever feel comfortable walking her there because every dog they saw felt like a challenge she needed to deal with herself.

Now? She’s learning that she doesn’t have to carry that responsibility anymore.

Progress isn’t about creating a “perfect” dog—it’s about helping dogs feel safe enough to make better choices. Ginny is proving that with the right support, patience, and training, even the most worried dogs can learn to relax and enjoy life.

Confidence is growing, trust is building, and Ginny’s future is looking brighter every week.

31/05/2026

Meet Bill, our Collie x French Bulldog youngster!

Bill had his second training session this week and, honestly, we were so busy working that we forgot to take any new photos! These pictures are from Session 1, but trust me when I say he’s grown a lot in just three weeks—and it’s looking increasingly likely that he’ll take after the Collie side of the family in size.

Bill is a bright, energetic youngster with plenty of enthusiasm for life. Like many puppies his age, that energy can sometimes leave his owners feeling a little overwhelmed.

One of the biggest lessons from Session 2 was the importance of consistency. With Mum unable to attend this session, Bill had been receiving slightly different messages from each owner. Understandably, this had left him feeling frustrated and confused, which was showing up as behaviours that looked like stubbornness or selective listening.

The reality? Bill wasn’t being difficult—he was simply trying to work out which set of rules applied.

Once everyone understands the same training approach, dogs like Bill can make incredible progress.

Today’s takeaway: consistency isn’t about being strict—it’s about being clear. When we give our dogs clear, predictable guidance, they’re far more likely to succeed. Bill’s owners have a great plan moving forward, and I’m excited to see what he achieves before Session 3! 🐶✨

01/05/2026

Meet one very special little lady Nora - every dog is special but this one is even more so as she’s completely deaf and has been from birth.

She’s now one year old and is a really switched on little girl but her parents were having some difficulties with her barking a lot and were unsure how to teach her that it wasn’t acceptable and she was struggling like most puppies to focus outside amidst the distractions of real-life.

Nora had simply learned that barking got her attention - she however had the luxury, unlike her owners, of having no clue how very loud and annoying it was and she was just like any puppy who needed help to do things brilliantly outside as she does inside.

So at home of we adapted and started working on some sign language to help communicate with Nora so that she could understand which of her behaviours were going to get her attention and which weren’t.

Nora has absolutely flourished, her barking has reduced significantly at home and outside and her extended range of behaviours taught via sign language has made walks so much more fun and enriching for her and her family.

27/04/2026