Louise Kirby Dog Trainer

27/05/2026

Last month I lost Mika to heart failure 💔

Mika was the inspiration behind Chihuahua School and because of him, thousands of Chihuahua owners have had access to support, training and understanding for difficult behaviours.

In Mika’s memory, I donated his unused medication to the Worldwide Veterinary Service so it can help another dog in need.

The Worldwide Veterinary Service does incredible work helping animals around the world who would otherwise go without veterinary care, medication and support.

I know times are tight for many people right now, but if you would like to help keep Mika’s legacy alive, please consider making a small donation to his fundraiser.

And if you have unused, in-date veterinary medication at home, please consider donating that too so it can help another animal.

Thank you for all the love people showed Mika over the years ❤️

Link in comments.

25/05/2026

I was out walking my dog this week when I came across a beautiful dog who was absolutely loving life. He was smiling, bounding around and just enjoying being out in the world.

The owner, on the other hand, wasn’t enjoying it quite so much.

He was trying to get the dog back on the lead, but the dog had started playing keepaway. Keepaway is when the dog doesn’t fully run off, but hovers just out of reach. Every time the owner moved forwards, the dog bounced backwards. The more frustrated the owner became, the more the dog turned it into a game.

What made it worrying was that the dog was edging closer and closer towards the road.

The dog was clearly an adolescent, and adolescence can be a really difficult stage for owners. Your sweet puppy suddenly seems to stop listening, recall falls apart, the environment becomes more exciting than you are and it can feel as though all your training has disappeared overnight.

But adolescence isn’t usually about the dog being “dominant”, “stubborn” or trying to “get one over on you”.

Your dog is growing up and starting to ask a very important question:

“Where is the value?”

Is the value with you?
Or is the value in the environment?

This is why so many adolescent dogs suddenly become obsessed with sniffing, running, exploring and interacting with the world. The environment is paying well. Every smell, movement and opportunity to explore creates dopamine and excitement.

If we only become relevant when we are ending the fun, clipping the lead back on or telling the dog “no”, then we quickly lose value in the dog’s eyes.

This is also why going harder with obedience is often not the answer.

Owners panic when recall slips and they often move towards more control. More commands. More drilling. More pressure. More frustration.

But heavy obedience in the moment often creates conflict rather than cooperation. The dog is emotionally and biologically driven towards exploration and discovery. If every interaction with you becomes restrictive, the environment becomes even more valuable by comparison.

What adolescent dogs actually need is guidance, management and relationship building.

They need value built into staying close to you.
They need games that make you relevant again.
They need reinforcement for choosing proximity voluntarily.
They need opportunities to explore safely without rehearsing dangerous choices.

Most importantly, they need owners to understand that adolescence is a developmental stage, not a personality flaw.

The answer is not to become stricter and stricter until the relationship breaks down.

The answer is to teach the dog that you are part of the fun, part of the safety and part of the good things in life.

Because when the value stays with you, the dog stops needing to play keepaway in the first place.

21/05/2026

You didn’t get a dog so you could constantly manage their behaviour.

Crossing roads to avoid other dogs.
Holding your breath when someone comes to the house.
Timing walks for quiet hours.
Apologising for barking.
Feeling tense every time you pick up the lead.

Over time, difficult behaviour starts changing your routine, your confidence and even the way you live your life with your dog.

But behaviour is not fixed.

Dogs are not “being naughty” or “trying to dominate you”. Behaviour comes from what the dog thinks is going to happen next and whether they feel able to cope with it.

That means behaviour can be unpicked and changed with the right approach.

I am a force-free trainer and behaviour coach using science-based methods to help dogs build calmer, better responses to the world around them.

So you can stop managing everything…
and start enjoying your dog again.

Get back the dog you dreamed of.

05/05/2026

How does time pass so quickly. Happy Birthday to Arlo, 8 today. Arlo has always been a complex dog, he has taught me so much about dog behaviour. My funny, gorgeous boy. ❤

31/03/2026

Working with the adorable Jilly, who has a tendency to turn her ears off when it comes to recall. We're building a nice proximity zone as a foundation and will then add in a 'walk on cue' and then a solid recall.

30/03/2026

Where would you love to be with your dog this summer?

A relaxed walk along the beach?
Sitting outside a café together?
Enjoying the park without barking at every dog that passes?
Letting them enjoy a bit more freedom on walks?

Summer has a way of shining a light on the things we wish felt easier with our dogs.

The pulling on the lead.
The barking at every sound.
The stress of avoiding other dogs and people.

But it doesn’t have to stay that way.

Now is the perfect time to start building the skills that make summer walks feel joyful again — calmness, confidence, focus, and the ability to make better choices in everyday situations.

Imagine heading into the warmer months with a dog who feels more settled, and walks that you both actually enjoy.

If that sounds like where you’d like to be, I offer friendly, force-free 1:1 dog training support locally, working first at home and then out in the real world.

Message me if you’d like to make this your dog’s best summer yet.

26/03/2026

We always start training at home… and there’s a good reason for that.

At home, everything is calmer. We can control the environment, keep arousal levels low, and actually help your dog *learn* without everything else getting in the way.

Trying to train out on a walk when your dog is already overwhelmed is a bit like trying to have a conversation in the middle of a nightclub… it’s just not going to land.

Build the skills at home first, then take them out into the world where they really matter.

If you’re ready to start building those foundations properly, drop me a message or take a look at how I can help.

22/03/2026

The No.1 skill every dog needs? Proximity.

Not recall. Not sit. Not tricks.

A dog that stays within a calm, controlled distance of you—on or off lead—without constantly wandering off.

If your dog doesn’t leave your side in the first place, you don’t need to keep calling them back.

Start simple:
Reward your dog for choosing to stay near you.
Make your space the best place to be.
Only allow them to move away when you give permission (a “walk on” cue).

It’s safer, calmer, and makes walks far more enjoyable—for both of you.

If you need help building this with your dog, feel free to reach out.

17/03/2026

After sort of retiring to Weymouth, I realised how much I missed working with all the lovely dogs and their owners. So… I’m making a bit of a comeback.

I’ll be offering a small number of dog training and behaviour sessions again, helping owners with things like lead walking, recall, reactivity and everyday behaviour challenges.

If you’d like some help with your dog, feel free to get in touch. I’d love to work with you and your dog.

31/01/2024

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0x64eIAeqKEi4QTFNfFdmY?si=KdpLcU9dQqu7QdBoRgk7jA
Fancy a laugh! Apart from being a really useful podcast on dog behaviour, they have a cringe section. (Stuff your dog has done that's really embarrassing) The chihuahua they are talking about in this episode is our Minnie. They've changed her name to protect her privacy, but we don't mind, we are happy to own our cringe story. 🐾🫶 Don't be eating when you listen!🤮

Listen to this episode from Help! My Dog: The Podcast. Dog Behaviour & Training Strategies that Work! on Spotify. Teaching your dog to listen makes your life SO much easier AND it makes their life easier too - why? It means you can actually support them and help them when they are struggle, eg barki...

30/01/2024

Whoop whoop, Super pleased to have completed my dip in Canine nutrition. I've always been passionate about dog food and the link between what a dog is fed and their behaviour.

Follow this link to get more details about BCCS H&N DISTINCTION certificate issued by British College of Canine Studies to Louise Kirby.