The Cocker Academy (2025)

25/09/2025

So many of the problems people face with their adolescent dogs, pulling, reactivity, anxiety, frustration, actually begin in puppyhood.

Not because they’ve done anything wrong, but because no one gave them the support to prevent those problems from the start.

That’s exactly why I created my new Puppy Support Training Programme. It’s not about a checklist of commands. It’s about prevention, confidence, and connection, so you don’t find yourself in crisis later on.

Together, over 3 months, you’ll learn how to:
✨ Build healthy habits and routines
✨ Create calmness and confidence that lasts
✨ Strengthen your bond so your pup chooses you, even in tough moments

With weekly live calls, WhatsApp support, tailored advice, and a full video library, you’ll never be left thinking “I don’t know what to do.”

We start the week beginning 29th September. Founding price: £97.

Because puppyhood is too important to leave to chance. 🐾

Comment PUPPY if you’d like the link.

23/09/2025

People will tell you that getting a puppy is pure joy. And it is, the cuddles, the play, the first wobbly recalls. But what they don’t talk about is the 3am toilet trips, the frustration of puppy biting, or the worry when you’re not sure if you’re “getting it right.”

And sometimes, a one-hour class each week isn’t enough to answer those “right now” questions.

That’s why I’ve put together my Puppy Support Training Programme, three months of consistent support, so you don’t feel alone in those early weeks.

✔️ Weekly live calls on the things that really matter (toilet training, socialisation, recall, play, handling, and more)
✔️ WhatsApp support so you can share videos and get advice in the moment
✔️ Tailored training guidance, because every puppy is different
✔️ A video library to revisit any time you need it

We start the week beginning 29th September, and places are limited. Founding member price: £97 for 3 months.

If you’re nodding along thinking “this is exactly what I need”, comment PUPPY and I’ll send you the link.

22/09/2025

The first three months with your puppy are everything.

It’s when habits form, confidence grows, and the bond between you begins to take shape. But it’s also when the doubts creep in.

💭 Am I doing this right?
💭 Is this normal?
💭 Should I be worried about this behaviour?

And waiting a whole week for a puppy class when you’re in the thick of toilet training or biting struggles can feel like forever.

That’s why I’ve created my brand-new Puppy Support Training Programme. It’s three months of support, designed to walk alongside you as you navigate all of those big puppy milestones.
You’ll get weekly live calls where we cover the essentials (and your own questions too), ongoing WhatsApp support for those “what do I do right now?” moments, and access to a video library you can dip into any time.

The aim is simple: to help you build calmness, confidence, and connection, before the difficult habits take hold.

We start the week beginning 29th September.

Founding price- £97 for 3 months.

Because puppyhood should feel exciting, not overwhelming. 🐶💛

Comment PUPPY if you’d like me to send you the details.

21/09/2025

Sunday night thoughts…

As we head into a fresh week, here’s a little reminder for you (and your Cocker): progress doesn’t come from big leaps. It comes from the tiny steps you choose, over and over again.

So instead of setting yourself huge goals for the week, try this:
✨ Pick one thing to focus on with your dog.
✨ Make it small, realistic, and repeatable.
✨ Celebrate the little wins along the way.

Maybe it’s practicing recall in the garden.
Maybe it’s giving them 5 minutes of sniffing freedom on every walk.
Maybe it’s just noticing when they do settle calmly at home, and praising it.

Whatever it is, let it be enough. By Friday, you’ll look back and see how those tiny steps added up.

Tell me, what’s the one thing you’re going to focus on with your Cocker this week?

20/09/2025

Don’t rush the recall.

It’s one of the most common mistakes I see Cocker owners make. They teach a recall in the garden, their dog nails it, and then suddenly they’re standing in the middle of a field wondering why it’s all gone wrong.

Here’s the thing: recall isn’t just one skill. It’s layers.

👉 First, recall with no distractions.
👉 Then recall with mild distractions.
👉 Then recall when the environment gets exciting.
👉 Then recall in the real world where pheasants, people, and picnics exist.

Cockers are clever, but they’re also spaniels, bred to follow their nose, their eyes, and their instinct. Expecting them to jump from “garden success” to “field perfection” is like asking a child to go straight from learning ABCs to writing an essay.

My tips are build slowly, proof each layer and celebrate each step.
Because a recall you can trust out in the world doesn’t happen by accident, it happens because you’ve given your dog the practice to succeed.

Tell me- what’s the hardest recall situation you’ve faced with your Cocker?

18/09/2025

Gundog Camp Highlights 🐾

What a weekend! We had such a brilliant time at camp, with both new faces and returning teams taking on all sorts of challenges together.

We started by settling everyone in with some circuit stations before splitting into two groups. For some, this was their very first taste of gundog training, so we focused on building confidence, shaping a retrieve, and helping the dogs feel comfortable in a new environment. For others, it was about building on skills from last year and stretching what they could do.

The more experienced group got stuck into a retrieve grid that tested retrieves, handling, and stop commands. By day two we’d taken the same exercise into the woods, and they absolutely smashed it. We also worked on hunting in crop as a beating line, practicing stops and steadiness while other dogs retrieved, before heading back into the woods for hedge line hunting.

There were so many little wins to celebrate along the way, and the best part was seeing handlers and dogs growing in confidence together. Lots of happy dogs, lots of happy people, and plenty of laughs in between.

Training, teamwork, and connection. That’s what makes weekends like these so special.

Thanks for joining me, guys!

15/09/2025

Even as a trainer, there are things I don’t do with my Cockers.

It’s easy to assume that if you’re a dog trainer, you’ve got it all figured out, every walk goes smoothly, every training session is flawless, and your dogs never put a paw wrong. The truth is I live with multiple very real dogs, and just like everyone else, I make choices every day about what we don’t do as much as what we do.

Here are three examples:

1️⃣ I don’t train when they’re over-tired or over-aroused.
It can be tempting to “push through” and get a session done, but Cockers don’t learn when their brains are fizzing. If I can see they’re running on empty or bouncing off the walls, I step back, let them decompress, and come back to it later. Calm first, training second.

2️⃣ I don’t compare them to each other.
With multiple dogs in the house, it would be easy to line them up and measure one against the other. But each of my Cockers has their own pace, their own quirks, and their own strengths. Training works best when I respect that individuality rather than trying to make them all fit the same mould.

3️⃣ I don’t expect perfection.
Some days everything clicks, other days it all falls apart, and that’s okay. Training isn’t a straight line, and dogs aren’t robots. The magic comes from being consistent over time, not from nailing it in every single session.

What I’ve learned is that the “don’ts” are just as important as the “dos.” Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your dog is not to push, not to compare, and not to chase perfection.

I’d love to hear from you, what’s one thing you’ve learned not to do with your dog?

14/09/2025

One of the joys (and challenges!) of Cockers is how fast they learn. They’re bright, sensitive, and always switched on, which means they can pick up the wrong thing just as quickly as the right one.

Maybe you’ve seen it:
👉 They sit beautifully… until they realise sitting gets them a treat, so now they sit on repeat without being asked.
👉 They bark once at the door, and suddenly they’ve trained you to get up straight away.
👉 They suss out your recall whistle, but also learn that ignoring it buys them a few more seconds of sniffing.

It’s not that they’re “naughty” or “stubborn.” It’s that they’re smart enough to spot the patterns in our behaviour, often before we even realise what we’re doing.

The trick isn’t to fight it, but to use it. If your Cocker can learn the wrong thing in a flash, imagine how powerful it is when you set them up to learn the right thing just as fast.

Training tip: Be consistent, even with the tiny things. Your Cocker is always watching, always learning, and always ready to play the game you’ve set (whether you meant to or not!).

Has your Cocker ever “outsmarted” you? Tell me the funniest way they’ve turned the tables!

12/09/2025

Friday is here and we are off to our TCA Gundog Camp!

What are you up to this weekend?

09/09/2025

Living with a Velcro Cocker… sound familiar?

You stand up to make a cuppa, they follow.
You nip to the loo, they’re outside the door.
You so much as think about moving, and there they are, ready to shadow your every step.

Cockers are often called “Velcro dogs” for a reason. They adore being close, and for many of them, separation feels genuinely uncomfortable. It’s not because they’re “naughty” or “spoiled”, it’s because they’re deeply connected, sensitive souls who feel safest when they’re near their person.

Of course, it can be a challenge. You might find yourself tripping over them, worrying about leaving them alone, or wishing for just a little bit of space. But here’s the thing: needing closeness isn’t a flaw. It’s part of who they are.

The key is finding balance.
💡 Build independence gently, with short absences and calm returns.
💡 Give them cosy safe zones (beds, crates, or dens) so being apart doesn’t feel so big.
💡 And remember, it’s okay if your cocker simply prefers being near you.

They’re not broken. They’re not “clingy” in a bad way- they just love hard. ❤️

Tell me, do you share your house with a Velcro Cocker? What’s the funniest place yours has ever followed you?

07/09/2025

The one thing your Cocker Spaniel can’t resist…

It isn’t food...
It’s their nose.

Spaniels are scent dogs through and through, and that means their greatest joy in life is sniffing. When we let them follow their noses, we’re not “spoiling” them or letting them get away with things, we’re giving them an outlet for something that’s hardwired into who they are.

I see so many people trying to fight against this:
👉 Dragging their dog away from every patch of grass
👉 Frustrated that recall goes out the window in a field
👉 Wishing their cocker would “just walk nicely” instead of zig-zagging after smells

What you need to know is that using their nose is one of the healthiest, most enriching things a spaniel can do. A good sniff releases happy chemicals, lowers stress, and gives them the kind of satisfaction that a long run sometimes can’t.

So instead of fighting it, work with it.
💡 Scatter a handful of food in the grass before a walk.
💡 Add in short sniff breaks instead of pulling them on.
💡 Try a little scentwork or hide-and-seek at home, you’ll be amazed how quickly they pick it up.

Your cocker’s nose is their superpower. When you embrace it, walks feel calmer, training feels easier, and your spaniel gets to be the dog they were born to be.

Tell me -does your Cocker have a “favourite smell” they just can’t resist?

05/09/2025

This week has looked a little different for us…

I’ve been away for three days at Collie Camp with The Border Collie Academy. As you know, I’m usually all about the gundog breeds, so this was definitely out of my usual lane, but it was so much fun.

We spent time on:
🐾 Cognitive challenges to see how our dogs learn
🐾 Loopy training to sharpen our training mechanics
🐾 Gundog retrieves (because yes, any dog can give gundog work a go!)

One handler even left as a total convert, now signed up with a trainer I know for more gundog work. I loved seeing that spark catch!

Back at home, my gang have had a quieter week while I was away. Yesterday I carved out some one-to-one time with them, and today it was Moose’s turn for a practice visit to the vets. He’s not a big fan of the waiting room (the door bleep really unsettles him), so we’ve been popping in at quieter times, sometimes with Samson for moral support. The funny part? He absolutely loves their new scales, if he can sit on them, he’s happy!

And this weekend we’re heading to an agility show with two of the gang. It’s been a while since our last one, so we might be a little rusty, but hopefully we’ll have a lot of fun.

Tell me, what are you and your dogs up to this weekend?

The Cocker Academy

25/09/2025

23/09/2025

22/09/2025

21/09/2025

20/09/2025

18/09/2025

15/09/2025

14/09/2025

12/09/2025

09/09/2025

07/09/2025

05/09/2025

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