Midlands Puppy School -Howick

17/06/2025

Spaces still available. Please contact us for more information

15/06/2025

We are happy to show you how to safely clip your dogs nails.

“Oh rubbish....our nails don’t hurt when they grow.”
I hear you, but let’s look at why trainers, groomers, vets (really anyone who works closely with dogs) will urge you to please trim your dog’s nails or “claws”.

It isn’t always nice to hear but it is an important message.

What happens when your dogs nails are too long?
The toes can start to splay, they can spread our unnaturally.
This affects how the foot can move and place itself.

Did your dog’s toes once sit neatly and tightly together?
Have you noticed they now sit wider apart?
Notice those bigger gaps?
The foot isn't as compact as it one was.

Over time.... the toes can twist and they may have a new way of moving or walking, one their body isn’t built for and it can be very subtle and tricky to spot.

That new movement affects joints and muscles all the way up the leg.
Eventually.... it can impact the hips.
The gait can be affected as well as their whole walking style.

Why does this happen?
Dog nails don’t retract.
They stay long (and for long nails concrete walking may not help at all...it just means more pain).
Long nails can’t sink into hard surfaces.
The toes bend... the joints strain and the foot compensates in unnatural ways.

Will they show pain?
Some dogs will..... many don’t or can’t.
That doesn't mean they’re not in a lot of discomfort.

Pain often shows in unexpected ways...unwanted behaviour, movement and posture.
Pain that is preventable becomes a welfare issue.

We owe it to our dogs to help them live (as much as possible) a pain free life.

Yes...nail care can be hard.
Yes, some dogs hate it and progress can be snail pace slow.

However....we owe it to our dogs to not give up on them or their nails.

14/06/2025

Just because they can....doesn't mean they should.
Toys 😬
Smaller vocal dogs and larger dogs 😳
Playing for far longer than they "should" ⌚
Of course there are exceptions.
I fully accept that....however this is more about dogs that have just met and perhaps looking at these situations that can/may cause issues.

Toys.
Unless they know each other well (and actually even if they do), they can cause some particularly nasty incidents.
It isn't so much about the injuries that a dog can inflict (of course that can happen, but it is still a fairly "rare" occurrence), but other dogs attempting to grab or play with your dogs favourite (or any) toy can also open up a whole new issue....resource guarding.

How long is too long?
Play can change.
It can morph.
The longer it goes on means there can be a risk of over stimulation and that can lead to dogs just not reading other dogs signals well....or at all.
No one likes a pest.
Tricky thing is....pestering can still look very much like play.

Smaller vocal dogs and larger dogs.
Those vocalisations can attract the attention of much larger dogs....and not in a good way.

There are exceptions and far more positive experiences for many than negative ones.
Just some things you may want to keep in mind.

At the very bottom of the graphic is perhaps the most important sentence of all.

What is that inner voice telling you ?

13/06/2025

Both our Merrivale and Pmb classes are starting again next Saturday, 21 June. Please pop us a whatsapp message for more details
Merrivale: Rachel 079 605 8474
Pmb: Sandy 082 330 6636

08/06/2025

No thankyou.
Not yet.
Just not sure.....
Dogs can speak clearly with how they may feel in a situation and they use certain behaviours to communicate with others.

Yes, a sniff can just be because they are interested in that particular smell.
A scratch could be from an itch but sometimes these signals are given when they are just not interested.
It doesn’t mean they’ll feel that way forever, many dogs warm up given more time.
But right now, they may need space, time to observe or distance.

If your dog is attempting to interact with a dog displaying these....look closely at why.
Help your dog to recognise this can be a "not yet" and it needs to be respected.

26/05/2025

A new round of classes for older puppies is set to start this weekend. If your puppy is over 20 weeks/5 months and you are needing help, pop me a message and let's get going. Rachel 079 605 8474

16/05/2025

Chocka block full of tips✅
Movement and excitement, if you haven't added it in....it is a MUST.
Everyone wants a good recall to happen and it really IS possible, but there are things we should and shouldn't do with recall.

We can cause ALL of that good progress to come to a screeching halt if we don't pay attention to some really common recall issues (details in graphic).
If your dog barely listens to you calling them in your own house or in your yard, there is virtually zero chance it will happen at the beach when your dog is off lead surrounded by other distractions.

Recall needs work.

Slowly expanding and listening in ever increasing environments.

If the effort is put in, it can work beautifully AND when you really need it.

Keep it fun !

Keep it exciting !

Reward it ✅

13/05/2025

" Devil Dog".....are you kidding me 😒
Do you even know WHY they are wearing that muzzle?
Everyone immediately jumps to aggression but there are a multitude of reasons.
➡️The owners/guardians are protecting a dog from ingesting rocks, twigs or whatever non edible/dangerous items some dogs will gobble down in 0.006 seconds given the chance.
That last surgery nearly broke them financially.

➡️That cut or sore on the mouth that they just can't stop rubbing. It must be given a chance to heal but it won't because this dog tries to scratch and rub their face because that sore is so irritating.

➡️The walker who wants to allow their dog some off lead freedom on a dog friendly beach but recognises that the wildlife need protecting too.

➡️The city requires muzzles on public transport...so they are carefully conditioning their dog now, to lessen the stress they may feel using it later.

➡️Regulations due to breed, even though this dog has never, ever had an incident.

and yes......dogs that do or have previously used their mouth to bite or nip.

This category especially are HIGHLY responsible owners and guardians.
✅They recognise there is an issue or the possibility one could occur.
✅They want to have reassurance that their loved dog is kept safe by adhering to their local council laws.
✅ They are ensuring the safety of EVERYONE around them.
Would you rather they didn't ?

The stigma and judgment attached to muzzles has to go.
They are a tool designed for the health and safety of dogs and others.

12/05/2025

In this episode, Dr. Andy Roark sits down with Dr. Camille Torres, a boarded veterinary nutritionist and associate professor at Colorado State University, to tackle one of the most common concerns with young pets: puppy and kitten gastrointestinal issues. They walk through a real-life case involving

12/05/2025

This really is our "fault" as a society.❗
Socialisation is a very misconstrued and warped term.
"Socialisation" really isn't play.
Play is a very separate and important skill.
"Why can't they play"?
Never said they couldn't....
However, because of the societal pressure to meet/play with "all" other dogs and puppies (wherever we take them) we can VERY easily set our dogs up to view all dogs and puppies as a source of constant amusement and excitement.
Soon that can become reactivity.
At the mere glimpse of another dog or puppy, your dog may go to an extreme of emotions.
They may "dig in" and drag you closer.
You may have little control.
The barking, shrieking and spinning can start....for two reasons, the emotional extremes dogs now have attached to other dogs/puppies and the absolute frustration because they can't reach that other dog quick enough.
So maybe the term "socialisation" is the issue, because for us it means "socialising".
Acclimation is a far better term.