It's Snow Fun!

A double title here. I had a wonderful day today clambering up the downs with my dogs and sledging down. I think we were were out about 4 hours in the end! Star my smallest collie had big balls of snow formed round her legs which had to be washed off with warm water and she yelped when I tried to pull them off! The down side of today was that I couldn't work as my van was literally snowed in. Poised on the top of a steep lane I decided it best not to attempt to skid down it! Anyway this made me a bit sad as I couldn't help anyone with their dogs today and I have people relying on me to make life happy again. It has also caused chaos to my diary as I have had to fit todays clients in somewhere else .

For the last couple of months I have been holding free clinics at pets at home and am looking forward to this coming sunday when we will be in a new store- Woking. I wont bring my dogs on this occasion as I am unsure what kind of area we will have. Buzz came to Farnham yesterday and really enjoyed all the attention.

Busy Week!

I'm back and I haven't left it too long this time! I've got another potential TV show coming up and I am delighted to say my latest article has been published in Dogs Today and it's all going very well with the cases dogs. For those who don't read Dog's Today magazine it was a case with 2 sweet Staff Bull Terriers that basically trashed their poor owners house every time they were left. We are working through this and all is going well so far. I do tend to spend a lot of time on email with cases like this as I always encourage my clients to use email like a diary so I can understand what is happening every step of the way.


This week I have trained A boxer with an aggression issue, 2 Border Collies with various issue, a Boston Terrier who is extremely wired when he is outside and wants to have a fight with anything with a pulse, a labrador, a Sprollie, 2 mini poodles with a nipping problem, a dalmation crossed with a labrador with a recall problem, A beautiful Great Dane with just general puppy problems. He is 6 months old and already weighs 48 kg or there about, a Goldendoodle who is (was) petrified of the car, a Boxer with a recall issue, a pretty little cavalier with a barking problem, a household with 2 Border Collies and a rough collie and a golden retriever with a few inter-dog issues, a Belgian Shepherd dog, a Westie with a major recall issue, a Doberman and a border Terrier and it's only wednesday! Phew!!!!

Some of them are at the end of their training and I am so pleased of how well they are doing and others I've just met. I have a socialisation walk this Sunday too. I love watching all the dogs interact together, aggression issues fade away in a pack. The walks are hard work though and take a lot of planning.

Update at last!

I'm back! As usual been madly busy up until Christmas when I managed to give myself 4 days off! After the 1st day I was keen to get back to work and continue sorting all the doggy disaster areas on my books! Today is Buzz's 4th Birthday and I had hoped to of made him up to an Obedience Champion by now but time has not been nice to Buzz and I's training schedule. He is still doing outstandingly well and I am very proud of the achievement to date. I have been working with Pets at Home in Farnham and Rustington and holding free clinics every month to offer free help and advice to anyone who needs it.

The most exciting thing is that my DVD comes out end of January and will be available to buy on Amazon and hopefully in pets at home and other book stores etc. Also I am writing again for Dogs Today Magazine and am so happy to be back as I have lots of interesting and difficult cases to write about.

Today I have trained a Labrador with dog to dog aggression, although I would say he is more assertive than aggressive and would not cause injury, a Dalmation and a Sprollie who were both the same as the labrador and a very sweet Norfolk Terrier x Westie who also isn't too keen on other dogs getting too close. First day back- 4 aggression cases! All of which I know and have been working with and all are progressing nicely. I am a little alarmed by the Dalmation as he has been very well socialised and has just changed his attitude toward other dogs. Anyway will sort this out pretty quickly for his lovely owners.

Delay Again

Gosh! Busy Busy Busy! I went to watch The Essex Dog Display Team a few nights ago. I was invited to their centre to watch how they run their classes. It's great, very relaxed but formal way of teaching ( the relaxed bit is that no one has to do a course, it's a just come along once registered and assessed method) The down side is it has high lighted that I really need someone to help me with my classes in order to expand. Most of what I do is one to one and as I don't have an indoor facility (but do have an outstanding outdoor place) there is no point increasing the classes I do. It would be handy for when I do demos and things.

I have been fortunate enough to be invited to hold clinics at Pets at Home over the next few weeks so am looking forward to that.

I am very tired today and right now as I've trained a lot of dogs this week. Had lots of delighted owners comments this week which is truly wonderful. I am very proud of that.

Ducks are now free-range in my garden as they kept escaping out of the temporary fence.

Delay Again

Been a While!

It's been a while since I last blogged because I have been looking after my friends beautiful farm in Lampeter, Wales. I looked after 13 Dogs and about 700 sheep. It was such an honour and all went well. One of the dogs (my collies half brother) was nervous of us and so bolted on two occasions. But he came back and so we kept him on a lead for the following day as it wasn't worth the risk. All the others were wonderful and obedient even though they didnt know us at all.

I really had a fantastic time. I enjoyed spending the time with one of my dogs on the sheep so much that I am seriously considering getting some Zwartble sheep which are black and white sheep so I can practice and also take them along to demonstrations. All worth thinking about anyway.

Blogger has changed!

It's just taking me some time to sign in tonight!

The reason it's been so long since I last 'blogged' is because I have been incredibly busy moving bookings around due to people canceling for many reasons, mostly to do with the weather. In many cases very wet and windy weather means a re-schedule because I cant hear the client, they cant hear me and we cant see the dog! I have been made extra busy by the fact that I am away for 4 days next week and will not have much phone signal and even less opportunity to email people. Therefore I am trying to stay up to date with it all before I go away. I can still contact people but would rather be sorted before I leave.

I am off to Wales to look after a 500acre sheep farm. I cant wait. I am going to do so much raining with my dogs and the shepherd's dogs. The farm is in the middle of nowhere in Lampeter. 5 hour drive from here!

I am holding some big clinics for pets at home soon and I have just had the details accepted which is fantastic- cant wait for that. I also have some judging coming up and have just written article for a magazine. Busy busy busy!