Managing Chaos — what it’s REALLY like adding a pup to the pack. Read it
Managing Chaos — what it’s REALLY like adding a pup to the pack. Read it
Managing a lower drive dog’s energy for agility training can be tough — too much and they burn out, too little and they lose drive. In this post, I share how I learned to balance rest, training, and recovery with my dog Bertie so he could compete happily and confidently in Dog Agility without losing enthusiasm for the sport.
Training reliable stop contacts in Dog Agility can feel impossible when your dog isn’t a high-drive Border Collie sprinting across the equipment. In this post, I share exactly how I taught my lower-drive dog, Bertie, to master the Dog Walk using a stop contact — from introducing the target mat to building drive, focus, and confidence. If you’ve got a slower, more thoughtful dog, this guide will help you shape consistency, accuracy, and enthusiasm without overdoing it.
Teaching a puppy the “bed” command sounds simple until you actually start doing it. For Ralphie, my Working Cocker Spaniel pup, it’s been weeks of shaping calm behaviour around his crate and slowly introducing his floor bed. Yesterday, it finally clicked — I said “bed” without thinking, and he went straight to his crate on his own. It might sound small, but those little wins mean everything when you’re training a young working dog.
What to expect at your first dog agility show with a nervous dog. Real lessons from our first steeplechase—handling nerves, building confidence, and learning what really matters in the ring.
Dog agility is so much more than running your dog around a few jumps. It’s about teamwork, trust, and the rush of getting it right together. In this post, I break down what dog agility actually is, how each obstacle works, and how to get started in classes or at home. Whether you’ve got a high-drive spaniel or a laid-back companion, this guide covers everything you need to know to begin your dog agility journey the right way.
Toilet training a puppy doesn’t have to be a nightmare. With Ralphie, my Working Cocker Spaniel, I finally cracked it using crate training — simple routines, consistency, and no more stress. Here’s how the crate made toilet training easy, and why I think every puppy owner should use it.
Crate training a Working Cocker Spaniel isn’t easy, but it’s been the foundation of calmness and balance for Ralphie from day one. Here’s how I handled those first weeks, the crying, the setbacks, and why I’m aiming for true crate neutrality.
Adding a new puppy to the pack isn’t easy. From crate training to pack politics, here’s how Bertie, Frankie, and Ralphie are navigating the chaos six weeks in.