Behaviour & Training

Enrichment is a word that’s used quite often when talking about ways to engage with your dog but what does it really mean and why is it so important? Enrichment activities will channel your dog’s natural behaviours in a way that can be encouraged and celebrated. It’s vital for a dog’s welfare that they are encouraged to be, well, DOGS! It provides both mental and physical stimulation and one of the reasons it’s discussed as part of training and behaviour modification plans is because it’s a means of reducing boredom, which can often lead to behaviours that humans consider undesirable. Would you rather your dog gets their chewing fun through a massive Kong* filled with nutritious and delicious food, or by dismantling your sofa? Walkies, while vital for your dog’s wellbeing isn’t enough. A slow-feeder, while probably a good thing for your dog, isn’t enough. One training session, while fabulous, isn’t enough for their mental wellbeing. Enrichment is something that needs to be considered each and every day. It’s not an ‘added extra’ when you share your life with a dog; it underpins their mental and physical health needs. If you don’t provide things to enrich their lives, they’ll find their own entertainment or coping mechanisms and we can almost guarantee you won’t like what they come up with. Getting to know your dog, taking into account their breed or breed mix and learning about their favourite things to do will help you choose the best ways to keep them occupied and entertained. Some dogs would rather de-stuff a toy than chew a bone. Some dogs need a few different toys and other dogs have a favourite. Some dogs love relaxing with a food toy and other dogs will enjoy a scent games around the garden before snoozing. Most of the so-called ‘problem’ behaviours that are displayed by dogs and cause headaches for humans are actually perfectly normal dog behaviours that need an outlet, or they’re providing an outlet for a bored dog. My dog barks at everything. My dog keeps digging in the garden. My dog chews my favourite things. Dogs need to bark, dig and chew; it’s your job to provide a fun and interactive way for them to do what they need to do.

Dogs don’t rely on vocal communication in the same way humans do, but barking still forms a major part of the way they express themselves and their emotions to other dogs – and to their human family. Even though some will be more talkative than others, all dogs bark. Whether you have a tiny Chihuahua or a fully-grown German Shepherd, you’ve probably heard them barking in a wide variety of situations. However, there might be times when you feel it is getting too much and you find yourself wondering why that happens and how to stop a dog barking, either in the house or in other environments. Here’s what you should know:

Your dog's sense of smell is one of their most powerful senses and sniffing is one of their very favourite activities, so it only makes sense to start nose training when they're puppies! Learn more about how to begin to scent train your dog with our helpful guide and advice. For owners who really want to take their relationship with their dog to the next level, one of the best ways to do this is to focus on the most underappreciated of our dog’s senses… their incredible nose. That means it’s time for some puppy scent training! It’s probably because we don’t see the world in smell the same way that our dogs do, that we don’t understand how important the sense of smell is to our dogs. For that reason, we miss an entire way to interact with and stimulate them. It’s thought that the part of the dog’s brain that analyses smells is 40 times larger than ours. And if you compare our measly 5 million scent receptors to a Bloodhound’s 300 million, you can see that our noses are pretty pathetic in comparison! The good news is that puppy scent training is easy! Read on to find out how to scent train a dog and some of our favourite puppy scent training games.

Is your puppy biting or nipping you? There is no doubt that puppy teeth hurt! They are like sharp needles and if they catch your skin while you are playing or interacting with them, it can be really painful!

We know that resisting those big puppy eyes is difficult but discouraging begging behaviour can help keep your puppy healthy (thanks to fewer sneaky table scraps!) and prevent puppy begging from becoming more insistent or demanding as your puppy grows up! Puppy begging can be anything from giving you those cute appealing eyes, to whining, scratching your leg, jumping up and even barking at you. If your dog behaves like this every time, you sit down to have a meal, you can be sure your puppy has learnt how to beg for food or a delicious treat! Dogs are brilliant at devising new and interesting ways to get what they want from their owners at mealtimes – in this case, a sneaky delicious treat. However, this can be difficult for you as an owner, especially if it happens every time you want to eat if the begging becomes more demanding - and especially if you have children or vulnerable adults, or guests who don’t appreciate your dog wanting to share their meal. While you might not mind your dog begging, if they think that your mealtimes are an opportunity to get tasty treats, this could easily become problematic if they do this with others. Fortunately, dog begging for food can be prevented using a few simple steps. Why do dogs and puppies beg for food Dogs beg because it works. Playing on your caring nature, they use their best acting skills and begin the hope of being treated to scraps from the plate. Dogs perfect this method of asking for food because it is so effective, and our dogs evolved as highly effective scavengers. This clever but totally natural canine behaviour means that your dog can often persuade you to give them more food without exerting much effort. It is hard to resist a cute puppy who is trying to convince you that they really need just a small mouthful of your delicious food! Nearly always at some time during your puppy’s early weeks with you someone will give them something from the table - and so very early on your puppy realises that begging is worth doing because sometimes, it works! And you - or whoever gave into those beseeching puppy eyes - have taught them that. As a puppy grows up, they are learning all the time what works and what doesn’t in this strange new life. The things that are ‘rewarded’ will be repeated - and all so often people reward this begging behaviour.

Are you a dog who is stuck indoors with a bored owner? Don’t worry, here’s a few indoor dog games for you both to have fun when you can’t go out – or just if the weather’s not great outside.

When we see a dog, our brain produces positive emotions and we don’t think twice before declaring our undying love, but how do we show our dogs this? Find out how to show your dog you love them with Luna. ‘It’s the month of love, Luna, the time of year when we shower our favourite people with cards and gifts so that they know how much they mean to us.’ That’s odd, thought rescue dog, Luna, safe in the knowledge that her humans know exactly how much they mean to her and she has never bought them a card or a gift since the day they brought her home. That’s not to say that Luna, hadn’t received gifts and even an edible card on one particularly memorable Valentine’s Day, but that’s not how she knows she is loved, far from it. The feeling of love is all in her head. Literally! If you believe that the chemistry between you and your dog is real, then science agrees with you. It’s all in your head, too. Our ‘happy hormones’ are created in our brain. The well documented trio consist of dopamine, which is released when there’s an initial attraction, as a result our serotonin levels increase and then oxytocin is produced. When we see a dog, our brain delivers a rush of positive emotions and we don’t think twice before declaring our undying love to the cute furball. It’s chemical; love really is all in our head. One of the ways that we can get a rush of oxytocin is to make eye contact with someone we care about. The brilliant thing about making eye contact with our canine family members is that they get a rush of oxytocin too. Please don’t race home and stare into the eyes of your dog, that probably won’t make either of you feel great, but do think about the interactions that you have with your dog and the ways you can use eye contact in your everyday communication. For me, calling my dogs’ name means that I’d like them to look at me, I just want their attention. I don’t use names for recall, but that’s a blog for another day! Once I have my dogs’ attention, I can ask them to do any of the other things I’ve taught them and the burst of oxytocin delivers immediate positive emotions, for both of us. But, is the oxy-love chemical enough? Calling our dog’s name and looking at each other isn’t enough to build the relationship we want, is it?

A holiday isn't a holiday without all the family, and that includes your dog too! We've created a list of our top 9 pet-friendly holiday homes in the UK that welcome the entire family so you don't have to leave anyone behind. Escape the hustle and bustle and set off for the lovely countryside with your dog. We’ve put together some of the most glorious pet-friendly holiday homes the UK has to offer so you won’t have to leave any important family members behind just because they’re walking around on all fours. With expansive views of the coast, miles of walks starting right from the doorstep, cosy cottages tucked away in mesmerising landscapes and dog-friendly pubs virtually next door, here are the pet-friendly holiday homes ready to welcome you and your dog with open arms.

Adolescence is a challenging time for both you and your puppy. Learn how to navigate your dog’s teenage phase with both your relationship and your sanity intact! At around six months of age, you’ll discover that your puppy has grown into a… teenager! This is a period that many owners don’t anticipate as they often expect their dog will just slip seamlessly from being a puppy into being an adult, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. There is a reason why the most common age for dogs being given to rescue centres to be rehomed is between 6-18 months old, and this is because canine adolescence can be a tricky time. With a little knowledge, preparation and a fair bit of patience however, you will find that you can deal with all the issues that living with a teenage dog can bring, and you can both sail through it and out the other side with your relationship and your sanity intact.

When we go on holiday, it’s only natural that we want to bring our four-legged friends along with us to enjoy every moment, but finding suitable accommodation can sometimes take some planning and of course depending on where you are staying, it’s likely there will be rules present too. Read our guide and discover our top tips for staying in a dog friendly hotel. As a nation of dog lovers, we want to spend every possible moment with our four-legged friends – and our holiday time is no exception. So, it’s only natural that when we go on a trip, we want to find somewhere that will let us bring them along for the ride and experience everything right alongside us. In recent years, taking your dog on holiday has become more popular, and an array of dog-friendly locations have appeared to make it easy, including everything from restaurants and pubs to dog-friendly hotels or holiday lets. If you’re looking to take your first trip with your canine companion, or you just want some luxury, you may be wondering what a dog-friendly hotel is and what rules they might have? We’ve put together this handy guide so you can get to grips with the usual pet friendly hotel requirements, so both you and your dog can have a stress-free trip.

Taking your dog abroad can be fun for everyone - after all, things wouldn’t be the same without the whole family there! Whether you’re heading off to the beach or travelling to chillier climes, your dog will have a whale of a time exploring new environments and seeing new sights with you. Of course, sometimes going on holiday involves getting on a plane. That doesn’t mean your canine friend can’t join you - dogs can be international jet-setters too! However, it does mean that you’ll have to plan a lot of things in advance to make sure travelling with your dog runs smoothly. Before taking your dog on a plane, there are several things that need to be organised before you even get to the airport. Luckily, most of the things necessary when flying with a dog can be addressed a long time in advance; it’s best to get preparations underway seven to eight months before you go. In all cases, even if your dog is healthy, contact the vet before you go – some countries require vaccinations, health checks or certificates before your dog can come in!

Today, there are so many types of dog toys available that it can sometimes be difficult to choose which ones to get. Where do you begin? What will be both fun and educational for your dog? All pet owners face these questions when they first consider buying dog toys, and it can be hard to find answers. In this article, we’ve put together a simple guide to help you get started when it comes to choosing the best dog toys.