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Understanding Reactive, Fearful or Aggressive Dogs

Do you have a dog that seems to be reactive or fearful of other dogs, people, or objects? Or maybe your dog is aggressive and barks or growls at anyone who comes near him? It can be really tough trying to deal with a dog like this, but fortunately, there is help. In this podcast and blog post, we will discuss the different types of reactive dogs and how you can help them.

Podcast Episode:

What is a reactive dog and what causes them to act this way

A reactive dog is one that becomes overstimulated or anxious in new environments or around other dogs. This can be caused by a variety of factors, including lack of socialization, previous traumatic experiences, genetics, and even health conditions.

When a reactive dog is faced with a trigger, they may exhibit a variety of behavioural issues, including barking, lunging, and trying to escape. While it can be difficult to manage a reactive dog, there are a number of strategies that can help to reduce their stress levels and improve their behaviour.

With patience and perseverance, it is possible for even the most reactive dog to learn to cope in new situations and enjoy time with other dogs.

The different types of reactive dogs

Springer spaniel, border collie, Jack Russell terrier — when most people think of “reactive dogs,” these are the breeds that come to mind. And it’s true that these high-energy dogs are commonly reactive, but they’re far from the only ones. In fact, any dog can be reactive, regardless of breed, size, or age.

So what exactly is a reactive dog? Reactive dogs are those that over-react or react excessively to stimuli in their environment. While reactivity is not inherently bad — after all, it’s simply a natural response to stimuli — it can be problematic if it leads to negative behaviours.

A common type of reactive dog is one that is afraid of loud noises, such as thunderstorms or fireworks. These dogs may try to hide, pace back and forth, or whine and tremble. Some may even become aggressive in an attempt to protect themselves from the perceived threat.

Other types of reactive dogs include those that are afraid of unfamiliar people or animals and those that become overexcited when they see something they want, such as a squirrel or another dog.

While all reactive dogs share a common trait – an excessive reaction to stimuli – the underlying cause can vary significantly from one dog to the next. As a result, it is important to work with a qualified trainer or behaviourist to determine the best way to help your reactive dog.

How to help your reactive dog

Dogs are social creatures that crave companionship, but sometimes they can be a little too enthusiastic in their greetings. If your dog jumps on visitors or barks excessively when someone comes to the door, he may be considered reactive.

First, it’s important to understand what is triggering the reaction – is it other dogs, people, or car rides? Once you know the trigger, you can work on desensitizing your dog to it. This may mean starting with short car rides or walks in areas where there are few other people or animals.

Secondly, give your dog lots of positive reinforcement when he behaves well around people. This could include treats, praise, or even just some extra petting.

Finally, avoid punishment when your dog is reactive. This will only serve to increase his anxiety and could make the problem worse. With a little patience and effort, you can help your reactive dog learn to relax and enjoy the company of others.

Resources for further help

If your dog is reactive, you are not alone. Many dog owners struggle to find ways to help their dogs feel calm and relaxed in the presence of other dogs and people. Fortunately, there are a variety of resources available to help you work with your reactive dog.

Dog trainers with experience working with reactive dogs can teach you how to modify your dog’s behaviour using positive reinforcement techniques. In addition, there are online support groups where you can connect with other dog owners who are dealing with similar issues. With patience and perseverance, you can help your reactive dog learn to cope with his fears and enjoy a happy, healthy life.

Let’s Talk Food Allergies and Intolerances

Just like us humans, dogs too suffer from food allergies and intolerances. One of our lovely members, Charlene Tildsley from The Countryman’s Choice has kindly provided us with this blog all about how to identify the differences between an allergy or intolerance, and what we can do to help our dogs with their nutritional requirements.

Introduction

Owning a dog with food intolerances or allergies can be hard going, take it from someone who knows! My Labrador, Diesel, suffered from the day I brought him home. He was weaned on to a popular brand but due to my understanding of canine nutrition, I was able to rectify his issues quickly. He has since then been fine with a couple of hiccups along the way so I have decided to let you in on my knowledge in the hope it may help your dogs too.
In recent years we have seen a rise in sensitivity in dogs when it comes to food but do you know the difference between allergies and intolerances? Let’s dive right in and take a look…..

Allergies

A pet food allergy involves the immune system. This can be triggered by a dog’s response to a certain ingredient such as a protein source. For example, cells may release histamine which causes itching. Generally, food allergies cause skin-related issues in dogs such as inflammation, itching, hair loss and hot spots. There is the possibility they can develop ear infections that can become a
reoccurring theme once treatment has ended. A dog that has a food allergy will most likely always suffer from this. However, the severity of this can change over time.

Intolerances
A pet food intolerance does not involve the immune system and is caused when a food doesn’t agree with a dog’s body. This is simply a functional or mechanical issue with digesting a particular food. An example of this is a dog may be sensitive to wheat. Intolerances often mimic food allergies because the body can only demonstrate a problem in so many ways. Common ingredients that may cause intolerance include grains (i.e wheat and maize), eggs, soya or dairy.

You may notice a difference in your dog if they have an allergy/intolerance.

So, what can dog owners do?

If an owner believes that their pet is suffering from a food allergy or intolerance, there is a number of things they can do:

  • Feed their pet Grain Free or Hypoallergenic food as this helps to avoid common allergens and intolerances.
  •  Choose a diet with a single protein source such as meat or fish.
  • Follow an elimination diet (This works by removing a suspect ingredient for a minimum of 4 weeks from a dog’s diet and then reintroducing the ingredient and waiting for a return of any physical changes).
Grain-Free

Grain-Free recipes are ideal for dogs with sensitivity or intolerance to grains or gluten; a great alternative to rice or cereal-based recipes. Pet Food formulated without grains may help to alleviate common symptoms of grain sensitivity or intolerance.

The benefits of Grain Free diets can include:
• Less and smaller stools
• Reduce Shedding
• Improved Skin & Coat Condition
• Improved Breath Odour
• Reduced Wind
• Reduced Itching & Scratching
• Reduced Digestive Upsets

The Benefits of Sweet Potato

Sweet Potato can be a key ingredient in many Grain Free dog foods. So let’s look at the benefits of Sweet Potato and why is it added?

  • It’s Superfood! Packed with a wide range of vitamins and minerals and is naturally gluten-free.
  • Great for digestion as sweet potatoes are high in fibre which helps to promote a healthy digestive system and good stool formation. They are also soothing to the stomach so are great for more sensitive dogs.
  • They have a low glycemic index which means that they release glucose more slowly into the bloodstream, unlike other starchy foods which release this more quickly once consumed. This means blood sugar levels remain more constant and provide a steady release of energy throughout the day to the dog.
  • They are one of the best sources of Vitamin A which is an antioxidant powerhouse and is thought to have anti-ageing properties along with helping to maintain good eyesight and aid skin and coat condition.
  • Thought to have anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties as they are rich in beta-carotene, an antioxidant, along with other vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C, Vitamin B complex, Iron, Phosphorus and Magnesium.

Sweet Potatoes offer a wide range of benefits to your dog.

It’s worth keeping this information in mind when searching for the right food for your dog. A lot of owners don’t even realise their dogs have allergies or intolerances due to the signs being so subtle in some dogs. With so much emphasis on our eating habits, maybe it’s time we looked at our dogs, more importantly, I believe working dogs should be the ones who are looked after as they help us more than the pet dog. The least we can do is to make sure they are fuelled correctly for those long days in the field!

To visit The Countryman’s Choice website, please click the button below:

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LWDG Society Members can benefit from 10% off The Countryman’s Choice dog food, please visit the Society Event calendar to get your code.

Coping With Kennel Cough

LWDG Group Expert Claire Denyer talks to us about what it’s like to have to cope with a dog with Kennel Cough in a multi-dog house.

Yesterday did not go as planned… I woke up yesterday morning to hear a hacking cough. When I went downstairs it was very apparent by the symptoms that poor Rose, my Labrador, has contracted Kennel Cough. Rose had a hacking cough and was bringing up bile and white foam. I recognised the symptoms from when my other Labrador Indy was poorly with Kennel Cough when she was a year old.

Kennel cough is a highly contagious infection. It commonly causes a persistent hacking cough. You should certainly speak to your vet for advice if you suspect your dog has a Kennel cough. For Rose, her cough sounded is in the video below:

The hacking cough sounds nasty, but Kennel Cough isn’t usually life-threatening. It can however be very serious to a young puppy, older dogs, and also to dogs with underlying health conditions. Our dogs are vaccinated against Kennel Cough, but unfortunately, the vaccine doesn’t protect against all strains of Kennel cough.

There’s an increase in cases of Kennel Cough at the moment so it’s good to be aware of symptoms and what to do if your dog does develop symptoms as it is highly contagious

Seeking Veterinary Advice With Kennel Cough

I called the vet and they wanted to examine her at the end of morning surgery (outside as it’s highly contagious). Unlike when Indy had Kennel cough, Rose ate her breakfast, although due to the persistent coughing it didn’t stay down. The vet examined Rose and prescribed antibiotics and rest.

Today her breakfast has stayed down. I’m keeping her hydrated, giving her honey, and goat’s milk, and she has a 10-day course of antibiotics prescribed by the vet.

The vet may carry out the following check as demonstrated by one of our Featured Experts. If the dog has kennel cough after the pressure is removed the dog will likely cough.

Disclaimers: if the dog doesn’t cough it is not 100% guaranteed that they do not have kennel cough. Please make sure if you attempt this you don’t press too hard and you know for certain that there is definitely no blockage in the dogs throat. Please seek medical advice from your vet

Multi Dog Households And Kennel Cough

The welfare of our dogs is the most important thing. At the moment Indy and Dude appear to be fine, but it can take a few days for symptoms to develop and if they have got it they are still contagious before symptoms appear.

Kennel cough symptoms can develop between a few days to a couple of weeks after being exposed. Some dogs can carry and pass on Kennel cough without having any symptoms themselves. There are a lot of cases of Kennel Cough at the moment, we have had quite a few clients cancel due to Kennel cough in recent weeks, and whilst we have taken as many precautions as we can, Rose has unfortunately contracted it.

Kennel Cough is contagious before symptoms occur and dogs with Kennel Cough or those living with dogs with Kennel Cough should be isolated for 10 days following symptoms.

It can be passed from dog to dog pretty easily, not only from droplets in the air but also from touching an infected dog. It can also be passed on from touching things that have been touched by an infected dog, this includes our clothes, toys, dummies,  food and water bowls, to name a few. We have been contacting clients due to see us over the coming days, and taking precautions, including changing clothes before seeing clients, and not using any dummies or equipment our dogs have touched.

We advise our clients not to bring a dog to class if they suspect they have Kennel Cough, or if they have been around a dog who has Kennel cough, just in case they are carrying it but not showing symptoms, and the same advice is important for anyone who is concerned their dog may have Kennel Cough or may have been in contact with a dog with it. Always seek advice from your Veterinary Surgeon.

Isolation Training You Can Carry Out At Home

There is a lot of training that you can carry out at home. The following video includes Heel, position transitions, steadiness, self-control, hold, delivery of retrieve, hand touch, settle etc.

You can do this with all dogs that are in isolation due to Kennel Cough but are not suspected of having or having Kennel Cough as these dogs need to rest.

Further information can also be found on the Kennel Clubs website about Kennel Cough

Further Info

How to Keep Pets Safe and Comfortable During the 2021 Firework Season

During the winter months in the UK, many people celebrate by going to fireworks displays. Fireworks are a fun and exciting way to spend time with friends and family, but they can also be a source of fear or anxiety for our pets.

In this blog post, and accompanying podcast episode, we will discuss how you can keep your pet safe and comfortable during firework season!

Keep your pet safe and comfortable.

Do not allow fireworks to become a source of fear for your pet. Keep them indoors during fireworks, and make sure you are with them so they don’t feel isolated or alone.

If fireworks are already a source of anxiety for your pet, consult with your vet about the best steps to take beforehand. There are calming products available and we have had members speak positively about Thundershirts. The shirt can help ease a dog’s anxiety, or there are medications you can use to help.

Know how to prevent or reduce the stress of fireworks on your dogs.

Playing white noise or calming music to help your dog feel more comfortable during fireworks season.

This weekend Classic FM’s popular pets programme returns, with soothing music to help keep your four-legged friends relaxed during fireworks season. On Bonfire Night, and the night after, they’ll be broadcasting two special programmes to help pets, and their owners, stay calm and relaxed.

Listen to Classic FM’s Pet Classics on Friday 5 and Saturday 6 November, from 6pm to 10pm. Classic FM is available across the UK on 100-102 FM, DAB digital radio and TV, on Global Player, on your smart speaker (“play Classic FM”), iOS or Android devise and at ClassicFM.com

Be aware of your dog’s body language as this will help you know how your dog is feeling: are they cowering, are their ears back, is there a lot of panting. If you see this body language means your dog is stressed and should be taken away from fireworks or loud noises.

Licking their lips and yawning are indicators of stress, as is toileting in the house, scratching at doors, hiding, trembling, and drooling

If you are unable to get away from fireworks, make sure your dog is in a place where it feels safe. A crate with a blanket over it and an open door is a great choice. Point the crate door away from the fireworks and allow the dog to go in and out as they wish

Distraction objects can also be helpful, a new toy or a bone can keep them occupied if their level of fear and stress is not too high.

Do not punish your pet if they become anxious during fireworks season as this will only serve to heighten their anxiety around the noises. This could cause them even more issues that you have to deal with later on down the line.

Be proactive instead of reactive with your dog around fireworks… and what to do when reactive is your only choice.

Mentally prepare your dog for fireworks by playing firework sound recordings or videos before the actual event.

If fireworks are going to be in your area, make sure you take your dog on a long walk during the day. Make them tired mentally and physically, so they will rest at night when fireworks can happen.

To Find out more about what you can do to help your dog this weekend, check out our special podcast episode Your Dog And Fireworks – Special Podcast

Which Training Dummy Is Right For My Dog?

There is a bewildering range of dummies on the market. They come in all shapes, sizes and colours. When buying a dummy it can be difficult to know where to start and which dummies are relevant to different stages of training.

Here’s a short guide to the types of dummies available and what they do provided by one of our members, Sue Lister, owner of Field and Fireside.

dog with duck shaped dummy

Photo by JM Photography

The ‘Traditional’ Canvas Dummy

The go-to dummy and still the most popular is the canvas dummy. These come in a variety of sizes from the tiny ‘snipe’ or disc up to a hefty 6lb+ hare/goose dummy. Usually made with a toggle for ease of throwing, they also come without a toggle for those dogs that like to carry the dummy by it, swinging it around madly or dragging it along the ground as they run back into you.

Canvas dummies also come in different shapes that can mimic the weight distribution of pheasants and other game to help teach the dog how to carry effectively.

dog with dummy
Plastic or Rubber Dummies
These are usually referred to as ‘water’ dummies. These types of dummies are light, easy to throw and float on water. They are also great in muddy terrain as they can be easily wiped clean. These are available in lots of different shapes and sizes.
Different Shapes and Textures

Dummies now come in many different shapes, from discs that roll when they land to bird-like dummies, with a flapping head & wings that help the dog to get a feel for carrying a real bird and discourage the dog from shaking their head as they run back. Some come with rabbit fur or with feathers which give the dog a sense of the ‘real thing’ and help them start to transition from dummies to cold game.

Different Colours

When you want to build up a dog’s confidence to retrieve, it’s sensible to use a dummy that is easy for them to see. While a dog isn’t colour blind, the colours they can distinguish are more limited than ours.

White or blue dummies are clearly visible against most backgrounds (obviously not snow, in the case of a white dummy!). These are ideal when you want the dog to be able to build up their confidence and find the dummy by sight. An orange, red or green dummy will make it more testing for them and will force them to use their nose more.

I’m A Beginner, What Should I Buy?

This is ultimately down to what you want to do with your dog and what stage of training you are at. If you’re starting out with a puppy, a snipe dummy or a dummy ball is easy for them to carry and can be used when they are older for hunting practice.

The KONG Fetch Stick is great for dogs who have been retrieving tennis balls as it has the same feel but with the shape of a traditional dummy. To get the dog used to carrying some weight, start with a ½ lb canvas dummy before you progress to the heavier 1lb dummy.

After that, the world is your oyster! Before you know it, you’ll have a collection of every shape, size and colour.

field and fireside logo

Sue Lister has her own gundog supply online shop where you can purchase the products listed above.

If you are just starting out with a puppy or you are a beginner, then Field & Fireside’s Complete Beginner Training Pack might be for you:

Beginner Pack

The pack costs £90, and includes:

  • Acme Whistle
  • Field and Fireside Lanyard
  • Ruff and Tumble slip lead
  • 10m training line
  • Heeling lead
  • Dummy/game bag
  • 2 x 1lb canvas dummies
  • Dummy ball
  • Rabbit ball
  • Ball on a rope

beginner/ puppy gundog training kit

The Training Kit and its content.

What Does A Gundog Trainer Do?

I love dogs, but I’m not a dog trainer. In fact, I have no formal training in any area of animal care or behaviour. As the Founder of The Ladies Working Dog Group, I spend a large percentage of time talking to both dog owners, and dog trainers. It’s a great job and it’s helped me learn so much about the important role gundog trainers play.

Let me teach you some things about what gundog trainers do,  and how you can use them to help you and your dog’s relationship flourish.

 

There is a lot to know and do as a pet parent, and there are many ways to help your dog be happy and healthy – from feeding them well to walking them often enough for their needs, to worming, and to knowing basic pet first aid, it’s a lot to take on.

And then there’s what we call “training”, which is teaching your dog how to behave appropriately in different situations so they’re happier as well as safer around others who might not appreciate their excitement!

On top of this general dog training, is the need for a gundog to understand far more when it comes to them carrying out a working role. So whether you want to learn more about this before you buy a gundog, or if you need some help with training a gundog breed, let’s discuss how a gundog trainer can help.

A gundog trainer helps you understand the basics of training a working dog

The basics of how to train a working dog can be tough, especially when the dog has forgotten he is meant to be listening to the owner and has decided to become self-employed instead!

A gundog trainer will get you started with training your new pup or help you with an older dog. Hiring someone who has experience in teaching a dog – like a trainer –  is going to help things go much smoother.

They also teach you how to interact with your pet gundog

Working dogs have a huge amount of energy physically, and a massive desire to be engaged mentally. Your trainer will teach you basic commands so that you can control these areas like sit, stay and come. They will also teach you how to focus your dog and how to meet their needs in a relationship-building way.

As your skills develop, your trainer will encourage you to take on more technical cues and they will help you to have lots of fun whilst you learn.

Your trainer will help you set up an appropriate schedule for your pup’s training that fits into your lifestyle.

Dog training requires you to be consistent. That can sometimes be tricky around family life, but your gundog trainer will help teach you how to do this. They help you understand how each dog differs and what kind can best suit your needs for that particular breed or type. Gundog trainers will teach you how to help a gundog breed happy live in a family home, while still being able to go out and do a working day on an estate.

Your trainer will work with both dogs and humans to make sure everyone is on the same page.

He or she can help you be more aware of your dog’s behaviour, as well as how they interact within a group setting so that you can train your dog to behave appropriately in a range of different settings and situations. They will teach you what you need to do to facilitate this as well.

Trainers are more than just teachers – they’re mentors too!

I am a trainer, not of dogs, but of people. I have been training people in mindset coaching for over ten years now. Here’s what you need to know about being any kind of trainer…

Trainers aren’t only focused on teaching skills; these professionals also provide practical advice from personal experiences with difficult topics such as anger management with your dog, through to ways to teach both you and your dog to switch off,  because we understand how hard training can be sometimes, especially when there isn’t enough space left inside ourselves anymore to go forward alone.

Your gundog trainer will teach you about how to be a better-behaved handler, and how not to be too hard on yourself. You’ll also learn about canine behaviour well as other skills such as grooming, nutrition, and health care during these sessions.

A gundog trainer is responsible for the training of a hunting dog.

Gundog Trainers work with you to teach your dog what behaviours are appropriate in different situations, often showing patience when it’s necessary, and understanding that each dog learns these skills slowly through repetition over time so they can remember them later on.

You may never intend on actually working your gundog, but it is important to still use the skills as it helps keep your dogs mentally stimulated and happy.

They teach the dogs how to hunt and retrieve games, and will teach you how to work your dog in the field if that is something you want to do.

Hunting dogs have been trained since ancient times to find the game and track it down with their noses until they could bring home an animal’s carcass.  The first step in moving on from a pet gundog used to training with dummies onto a working dog is to teach them what kind of game will be hunting or retrieving.

Working with a cold or warm game isn’t for everyone, and you can still train a remarkable gundog without it ever needing to touch a dead animal. However, if you want to go onto an estate a gundog trainer can help you to teach your dog to do this successfully.

They do so much more…

The LWDG Group and Featured Gundog Training Experts do so much to help all our group members. They check our pages daily, posting comments to help where they can, and producing our masterclasses, podcasts, and videos. They not only look after their own clients, but they help all of the community learn and grow. They do all the above and so much more! The best trainers not only care about their customers but also about the way gundogs are perceived by everyone.

We hope reading this post you’ve taken a few moments to think about what your dog training needs might be and how Gundog trainers can help. They will provide the knowledge and support that their many years of experience have given them and will also bring you the tools needed to train your dogs in order for you to succeed.

If any of this sounds like it could be helpful for you you can ask in our group for names of recommended trainers in your area. If there is anything else we can do to help you train your gundog please let us know!

Let us know if you have worked with a gundog trainer and how it helped you?

The Pinewood Training Vest

Happy Hotdogs recently sent 6 ladies from The Ladies Working Dog Group their Light Pinewood Training Vest for us to put them through their paces and see if they are worth the money and genuinely good for training. After being tested in the field, it turns out we think they’re pretty awesome.

Review Written By Jemma Martin, from Whistle and Wag Dog Training

 

Earlier this year I was lucky enough to be asked to review the Pinewood light Pro training vest by Happy Hotdogs in conjunction with The Ladies Working Dog Group.

I have tried numerous training vests in the past for my gundog training and they are always too bulky or make me too hot or don’t have adequate space.

That is until I tried the Pinewood ‘New’ Light pro training vest!

Pockets galore in the Pinewood!

The first thing that needs to be noted is that this vest has no lack of pockets!

There is a spacious rear pocket that easily fits all the dummies I need for training and some tennis balls. I usually carry around 6 dummies but it would take more. The rear pocket has magnets that lightly close the pocket shut which helps to keep your dummies in place. This is a fabulous idea as I have had other similar size vests previously that dummies regularly fall out of which is a real pain.

As well as the large rear pocket, there are two dummy-sized elasticated pockets which would accommodate a further two dummies or water bottles for you and your dog.

Moving to the front there are two decent-sized outer pockets, great for treats or balls, or whatever you fancy really. The flaps of these also have magnets that keep them tucked in if required to allow easy access to the pocket.

There is a high zipped front pocket on the left chest which easily took my phone and kept it safe.

This is accompanied by two chest pockets that seal with a popper, which again would take a phone or keys or anything else small you may need to keep to hand.

The last thing on the front is the little elasticated whistle pocket, great to slide your whistle in when not in use so you do not have any ‘dipping’ accidents when clearing up after your dog. (I’ve been there, it’s not pleasant trust me)

 

You are probably thinking wow that’s a lot of pockets, but it doesn’t stop there! there are further two decent-sized zipped pockets inside. One has the rather special feature of a small opening that allows you to dispense poo bags from! Ingenious! It works fabulously with the rolls of poo bags you can purchase from most pet stores. The pocket the other side is a plain zipped pocket, but again great for anything you need to keep secure. Maybe a snack pocket with energy bars for you and your dog? Who knows, but whatever you want to take with you it will fit in this awesome vest!

Other features of the Pinewood

So apart from the more than ample pocket space what else can I say?

One feature I really like is it is made of hardwearing but super lightweight material, with a mesh section across the back and under the arms. This kept me cool even on warmer days where in my old vests I would have been seriously overheating.

MORE pockets! I forgot to mention 4 more pockets, yes 4! I wouldn’t suggest that these are pockets to keep things in but more for warming your hands. There are two high on your chest and two lower behind the front larger pockets. These are a great place to pop your hands when walking or training. I have a tendency to overuse my hands when training so they are great for me to pop my hands away as a conscious thing to get rid of them. Equally on a cooler Autumn day, it would be great to pop a couple of hand warmers in to warm your hands.

The front of the vest also has a small loop next to the left zipped chest pocket, this is great to attach a whistle on a cord to. This ensures you always have a whistle to hand with your vest and no panic that you have forgotten it.

Colours

Finally, this vest is available in 4 different colours.

Moss, Plum, Brown/Olive, Black

I opted for the brown/olive as wanted a colour I could wear when out working the dogs, but the other colours are great.

In Summary

I’m not sure I have anything negative to say about this vest! It’s lightweight, has tonnes of pockets, nifty little features like the poo bag dispenser and magnets and has a flattering shape.

They are currently £85 from Happy Hotdogs which offers excellent customer service with quick delivery. Go get yours today! Check out our other post for a fab discount offer, and Society Members can check out the Member Calendar ( July 1st) for an even bigger offer!

What do our other reviewers think:

Emma Stevens – Cunningshot Dog Training

The pinewood vest for me is fantastic, smart and useful. The sizing was spot on and I have used it for a multitude of reasons. Can’t wait to use it in the shooting season as well.

Emma Stevens in her Pinewood Vest

Charlotte Perrott- Pet Business Support

 

This vest has SOOO many pockets! It is absolutely perfect for everyone, however, I find it useful with my puppy. As we all know, puppies’ attention spans are a little (a lot!) shorter than adult dogs, so this vest allows me to have a variety of training equipment out with me to keep training interesting, instead of having to go back and forth to the car. I love the purple colour, it is a little more feminine than a normal vest as it fits to your shape. The vest is a great material, I seriously appreciated the little ventilation holes during the summer. The back pocket is huge- it can even fit a cavapoo!

The vest is very well put together, it allows a coat or similar underneath it during these winter months, there isn’t much that this vest can’t do.

Joanne Perrott- The Ladies Working Dog Group

I absolutely ADORE my Pinewood Vest- from the endless pocket to the secret poo bag compartment, it ticks all the boxes for training, and even just going for a walk with the dogs. When I first had the vest, I looked at it as though it was another piece of equipment I would rotate through, but it is a staple within my daily life.

I like the fact the pockets are big too, not just flimsy little ones that won’t fit a tennis ball. The phone compartment is very handy, and as Jemma mentioned- I love the little whistle pocket! I would describe it as an all-rounder, and even though it is a ‘light’ training vest, it is very useful for the winter season too.

Claire Denyer – Family Dog Services

I love the pinewood vest. It is practical, with many pockets and a spacious dummy holder, stylish, well-fitting, smart and comfortable. I have worn it to walk my dogs, train my dogs, and even when doing my KC working gundog certificate assessment with my youngest dog.

Samantha Thorneycroft- Taylor – Languedoc Gundogs

After eagerly awaiting the arrival of my Pinewood Training Vest, I was super excited to put it through its paces! It certainly did not disappoint with multiple front pockets, a spacious dummy compartment, and magnetic closures to decrease/increase the dummy compartment size, and it looks and feels great too.

Its sizing is spot on and it has a very smart appearance. The Pinewood Vest very quickly became my go-to equipment carrier especially as the weather improved and the mesh back allowed airflow whilst training in warmer weather.

I have used the vest for full days training multiple dogs/clients, and for more relaxed dog walks too – it’s been great for every use I’ve given it so far!

So there you have it, 6 different dog handlers, 6 very positive reviews for the training vest.

If you would like to get yours, please click the button below. If you have already purchased one, please feel free to leave your review in the comments! 

LWDG POD DOG – NEW PODCAST!

I LOVE listening to podcasts every chance I get: walking the dog, exercising, driving, showering…You get the idea!

So when a Group Expert, Emma Stevens, suggested we do a public podcast for everyone, it made me jump up and down with excitement! What could be better than offering a new way of learning that they could enjoy?

The LWDG already has a private Podcast for its members. We upload all of our live coaching sessions as both a video recording and a podcast for them to enjoy.

But we have never before created a dedicated place for anyone to listen to the amazing coaching of our Group and Featured Experts.

And so The LWDG POD DOG was born! A public podcast dedicated to all things working dog.

We wanted anyone to access, so it’s available here, on Apple Podcasts and on Spotify for you to listen to weekly.

Robert Alleyne

Rob Alleyne is an incredibly well-respected dog behavioural trainer, and last year he did a fantastic coaching call for our members. So good, we decided we would kick off LWDG POD DOG by releasing this incredible 57-minute coaching call!

This episode covers:

– How Rob became a dog trainer.
– Robs tv career training dogs.
– Dominance v Fear-based behaviours.
– Pup resentment in multi-dog homes
– Resource Guarding
– Socialising Dogs
– Aggression
– Fixing Recall
– Barking

More About Rob

Robert is a signatory to the Registration Council for Dog Training and Behaviour Practitioners (RCDTBP), and he has lectured on canine behaviour on many occasions for different groups and organisations, both nationally and internationally.

He is a Member of the Kennel Club and is a patron of the charity K9 Crusaders. He is a keen campaigner trying to make a difference for dogs in relation to their care and welfare, is firmly against breed-specific legislation, and has attended several of the London protests against it.

He has talked on many radio programmes on the subject of dogs. He’s also appeared on numerous television programmes talking about dogs and other animals. He was the behavioural trainer on the hugely successful BBC3 show Dog Borstal for all four series. He has also appeared on BBC News, This Morning, Good Morning Britain and London Tonight, covering a variety of dog-related subjects. He has written articles for most of the major national dog-related magazines, such as Our dogs, Dogs Today, and Your Dog.

Robert has acted as an expert witness in court cases, both as a canine behavioural/trainer and as an animal welfare officer for the London Borough of Lewisham.

After acquiring a puppy from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in 1981, he began attending dog training classes with him and soon started working at competitive level obedience with both him and his next dog. He has run his own dog training classes since 1986. By 1994 he had won his way up to and including class ‘B’ before work commitments forced him to retire from competing. He has judged at limit, open, and championship level obedience competitions since 1986. He has been training people in instructing dog training classes since 1995.

Having spent some years studying the subject, Robert started working as a canine behavioural trainer in 1992, with most of his clients coming to him via veterinary referral or recommendations from previous clients. He has published a book on dog behaviour and training, The Trouble-Free Dog, published in 2000, and had very positive reviews in The Times, The Telegraph, The Daily Mail and Dog Training Weekly and has been reprinted twice since then. It was revised and reprinted in 2008. He is currently writing his second book. He has also produced several booklets and pamphlets for Lewisham Council on dogs, which are distributed free to the public.

In May 1990, he began working as an animal welfare officer for the London Borough of Lewisham and continued there until January 2007, when he held the position of Senior Animal Welfare Officer. Dealing with all types of animals, ranging from escaped reptiles to injured wildlife to nuisance complaints and of course – stray dogs, which was the service’s core function. This aspect of the job was obviously potentially very dangerous, so an ability to immediately assess a dog’s attitude was essential since stray or abandoned dogs could potentially turn aggressive. He left the service in 2006 to work full-time as a behavioural trainer.

The Welsh Springer Spaniel

It’s June and that means it’s time for our second blog post in our Vulnerable Breed Series! This month’s vulnerable breed is The Welsh Springer Spaniel. This blog has been kindly written for us by Jane Sutherland from the Welsh Springer Spaniel Club of South Wales, and the images used throughout have been kindly sent to us by Jane too.

To refresh your mind on what breeds are currently on the Native Vulnerable Breed list, please click here.

Background and Characteristics
The Welsh Springer is a very ancient breed that can trace its ancestry back to the 10th Century. It was widespread across the UK until the beginning of the last century and was often known as a Starter or Springing Spaniel. With the advent of the English Springer and then subsequently the Cocker Spaniel, the breed declined in popularity but held on in Wales and amongst enthusiasts of the breed, with its reputation as a tenacious game finder in hardcover and tough conditions.

The Welsh Springer is a medium-sized spaniel, smaller than the English Springer, symmetrical and compact, not leggy, strong and muscular. However, still quick and active and with a merry disposition. They are always a rich red and white in colour, with no exceptions, standing between 18 and 19 inches to the wither. The Welsh Springer Spaniel possesses superb scenting and game finding abilities as well as real versatility, happily adapting to any role in the field. From beating, picking up, duck flighting, sitting in a hide decoying pigeons to following a blood trail shooting deer, they are great working dogs. A very loyal and sociable spaniel, they love family life as well as  the working life so fit happily into your life and onto your sofa!

Welsh Springer Spaniel
Working A Welsh Springer

I have had and worked with Welsh Springers for over 25 years and am currently the Working and  Field Trial Secretary for the Welsh Springer Spaniel Club of South Wales. It would be wrong of me to suggest that they are easier or harder to train than any other spaniel. Like all breeds, it requires patience and consideration to get the best out of your Welsh. The Welsh Springer can be both stubborn and opinionated but once trained these characteristics to become a genuine asset, resulting in a shooting companion who is intelligent, determined and a remorseless hunter.

They are capable of going all day! We frequently arrive before the shooting day starts to push in the boundaries and arrive back at the Shoot Hut as everyone is leaving, having been asked to do a final sweep of the last drives to collect any missed birds. The breed is different in style from the other, more popular spaniel breeds. They are slightly steadier of pace which allows them to maintain the same energy and drive all day, they have outstanding noses, however, and very rarely miss birds, often finding blinked birds down rabbit holes or lost retrieves hung up in clematis or vines many feet above their heads.

Like everyone who works a vulnerable breed, we are inevitably the only representatives on a shoot, a double-edged sword because it makes your mistakes as noticeable as your successes! But it’s always a source of huge pride when the “is that a cocker then?” spaniel puts in a good day’s work and manages some eye-catching retrieves and flushes.

The Breed’s Versatility and The Welsh Springer Spaniel Clubs

I both work and compete my Welsh, attending Working Tests and Field Trials. We beat and pick up on local shoots and rough shoot over our team of Welsh. They also show and I  currently have the only one living Champion in the breed.

There are a dedicated group of people striving to maintain the dual purpose of the Welsh Springer, these happy adaptable dogs are able to segue effortlessly from Show Ring to Shooting Field to Family life and much more.

The breed is always represented at the Game Fair and I would encourage anyone who is interested in Welsh Springers to come along and meet us. There are four Breed Clubs nationally, and we are working hard to preserve this lovely gundog and to support research into the health of the breed.

To find out more about the Welsh Springer Spaniel, click the button below to view the Breed Profile on the Kennel Club’s website:

Click Here Now

To read the previous blog of this series, click the button below:

The Sussex Spaniel

Let’s Talk Dachshund

You may be wondering why we have a blog on them, I mean, they’re just a handbag dog aren’t they? Actually, these little wonders are amazing working dogs. Dawn Seago, from K9 Lifestyles, did a Zoom call with us about her experience with The Dachsund- and has very kindly written this blog for us.

The History

The name Dachshund means “Badger Dog” in German translation, Dachs meaning Badger, Hund as a dog. Some say that the Dachshund originated from the Basset Hound during the French revolution, but Dachshunds were already in Germany at this time. Queen Victoria had a Dachshund called “Dash” bought for her by Prince Albert, they were thought to be in England before this though.

Dawn

Dawn Seago and Diesel

About The Breed

There are 6 varieties and three coat types recognised in the UK: mini smooth; mini long; mini wire; standard smooth; standard long; standard wire. No matter what the coat or the size, it is a Dachshund. Sometimes referred to as a “Teckel”, it is still a Dachshund, most commonly people call the wire-haired type Teckels.

They are clever, stubborn, lively, independent and very courageous, to the point of rashness. They are not a small little handbag dog, which is what they seem to be at present.  They will dig their way out of a garden if bored or restless, forget your nice flowers as they will have them destroyed if left to their own devices, I have lost a few flowers. They have immense power in forequarters and forelegs, when viewed from the front the thorax should be full and oval-shaped, this allows good capacity for the heart and lungs. The feet should be bigger on the front legs than the back legs to allow for digging. There is of course lots more to the Breed standard, so it’s advisable to research this.

Dawn’s Dachshunds

As A Working Dog

The Dachshund does not fare well being left alone all day, as boredom and destruction will happen. Like many dogs, they do not arrive in your home fully trained. They are highly intelligent and will manipulate humans quite easily, they are a Hound with a brain. Some breeders will say Wires are extroverts, Longs are laid back, Smooths are said to be the “one person dog”.  In training with your Dachshund- be consistent with it, they will be stubborn, and if they find a weakness? “Boom”, they own you. As they grow, find a job for them to do, all kinds of nose work are the best thing for a Dachshund. They were bred to hunt, harness that power and get them working. They love to track/trail, there are lots of scent work clubs to join. I have one who Tracks for wounded deer with BMH of GB, we train once a month. As a Mantrailing UK Instructor, they Mantrail too, (not looking for a man).  I even have a Dachshund who does Parkour and Hoopers. All of these activities are low impact sports so they are suitable for a Dachshund.  Talking of backs- yes, some do have issues with IVDD, just be watchful of things like too much jumping or stairs, keeping the Dachshund fit helps. There is lots of information on The Dachshund Breed Council Website.

Thinking Of Owning One?

Before buying a Dachshund, visit some conformation shows and talk to breeders. Find out the breed’s health status and ask questions. If you have made your mind up to welcome a Dachshund in your home, then talk to several different breeders- not just one. Choose your breeder wisely, and make friends long before you get your puppy, good breeders do not always have puppies on sale. I also show my Dachshunds to Championship level, and welcome people to chat to me about working their Dachshunds too.

Remember these little dogs love to work, they will surprise you with their tenacity to do a job.

To find out more about Dawn, you can visit her Facebook page by clicking the button below:

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Fancy Something Different For Dinner?

We get it- thinking about what to have for dinner all the time is hard. We thought we would help you with a fantastic recipe from BRITISH GAME ASSURANCE– so, Fancy Something Different For Dinner?

Partridge Winter Salad With Salsa Verde

A warm salad, celebrating wonderful seasonal winter vegetables, accompanied with the addition of tangy satsuma.  Leeks make a great warm salad and using the stem of the leek in the salad, and the leaves in the salsa verde mean every part of the leek is used.

Salad Ingredients
  • 2 partridges
  • 1 leek stem
  • 30g (approx. 1/2 cup) watercress
  • 1 satsuma
  • Rapeseed oil
Salsa Verde Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp leek leaves, diced finely
  • Oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 bunch of fresh basil leaves
  • 1 handful of fresh mint leaves
  • 1 tbsp capers
  • 1 tbsp gherkin, diced finely
  • 6 anchovy fillets
  • 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

Salsa Verde

  • Finely dice the leek leaves (like the size of finely chopped chives), and gently fry over a medium heat in a little oil for 1 minute.
  • Crush the garlic cloves, and make it into a paste.
  • Finely chop the basil, mint, capers, gherkins and anchovy and combine in a bowl, and mix well.
  • Add the cooked leek leaves and stir through to combine.
  • Add the mustard and vinegar, then slowly add the oil until you achieve a nice consistency.  You may want to add more or less oil.
  • Taste, and add some black pepper, or a little bit of sea salt to adjust the balance of flavour, if you wish

Partridge

  • Preheat the oven to 180 C.
  • Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of oil. Season the partridges all over with salt and pepper, place in the heated pan, and cook gently over the heat for 3–4 minutes, until they start to become slightly golden in colour. Turn the partridges if necessary.
  • Transfer the partridges to a roasting tray, and roast in the oven for 8–10 minutes until the partridges are just cooked, but slightly pink inside.  (Whilst the partridges are roasting, cook the leeks per step 12 and assemble the salad)
  • Transfer the partridges to a warm plate and leave to rest for 5 minutes.  Cut the breasts from the partridges, and slice them into thin slices.

Salad

  • Slice the leek stem into thin circles.
  • Heat some oil in a frying pan and gently fry the leeks for 2 minutes over a medium heat.
  • Transfer to your serving plates
  • Pick the watercress leaves from their stems, and add the watercress to the leeks
  • Slice segments of satsuma, removing as much of the white pith as possible
  • Top the leek and watercress with slices of partridge breast, and sliced satsuma.  Drizzle the salsa verde over the salad, and serve.

And there you have it, tonight’s dinner plan is sorted! If you would like to view more fantastic recipes by our friends at the British Game Assurance, click the button below:

VISIT THE BRITISH GAME ASSURANCE WEBSITE

How To Work With A Cheeky Dog

claire denyer featured expert ladies working dog group

Guest Blog Post by LWDG Group Expert Claire Denyer

Do you find your gundog can be a bit “cheeky’ from time to time? That they know what they’re supposed to do but do the total opposite? One of our fantastic featured experts, Claire Denyer, has provided us with this amazing blog all about her training experiences, common mistakes and how to handle the cheeky gundog!

 

This is the face of a very beautiful and cheeky young gundog who knows she was very cheeky during training this morning. Training your dog won’t always go perfectly, it won’t always go as you thought it would. That’s normal and it is the reality.

What should I do when things go wrong?

I’m often asked what I do when things go wrong. The honest answer is that it totally depends on the dog I am working with, what has gone wrong, why it has gone wrong, the environment, and the situation.

I hope the following helps you think about what you should do when things go wrong…

Training

When we are training the dog, we are educating the dog. We may use luring, shaping, repetition, and consistency, to aid successful training. We encourage the dog to make good choices, and the gundog is rewarded for those choices. Behaviours which are rewarded are more likely to be repeated.

Duration, Distance and Distractions

Look at the duration, distance, and the distractions, and ask yourself if you have prepared your gundog enough, have you prepared them for each element, if not then go back a step in your training and build duration, distance, and distractions, in that order.

Proofing the training 

Ensure you proof the training in a variety of environments and under varying conditions.

Constructive Correction

However, if the dog understands what is required, but chooses not to comply, we use constructive and appropriate (not harsh or abusive) corrections to encourage the dog to make the right and rewarding choices in the future.  Correcting a dog does not mean being cruel. We do not advocate harsh handling. It’s not necessary or nice.

LWDG Group Expert,  Trainer  Claire Denyer

Common Mistakes

I thought I’d go through some of the more common mistakes we commonly see handlers make when correcting their dogs in gundog training:Many handlers use a ‘stern telling off voice’ but they raise their voice, some almost shouting, and the dog becomes numb to it, so often becomes ineffective, or in some cases, is always required because the gundog no longer listens to a normal speaking voice.

If done correctly, a verbal (non-shouty) verbal correction can work, however, you must also put the training in to teach the behaviours you want more of, and reward those behaviours.

Many trainers recommend ‘getting after your dog’ if they ignore the stop whistle or recall. Now, I will go out to my dog if she is ignoring me, but in most situations, I personally find running after dogs ineffective (unless you are trying to cut across their path to stop them from swapping dummies or similar). Some gundogs think you are joining in, some think you are playing chase and it becomes a game, some gundogs are very sensitive, and then it can create other issues. To be perfectly honest, I’m not sure I know many owners who could physically ‘get after their dog’ successfully anyway.

So unless it’s very effective for you and your gundog personally (or required in very specific situations) I would suggest you just go get your dog and walk them back on lead (do not give another command) to roughly where they ignored the stop whistle (I call this the walk of shame!) and sit them up, pip the stop whistle and resume where you left off. If they ignored the recall whistle then go get them, pop the lead on, and walk them back in silence, then do a successful mini recall to ensure you and your dog are on the same page.

If a gundog is repeatedly breaking a stay, don’t just correct the gundog, or get frustrated, look at the behaviour your dog is displaying in that situation. If your dog is creeping towards you it is very likely they lack confidence, or you have increased the difficulty of the exercise too quickly, so getting frustrated won’t help, and may even make the problem worse. A dog getting up and buggering off however is a different matter.

So, how did I handle Rose’s misdemeanours this morning?

Well, when she thought she knew best on a blind retrieve and ignored my line, going in the direction instead of where she had picked a retrieve previously, I called her back and reset her, giving her a chance to follow the line a second time. However, although she started well, she did again deviate from the line, so I called her back and walked her closer in the hope she would take the line and wind the retrieve. However, Rose clearly in a headstrong mood still didn’t follow the line. This time I walked her to heel towards the retrieve until I was sure she would wind it, I then turned and walked her to heel away from the retrieve, before turning and re-sending her, this time she took the line and was successful. The important lesson was that she didn’t find the retrieve when ignoring me. She found it through working with me.

We then resumed training but I was mindful to keep blinds short and successful.

Then two lovely retrieves later Rose tried to play keep-away with the retrieve, I mean, the last time she even considered such a cheeky move was such a long time ago I can’t remember. She was literally bouncing about playfully. Not a behaviour I expected nor want to encourage so I gave her my best-disgusted look, turned on my heel and started walking away. Rose followed me and gave me the retrieve immediately.

So, on that note, we decided to stop the session. No hard feelings. Never hold a grudge. Never get angry (even if inside you are fuming)

I never continue training if I feel frustrated or upset by something. It’s not worth it. We are only human. Better to stop and do something positive and leave your session with your dog still as your best mate.

Remember, gundogs make mistakes just like we do.

Further Info:

If you would like to purchase Claire’s book, The Life of Rose: Raising a Puppy the Family Dog Services Way, you can do so by clicking the link to our LWDG Amazon Store.

Find lots of gundog training books recommended by the LWDG community To view previous LWDG resources with Claire Denyer, please click here:

LWDG PODDOG is a podcast all about working with dogs. if you would like to listen then please click the button below:

Vulnerable Breeds Series: The Pointer

Welcome back to our Vulnerable Breeds Series! This month’s blog is on The Pointer. For those who are new to the series, this is all about raising awareness for vulnerable breeds here in the UK, starting with the native breeds. Following The Kennel Club’s Vulnerable Native Breed List, we are speaking to breed-specific clubs from across the UK to find out about the breed and what the club does to promote it. A huge thank you to The Pointer Club and their Honorary Field Trial Secretary, Carole Brown for giving us the context for this blog.

pointer pointing

About The Pointer

The supreme scenting machine, the Pointer is a wonderful example of a breed fit for its original function. The Pointer gallops on large expanses of land to detect the scent of the game and then freezes in a “point” in the direction of the sitting game.
The Pointer is an athlete, considered the thoroughbred of the gundogs. His hunting style is with head held high, galloping with style and pace, lashing his bee-sting tail. It is no wonder that the Pointer was much in demand by the gentry of the 18th and 19th centuries with large kennels of 200-300 dogs, as they were considered the most stylish of gundogs.

 

The Pointer is an active, intelligent dog who needs daily exercise and stimulation. They were bred to be hunting dogs who could work all day long so they must have at least an hour of exercise a day. When they are given the exercise and training they need, they are quiet and mannerly house dogs.

pointer dog

Kennel Club Breed Standard (Snippets)

General Appearance- Symmetrical and well built all over, general outline a series of graceful curves. A strong but lissom appearance.

Characteristics- Aristocratic. Alert with the appearance of strength, endurance and speed.

Temperament- Kind, even disposition.

Body- Well sprung ribs carried well back gradually falling away at strong muscular and slightly arched loins. Short coupled. Haunch bones are well spaced and prominent, not above the level of the back.

Colour- Usual colours are lemon and white, orange and white, liver and white, and black and white. Self-colours and tricolours are also correct.

About The Pointer Club

 The club’s goal is to maintain and promote the breed as a ‘fit for function’, that is also suitable as a family member. The Pointer Club provides breed-specific input into the KC on our Breed Standard. The club is responsible to the KC as custodians of the Pointer breed standard and work with and advises the KC on all matters regarding breed health guidelines and manages a number of KC-related activities such as maintaining breeder code of conduct policies, running judge education seminars and managing judge accreditations.

The Pointer Club organises a number of events each year ranging from Shows (Championship & Open) and Field Trials. We also provide help and advice to members on training, owning, showing and working Pointers.

The Pointer Club has the declared objective of promoting the interests of the breed, uniting those interested in the breed and upholding the Standard of the Pointer

Working Pointers

The Club runs seven Field Trials each year in accordance with Kennel Club Rules & Regulations.

The aim of each trial is to run it as close as possible to a day’s shooting. The dogs are required to systemically quarter the ground with pace and style, showing natural hunting ability. They should point gamebirds and when asked, work out the point freely and drop to flush and shot.

In addition to the field trials, the club also holds up to three training days for Pointers and Setters per year. The aim of these days is to help educate & encourage newcomers to our sport. They are designed to help owners and their dogs to gain an insight into the background and basic training of a working Pointer or Setter and also understand more about the quarry and management of the ground that we work on. From attending these days, some participants are able to progress to a standard capable of competing in field trials.

To learn more about The Pointer Club, click the button below:

The Pointer Club

 

To view our last Vulnerable Breed blog on the Irish Water Spaniel, click the button below:

Irish Water Spaniel Blog

LWDG Collab With On The Peg

They’re finally here! LWDG have collaborated with On The Peg to bring you exclusive Lady Harris Shooting Socks and Wrist Warmers!

 

Both items are available in two colours- Bilberry (above) and Dark Olive (seen in the blog cover photo).

Merino wool ladies’ country socks. Lady Harris, understated and elegant, these country socks will add the finishing touches to your outfit. Beautifully knitted cable top sock in rich, vibrant shades – perfect for any occasion. As with all House of Cheviot’s shooting socks and country hosiery, Lady Harris is hand-finished to ensure premium quality.

These socks have the Ladies Working Dog Group (LWDG) logo on the folded top in contrasting gold.

There are also matching wrist warmers available.

 

We hope that you are as excited as us to finally have an exclusive sock for those shoot days, and cannot wait to see pictures of you all wearing them!

To get your matching pair, please click the button below:

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How Do I Know When My Dog ’Knows’ Something?

One of our amazing Featured Experts, Leanne Smith, has put together this blog to help you understand more about your dog and how to help both you and your dog communicate more effectively.

Introduction

How do I know when my dog ‘knows’ something? This is the $1,000,000 question.

The answer to this question then dictates how we respond to our dogs both in a teaching or training sense and also in an emotional sense.

If we assume that our dog ‘knows’ a behaviour and our dog does not respond correctly, then we can become frustrated or disappointed that our dog has ‘failed’ or assume that our dog has deliberately chosen not to do what we have asked of them.

A wise person once said,“We expect too much from our dogs and not enough from ourselves”.

For what it’s worth, these are my thoughts on knowing when a dog ‘knows’ a behaviour.

I like to think of working with my gundog as a conversation.  I ask a question in the form of some sort of training exercise or set up and then let the dog answer the question with either getting things correct or making an error.  Errors are just information on the state of learning; where the dog is in their understanding of what is being asked.

I look at errors as holes in my dog’s learning which I need to find a way to ‘fill’ by doing more teaching in that area.

Leanne Smith

Principle 1 – Dog’s are very situation-specific with what they learn, they have to learn to generalise behaviours.

In practice, this means that the slightest change in the environment can interfere with a dog’s ability to understand what it is that you want from them.  As you train the same behaviour in 100’s different places with 100’s of successful repetitions, then a dog will begin to generalise a behaviour.

The more educated a dog is, the quicker it can generalise a behaviour as they learn the life skill of generalising.

I am more surprised when behaviour does work in a new situation than if it doesn’t.

Questions to ask ourselves when a dog makes an error: –

  • Have I trained this behaviour in this location under this specific set of conditions?

  • If the location is the same, are the weather conditions the same, dry still weather is low scent conditions, damp windy weather is high scent conditions?

  • Are the distractions the same, different people, different dogs, additional wildlife?

  • Is my dog cognitive right now or is he in the reaction part of his brain?

The answers to these questions will then affect how we need to proceed to help our dogs to give the correct answer to the question that we have asked, in the form of the exercise that we have given them to do.

We have to find a way to help them understand in that situation.

Picture of Erik and Ragnar practicing boundary work in a low distraction environment.

Principle 2 – Dogs do what historically has worked best for them.

This raises the question of motivation.  If my dog understands what is being asked of him, and still chooses to do something different then the value in doing what I asked is not sufficient.

An example of this is my GWP, I never managed to find something that was sufficiently motivating for her to choose to recall away from hunting game.  As a result, I managed her on a long line and harness in the areas that I knew would be an issue, and she free-ran only in areas where I knew she could make correct decisions about the recall.

I learned a valuable lesson from that gundog and now work really hard with all my pups to create the ultimate reinforcer that is more valuable to them than hunting game or anything else.

Principle 3 – 80% or above, the success rate in a given situation with ‘fluency’ is my criteria that my dog ‘knows’ something.

Dogs are not machines and they will make mistakes sometimes, as we all do.  However, if my dog has an 8/10 success rate, I would say that they have a good grasp of what is being asked.  In this article, I define fluency as the ability to quickly repeat the cue multiple times with no deterioration in the quality of response or increase in latency (time to respond from when the cue is given).

Principle 4 – Human error, did I ask the dog the right question or give him the right information?

I heard about some research that has been done looking at the number of errors a dog makes compared to the number of errors a handler makes in a training session.  It turns out that the dogs made four or five times fewer errors than the average handler (from what I can remember).

This is a very important question to keep asking ourselves.  Videoing our training sessions can be very enlightening.  Quite often what we think we are doing; is not what we are actually doing!  We can create confusion in our dog, and not understand why.  Seeing what is we are actually doing, can clear up many training issues, by showing us what we need to change.  This can either be in the way we handle or how we communicate with our dog.

How does this help?

Since I have taken this approach to errors that occur in a teaching or training session, it has helped me to be able to see why my dog wasn’t able to give me the correct answer, which, in turn, has helped to reduce my frustration during working with my dog.

The first processes that I go through when faced with an error are checking in my mind, does my dog understand what I am asking, and is he motivated to do the behaviour.

Once I have recognised the main source of the error, either understanding or motivation, or sometimes both, then I can look at ways to fix it.

When the error is caused by a lack of understanding I look at how I can break the problem down into smaller chunks.  See the example below.

An example – 

My dog is steady at home with one other familiar dog but can’t manage to be steady in a group situation in a different environment.

I would split that down in to stages, only progressing when I get 8/10 success rate

  1. Work on steadiness at home with one unfamiliar dogs
  2. Work on steadiness at home with two unfamiliar dogs
  3. Work on steadiness at home with three unfamiliar dogs
  4. Work on steadiness at home with four unfamiliar dogs
  5. Go to the different environment and work on cue discrimination, stay, retrieve, plus other cues as an only dog.
  6. Work on steadiness in the new environment with one familiar dog
  7. Work on steadiness in the new environment with one unfamiliar dog
  8. Work on steadiness in the new environment with two unfamiliar dogs
  9. Work on steadiness in the new environment with three unfamiliar dogs
  10. Work on steadiness in the new environment with four unfamiliar dogs

I could also split these sections down further if my dog was still making errors.

When the error is caused by a lack of motivation then I will use management to prevent my dog from self-reinforcing in the short term and go back to basics and build better motivators for that dog.  When looking at creating better motivators I start in a very low challenge environment and then work back up to the problem environment.

If my dog looks ’guilty’, does this mean that he understands that he did the wrong thing?

Probably not, is the short answer to that question.

There have been studies done observing dogs’ reactions to situations looking at exactly this question.

A dog was left in a room with a piece of food and told to leave it, the owner then left the room for a short period of time.  They were told to either act happy or cross when they returned regardless of whether the dog had eaten the food or not.

What they found was the dog reacted positively if the owner came back in happy and in a ‘guilty’ way, when the owner came back in the acting cross, regardless of whether or not they had eaten the food.

The dogs were responding to the owner’s body language rather than the situation.

When dogs sense conflict building, they will generally try to appease and diffuse the situation.  Unfortunately for dogs, this behaviour has been labelled as ‘acting guilty’.  The more that the dog tries to appease the owner, the crosser the owner becomes, as they think that the dog is acknowledging wrong doing.  In actual fact, the dog is trying to say please stop being cross.

Dogs are very good at picking up when we are less than impressed.  For some sensitive individuals, indications as slight as a bit of a tut under your breath or a sigh can be enough for them to realise that something is wrong.  Not necessarily what or why something is wrong, but that there is something wrong.

If we look cross when the dog returns to us the chances are that he will sense something is wrong and display some sort of appeasement or displacement behaviour.  What that behaviour is, depends upon the dog’s personality and the level of ‘agro’ being displayed by the handler.

These behaviours can be as extreme as belly crawling, urinating, or rolling on his back.  It could be much more subtle, tail down lower than normal, hindquarters dropped slightly, turning his head sideways onto you, ‘smiling’- where he pulls his lips back in a submissive grin.  It could also be ‘crazy behaviours, having a fit of the zoomies, or playing keep away.

Videoing also helps us to see the really subtle signs of disapproval that we give out and how this affects our dog’s behaviour.

To read more about Leanne’s work or to visit Leanne’s website, please click the button below:

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The Irish Water Spaniel

It’s July’s edition of our Vulnerable Breeds series! This month, we are looking at the Irish Water Spaniel.

The Kennel Club’s Native Vulnerable Breed list has many native breeds that are under threat, so the LWDG have asked breed clubs to tell us about their breed to help promote them.

We asked the Irish Water Spaniel Association to help us educate about the breed. A huge thank you to them for contributing to this blog!

Breed Profile

The IWS (Irish Water Spaniel) is a highly intelligent dog and may not be for the ‘fainthearted’.  You will need a lot of patience for this slow, maturing breed. However, this will be rewarded with a loyal companion.

It is best to start them at a few weeks old to recognise the whistle by using it to call them in at feeding times (this imitates the recall when working later on). As they grow, ‘little and often’ obtains the best results! They will naturally carry their toys, etc around. To build on this, we introduce some basic obedience to gain control, which you will realise is of utmost importance as you progress. Training can start in your garden or enclosed area.

Socialisation is paramount once they are able to go to public areas because as a breed they can be ‘aloof ‘ and wary of strangers.

What Does The Kennel Club Say?

The Irish breed club was founded in 1890 although liver-coloured water dogs with curly coats, top knots and rat tails had been known for centuries before that date. One of the most influential dogs in Ireland, Boatswain, was born in 1834 and his bloodline can be found throughout the world. His breeder Mr Justin McCarthy was a pillar of the breed.

Although the breed is classified as a ‘spaniel’ he works as a retriever, particularly in retrieving from water. In the UK he runs in retriever trials.

Theories on the ancestry of the breed include the French Barbet, the English Water Spaniel (now extinct) and the Poodle, which was originally used as water retrieving breed.

IWS with a pheasant
Working The Breed

The IWS are a compact powerful dogs which was an old Irish breed for working the peat bog areas (sometimes fondly referred to as the ‘Bog Dog’). They have large webbed feet to obtain stability on soft ground, also making them great in the water. As a Spaniel, some do naturally quarter however for competition purposes the KC here in the UK classify them as a Retrieve. This is also the same as the Irish KC.

A Note From The Irish Water Spaniel Association

To progress with your IWS, try to locate a trainer with knowledge of the breed. There are 2 KC registered Breed Clubs for IWS. The IWSA holds various events throughout the year catering for all aspects of the breed; including Training Days and access to experienced owners who work their dogs. For help and advice, more details can be found on their website. Alternatively, you can find them on Facebook at UK Irish Water Spaniel Association.

The Sporting Irish Water Spaniel Club (SIWSC) also has a website and a Facebook page for details of their activities. As you gain experience, you could decide to go on some shoots picking up or beating, some may decide to compete in Working Tests or Field Trials.

In conclusion, the IWSA would like to wish you every success in anything you try to achieve with your IWS companion.

Visit The IWSA Website

Exciting News! We Are British Game Assurance Brand Partners!

We are so excited to announce that this month we officially became Brand Partners of the British Game Alliance!
Who Are The British Game Alliance?

The British Game Alliance was set up to promote, develop and assure the consumption of game meat by creating a thriving game meat market, underpinned by an independent assurance from egg to plate.

All BGA’s Brand Partners are companies who support the mission of the BGA and want to support their vision of an independently-assured game shooting sector and a thriving game meat market.

If you would like to find out more about The British Game Alliance, please click the button to visit their site below:

The BGA

What Are We Looking For In A Dog Training Vest?

Update : Our trainer review can be found here
With summer in full swing, many of us are looking for a new dog training vest. In our Facebook communities, ladies post questions like:
  • Can anyone recommend a hunting vest for the larger lady?
  • Best company to buy a training vest from??? And which one?! 😳. I have a feeling the waistcoat type might get too warm.
  • I think the time has come to treat myself to a dummy vest any suggestions please appreciated
  • my current cheap “falconry” dummy vest has given up and I have the cash aside for a new proper training vest. What do we all recommend? It will be for all-year wear and I normally wear mine when working them too, so good for game as well as dummies (don’t put the game in the vest but may get splattered as I use my over-shoulder game carrier)

So when our lovely member Heidi told us all about a new lightweight vest she had seen at a dog show, we were all ears!

 

Heidi told us that she had raved to Mark, owner of Happy Hotdogs  about our group and he wanted to chat to us about reviewing the New/Upgraded – ‘Light’ Pinewood Professional Dog Sports/Dog Training Gilet For Ladies

We chatted to Mark and agreed to review the Pinewood Training Vest with some of our incredible Featured Experts and team.

As you know, we take reviews incredibly seriously in the LWDG.  And we want to put this vest through its paces. So our reviewing team includes:

How are we reviewing the vest?

Our review team are going to use the vests in their day-to-day dog training lives. Then they will post on Instagram and Facebook about the vest, so you can all get genuine feedback on how the vest performs. Integrity is everything to us, so we will be honest throughout.

At the end of the review period, we will collect all their feedback and put it together in one blog post for you to read. You can find their individual posts using the hashtag #lwdghappy

 

NEWSFLASH: Happy Hotdogs are also offering a discount whilst we review for all LWDG ladies ( and gentlemen) 

The Non-Member discount code is LWDG-15 and can be used to get £15 off any of the following Pinewood Products. 
Society Members can find their discount code with higher value voucher on July 1st of the Group Calendar.    

The discount code can be used on the:  Pinewood Jacket, The Pinewood Light Vest, and The Pinewood Regular Vest. These are available designed and cut for both men and women.

You can visit Happy Hotdogs online at www.happyhotdogs.co.uk/collections/pinewood

Leave

Getting Prepared for A Litter

Are you getting ready for your first litter? Or perhaps you have had litters before but you’re not 100% on the best equipment for the arrival, whelping or rearing?

Welcoming new life into the world can be very rewarding, but it can also be quite difficult. This blog post includes some of our member’s comments on the things you may need to welcome your litter into the world, and they also cover what to expect. More of our member’s expertise can be found in the Ladies Working Dog Group Free Facebook Community. 

setter dog with puppies drinking milk

CLAIRE

A whelping box, rubber matting, stock up on newspaper, a heat lamp and a digital thermometer!  I kept an entire litter once, so keep what (puppies from the litter) you want!

HATTY

Puppystim on Amazon. Literally a puppy life-saver. I will NEVER be without it.

GRACE

Have a plan for when they’re 4 weeks + – ours stayed in their whelping box as it was massive, but we put them onto shavings in it whilst trying to house train them as much as we could, we found it far easier than newspaper! Lots of towels, puppy milk & syringe just incase. Take temp and keep an eye.. mine didn’t eat breakfast the morning of both her litters. She was a week early both times also, but I had no idea the first time, called her to the front door and she come for late checks at the stables, it was only once I’d had a shower and went to bed I noticed a puppy squirming around 😳safe to say I put them both into the whelping box and had to sit with her for the duration of labour.

NICOLA

When it comes to worming pups buy paste not liquid. More liquid ends up out of the puppy than in it 🤣 Also don’t be tempted to let people come and see to buy until you are 100% which one you are keeping.

LUCY

Budget for a caesarean (in our hospital that can be £1-2k!). You’ll need to worm daily from day 40 of pregnancy to 2 days post-whelping. Familiarise yourself with complications to look for and the normal progression of birth. Sort your vet out ASAP for docking (if necessary for your breed) as most vets don’t do it anymore. Read “Book of the Bitch”.

SELINA

Read up on pre eclampsia/ eclampsia before she’s pregnant and again before she’s due. Know the signs. Also learn about mastitis treatment, quick treatment for these sort of issues can prevent the need for intervention.

NAOMI

Vet bed for mum, I litter trained my pups which made things so much easier. Look at wheatgerm and raspberry leaf extract supplements (dorwest herbs). There’s lot of great resources out there to read on, puppy culture and book of the bitch for example. Also if you can find a local experienced breeder who’s happy to be on call during whelping, as there may be things you’ll worry about that’s normal and save a unnecessary trip to vets. If things do go wrong, get a few bit of dollar stashed in the bank. It can get very expensive very quickly. Most importantly find time to sleep and relax, it’s bloody hard work but so worth it.

KATHY

I prefer a special heated mat to a lamp then puppies can choose to get on or off it..especially when the bitch starts to leave them for exercise etc. Also try and have a friend who has delivered puppies before with you during whelping…(this is) always helpful if one needs a bit of extra care.I stay with the bitch all the time once she’s started. Good luck and enjoy.

LORRAINE

Best to have plenty in the bank in case of complications, c section etc as insurance doesn’t usually cover that. Plenty of old clean towels, sheets newspapers as it gets Very messy lol. If you know any experienced breeders as friends, it’s good to have on speed dial. I also take my bitches temperature from a day or two before she’s due as it changes before she goes into labour.

golden retriever puppies

If you are interested in purchasing the “Book of The Bitch” as mentioned in the comments above, you can get yours by pressing the link below:

Purchase Now

Maybe you’re not looking to breed and would rather help with purchasing a puppy. Click the button below to go to our blog on top tips for choosing a working puppy:

Click Here Now

Isolation and Training

Isolation and Training

Written by Charlotte Perrott

As the lockdown continues nationwide, a lot of us are feeling a sense of loss. That loss may be routine, a job, or maybe even a loved one. I know I am feeling a sense of loss too. This blog is dedicated to those, like me, whose lives have changed due to the pandemic. Also, as those who are also struggling with their mental health at this time. Today, I’m looking at self-care tips, training tips and important information for those who are feeling the struggle.

Self Care

Self-care is becoming increasingly popular. It’s not necessarily running yourself a bath and chucking a bath bomb in,  but it is little things that you can do on a daily basis to help you feel better mentally. The whole point is that it is baby steps- not drastic measures- in order to have a small win each day mentally. It’s important to remember that no one among us has been through this pandemic before. So, if today you couldn’t even get out of bed, it’s important to be kind to yourself and allow yourself to have an “off day”.

Tips
  1. Move! Not only will your dog(s) thank you for this, but it’s just as important mentally as it is physically. Do at least 30 minutes of exercise a day. Now, I don’t mean that you need to do 30 minutes of high-intensity, “I’m gonna collapse!” workout routines; but even if you just managed 3 x 10-minute strolls a day, it will be beneficial for both mind and body.
  2. Take in your surroundings- when I first looked at what self-care was best and came across this, I thought- “what is the point of staring out of my window for 5 minutes?”. However, arguably it does help. Just sitting and listening to the world around you, whether that be in the countryside or in the city, can help you bring a little bit of mindfulness into your day.
  3. Sitting and scrolling- I am the first to say that I am addicted to Instagram. It helps to escape reality and live in a world full of influencers, celebrities and companies. However, sometimes Instagram can seem absolutely perfect, with perfect bodies, houses, jobs, dogs and so much more. Try and limit the amount of time you spend scrolling. Don’t eat the salad if you don’t like it. There’s enough to stress about at the moment without adding extra pressure on yourself to look a certain way. Eat well, move more and remember that not everything is as it seems on social media.
  4. Plan your (and your dog’s) menu and training for the week- I love organisation, and if I don’t plan my food for the week, I end up impulse buying which isn’t good for me mentally. Having a plan for both training and eating means you free up time and eliminate the purchases or rush decisions you make; this means that you probably will make better choices for both you and your dog(s).
Training Tips

 I spoke to our featured experts about their top tips for training your dog within isolation/lockdown, here is what they advise:

  1. Stripping training right back to the basics and adding enrichment. There is no point adding extra stress with training during an already stressful time, remember to be patient as stress travels down the lead.
  2. Make an individual plan for each dog and stick to it. Each dog is a different age and has a different personality so remember to tailor it to suit each dog and make sure the plan is stuck to. Not everyone will have access to training facilities and game, so it would be helpful to use this time to train obedience and technical retrieves for the more advanced dogs.
  3. Use the LWDG Magic Month planner for clear goals to be set during training, and use it to write each dog’s progress, strengths and weaknesses.
  4. If you have bought a puppy in lockdown, the chances are when you go back to work, that puppy is going to suffer from separation anxiety. Practice leaving your puppy alone for short breaks and building the time up. The best time to practice this is when the puppy is sleeping., this is usually a good time to leave them alone.

You can purchase your very own Magic Month Planner by clicking the button below:

BUY A MAGIC MONTH PLANNER NOW!
Useful Contacts

We know that we have an amazing community where ladies can reach out and help each other, but we also know how important it is to seek professional help if you need it. Below are the telephone numbers for various mental health charities that can support you during this difficult time:

Samaritans- Confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair. Phone: 116 123 (free 24-hour helpline)

Refuge- Advice on dealing with domestic violence. Phone: 0808 2000 247 (24-hour helpline)

Mind- Promotes the views and needs of people with mental health problems. Phone: 0300 123 3393 (Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm)

You can find more helplines for various mental health concerns by clicking the button below:

CLICK HERE

Vulnerable Breed Blog: Sussex Spaniel

This blog is the first of the series where we speak to a club about their vulnerable breed. Using THE KENNEL CLUB’S NATIVE VULNERABLE BREED LIST, we reached out to different clubs about their breed. We asked how they are used for working and how the breed has unfortunately ended up on the list, alongside their characteristics.  This time, we are looking at the Sussex Spaniel. We spoke to the Sussex Spaniel Association who have very kindly produced this blog and given us the images used throughout.

The Sussex Spaniel

Background

The Sussex Spaniel is named after the place of its origin. They have proven to be a very capable and reliable companion out in the field. This has been since its establishment as a working gundog, sometime in the middle of the 18th century.

The Sussex Spaniel was developed specifically to hunt gamebirds close to the gun in short, dense cover. This led to them being shorter and longer than other spaniels with a rectangular profile and a strong muscular physique. This makes them ideal for not only dense cover but the heavy ground. They are a heavy set breed, weighing between 20-25kgs. They should stand between 15 -16 inches tall. The colour is unique, liver with golden tips. They have a slower, but steady pace and can go all day on the beating line using their exceptional nose. They tend to prefer to go under or through rather than over obstacles.

Characteristics of the Sussex Spaniel

The KC Breed Standard states under Characteristics:  “Natural working ability, gives tongue at work in thick cover”-  this is unique. The origins of the dog-giving tongue are unclear. However, it was most likely that it was encouraged because of the aid it gave to those out shooting. In dense cover, if the dog is making a sound it is easier for the guns to mark where it is, this alerts the gun to a potential flush and from where it will come, giving the shooter every chance of success. We have personally found when attending small shoots that the guns have appreciated the dog making noise before a bird is flushed. However, on the larger shoots, it is not so much required.

Working A Sussex Spaniel

A dedicated group of Sussex owners regularly attend shoots to beat with their Sussex and others rough shoot over their dogs throughout the shooting season. They have a great nose and very rarely miss a bird. Between drives, they are calm and happy to sit quietly and can often be seen having a quick nap – a great difference compared to other spaniels! It gives great pride at the end of the day when the guns become interested in the breed as they have seen them work well.

Training A Sussex Spaniel

The Sussex is a natural hunter. Furthermore, with good and sympathetic training, they can learn to retrieve game. Like all training, it needs to be done at an early age and above all made to be fun. Sussex can have a stubborn streak; if they decide enough is enough you have to be prepared to listen and come back at another time.

About the Sussex Spaniel Association

The Sussex Spaniel Association is committed to maintaining the breed as a working gundog and continues to organize a variety of working and training events throughout the year. This includes an annual Minor Breeds Field Trial one of only two breed clubs that have maintained this commitment.

The Sussex Spaniel Association take pride in the fact that the Sussex remains a true dual-purpose dog and is quite happy in the show ring on one day and equally happy the following day hunting in the field. Currently, there are two full Champions in the breed following their success at Minor Breed Field Trials.

Sussex Spaniel Association Website