The dog that doesn’t like to pull (trouble shooting for canicross)

Canicross can be about building up a running partnership with your dog so you barely even need any direction words. Leaning slightly into your waistbelt is enough of a signal, and the miles just melt away under your feet and paws.

But what if your dog doesn’t pull?

This is definitely one of the most common problems that we get asked to help with, and as usual there really isn’t a one size fits all answer.

It’s where the experienced eye of a dog trainer can be extra helpful too, because we need to start by understanding why your dog isn’t pulling in specific situations.

Trouble shooting for the canicross dog that doesn’t pull consistently

Step 1: gather more information 

When DOES your dog pull in their harness? Do they ever pull? Is it at the start of an event or race? Are they better or worse with other dogs around? Do they start strong but then tail off as you cover more distance? Do they seem startled or worried when they hit the end of the bungee line?

Step 2: understand the cause of the problem 

Physical – is the harness uncomfortable or poorly fitted? Is your bungee the right length? Does your dog have any movement restrictions or muscle imbalances that might be affecting things? Does your dog have enough harness-fitness for the length of run?

Emotional – is your dog worried or fearful about moving away from you? Is your dog reluctant to be followed by other dogs? Might your dog be worried about noises in the environment?

Mental – have you spent so long training your dog NOT to pull that they can’t believe you just changed the rules? When your dog reaches the end of the bungee, do they assume they should return to you?

Step 3: set up training situations to create, reinforce and maintain consistent pulling in harness 

Using the answers to the previous questions, work out what you and your dog need!

We’re going to use lovely Nikki and Coco as our example this week:

Coco will pull sometimes, its more likely to happen early on in a run, and definitely more likely to happen if there is a dog in front of her or passing to the side.

Coco definitely doesn’t like leading a group, or having dogs running behind her and will drop back further and further when she is tired. Coco isn’t always a fan of other dogs especially if they are rude or starey, and she’d rather avoid confrontations if possible. Coco isn’t always super happy around strangers either – so we need to take this into account and maybe don’t try cheering her on loudly!

The equipment was perfect for Coco, and we opted for the Non Stop bungee line to reduce the risk of any sudden jolts – its fully elasticated and a great option for sensitive dogs. We did start on a park run length because Coco was worried about going too far from her mum, but we’re now transitioning to the standard canicross length.

Physically Coco is in good shape and has regular hydrotherapy.

Tuesday’s evening canicross class gave us a lovely forest track and plenty of space to test out our strategies.

Our goal was to create a situation where Coco wanted to pull, but would only be asked to do so for a very short distance. We would then gradually increase the distance/duration of the effort. We’re NOT asking Coco to sprint run, just pull into her harness for now.

Coco and Nikki started at the back, with another team just ahead of Coco. The front team used a ready, followed by 3-2-1-go and set off. Nikki and Coco mirrored the routine but one step behind, so by the time Nikki gave the release Coco was already starting to pull forward.

We ran for no more than a count of 5, and then used our steady cue to come back down to a walk. It was important to make sure the leading dogs didn’t get too far away or Coco just seemed to give up!

So we did lots of short’n’sweet sessions, gradually building up the pulling time.

Result? Success! We had 20 seconds of consistent steady pulling within just a few repetitions, and Coco was much better on another run later in the week.

We’ve plenty still to work on, and it does mean Nikki will have to do more of her own running without Coco for now, but this team are doing so well!!

And if you want help with your teamwork, don't forget you can book onto any of the weekly classes! Full information, class locations and booking links here 

Happy Running!

Morag with team #beautyandthebeast and Laura with team #smallbutmighty 

PS Congratulations to our new canicrossers who started their exciting journey this weekend: Alison, Anna, Catriona and Mark! We’re so looking forward to seeing you out on the trails.

PPS Nikki is a fellow dog trainer based in Selby, you can check her out here:https://www.nikkibirkettdogtraining.co.uk

Workshops and seminars: Physical Fitness for Active Dogs

Led by Hannah from Theakston Veterinary Physiotherapy + Morag  (canine massage and acupressure, ultracanicrosser)

Evening seminar Thursday 7th Feb (rescheduled)

We will dig into what you need to look for in your dog’s movement. Learn about what normal is for your dog, and when to seek help. Discuss the usefulness of warm up and cool down routines with us, and think about sport-specific demands on your dog’s body.

7th Feb 7pm, University of York             £25 per ticket, includes refreshments

Book here Physical Foundations for Active Dogs

Half day practical workshops Sat 23 March

Learn how to observe your dog's movement in detail with help from an expert. We'll develop warm-up and cool down routines together, and explore the benefits of active stretching exercises. 

23rd March 9.30am and 1.30pm, Shipton by Beningbrough nr York

SAVE THE DATE - BOOKINGS OPEN NEXT WEEK

 

 

Classes

 

York Weekly Canicross Classes (every Tuesday at 7pm) 

What could be more fun than running in the mud, at night, with a headtorch – right? Especially when you’ve got expert coaching and skill building sessions too.

Full information, class locations and booking links here 

Classes around Thirsk and Ripon

See Charlie’s Chums for more information https://www.facebook.com/charlieschumspetcare/

Free Social Runs 

 

York CaniRun Social 8.30am Sundays @ Allerthorpe Woods, nr York
A 5k loop on tracks and trails through the woods, option to do a second loop for those feeling very keen. You need to have your own kit (waistbelt, harness and bungee), and pick up your dog’s poo! Just say you’re coming in the FB group and download directions and a route map here here

Pennine Canicross group 
Sunday social runs most weeks at various locations in South Yorks, check the group for more details https://www.facebook.com/groups/783331748401704/ 


Want to run somewhere else with like minded people? Pop a post up in the Yorkshire Canicross and Canisports page and get it organised! https://www.facebook.com/groups/140034202734285/

Know of any other free social runs? Send in the details to get them listed!

Races

Dalby Dark Run night run (in aid of Mountain Rescue) Sat 2nd March
Just £5 for a relaxed night run under the starts, and it's dog friendly! A great way to dip your toes into racing with your dog without the full on excitement that tends to come with dedicated canicross races.
http://www.darkskiesnationalparks.org.uk/north-york-moors-events/northyorkmoors/dark-run 
**sadly I've just been informed this race is sold out - hope you got your place!*

Dalby Canicross – Forestry Commission 
A series of 4 races have been announced for 2019 and you can find more details here: https://www.northyorkshiresport.co.uk/events/2019/02/dalby-forest-canicross-1

Running Riot (Skipton) 5k Race 14 April 2019 
Several of us attended last year and it was a great experience. While the field margins were tricky for novice dogs, the event was well organised and the water crossing added some extra excitement too. More information here: https://www.sueryder.org/support-us/fundraise/events/running-riot-canicross-skipton-2019 

Tail Trails Events (Lake District) 
Another new series of events aimed at people running with their dogs but this isn’t quite a canicross focused event yet. Worth checking out if you fancy a trip over
First one was 27 January 2019, and more to follow. https://www.tailtrails.org.uk/ 
 

Other places to find out about races 

Canicross Events FaceBook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/165126597013777/

K9TrailTime event listings: https://www.k9trailtime.com/information/national-canicross-events 

*if you know of any events that might be of interest to the canicross community PLEASE do email or message me the details and I will add them in!

That Monday feeling....but does having a job reduce anxiety (in dogs!)?

Can you guess what made the difference for these two very different dogs?

“It was amazing, this is the first time I’ve seen Rosie really enjoy an activity. I mean, we’ve tried pretty much everything but today she’s been amazing and really comfortable around the other dogs too” 

“Sam was so excited to get out of the house and start exploring round the car. He even put his paws up and climbed in on his own – this from a dog that used to panic and run away if there was any chance of being asked to get into the car!” 

 Yep – they had a job to do which was enjoyable, channelled their energy and focus, and helped them cope better with the environment.

It wasn’t even the same job – Rosie was taking part in an Introduction to Canicross (trail running with your dog on a harness) and Sam was learning Scentwork (sniffing for cheese).

But both dogs were able to relax much faster, and made big progress too.

We don’t know exactly what’s going on in our dog’s brains (or ours!) but some of the research suggests that there are different combinations of circuits involved in the key emotional states. So if we can activate something called the SEEKING system rather than ANXIETY/FEAR system for example, then we’re doing more than just distracting the dog from something scary. (But don’t worry, sometimes distraction is the best tool too!)

Running and sniffing are pretty fundamental activities for most dogs, but learning to do them in a structured fashion WITH you as part of the team – well that really can be life changing!

There’s a lot more to it of course, and I’m busy writing a book all about scentwork for common behavioural challenges.

But if you want to get a head start on the practical stuff why not learn how to give your dog a job!

Sniffing School and Scentwork for Reactive Dogs 

Half day workshop (9.30-12.30) Saturday 2nd February PawPark, Sand Hutton
Open to anyone who has trained with us or had a behavioural assessment.
Not sure if this session is right for your dog? Email Clare to discuss: clare@wellconnectedcanine.co.uk

Book Scentwork for Reactive Dogs

Canicross for Reactive Dogs – message us to book! 

Individual sessions that include kit fitting (for you and the dog), starting with basic commands and running alongside another staff dog.
Once you’ve completed this session most people can join our classes or the FREE weekly social run
Not sure if this session is right for your dog? Message Morag to discuss:  morag@wellconnectedcanine.co.uk



Happy Monday!

Morag, the Collie Girls and the Big Yin

What’s going on in WCC land? 

Three Week Intensives: Stay By My Side, Baby Come Back, Mind Your Manners 

Classes run on Mondays (foundation) and Wednesdays (advanced) in the evening at Yorkshire Museum of Farming

• Max of two dogs per class. 
• Concentrate on training what really matters to you!

See the full set of options here 3 Week Intensives

Scentwork and Sniffing School 

Channel your dog’s natural talent for sniffing with our Introduction to Scentwork workshops, and then enrol in Sniffing School for structured weekly challenges.

Getting Started

• Introduction to Scentwork EVENING (6th + 13th Feb 7pm) Yorkshire Museum of Farming
• Introduction to Scentwork DAYTIME (Saturday 9th Feb 9.30am) PawPark, Sand Hutton

 Weekly classes and challenges 

Scentwork for Reactive Dogs (2 spaces left)

Half day workshop (9.30-12.30)
Saturday 2nd February PawPark, Sand Hutton

Open to anyone who has trained with us or had a behavioural assessment.
Not sure if this session is right for your dog? Email Clare to discuss: clare@wellconnectedcanine.co.uk

Book Scentwork for Reactive Dogs

 

New Puppy...are you really ready?

I have a confession… I’ve had a lot of puppies over the last 9 years, probably about 10!!. Now, they weren’t all my puppies, some were foster puppies for rescue and some were client puppies and some I was lucky enough to keep

And you’d think by puppy number 10 (Summer the Flatcoated Retriever) I’d find puppy raising a walk in the park, wrong! Each and every time it’s blooming hard work.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got excellent strategies and management skills for toilet training, dealing with mouthing, teaching the puppy to be happy alone, training etc. but all of that takes time and commitment.

The hard work is getting up every 30-45 mins to take the puppy out to toilet, making sure I have tug toys everywhere for playtime (instead of puppy using my trousers), managing interactions with my dogs so nobody gets bullied (Spencer the German Shepherd is such a softie he often gets picked on by puppies), sitting next to puppy’s crate until they fall asleep at night (and sleeping with my hand on the crate). The daily time dedicated to taking the puppy somewhere new and having a new experience…..I’ll stop there, you get the idea.

Preparing for a new addition

This week I went to visit Emily and Mike and their amazing Working Cocker Spaniel Sully. Emily and Mike will soon to be adding a new addition to their family, Buzz the Working Cocker Spaniel puppy. Emily and Mike have already successfully raised one puppy, but they wanted some extra help with a few things to prepare Sully for the new puppy coming home.

We talked about how they might manage the new puppy and Sully at home to ensure both dogs get human time without any issues. How, when and if we might want to intervene when the dogs are interacting together.

Puppies are hard work, even if you’ve already raised one puppy or are an experienced puppy raiser…are you ready?

Where to find extra support

One of the best ways to make sure you get some additional support with raising your puppy is to attend a well run puppy class, with instructors who are experienced and ideally qualified to teach you and your puppy. 

We are happy for prospective puppy parents to come and observe our classes before they commit to booking with us so they can meet the team and see how we train. 

Find out more about our Puppy Classes by clicking below

If you’re not local to us try looking on the APDT website for a trainer who runs classes local to you.


Already attending our classes but need some extra help? Don’t forget we can offer a discounted Puppy 121 session for those attending classes, you can email your trainer directly or the office info@wellconnectedcanine.co.uk

Happy Training 

Clare and the gang

P.s. Do you have a gundog puppy? Interested in learning more about these amazing dogs? Want to get started with some gundog foundation training? 

Watch this space - Baby Gundog Training workshop coming soon! 

Stop in the name of safety!

Frosty mornings are my favourite.

There’s sparkling twinkling glitter on every blade of grass and leaf.

The mud is a forgotten memory.

And the nippy early mornings seem to bring out the zoomies in all my dogs!

But, there’s also the dreaded icy pavement to negotiate while the fields beckon with their wide open spaces.

This morning I stepped onto the front step saying “steady dogs, let’s not die on the ice just yet!”.

Now you know that for me nice walking is pretty important because of my long standing sciatica problem (previous blog), but I reckon it suddenly gets much more important for everyone when its icy.

And it’s not fair to expect our dogs to magically not pull on frosty mornings if we tolerate it on other days…

Nice walking, or loose lead walking, or “stop pulling my arms out of their sockets!” is hard to train, and there really aren’t many quick fixes.

Here’s a wee summary of how you could approach the problem: 

Want more help?

Why not book onto a three week intensive that concentrates ONLY on nice walking on lead – Stay By My Side.

These sessions have a maximum of just two dogs per trainer, and give you very specific homework tasks to practice each week.


Happy frosty walks!

Morag and the Beasts

What’s going on in WCC land? 

 

Three Week Intensives: Stay By My Side, Baby Come Back, Mind Your Manners 

Classes run on Mondays (foundation) and Wednesdays (advanced) in the evening at Yorkshire Museum of Farming

See the full set of options here 3 Week Intensives

Gundog Games Workshop – ONE SPACE LEFT

Learn how to have fun with your dog's natural instincts rather than fighting them!
Open to gundogs, gundog crosses (cockerpoos, labradoodles and more) or any dog that wants to have more fun.

Book to spectate OR bring your own dog

Scentwork and Sniffing School 

Channel your dog’s natural talent for sniffing with our Introduction to Scentwork workshops, and then enrol in Sniffing School for structured weekly challenges.

• Introduction to Scentwork EVENING (6th + 13th Feb 7pm) Yorkshire Museum of Farming
• Introduction to Scentwork DAYTIME (Saturday 9th Feb 9.30am) PawPark, Sand Hutton
• Sniffing School Level 1 starts 27 Feb at 7.30pm (5 week course)

 

 

Helpful Hounds returns! 16th February

Clare is leading two workshops focused on teaching your dog just some of the things Assistance Dogs do every day.

The introductory session is ideal for dogs who are new to these skills, while the progression session is designed to advance your learning.

Attend as a handler with your own dog, or come as a spectator to observe and practice at home!

Venue: Shipton By Beningbrough Hall

9.30am Foundations workshop
1.30pm Progressions workshop

Helpful Hounds 16th Feb

 

 

Introduction to Canicross Workshop: Sunday 27th January 

Expert kit fitting, basic skills tuition and a short guided run to put it all into practice!

NO NEED TO BE SUPER FIT!

Wigginton near York 
2pm Sunday 27th January

Book Intro Workshop

Adapt or die – a terrifying lesson from January 2019! (Love Your Business)

Without wishing to traumatise any of you lovely folks reading this missive, I am going to have to mention the B***** word…

Because this January has been more challenging than normal for my business.

And when I started writing these emails and blogs, I promised to be honest about the ups as well as the downs.

The beginning of the year is definitely a weird one for trainers and behaviourists.

There’s often an influx of new puppies for classes, or struggling puppies for 121 sessions.

And we tend to get a lot more enquiries about behaviour help for the dogs who bit relatives over the festive period.

What’s less reliable is the uptake in weekly classes - sports, activities and other progression stuff.

It can be a tough time of year financially, but this year feels even harder.

And I really do think we’re finally feeling the Brexit effect. Uncertainty is at an all time high, and that means people are less likely to spend money especially if that’s on a perceived luxury.

The good news is that we could see this coming because

• We monitor enrolments and enquiries weekly - which gives us scope to make last minute changes where they are needed rather than panicking at the end of the quarter 
• If people don’t sign up for classes they’d expressed an interest in earlier, we gently but persistently ask why – we need this information to be able to adapt 

What are we doing as a result?

• Making changes to our class schedule so courses are a bit shorter (and therefore cheaper without cutting the price) 
• Offering more half day themed workshops (require less commitment from owners) 
• Concentrating on promoting our core earners (puppy classes and behavioural work) 
• Making sure we monitor enquiries, follow-up and conversion rates for puppy and behaviour categories 

Have you noticed the Brexit Bite hitting your business yet?

What steps are you taking now? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Morag 

UltraCaniCrosser, Firewalker, Clinical Animal Behaviourist

PS Thanks for the feedback on the webinars, I’m so glad you enjoyed them but I know not everyone managed to book on for the whole set.

If you want to catch up on any of the webinars that you missed from last year, or go back through them and start taking action, they are all finally uploaded and available!

Choose a single webinar + resource pack (£15+vat each), or grab the whole set of 6 for just £80+vat

You have access to these for as long as Teachable exists, and I’ll add extra resources to each pack as and when I think of them.

https://wellconnectedcanine.teachable.com/p/the-business-of-behaviour-training 

What do all those letters mean anyway? The alphabet spaghetti canicross challenge

Certified

Accredited

Approved

Qualified

Diplomas and more…


In pretty much any area of life you’ll find people offering to certify you in the skill of your choice. And now with the internet, the sky really is the limit – did you know you can become a fully fledged minister of religion over the web?

Sometimes the courses are really great, full of information and up to date, based on practical experience + good research.

But sometimes the “course” is brief, shallow, and taught by people who may not have much more knowledge than you. What you’re really paying for is a shiny certificate, logo or badge.

Learning anything takes time. We need repetition, feedback and careful coaching. Because “natural talent” is really just a combination of excellent teaching and grit. (Don’t believe me, read “The Talent Code” by Daniel Coyle)


Does that mean that accreditation doesn’t matter?

Heck no!

IF the standard is high and rigorously assessed, then some kind of external qualification can be a great way to identify potentially good teachers.

But shiny certificates in themselves are not enough…nor is “having dogs all your life”!

If you want to learn how to teach assistance tasks to your dog, start practicing a new hobby like canicross or even get help with a serious behaviour problem, then here’s who I think you should be looking for as a tutor:

• someone with practical AND theoretical knowledge gained over several months/years 
• who updates their learning regularly with carefully chosen CPD 
• that puts their learning into practice with their own dogs as well yours 
• who has comprehensive insurance and good working practices 

So on that basis. why do I think I’m “qualified” to teach canicross?

It’s a fair question to ask, in fact I wish more people did ask!

• Over 10 years practical experience in trail running and canicrossing with my own dogs from 5 k up to 55 mile ultra distances. 
• Prior to that I was a hillwalker in Scotland. 
• Experienced dog trainer working with a range of breeds, and able to adapt methods accordingly – it’s not just about running forward and hoping your dog gets the idea! 
• Experienced remedial massage therapist and bodyworker (humans and dogs) used to performing movement assessment – helps when advising on technique and equipment fitting 
• Attending advanced canicross technique and training courses at least once per year plus completed the Sport England Leadership in Running Fitness course 

So, when we’re next thinking about signing up to a course, let’s make sure we do our “due diligence” as the Americans would say.

Check out the trainer’s experience, qualifications and just how much do they “walk their talk”…

None of this usually comes cheap.

But it’s always worth paying for expert tuition - just make sure it really is coming from an expert!

We’re going to be hosting a joint seminar (evening) and some half day workshops with our favourite veterinary physiotherapist very soon.

These sessions will offer in-depth expertise and research based advice on how to create strong physical foundations for active dogs.

And I can’t wait to see you there! 

Happy trails and even happier tails 

Morag and the beasts

#beautyandthebeast #GWP #ultracollie 

What’s on for local canicrossers?

Introduction to Canicross Workshop: Sunday 27th January

Expert kit fitting, basic skills tuition and a short guided run to put it all into practice!
Wigginton near York 

Book Intro Workshop

Drop-in Canicross classes: Tuesday evenings at 7pm around York

Next class is 22 Jan in Wheldrake Woods - headtorch essential

See class locations and book your space here:  https://wellconnectedcanine.blogspot.com/2019/01/canicross-classes-jan-march-2019.html

Physical Foundations for Active Dogs: Evening seminar

(rearranged to Thurs 7th Feb following illness)

This seminar will take you through the basics of warm up versus cool down routines, sport specific considerations plus key skills to teach your dog so that physiotherapy can be quick and effective.

with Hannah Michael (Theakston Physiotherapy Services Ltd) BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy, MSc Veterinary Physiotherapy, ACPAT (Category A)

and Morag Heirs (Well Connected Canine Ltd & Yorkshire Cani-sports) PhD, Clinical Animal Behaviourist, Canine Massage & Acupressure Therapist, UltraCaniCrosser

Book Seminar Place

 

Social CaniRun every Sunday at 8.30am, Allerthorpe Woods (free)

Currently we’re at Allerthorpe Woods to avoid the worst of the mud. Join us for a 5k loop over varied terrain, and the option to run an extra loop for bonus fun at the end!
Download directions, route map and gpx file here

When is your puppy not learning?

Hey, it’s Clare, I’ve taken over the puppy blogs!! 

I’m going to use my experience, what the research shows us and input from our amazing clients to give you regular tips to help you with raising your puppy or preparing for a new addition. 

 Question: When is your puppy not learning? 

 Answer: NEVER…even when they are asleep their tiny brains are processing everything they’ve just learnt. 

 What does that mean for you as your puppy’s guardian? 

•  It means you’ve got to plan ahead and know what you want your puppy to learn, if you want them to greet people with all four feet on the ground you need to know how and when you're going to practice 

• You'll need good management strategies, remember your puppy is learning all of the time, make sure it's the stuff you do want them to learn. 

• You’ve got to know what floats your puppy’s boat, you need to be able to reward them for making those good choices 

Week 3 in our Puppy Foundations class is all about helping your puppy to learn good manners. One of the biggest problems new puppy owners bring to class is that their puppy wants to jump up at people to greet them and they would like their puppy to keep 4 feet on the ground, because it’s more polite and much safer! 

In last week’s class Juno the Labrador puppy was learning that she was much more likely to get attention or food rewards if she sat in front of people rather than jumping up at them. While her dads were learning how to manage situations so that Juno wasn't practising the unwanted behaviour.

Calling all Puppy Class graduates...


Are you a recent puppy class graduate and keen to discover your pups hidden talent? Could they be a Super Sniffer? a budding Agility Addict? a Parkour Ninja that loves climbing on things? or a Canicrosss Champion? 

Our 10 week Canine Activity Foundation Class gives you and your dog an introduction to a variety of different dog sports, teaching you some of the key skills required and discovering what you are going to enjoy doing together. 

 Classes start on Monday 21st January at 7.30pm 

 Book Canine Activity Foundations  

Having trouble with manners, recall or lead walking? 

Our three week intensive might be for you! 

These short focused courses allow you to practice on the one thing your dog struggles with, so rather than trying to learn lots of new skills all at once we'll just give you what you need to work on the main thing you need help with. 

 Book your class  


Happy Training 

Clare 

The Eva Diaries - Part 2

Follow the journey of Munsterlander puppy Eva and her mums as they share their experience of living with a new puppy 

The Eva Diaries  - Part 2


Eva is learning all the time, regardless of whether I'm actively teaching her. All her actions have consequences, and she's using these to help her decide which ones to try again, and which to leave out of her repertoire! But I can influence how often she can try certain behaviours – giving her lots of opportunities to practice behaviour that I want to encourage, while limiting the number of times she can practice behaviour that isn't in anyone's best interests. 

Based on my early experiences with Eva, I chose three life skills to work on during her first week: 

1. Sitting nicely beside kitchen surfaces (rather than jumping up)

One of my first discoveries was that Eva loves food – a bonus for me, as she'll be taught using reward-based methods and food is one of the easiest and most versatile rewards I can use. On the flip side, Eva doesn't yet know that humans prefer dogs not to help themselves to food off worksurfaces or tables, and it was clear she'd think nothing of it if only she was tall enough to reach the source of the delicious smells! 

So, I rewarded Eva with a small, tasty treat every time she sat while I was at the kitchen side, which she frequently did as it's the most comfortable way for her to watch me, and I ignored any attempts to jump up at the counter as I knew she couldn't reach high enough to reward herself. For now, I have a puppy who is happy to sit and wait for me to feed her exciting morsels of food from the counter, and I'm hoping this will become automatic before her legs grow too much! 

2. Teaching Eva her name (and a recall cue)

My next observation was that Eva was unresponsive to voices – speaking to her in a friendly, encouraging tone didn't get much response, and I couldn't get her attention using my voice. Since recall is one of the most important life skills Eva will learn, I decided to make teaching her a visual recall cue, and her name, my next priority. 

I like to teach my dogs to target my closed fist as their visual recall cue – it's easy for them to learn, as the scent of a treat in my closed hand naturally attracts them, and having a specific target to aim for really seems to improve their recall. It's helpful around distractions, as I can position my hand so that Eva can't see them and target at the same time, and useful if I need to end playtime or catch Eva for safety reasons, since I can delay opening my hand to give her the treat until I've got hold of her harness or line with my free hand. We're practicing her coming to me without being caught, and being caught and released, many more times than just being caught, so that Eva doesn't associate my recall cue with the end of her fun. 

Once Eva was happily coming to me every time I offered her my closed fist, I started to call her name just before showing her my fist – initially when she was already looking at me, and then when I anticipated she was just about to turn or there was a pause in her activity, and building up slowly until I could call her away from moderate distractions. She's doing well and is listening more to voices too, as she's learnt that hearing her name means we have something she'll love! 

3. Praising Eva for picking stuff up!

Most young puppies like to explore the world with their mouths, and Eva's natural desire to carry objects is strong as she's bred for retrieving, too – in fact, she loves having something in her mouth more than any of my other dogs, and often crams two toys in for good measure! I want Eva to feel confident about holding all kinds of items, and this might come in useful if we want to take part in training activities like gundog work or working trials when Eva is older. 

My approach has therefore been to ensure that Eva can't get hold of anything she shouldn't, and to praise her gently, and let her climb onto my knee to chew her prizes when she does find things – even if it's the grub she's extracted from underneath the doorstep! She has access to lots of toys of different sizes and textures, as well as safe household objects like toilet rolls with treats inside, and she's enjoyed playing with a teaspoon so that she can experience holding metal. 

My management plan doesn't always work, and she's already had a wonderful time throwing my slippers around the kitchen and wrestling with my walking boots! But that's ok – our lifelong relationship is more important than teeth marks and I don't need to try to take those objects off immediately her as they're not a threat to her safety – instead I can praise her calmly and wait for her to lose interest, or encourage her to play with a toy instead while I rescue my footwear… 

It seems inevitable that Eva is going to pick up something unsafe or unsavoury (or both) one day, so I've also begun teaching her that it's safe to give objects to me, starting with chews. Since Eva is very food-oriented and not inclined to guard her chews, I can offer a small, tasty treat right next to her nose while she's chewing, wait for her to choose to drop the chew, give her the treat and pick up the chew simultaneously, and give the chew back to her as she finishes the treat. I'm careful not to do this too often, though – it's annoying if someone keeps interrupting a favourite pastime, even if they are offering you something nice! When the chew gets so small that I need to take it away, I exchange it for a puppy kong stuffed with tiny chicken pieces – Eva thinks this is a good exchange as she willingly drops the chew, and it gives her something else tasty to bite on. 

I can't wait to teach Eva more life skills and games as she gets older, but these early lessons were enough for both of us to cope with in her first week! 

"Hi Clare, I need to go into hospital today, can you look after Laird for a couple of days?"

"Hi Clare, I need to go into hospital today, can you look after Laird for a couple of days?"

Those words initially filled me with dread, not because I don't love the giant GWP goofball that is Laird, but because I didn't know how Spencer, my reactive German Shepherd, would cope with a strange dog in the house. 

"Yes, of course, that's fine, no problem" 

was my response, though inside I was slightly panicking!!

I knew my other  dogs would be fine, Poppy and Summer would just ignore him and Scout would just want to follow him around, imagining he was herding him. 

Spencer was my big concern, he's fine meeting tiny puppies but introductions to new adult dogs are done over several session usually taking a few months. 

I'm pleased to say that all my panicking had been for nothing and Spencer coped amazingly well with his new giant cousin, even having a few sneaky sniffs here and there! 

And here's the proof by day 2!

Spencer made me feel very proud of how far he has come and that all our hard work has paid off!

One of the things that really helped our training was being able to practice our skills in  real life situations, having set-ups that allowed us to progress and build Spenders confidence in a safe environment.

Clare and the slightly less scaredy GSD Spencer

Rehab Sessions

Our Rehab sessions give you the chance to practice your skills around other dogs in a safe environment, with additional coaching and support. 

Choose from Tuesday afternoon or Sunday morning sessions, in York (with Morag) or South Cave (with Clare)

*NEW* Scentwork for Reactive Dogs    Sat 2nd February 2019

Does your dog struggle to be calm around people or other dogs? 

This half day workshop introduces scentwork and how it can benefit your dog, including practical coaching, individual coaching and looks at how you can incorporate searches into your training and walks. 

Held at the Paw Park, Sand Hutton, York.  Please note, dogs will need to be able to settle in cars when not working.


Book Sniffing School for Reactive Dogs

Hot weather, canicross and Dalby race dates (CHANGED)

The organisers of the Dalby Canicross races have announced a change of dates which means the June race has moved to April - this is really good news because with the recent weather trends there's a real risk of overheating dogs with serious consequences.

These are now the confirmed dates and distances:
17th February 2019 - 5k
7th April 2019 - 7k
8th September 2019 - 5k
3rd November 2019 - 8k
Price: £25 per event
Season Ticket (for all 4 events) - £85

Enter here: https://www.northyorkshiresport.co.uk/events/2019/02/dalby-forest-canicross-1


Dogs, canicross and hot weather

For anyone interested, Anne Carter's team at Nottingham Trent University has been working on heatstroke in dogs with a specific focus on sports and canicross. So far they've completed initial studies on normal versus post-race temperature, and explored the factors that affect the potential for heatstroke.

Some of their main take away findings has been that

"The recommendation to not run a dog if ‘ambient temperature (oC) x humidity (%) >1000’ did not correlate to canine body temperature in any way, so its continued use cannot be recommended for the general pet dog population.

Dog owners need to be aware of the factors that can impact their animal’s exercising body temperature. An unfit, poorly acclimatised, dark coated male dog may be at greater risk of heatstroke running in late autumn, than a pale coated, female dog in regular training, running in warmer conditions."

They are now exploring "cooling post-race, effectiveness of cooling methods used and how quickly dogs cool down under different conditions."

What this means for us is that acclimatisation and fitness is really important - while we can't change our dog's coat colour we absolutely can help them to adjust to the changes in temperature.

I think this also suggests that we might make quite different decisions on racing in early versus later summer, when the dogs may have had more time to acclimatise.

I personally do generally continue to run during the summer BUT it's often very early in the morning and always at a slower ultra-shuffle pace rather than a fast 5k speed.

Happy running folks, and I’ll see you soon! 

Morag and the #dreamteam, #beautyandthebeast 
 

Be More Active With Your Dog – Weekly Events*

Sunday CaniRun Social 8.30am weekly (FREE)

Currently we’re at Allerthorpe Woods to avoid the worst of the mud. Join us for a 5k loop over varied terrain, and the option to run an extra loop for bonus fun at the end!
Download directions, route map and gpx file here
 

Weekly Canicross Classes (start Tues 15th Jan at 7pm) 

What could be more fun than running in the mud, at night, with a headtorch – right? Especially when you’ve got expert coaching and skill building sessions too.
Join us for the whole block (10 classes for price of 9) or just book individual weeks.
Full information, class locations and booking links here
 

Bodywork & Relaxation Classes (start Wed 23rd January, 6.30pm)

Learn how to help your dog relax even in the most exciting situations using massage and bodywork plus some extra techniques. Banish the start line anxiety, or excited screaming, and save that energy for the race!

• If you’ve attended anything with us before, grab your place and attend with your dog
• Not sure your dog will cope, but want to learn anyway? Sign up for a spectator place and practice on the other dogs in class.

Questions? Email me! morag @ wellconnectedcanine.co.uk

 

Be More Active With Your Dog - Workshops 

Sunday 27th January Introduction to Canicross (half-day workshop) 

Expert kit fitting, basic skills tuition and a short guided run to put it all into practice!
Wigginton near York 

Book Intro Workshop

Sunday 27th January Improvers Canicross Workshop (half day) 

Survive running downhill with your dog, and learn to love those ascents, more advanced skills and lots of personal coaching for your running technique
Welburn, nr Castle Howard 

Book Improver Workshop

 

Be More Active With Your Dog – Races*

Dalby Canicross – Forestry Commission 
A series of 4 races have been announced for 2019 and you can find more details here: https://www.northyorkshiresport.co.uk/events/2019/02/dalby-forest-canicross-1

Running Riot (Skipton) 5k Race 14 April 2019 
Several of us attended last year and it was a great experience. While the field margins were tricky for novice dogs, the event was well organised and the water crossing added some extra excitement too. More information here: https://www.sueryder.org/support-us/fundraise/events/running-riot-canicross-skipton-2019 

Tail Trails Events (Lake District) 
Another new series of events aimed at people running with their dogs but this isn’t quite a canicross focused event yet. Worth checking out if you fancy a trip over
First one is 27 January 2019, and more to follow. https://www.tailtrails.org.uk/ 
 

Other places to find out about races 

Canicross Events FaceBook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/165126597013777/

K9TrailTime event listings: https://www.k9trailtime.com/information/national-canicross-events 

*if you know of any events that might be of interest to the canicross community PLEASE do email or message me the details and I will add them in!

Well that escalated fast! and why I've been in hospital

“I want you to go straight to A + E with this letter. They’re expecting you as an urgent admission. And I’d pack a bag for two days”

Was not what I was expecting to hear at 9.30am last Wednesday when I went to see my GP!!!

You’ll not be surprised to hear that my immediate response was that I really couldn’t do that, I mean who was going to look after my dogs to start with!
And I had clients to see, and……

Then it dawned on me.

Yes, the GP was being cautious, but the consultant on the phone had just agreed that I needed to go in asap for intravenous antibiotics.

(before anyone panics too much, I got unlucky when two cartilage piercings were knocked and became infected, I’ve had my treatment and it’s all under control) 

Thankfully, I recognised the signs of potential infection and went to see my doctor fairly quickly.

The last time I had a problem like this I delayed and put it off – and was very lucky indeed!

But would you know how to recognise the signs in your dog?

When you’re out on a walk, and suddenly your dog is covered in wasps, being stung repeatedly* would you know what to do?

If you’re not sure then grab one of the 4 remaining spaces on the Emergency First Aid seminar, 7pm Monday 14th January, run by qualified Vet Nurse and Dog Training Instructor Antonia Parkin RVN (venue: Yorkshire Museum of Farming)

Book First Aid

The evening will include information on what you should be carrying on walks, how to bandage your dog successfully, dealing with allergic reactions, plus much more...



So, I’d like to apologise to anyone waiting to hear back from me this week, and thank every single person who understood why we had to postpone the Bodywork + Relaxation seminar too.

If you missed out on booking it there’s still time – I’ve rescheduled to Wed 16th January and I’m really looking forward to seeing you there.

Teach your dog to Relax


Here’s hoping for a less exciting week, and may we live in less interesting times!

Morag, the collie girls and the Big Yin 


*yes that really did happen to me last summer, poor Laird was crawling in the wee buggers 

PS In case you were wondering, the girls stayed over with Laura, Keith, Seamus and Brian while Laird had THE BEST TIME EVER living with his Auntie Clare and his gundog cousins for a few days

*whispers* have you set any resolutions yet?

So it’s a new year, apparently! 

I have to confess, I’m not super into the whole new year-new you/new training thing. Not because I don’t set goals, but that’s not a once per year thing for me.

Here at WCC we run on 4 x mini years (12 week years, or Morag Years as Clare likes to call them!), which gives us four times as many new year – new start opportunities!

The problem with most resolutions is they’re unachievable, much too vague, and the deadline is so far away that we lose any sense of urgency…

Working in shorter blocks of time, with clearly defined goals really does change everything. 

If you’re not convinced, why not read the lovely message that came in from Laura & Roman.

They’ve worked so very hard through 2018, and made amazing progress from taking long car trips, attending rehab class, relaxing during firework season and having “Monty Don” moments in the garden!

"If anyone's feeling determined but also a bit unsure about how to go about making some real progress with their dog, can I recommend working with Morag on a 12 week plan. I did this with my lurcher, Roman, last year and we made huge and unexpected progress.

Morag helped us define our overall goal, then break it down into smaller objectives, which we worked on for 12 weeks, adjusting as we went along. We had regular Skype calls to keep us on track which really helped.

Our overall goal was to go to Morag and Clare's Rehab Club, so we could practice being around other dogs. Unfortunately, the location is about an hour's drive from where we live, and Roman was very unsettled in the car on long drives. 

Before we could think about how Rehab Club could help us, we had to think about getting there! So our smaller objectives were for Roman to be able to travel longer distances in the car, without getting anxious, to be more relaxed about visiting new places, and to be more settled in the car on his own.

Each week we had specific aims, like introducing new drives, increasing the length of drives, practicing the Relaxation Protocol in different places and in the car.

By the end of the 12 weeks, we'd progressed to a couple of practice drives to where the Rehab Club takes place, and have now been to Rehab Club about 5 times, where we were able to work on Roman's reactivity to other dogs, which has also improved a lot. 

I found the plan quite intensive but the structure helped me keep on track. I was also able to see clearly how much progress we were making. And of course, I couldn't have done it without Morag's patience, encouragement and humour"

So what’s your small, achievable and clearly defined goal for the next few months?

Feeling brave? Post it in the FaceBook group, that’s where I’ll be putting mine shortly!

 

What's going on in WCC Land?

Don't miss out on your WCC fix this month, we have seminars, workshops AND adult classes start back on 21st January.

• Book 10 week classes or 3 week intensives up front and pay online (don’t forget to use your codes) 
• Book a 10 week class but spread the cost over three payments (instructions here ) 
• Book 10 canicross classes and get one free OR book each week individually

Book an evening seminar


Book 10 week block classes

Book a 3 week intensive

Special Reward Codes

Our glamorous assistants can use their special discount codes, and anyone in the WCC family who books more than one class (paying up front) can use your special dedication code. If you think you should have a code, but can’t remember it please email the office for help (info@wellconnectedcanine.co.uk)