Monthly Roundup - February

A very handsome boy doing some climbing.

I hope you’ve all had a good month! Mine has had its challenges – a smashed rear windscreen followed by a wheel alloy broken on a pothole – so it’s safe to say it hasn’t been the most profitable month ever. But alongside the chaos, there have been plenty of really lovely moments too.

In training, I’ve seen some wonderful client wins. From dogs who no longer pull their owners down the street, to an overenthusiastic adolescent male learning how to play politely with Teddy, it’s been such a joy to watch everyone make progress.

I know how tough it can be to make lifestyle changes and stick to new routines. I genuinely appreciate all the effort my training clients put in to make changes, even on the trickier days – it really does not go unnoticed.

Product of the Month

My product of the month has been my Twiggy Tags Tidal Waterproof Longline. I’ve loved using it for recall training for a while, but recently I’ve been doing quite a bit of training in especially muddy conditions and being able to just hose it off afterwards is absolutely fantastic.

It’s strength tested, which is brilliant, and I do recommend it to many of my clients, especially those with larger dogs. It’s not the cheapest longline out there, but it is certainly the best I’ve personally used. Check it out here.

FAQ of the Month - "Why is my puppy suddenly so badly behaved as an adolescent?”

Think back to being a teenager – all those hormones, big feelings, and that sense of invincibility, sometimes with zero impulse control. Dogs go through a very similar phase.

A lot of clients notice their adolescent dogs suddenly “forget” training – pulling on the lead, ignoring recall, or testing boundaries at home. A fascinating study found that adolescent dogs are less likely to follow commands from their main carer during this stage, but still respond well to other people. The study also showed that dogs with more insecure or anxious attachments to their carer are more likely to display conflict behaviours and reduced obedience at this age, which is very similar to human adolescence, where insecure attachment can increase conflict with parents (Asher et al., 2020). You can read the study here. 

The good news is this phase is temporary. Your teenage dog isn’t being deliberately naughty – they’re just navigating a hormonally charged, socially sensitive stage. Many “teenage” dogs are more challenging for a while, then settle beautifully as adults.

Teddy was a tiny terror until around two, and now she’s the sweetest little dog ever. I often think I can't believe how lucky I am to have such a good dog but then I remember how much work it took to get her to this point! If your pup is pushing limits, don’t panic. With patience, consistency, and the right support, this tricky stage passes, leaving you with a confident, well-adjusted adult dog. The important thing is to remain patient and maintain boundaries that are both kind and firm.

Personal Life

Our new-ish cat, Scooter has well and truly settled in now. It really feels like he's been with us forever, he's fitted into our life absolutely perfectly. He and Teds love to play, and they get so excited to see each other if they’ve been apart. It’s very sweet to watch.

Teddy and I have been making the most of the warmer days when they appeared - we're definitely excited for summer and more beach days!

Availability Update

Due to a client's work schedule changing, I currently have a couple of half hour weekday slots available in Halkirk. They’re perfect for a short pee break or a little wander round the block, so if you’d like one, give me a shout and I’ll try to fit you in.

At the moment I don’t have any regular one hour slots available. My waitlist is growing by the day, which I am incredibly grateful for, but it does mean availability is limited!

I do have some space for holiday drop in visits so if you do have holidays planned and need pet care, pop me a message and I'll see if I can book you in 🥰

What’s Next

I’m heading to London in March for the Neurodiverse Business Awards, which is very exciting. I’m quite looking forward to swapping muddy wellies for black tie glam for an evening! I suspect I'll be rather excited to see my wellies again after but it's nice to have an excuse to get dressed up....

Teddy showing off her cute Valentine's t-shirt.

All in all, February has been a month of ups and downs, muddy paws and little wins – the kind of chaos that makes this job SO rewarding! All the pets I spend time with never fail to make me smile every day.

As always, a huge thank you to all my clients for trusting me with your precious pets and for letting me be part of their lives! Here’s to another month of lots of cuddles and muddy adventures 💕