D O G G I E D O M

holistic dog training & wellness

Foods to help manage your dog’s behaviour

While research is still a bit thin on the ground about the influence of diet on behaviour in dogs, there are some really interesting studies on humans and animals that suggest we can help prevent or at least support the treatment of dog's that have behavioural issues. A dog's behaviour is heavily influenced by its nervous and endocrine (hormones) systems. In turn, these systems rely on an appropriate balance of nutrients to...

What to consider when adopting a dog

Last month I adopted another beautiful doggie into my family.  It wasn't exactly planned, but I've always believed in that old training truism that you end up with the dogs you deserve and perhaps those that need you too.  From the moment I saw little Leila in the dog shelter I knew she was coming home with me. Some might call this 'puppy love' at first sight, and while I think feeling a connection to a dog is very much part of...

Keeping it positive with Tricia Dunlop of Dogspeak

I first met Tricia many years ago when I was starting my dog training apprenticeship. I was immediately impressed with her passion for training and her ever growing interest and pursuit to understand more about the science behind learning and the many benefits of Positive Reinforcement (R+) training.  Since then Tricia has been a valuable source of knowledge and inspiration to me in these areas and in this guest blog we find out more about...

Daisy’s Story – The lessons of a rescue dog

There's a bit of a theme in my recent blogs telling the stories of the precious dogs in my life - their incredible ability to be great life teachers. I credit Daisy, my beautiful little Papillon cross, with teaching me so much about animal behaviour.  She played a crucial part in helping me achieve my qualifications in dog training. About 15 years ago I picked out Daisy from a local dog shelter for the sister of my partner at the time....