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We did it!
In my last post I said that I hadn't heard whether I had successfully graduated from the Karen Pryor Academy Professional Course that had taken up so much of my time in 2018. Well I'm thrilled to be able to tell you that just before Christmas I found out that Flint...
Merry Christmas
I know, I know I've been MIA for ages and now I'm adding to your inbox at a time when it's already overflowing. Sorry. 2018 was a tough year for the humans at Tails We Win HQ with both my in-laws passing away in the first half of the year. That meant there was an...
How to make distractions work for you
Today’s post starts with a little story about my oldie spaniel Breckin. We aren’t entirely sure exactly how old he is but he’s been with us for nearly 11 years and was a horrible teenager when he landed so our best guess is that he is 12+ probably. He has spondylosis...
West Paw Toppl Review
I've been a bit lax with these posts - sorry. Time seems to have done that weird thing where it zooms past really fast at the time but when you think back on events they seem to have been decades ago, or just yesterday. I've also failed on the 100 days of...
100 days of dog training
I’ve been thinking about what brings success recently. Sometimes it can seem that success comes suddenly for people but in reality that’s just not the case. Their success is usually the result of a lot of continuous grafting for a long time. I watched a...
Finding space in a busy world
I’m at the hospital again as I write this. You’ll be reading this in several days time though. I’m sitting in a little outside space that’s been created and I’m taken by the general thoughtfulness of the area. It’s a courtyard really in the centre of the...
Choice and control
I’m writing this having found a quietish spot in the hospital that my mother in law is currently in. She’s pretty poorly right now and unlikely to get better so I’m here with my husband to support him. She doesn’t recognise me or my name but does know who...
Reinforcers are not rewards
If a behaviour is reinforced it is more likely to happen again in the future. The term reinforce is a technical term here, it has a scientific definition - reinforcement increases behaviour. That's not the same as reward. You might give your dog a reward - it isn't a...
Being a responsible dog owner
Well my last blog/email was more controversial than I had anticipated! Seems extendable leads split the dog owning community way more than I thought. My thanks to everyone who took the time to reply to me with your opinions. I'm afraid you haven't changed...
Why I hate those extendable leads
They are unsafe. I know, I know that's a big sweeping statement and I'm sure you use one responsibly, but really I'd be glad for them to be banned. I get the appeal I really do. Fido isn't safe to go offlead in some places so the extendable lead lets him have some...
