BECAUSE DOG TRAINING IS NOT ONE-SIZE-FITS ALL Train the Dog in Front of You (Denise Fenzi) If there was one sentence in the blurb that describes this book, it’s this: “This book is practical, realistic, easy to read and….radically different from all other dog training books on the market.” I’ve never seen a book likeContinueContinue reading “Books on dog-human connection”
Category Archives: Musings
I’m Nell, and I’m a kleptomaniac
Nell has long had certain kleptomaniac tendencies and I’ve recently become more curious about it. A most precious stone By kleptomaniac I literally mean randomly picking up items that were of no value whatsoever and resource guarding them like Gollum. We’ve worked a lot on her resource guarding and mostly it’s predictable and managed (especiallyContinueContinue reading “I’m Nell, and I’m a kleptomaniac”
Reflections on the microcosm of Polish Hunting Spaniels
Last weekend we attended our first ever dog show with Grace – and not just any dog show but a national exhibition of Polish Hunting Spaniels… in Poland. Before Grace we never considered showing a dog, and to be honest, it still isn’t something I’m particularly keen on but we had promised her breeder thatContinueContinue reading “Reflections on the microcosm of Polish Hunting Spaniels”
Do dogs have mental depth?
Some non-dog people I’ve met have this idea that dogs are all the same, and basically just respond to the stimulus in front of them. Although this is obvious most people reading this, I find it fascinating and amusing to observe the strong pre-existing preferences both of my dogs have for certain things. Grace lovedContinueContinue reading “Do dogs have mental depth?”
All about the eyes
One reason I love (working) spaniels and can’t imagine having any other kind of dog is how expressive their eyes and face are. Based on what I’ve read recently, I think it’s due to more finely developed facial muscles (e.g. eyebrows) – which in itself could be because they are bred to be a closeContinueContinue reading “All about the eyes”
New winter coats and listening to your dog
Our new Equafleece coats have arrived! With the winter on our doorstep these two waterbeasts are always soggy when they get in the car so for the drive home, I like to make sure they stay warm. Their current jumpers require wrangling font legs into holes and for a while now Nell has been prettyContinueContinue reading “New winter coats and listening to your dog”
Thinking about choice
I’m a fan of giving dogs choice and have previously not quite understood nor agreed with people who say their dogs can’t handle choices. Reading this article, I understand a little better – or to be more accurate, I have a better grasp of the concept and vocabulary of choice, and where it is appropriate.ContinueContinue reading “Thinking about choice”
“Why did you get a second busy dog?”
A couple of days ago we bumped into a dog physiotherapist who used to treat Nell and she me why we decided to get a second busy dog. The question took me slightly by surprise and I didn’t have a good answer for her on the spot, but her question stuck with me so IContinueContinue reading ““Why did you get a second busy dog?””
How my heart dog has changed my life
Some months ago I read about the term ‘heart dog’ – the dog who “comes along once in a lifetime and grabs your heart so tightly he changes the way you live life” and who is “forever a part of our emotional existence — a part of what made us who we are”. Even thinkingContinueContinue reading “How my heart dog has changed my life”
Fresh start
I’ve wanted to start this blog for over a year, but life got in the way. Two weeks ago we welcomed a new family member, Grace, and I thought now is a good time to start documenting our experiences of keeping two dogs busy. Two weeks in, I have realised how much work I haveContinueContinue reading “Fresh start”
BusyDoggie 