Blog

  • The evil ball thrower

    The evil ball thrower

    The use of ball throwers for dogs is controversial, as repetitive throwing can cause harm. Despite this, they can be beneficial for certain activities on walks, providing mental and physical exercise. Throwers allow for longer throws and unpredictable trajectories, engaging the dog’s senses and reducing the risk of injury. Consider their constructive potential. Read more

  • Time with dogs is relative

    Time with dogs is relative

    The author reflects on the different experiences of raising dogs at various stages of their lives. They express the privilege of witnessing their pets’ journey and the bittersweet nature of their short lifespan, emphasizing the deep bond formed in the time shared together. This introspective piece highlights the unique connections formed through different stages of… Read more

  • Teaching a puppy to walk in a retractable leash

    Teaching a puppy to walk in a retractable leash

    I’ve seen probably hundreds of claims about how flexi leashes “make your dog pull”. Unfortunately, universal statements without caveats are easily falsifiable… you only need one black swan to prove not all swans are white, so I wanted to show that a retractable lead does not automatically make or teach a dog to pull and… Read more

  • Enrichment tip & on the benefits of sniffing for puppies

    Enrichment tip & on the benefits of sniffing for puppies

    As I was cutting up the stinky dry tripe, I thought… jeez, the things I do for my dogs. In a “wow, I’m a crazy dog lady” kind of way, because if I tried to explain this to anyone normal, I’d definitely sound bonkers. Then I thought… why not make a video about it, because… Read more

  • The anatomy of a breed standard

    The anatomy of a breed standard

    The key reason why breed standards matter even when you are focused on the potential performance of a dog is that not all dogs are physically suited to the activities we want to do with them. I’ve previously written about why structure matters even for working spaniels – it’s not just about performance, unless you… Read more

  • Sniffing for treats as a tool

    Sniffing for treats as a tool

    Searching for treats on cue is a very useful behaviour for a dog to learn – it’s an example of a cusp behaviour, which means it broadens the dog’s behavioural repertoire and opens up the possibility for learning other behaviours. This is why I was doing it with Grace’s puppies from an early age so… Read more