Can you believe it’s 2022?
I feel like I’ve just blinked and suddenly 2021 is over and we’re in a brand new year!
I’m not really a huge fan of new year’s resolutions, but what I really like to think about are goals for the year ahead.
Over Christmas my inbox was flooded with enquiries, the common thing these people shared was that they all wanted to start 2022 with peace of mind over their crazy Spaniel.
Maybe you can relate?
Perhaps you feel like this needs to be the year that your Spaniel learns how to chill out?
Maybe you’re sick of feeling embarrassed or ashamed because of something that your Spaniel or Spaniel mix has done?
Perhaps you desperately want to reclaim and enjoy your walks so that you’re not having to avoid birds or squirrels which your Spaniel loves to chase?
Maybe you want to feel confident in leaving your Spaniel alone this year? Instead of going out and spending the whole time worrying about what you’ll come back to?
Do you want your Spaniel to chill in 2022?
After years of training, experience and practice I’ve realised that although Spaniels can be crazy. They really can learn to calm down.
Trust me, I’m a Spaniel mum to two Cocker Spaniels, Kobie and Bailey, and whilst some days I’ll admit I need a glass of wine (or a bottle!) after a particularly Spaniel-ly day I can honestly say that they can chill out, and most importantly so can I!
Unfortunately, due to my long waiting list,I can’t see people straight away, which is why I developed the Spaniel Inner-circle so that Spaniel and Spaniel mix owners all over the world can get immediate access to training that will help them achieve peace and quiet from their Spaniel.
Sounds good, doesn’t it?
By working online through video demonstrations I give people access to invaluable, easy to put in place information so that they don’t have to wait around to start training.
And they don’t have to spend time with a trainer who doesn’t understand their breed, you see Spaniels are different, they need specific help and guidance. Dog training is not a one fits all method, which is why getting help from a breed-specific expert is one of the best things you can ever do.
I’ve even been dubbed ‘The Spaniel Guru’ because of how much I can help them understand their Spaniels.
One key piece of advice I give is that you’ll never tire a Spaniel out through walks, you’ll be huffing and puffing with aching calves and your Spaniel will be lapping in circles around you ready for more.
Trust me, I’ve been there, no amount of walking will get them to sit still!
Instead, when you have a Spaniel breed it’s all about learning to use their brain and nose.
Just like when babies or toddlers are ‘too tired’ to sleep they become cranky, Spaniels get cranky when they can’t relax, when they’ve been on endless walks running through fields and fields but still can’t unwind.
This is because this activity actually increases their energy! Even though your legs are tired from walking, your spaniel still wants more
It’s a myth that you can tire them out through long walks, they are like the Mo Farah of the dog world, they will run all day and then sign up for another run.
Even throwing a ball won’t work, as ball throwing raises their adrenaline levels, meaning they will get more excited.
What your Spaniel needs is some brain activity! Instead of throwing the ball try hiding it in some long grass and get that spaniel nose working to find it.
To teach this:
- Show your spaniel the ball
- Put the ball down
- Tell your spaniel to ‘find it’
- Put the ball under something obvious like a towel
- And tell them to ‘go and find it’
- Then you can take this outside and try hiding the ball under different objects and give the ‘find it’ cue
Scent work is so powerful for helping your Spaniel chill out, and it also really strengthens your bond together. In the Spaniel Inner-circle I’ve had two very special guest sessions which focus on the power of your Spaniel’s nose, when you join you can have access to these straight away to learn more about the science behind it and the practical things you can put in place so that you can finally sit down and enjoy a cup of tea!
If you’re thinking, how do I get access to more techniques like this? How can I gain a better understanding of my Spaniel? Then the answers lie within my Spaniel Inner-circle, as soon as you join you have immediate access to all of the sessions, which feature demonstrations, training techniques and much more. So that you can start training your Spaniel with breed-specific help today.
Do you want to walk your Spaniel without being dragged around?
I have lost count of the amount of Spaniel or Spaniel mix owners who come to me on the verge of tears because they are sick of being dragged around the park on walks.
I’ve had owners tell me how embarrassed they are and share how they feel like they’re the only person in the park who can’t control their dog.
But with patience, understanding and the right training techniques loose lead walking can be achieved, no matter how old your dog is.
I can confirm that a few glasses of wine can also help with the process and the patience needed whilst you practise loose lead walking!
I tell my clients, it’s a marathon not a sprint, and whilst results do happen they don’t happen overnight.
When it comes to training your Spaniel at the heart of everything is the relationship that you and your Spaniel share. So what I encourage everyone to do at the start of their loose lead training is to establish good eye contact with their dog.
There are many ways that you can encourage your Spaniel to look at you and check in before they decide to do something, and the more you strengthen this the more likely it is that your Spaniel will start looking at you instead of pulling on the lead.
One simple and easy way to do this is to reward check ins, what I mean by this is that everytime your Spaniel looks at you, say yes and give them a treat. You could even have a jar of around 20 treats and aim to reward them 20 times a day for just looking at you. They will soon start to learn that when they check in with you good things happen, which will strengthen your bond.
However check ins, whilst they are vital, are just a small piece of the puzzle when it comes to training your Spaniel to loose lead walk.
In my Spaniel Inner-circle I have two very special sessions with me to watch on replay which go into great detail the methods of loose lead walking with some very easy to follow steps.
In fact if you head over to my Facebook page you’ll see some amazing videos of my Spaniel Inner-circle members practising what they’ve learnt in the membership.
As soon as you join you’ll be able to watch any live video back, I even use my furry assistants Kobie and Bailey to help me demonstrate the various training methods and games so that you can see exactly how to do them.
Do you wish you could feel confident leaving your Spaniel alone in the house?
Maybe this year is the year where you want to feel confident leaving your Spaniel in the house, without them feeling anxious or doing behaviours that leave you almost in tears when you come home.
Or perhaps you just want your Spaniel to chill when you’re in the house, and learn how to relax on their own. Often Spaniel owners have come to me because they are exhausted by their dog’s constant need to be following them around.
Whilst it’s important that our dog’s love us, and we love them, feeling confident being separate plays a vital role in your dog’s health and happiness.,
At the moment separation anxiety is at an all time high because of lockdown and people being at home more, there are a lot of practises that you can put into place to help build your Spaniel’s confidence and independence, all of this we will be looking into in the Spaniel Inner-circle.
At the moment there’s already some top of the line advice about confidence building in the Spaniel Inner-circle from expert Helen Motteram who gave an insightful talk about confidence and anxiety.
Plus in March I’m doing a session all about separation anxiety, why it happens and how to prevent it in the Inner-circle.
I’ll be sharing advice as well as practical training techniques that you can easily introduce into your routine to help your Spaniel build confidence, and stop whining, barking or following you around the house because they are suffering from seperation anxiety.
Plus these are all really key skills to learn if you’re bringing home a puppy to help prevent it so that they can grow into a confident and self-assured dog.
Let’s make 2022 the year you fully enjoy your Spaniel
No matter what it is that you’re experiencing with your Spaniel if you can gain a better understanding of the breed and learn how their brain works then you’ll be able to train them in a way that suits their needs and increases your bond together.
I have over 150 members from all over the world in my Spaniel Inner-circle and whilst they all have different issues and different training goals they all get what they want from the guidance that’s available in the Inner-circle.
So no matter what type of Spaniel you have, whether that’s a Cockerpoo, Sprocker, Cavapoo, Cockerdile, Sprolly, Spreagle or any other Spaniel cross my Spaniel Inner-circle can help you!
It’s the first of its kind Spaniel focused membership that gives you help and support in training your Spaniel.
Each month there’s two live sessions, one from me sharing my Spaniel insights, and another from a Spaniel expert sharing theirs. I also hold a drop in Q and A session once a month so that you can come and ask me your specific Spaniel training questions.
The membership also includes a community forum where you can connect to other Spaniel parents and ask me your Spaniel questions.
So if training your Spaniel is on your agenda for this year, let me help you. You can get immediate access to specific help to ensure that your dog becomes a sociable member of the family, who you can enjoy stress-free walks with, family days out, and even trips to the pub!
Let me guide you with my expert knowledge to develop a deeper understanding of your Spaniels needs, including how best to play games that will bond and strengthen your relationship.
To find out more about the Spaniel Inner-circle visit this link.
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