MAD DOG JUNE #24

Author: Erin Dixon

What You Need To Know:

You can bring a partner (if you want)

There are no dogs permitted

If you’d like to come, please let us know so we can add you to a group chat to tell you everything else! You do not need to stay the entire night. We would love to see you!

Pop us an email to RSVP or comment on the original group post.

Oh, did I forget to mention - It’s Laura’s BDAY PARTY!!!

Through Erin’s contacts and links with the RSPCA, we have been approached to try to help bring a different perspective on the dogs who remain in their care.

So, if you didn’t know anything about the RSPCA other than what is exposed online, I am going to give you a little insight into the issues that rescue centres face on a day to day basis.

I cant speak for every centre, but this is certainly the key points for some. There are 58 kennels in Great Ayton, 6 of which are isolation and 6 that were designated for ‘Long Stay’ dogs. With limited funding available, or a lack of urgency from those higher, some kennels remain broken for a period of time, especially those broken by stressed dogs. Some kennels are too small for larger breeds therefore more often than not, these breeds are refused entry and have to be taken to a separate kennel facility that is a private centre, much like those you pick for boarding your dog during holidays.

Dogs may enter the centre for a range of reasons;

Dumped/abandoned

Abused

Bereavement

Owner banned from owning dogs in the first place

Vet treatment too expensive

Seized by police as dangerous or banned breed

The list goes on and on.

Dogs really struggle in the kennel environment, often, centres are under-staffed, over worked and have limited facilities. For example, if a centre has 4 handlers to 40 dogs, the centre is open between 8:30am and 16:30pm... this is how the day goes;

8;30 - Feed dogs 8:30-11:00 - deep clean kennels, change bedding, clean bowls, make enrichment, medicate dogs, vet runs 11-11:15 - break 11:15-13:00 - exercise

14:00 - 15:30 - exercise and train

15:30-16:30 - feed, medicate and clean kennels and runs and give overnight enrichment.

In the space of the day, there is time for approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes to walk, train and exercise all dogs in their care. This leaves approximately 20 minutes per dog per handler if we base it from the above scenario. 20 minutes out of 24 hours.

Staff work tirelessly to ensure that each dog has at least touched a blade of grass that day, looked outside the confinement of kennel walls or enjoyed a cuddle. But it is still not enough.

Often, the dogs can only go for a walk around the field, training where they can or are let off in the secure field to play.

The issue is, the expectancy of the turnaround for dogs in kennels is extremely short. Management want dogs to be in, assessed, trained and then put up for rehoming, which is fine... but are the dog’s ready?

More often than not, adopters will attend a meet, the dog is extremely excited and has bounds of energy and the adopter is put off by the ‘trainability’.

This is where we come in.

There are plenty of dogs that are overlooked due to their intense nature or their breed type.

More often than not, handlers do not have the time to stimulate the dogs to prove they can be ‘normal’.

We were approached to see if we would be willing to share some time and expertise to broadcast the trainability of these overlooked dogs, and prove they are just as worthy and deserving of a home as a brand new puppy.

So keep an eye out on our social media for some [hopefully] happy stories about some dogs in need.

Training days aren’t all the same, and neither are you. Take this light hearted quiz to see which type of handler you are channelling today.

You arrive at training and your dog is bouncing with energy. You...

Let them burn off some energy with a playtime.

The dog keeps lunging at distractions like people or other dogs. You...

Add more movement based activities to keep engagement high.

Pause, observe and adjust your environment or set up to prevent over-arousal.

The Fun Leader The Zen Handler

You bring excitement, creativity and tons of positive energy to your sessions.

You’re calm, grounded and observant

creating a space where dogs feel safe.

Cue a sit of simple focus game to bring them into work mode.

The dog offers a sit, but keeps glancing around and seems unfocused. You...

Gently lower criteria and reward small moments of calm.

Step back, take a deep breath and give the dog a moment before you try again.

The Detail Detective The Tactical Trainer

You notice everything, posture, timing, thresholds You thrive on microadjustments.

You’ve got a plan, a backup plan and train with clarity and purpose.

When temperatures climb, we all know the basics... don’t walk on hot pavement, avoid midday outings, keep hydrated. But there is a deeper layer of heat-related challenges. Subtle, often overlooked.

Heat Impacts Canine Cognition

Just like humans, dogs process information slower when hot. Studies show heat stress can reduce concentration and delay reaction times. If your dog is normally sharp and is lagging on cues, it’s not stubbornness, it’s physiology.

Training Fatigue Sets In Faster

Heat increased fatigue, even at low activity levels. A 10 minute training session in 30+ degrees would be a full workout for your dog, especially brachiocephalic breeds or those with thick coats.

Dehydration Affects Behaviour

Mild dehydration (just 2-3% of body weight) can cause irritability, restlessness and reduced selfcontrol. That reactive dog you’re working with? Their threshold may be lower just from a hot morning and not enough water.

Circadian Rhythm Shift

Dogs are naturally crepuscularmost active at dawn and dusk. In heat, this becomes more pronounced. Trying to train at 1pm on a summer day goes against biology and comfort.

BREED FOCUS

Origin : England

Group: Sporting / Gundog

Size: 24-38kg

Lifespan: 10-12 years

Temperament: Mellow, Loyal, Steady

Energy Level: Moderate

The clumber spaniel may not be the flashiest dog in the field, but don’t let their droopy eyes and hefty frame fool you, the breed is a workhorse disguised as a couch potato.

Originally bred in 18 century England, for low steady flushing and retrieving, Clumbers are built to move methodically through thick brush. With their massive heads, powerful shoulders and surprisingly nimble movement, they were a favourite among aristocrats for silent, efficient work in the field.

Clumbers are described as deliberate and dignified. While other spaniels bounce of the walls, clumbers are content and take their time. They are intelligent. Their calm demeanour can be misread as stubbornness but they respond well to gentle, consistent, reward-based training.

Despite their laid back look, Clumbers need mental and physical exercise, just at their own pace.

They are incredibly loyal and with correct socialisation, they are good with kids and other dogs but noted to be reserved to strangers.

Dogs aren’t just learning machines when they are puppies, they are constantly developing, adapting and reshaping how they think, feel and interact with the world throughout their lives. Just like us, their cognitive abilities are influenced by experience, environment, relationships and emotion.

Understanding how dogs develop cognitively over time helps us train more effectively, support them through life’s challenges, and build a relationship based on patience, curiosity and connection.

Puppyhood is often called the ‘critical learning period’ for good reason as this is when dogs are most open to new experiences and forming social bonds. But that doesn’t mean the learning window ever fully closes. Neutral connections are forming all the time, shaped by what a dog sees, smells, hears and feels. As they encounter new situations, good or bad, their brain adjusts, rewires and adapts accordingly. Plasticity, or the brain’s ability to change with experience stays with them throughout life.

A dog that had a shaky start can still learn to trust. A confident adolescent can suddenly struggle with fear phases. An older dog can master a new trick just as joyfully as a puppy. That’s the power of cognitive flexibility.

Dogs learn through repetition and consequence, but also through context and emotional state.

A dog who consistently succeeds at problem solving becomes better at it. A dog that’s constantly stressed may find it harder to concentrate or remember cues. Enriched environments, like training classes, sniff walks, puzzles and play encourage curiosity and resilience. We often think of training as teaching new commands, but really, we are teaching dogs how to think, how to process information, how to make choices and how to adapt.

From a cognitive standpoint, dogs are more than just cue followers, they are decision makers. They assess body language, emotional

energy, environmental cues and past experiences to figure out what to do next.

In mantrailing or scent detection, dogs are constantly assessing information and adjusting their approach. In sports, they learn sequencing, spatial awareness and motor control. In everyday life, even pausing before rushing through a door is a form of self-regulation and mental development. Training that promotes choice, thinking and problem solving helps grow the dog’s brain, not just their behaviour.

One of the most exciting things about working with dogs is seeing how they can change over time.

A fearful dog learning to trust again, a reactive adolescent discovering emotional regulation, a senior dog lighting up at a new scent game or a high drive dog learning to pause and think before acting.

These aren’t just ‘training wins’ they are neural wins. Every positive experience reshapes the brain a little. It’s never too late to start, shift or deepen the learning journey.

Stay Curious- Ask not ‘ why is my dog being difficult?’ but ‘ what is my dog learning from this?’.

Build the Brain - Give your dog puzzles, games, problem solving tasks and autonomy.

Adapt With Them - Just as your dog is always learning, you can always adjust how you support them.

We believe that training is more than just obedience, it is about building thinking, feeling, adaptive dogs who can thrive in a human world.

We meet each dog where they are, and help them grow into the best version of themselves, mind, body and nose included.

Because every behaviour tells a story, and every brain is a work in progress.

Be Patient - Learning is not linear, and development can go through ups, downs and detours.

Medical Alert

For many people living with chronic medical conditions, a medical alert dog is more than a companion, they are a lifeline. These amazing dogs are trained to detect specific changes in their handler’s body chemistry or behaviour, often before the person is aware.

A medical alert dog is trained to detect and respond to conditions such as;

Diabetes

Seizure disorders

POTS

Allergies

Narcolepsy

These dogs learn to pick up on subtle changes, like scent shifts or body movements, and then alert their handler through trained behaviours such as pawing, nudging or barking.

Dogs have a sense of smell that is tens of thousands of times more sensitive than ours. When blood sugar drops of adrenaline spikes, our bodies release chemicals that our dogs can detect. Over time, with proper training, they learn to associate these scent changes with a specific behaviour. Some dogs can also be trained to press medical alert buttons, retrieve medication or even fetch a phone in an emergency.