BLOGS

Lez doesn't write her blogs on this typewriter but she wishes that she could

Although I’m fairly active in relation to articles in both the shooting press and on social media, I wanted somewhere that I could write about any topic at any time…
And so welcome to my blog page.

Lez doesn't write her blogs on this typewriter but she wishes that she could

A combination of thoughts, articles, musings, videos, and more formal writing and research, I hope you enjoy working your way through the various topics.

If you’d like weekly writings, please subscribe to my short weekly newsletter, Monday Musing’s, whose topic’s wander far and wide…

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All Topics Dogs Puppy Equipment APGI
I’ve always recommended that an easy way to incorporate a bit of training in a busy day is to do a little while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil…

Habit Stacking

first published 21 September 2024

I’ve always recommended that an easy way to incorporate a bit of training in a busy day is to do a little while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil… more...

I’ve always recommended that an easy way to incorporate a bit of training in a busy day is to do a little while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil…

Say hello and wave goodbye

first published 30 August 2024

While it might be a great title for a song, when it comes to dogs, a calm silent interaction works best... more...

If you have got a ball like this, that has got holes going around it, especially if the hole doesn't go all the way through like this one, then don't leave it down for your dog...

Let's Talk Balls...

first published 25 August 2024

If you have got a ball like this, that has got holes going around it, especially if the hole doesn't go all the way through like this one, then don't leave it down for your dog... more...

If you have got a ball like this, that has got holes going around it, especially if the hole doesn't go all the way through like this one, then don't leave it down for your dog...

Red and Yellow and Pink and Blue...

first published 17 August 2024

Using coloured dummies in our training can really help to set our dogs up to succeed... more...

Never miss an opportunity to train your dog

Never miss an opportunity to train your dog

first published 11 August 2024

Every time you interact with your dog you’re training him on one level or another... so never miss an opportunity to train him... more...

Never miss an opportunity to train your dog

The Advanced Pet Gundog - Book Award

first published 1 June 2024

This year I received one of the best birthday pressies ever. I logged on to an email announcing that The Advanced Pet Gundog had won the 2024 American Legacy Book Award. more...

Not You! command

Not You! command...

first published 27 May 2024

A command that I use a lot that you may find valuable with your dog is ‘not you’. It means quite simply that you don’t want your dog to come with you, but he doesn’t have to hold a set position more...

Not You! command

Why dogs bark at the postman…

first published 21 May 2024

Watching dogs react to the postman is always interesting as it speaks volumes about the relationship that the owner has with their dog. more...

Dante and Emrys on their place board waiting to be washed after a walk

Operant Conditioning

first published 1 March 2024

There are so many posts on operant conditioning but the one’s that I’ve seen the most of are looking at it from a human perspective rather than from the dogs which, in my mind, can really muddy the waters and lead to confusion and it always seems to document using food, harsh handling and various bits of equipment, however this isn’t always the case. more...

Dante and Emrys on their place board waiting to be washed after a walk

Should I Stay Or Should I Go

first published 14 February 2024

I was reading a post in a Facebook group yesterday where a woman shared that she was going to euthanise her dog as it was being aggressive. It had bitten her and her husband a few times, both needing hospital treatment, and she had a five month baby in the house. She’d contacted rescue centres but, more...

a dog scooping water up from its bowl

Taste, tongue and teeth

first published 7 February 2024

Like us, the dog can taste sweet, salty, sour, and bitter and, like other carnivores (humans excepted), dogs have special receptors for tasting water, which I find particularly interesting as when dogs drink, they use the underside of their tongue, curling it under into a flattish ladle, and then scooping the water into their mouth… one of the reasons why a narrow deep water bowl is better than a wide shallow one – that and it helps prevent the amount of water that ends up on the floor. more...

a dog scooping water up from its bowl

Posturing and Scent Marking

first published 31 January 2024

I tend to get out and about with the boys a couple of times a day; walking them individually or as a pack, or doing some training with them. When Emrys got to around two and a half I became aware that, while still sharp on the whistle, was starting to range further than I like when he has some free time off lead. more...

Copying, Copyrighting and Plagiarism

Let's Talk Copying and Copyrighting...

first published 30 September 2023

I know I’m not the only person that this is happening to, I’ve seen it over and over again with colleagues getting whole chunks of their website copy lifted and used, as well as videos of trainers dogs being passed off as someone else’s more...

Copying, Copyrighting and Plagiarism

Classical Conditioning

first published 16 September 2023

Classical conditioning is when someone, or something, has an ‘ah-ha moment’ and makes an association between two things that aren't linked, so in Pavlov's dog’s case, a bell and food... more...

Emtrys in a Hydrotherapy pool

Just Messing About In The Water

first published 24 June 2023

I normally introduce dogs to water without any kind of retrieving and just let them pootle around and have a wee play. more...

Emtrys in a Hydrotherapy pool

Just Walking The Dogs

first published 13 June 2023

When the weather heats up get out of bed earlier and walk your dog. If for whatever reason you can’t walk early, walk late… do both... or do neither. more...

Acute Caudal Myopathy (Swim Tail)

Acute Caudal Myopathy (Swim Tail)

first published 22 April 2023

The condition is known as Swim Tail, Swimmers Tail, Cold Water Tail, Limp Tail and Limber Tail, but it’s correct term is Acute Caudal Myopathy and is more often seen in young, adult male working breeds. more...

Acute Caudal Myopathy (Swim Tail)

Harnesses

first published 18 July 2020

I absolutely love this video by @dutchie.daemon.
Not only does it show the negative impact of harnesses on our dog's gait with tension from the lead, but, most importantly, it also shows it without. more...

Spud lying on his bed

Step Up and be the Leader

first published 1 April 2020

During this time of uncertainty and change, it's easy to get caught up in the 'must do this and must do that' with our dogs, trying to do the latest exercise, latest challenge, be interesting, be exciting and generally 'amuse' our dogs. more...

Spud lying on his bed

APGI training workshop 2019

first published 23 September 2019

Another fabulous day on the APGI training workshop and as well as finishing the presentations for the week, we got to talk about one of Lez's favourite theories - the Dunning-Kruger effect; it's in every profession and in every walk of life and once you're aware of it, you're really aware of it. more...

Dante sitting with a lot of toys in front of him

S-t-e-a-d-y

first published 31 August 2019

Steadiness is so important for so many reasons; you want to be able to take your eyes off your young dog when he’s in a stay without worrying about him getting up and chasing something, or to take off after a rabbit, or a cat, when you’re walking him. more...

Dante sitting with a lot of toys in front of him

Teach Your Puppy To Do Nothing

first published 23 August 2019

You want your puppy to think that hanging around with you is the best thing in the world; when you’re on the move he wants to be too, when you’re doing nothing he wants to be too. more...

a path through some trees

How Learning takes place

first published 10 August 2019

When we do something, nerve cells in the brain, known as neurons are fired up. They talk to each other in a way similar to passing a baton in a relay race, forming a pathway; a neural pathway. Just like passing the baton becomes quicker and more fluid with practice, so too the more an action is repeated the more established the pathway and the quicker and easier the action and reaction, until it eventually becomes an automatic learned response like driving a car or riding a bike for example. more...