A Game of Dogs

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A Game of Dogs

Simple solutions for common dog behaviour, puppy training, 1-2-1 training. Fully insured, first aid trained.

13/06/2026

Chipper, a whole year without you, still heartbroken, still missing you but admittedly the house isn't as hairy 💙💙💔

08/06/2026

Meet the beautiful Maddie, a 13-week-old Braque Français (or a French Pointer to you and me!).

Maddie has been coming to me for some training sessions and what a lovely young lady she is. She's confident, eager to learn, and an absolute pleasure to work with.

As many of you know, I often work with reactive dogs. What's important to remember is that reactivity isn't always the result of owners getting things wrong. Many of these dogs have been well socialised, attended puppy classes, and had owners who have done everything they possibly could. Yet they still develop behavioural challenges.

With this in mind, here at A Game of Dogs, we'll soon be offering a complete puppy package, supporting owners from the planning stages of bringing a puppy home right through to 16 weeks of age.

Our focus won't be on creating an obedient puppy. Instead, we'll concentrate on building a happy, confident, well-balanced dog through appropriate socialisation, structure, play, and life skills. The obedience side can come later—first, we want to help puppies develop into stable, resilient companions.

In the meantime, Maddie is doing brilliantly. She's developing a fantastic recall, learning through structure and play, and making great progress every session.

We'll keep you updated on Maddie's journey!

HappyBalancedDogs PuppyDevelopment DogTraining

03/06/2026

"I often hear people say, 'I only want a force-free trainer' or 'I only use positive reinforcement.'

This is an interesting topic because the reality is often more nuanced than the labels suggest.

Every dog owner places some level of restriction on their dog. If your dog wants to chase a squirrel and you hold the lead and walk the other way, you've prevented them from doing something they wanted to do. That's part of responsible dog ownership but by definition that is force.

Where I think the debate becomes difficult is around the idea that dogs should never be told 'no' or given any form of correction. Boundaries are a normal part of learning for both humans and animals. I deal with many reactive dogs. The owners have done everything right, they read the books, attended puppy classes, have had great obedience training but all of a sudden their dog is barking and lunging at every passing dog, many of these dogs have never been told 'No' they have never been corrected.

For example, if a young child is about to touch a hot stove, most parents wouldn't simply ignore it and wait for the right behaviour to happen naturally. They would intervene immediately to keep the child safe.

In the same way, dogs need guidance, boundaries, and clear communication. Positive reinforcement is an incredibly valuable training tool and should form a major part of training, but rewarding good choices and setting limits don't have to be mutually exclusive.

Good balanced training isn't about being harsh or punitive. It's about teaching dogs what is expected of them, rewarding desirable behaviour, and providing fair, appropriate boundaries when necessary.

At the end of the day, the goal is the same for all of us: a happy, confident, well-behaved dog that can safely navigate the world."

30/05/2026

This might be controversial, but it's a genuine question.

Some trainers describe themselves as "force-free" while also recommending the use of a Halti or head collar. To me, that doesn't seem entirely force-free.

I have watched many dogs wearing a head collar? A lot of them appear uncomfortable, paw at their faces, or constantly try to remove it. They still have the desire to pull because their needs for movement, exploration, and fulfilment haven't changed. When they pull, the equipment applies pressure or redirects their head. Is that really force-free?

Now let's look at the opposite end of the spectrum.

Imagine a dog that walks calmly on a flat collar and lead. He is then allowed off lead to run, explore, and enjoy freedom. The controversial part? He's wearing an e-collar.

The dog has been properly conditioned to the equipment. The stimulation level is so low that many humans can barely feel it on their wrist. Most of the time, the collar isn't needed at all, but occasionally it serves as a gentle reminder to return to the owner.

So here's my question:

Which dog has the better quality of life? The dog restricted by equipment that causes ongoing discomfort during every walk, or the dog that enjoys greater freedom but may occasionally receive a conditioned cue from an e-collar?

Interested to hear people's thoughts.

23/05/2026

So here’s my confession… I’m a dog trainer, and two of my own dogs are reactive.

That said, they still live full, happy lives. They get plenty of off-lead freedom, can come pretty much anywhere with me, and our big Ridgeback even works as a stooge dog to help other reactive dogs in training — remaining calm and neutral in those situations.

So how do we manage it?

Through play, exercise, quality nutrition, clear boundaries, and consistency in their daily routine.

This video is far from perfect — mainly because I’m trying to handle my phone while giving commands, and I’d literally just stumbled across a training opportunity. But that’s real life.

In this moment they’re free running, surrounded by exciting smells, potential deer to chase, other walkers, and dogs. Their arousal levels are naturally higher, so I use those moments to bring in a bit of structure and focus work. Teaching them to check in with me and stay engaged, even in exciting environments, is what helps us manage and control their reactivity.

At the end of the day, I make sure I’m the most rewarding, fun, and safe place for them to be.

22/05/2026

Another great review from another lovely customer. I'm genuinely delighted to hear how the dogs are doing. I just want all dogs to have a fulfilled and happy life & if I can help with that I will do all that I can to help them.

20/05/2026

Another great review from another of our lovely customers. Nala is a young rescue Rottweiler who had become a bit reactive with other dogs, bikes, people when out walking. Great to hear she is doing so well 🏆

16/05/2026

Here we have the gorgeous Ollie, a red Labrador who loves to pull on his lead. Despite trying different tools such as a Halti and harness, Ollie was still pulling. He’s also a little reactive around other dogs, lunging and barking when he gets overexcited.

During our first session today, we worked on his lead walking, which he picked up incredibly quickly — such a clever boy!

We then moved on to a play session with a game of tug, but with a few important rules in place. Ollie had to drop the toy when asked and wait calmly before the game started again. By adding clear boundaries into play, we help our dogs learn to listen and respond to us even when they are in a heightened state of excitement.

Play also lets off a bit of steam before heading out for a walk, which can make loose lead walking much easier.

The plan with Ollie is to get his recall spot on so he can enjoy being off lead, having a run around and doing all the normal dog things he loves. A fulfilled dog is a happy dog, and a happy dog is far less likely to pull on the lead or react to everything around them 🐾

08/05/2026

It’s okay to say NO.

So, you’ve got a new puppy. No matter the breed, puppies are adorable. You’re excited to get out, explore the world, and socialise your pup. But everywhere you go, people want to stop, say hello, and stroke your puppy — and usually, they do.

But what happens when that puppy grows into an adult dog?

They head out for walks expecting the same interactions they had as a puppy. After all, saying hello to everyone is what they’ve always known. But now they’re bigger, not quite as “cute,” and people are less eager to interact.

Your dog doesn’t understand the change. They become confused, then frustrated, when they can’t greet every person or dog they see. That frustration can build into barking, lunging, and overreacting on walks.

Before long, you’re avoiding people and dogs altogether, and suddenly you’re dealing with a reactive dog.

Socialisation doesn’t mean your puppy has to meet everyone. True socialisation is teaching them to stay calm, confident, and neutral around the world.

So when someone asks, “Can I stroke your puppy?” — it’s absolutely okay to say no.

Address

Bideford
Devon

Telephone

+447939216871

Website

http://agameofdogs.co.uk/

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