Avril here!!
July 21, 2012
They say life is what happens while you make plans, the last couple of weeks were certainly not on my agenda! A tooth abscess followed by what seemed to be a sickness bug seem to be laying me very low, the hospital kept sending me home, my GP had no idea and my family were beside themselves with worry, finally my brother persuaded the hospital to do a CT scan and they found 2 brain haematoma’s and within 48 hours I was having emergency brain surgery! I had little idea in the last few days what was happening, but I came tojust before the surgery in time to be told what they were doing and I could die! I can’t say I was too upset about that at the time, I had had enough pain to want out.
I am so lucky that I have come through the surgery completely restored, I cannot tell you how rapidly I am recovering, it is like a miracle! I am sure because of all the love and support I have had and am receiving from my amazing family, gorgeous friends and my very special clients!
I will be back in the office part-time from Monday 30th June, and I will make a call then on when the current courses and training will resume. Thank you to everyone for your patience at this extreme time for me! I will keep you posted.
Listen to Avril on BBC Essex
June 25, 2012
My blog has been sadly neglected for a few weeks, but I intend to do better now I am a little more settled after my move!
It was great to see Steve Scruton last week and we had some really interesting phone calls, I really had to think hard as some the questions were more unusual! If you missed the show you have until this Wednesday to catch the show from the link below:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00t170w/Steve_Scruton_20_06_2012/
Betty came in season almost as soon as I moved house, and you know the saying “new home, new baby”? Well I did find time to take Betty to visit a very handsome young miniature Poodle called Casper! It was love, well lust at first sight! I wait to see if we are having new family towards the end of August!
Please look at this!
April 30, 2012
There has been a programme on television recently where a 7 week old pug puppy was given away as a prize on a game show.
I would be grateful if you could take the time to sign the above e-petition asking for the law in England and Wales to be amended to be in line with the law in Scotland so that animals cannot be given away as prizes, regardless of the suitability of the owner.
Please circulate the link to friends and relations as you see fit.
Many thanks.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/18652
Many thanks to Bella for drawing this to my attention!
Training a dog is not easy!!
April 27, 2012
Harley hits the spa!
Suffering in the name of beauty!
Wasn't that worth the effort!
At the Thursday class we got talking about how as people we either like to do things that come easily to us or conversely the hard stuff! I found it interesting that the group thought that I would have found dog training easy from the start, which is why I do it for a job! The reality is that it was the opposite for me, I found training my first dog and second, really challenging! That is what hooked me, as soon as I got good at competing with my dog my interest in competition waned! Teaching on the other hand is always challenging, whether is is getting inside the head of the dog or the handler, to find our way through to sucess! Next time you are feeling frustrated that your dog is not progressing as fast as you hoped or expected, just remember that is why I have a job still, lead training particularly takes real dedication and hard work, if it were easy everyone would be able to teach a dog or a person how in 5 minutes!
I believe the reason I am like this is that I am fascinated by learning, I ask myself what can I learn from this, how can I change this behaviour to what I want? If you can develop a sense of curiosity about why your dog is or isn’t doing what it does, you will start to open your minds to the information you need to succeed! So next time you feel like giving up, stop and consider how interesting this could be for you? ! 🙂
What sort of leader does your dog think you are?
April 16, 2012
A client rang me today to let me know how their dogs had got on since our session, they have 3 delightful dogs, 2 spaniels and a GSD, all really sociable dogs to their owners and other people! Yet there was quite a bit of friction between them, both at home and on walks. I am happy to report that after 2 sessions the dogs are all much easier to live with! As I said all nice dogs, well brought up, just lacking a little leadership from the humans, that is now remedied! I like to parallel this leadership to how much we like having great leaders, Winston Churchill, Barack Obama, Nelson Mandala, no one would want a world without leaders like these would they? Maybe my dogs will think I am a little like Oprah! 🙂
For my local friends the salon below is offering a free bath for puppy’s under 6 months, check them out I hear good reports!
Blue Cross worth a visit :)
April 15, 2012
Thank you to Corinne for drawing my attention to a very helpful leaflet on dogs and horses! You may remember my blog recently on a problem I have locally with a neighbours dogs when passing with my horse! I have approached them in a friendly manner but sadly they are not ready for help, yet!
The Blue Cross provide a whole host of helpful and free leaflets on all animal care and behaviour, well worth a visit to their
Lara looks out!
website! There is a link below to the leaflet that Corinne told me about:
http://www.bluecross.org.uk/2146-98538/keep-dogs-and-horses-safe-around-each-other.html
You can hear me on Steve Scruton’s show on BBC Essex Radio this coming Wednesday from 2.15pm to 4pm, on a phone in on dog behaviour problems, or catch up on the iplayer for the following 7 days!
Thinking of a new puppy?
March 26, 2012
A few questions from a client thinking of buying a new puppy reminded me that I haven’t written a blog on this vital time in you and your dog’s life! I am not even going to start talking about breeds on this occasion, I will assume you have chosen your breed and are looking for a good breeder.
Number one for me is a breeder that rears the litter indoors, this gives the puppy so much more exposure to normal life, giving the puppy’s a head start on the dogs raised outdoors. Having said that outdoor litters can be given this same exposure if the breeder is aware of the need, which many are, watch out for those that do not understand the mental and emotional needs of a litter and give them a wide berth.
Bitches can be softer but also busier, dogs more laid back and a little less sensitive! It is often a little easier if you have two of the opposite sex, generally they are more likely to get along okay.
When a breeder starts asking you questions be ready with your own!
Annie, my friend that bred both Pie and Betty, has one puppy left in her last litter, related to my two and well reared indoors!
A well cared for puppy from a great breeder!
Avril Munson's Blog 