Mapowders Training

Recently, on a beach walk with my dogs, I looked around and realised almost every dog we passed was locked in the exact same loop: chasing a ball thrown on repeat.

Don’t get me wrong—fetch is fantastic as a reward or a targeted training tool. But it needs to be done in moderation; making it the main event of every walk without more in-depth considerations can have its own set of disadvantages, and this is why:

🐾 From a physical standpoint, the frantic acceleration, sharp turns, and sudden stops put strain on joints and ligaments— with the spike in adrenaline and excitement caused by chasing a ball masking the onset of pain, meaning they may not immediately demonstrate they are injured, potentially aggravating any injuries.

🧠 Mentally, constant high-arousal fetch can spike aggression, resource guarding and teach our dogs that social engagement with other dogs is a threat, not a fun part of exploring.

So, what’s the alternative?

We don’t need to ditch the ball, but we do need to change how we use it:

🐕 Switch to “Find it” games: Drop the high-speed chases. Toss the ball into long grass, make them wait, and let their noses do the exhausting work instead.

🐕 Warm up and cool down: Walk first so their bodies are actually prepared for movement, and keep fetch brief.

🐕 Prioritise sniffing and exploring: Sniffing and exploring is an exhausting activity that can calm the nervous system and physically tire them out far quicker than a 15-minute sprint will. When we increase our dog’s arousal levels through fetch, we increase their adrenaline, which makes them much less relaxed and focused.

🌱The key is to find a balance. A fulfilling walk is more about meeting your dog’s mental, emotional, and physical needs rather than covering the most distance or throwing a ball as far as it can go.

If you want to build a better, more balanced routine for your dog, drop me a message or email me at [email protected].

I currently have a limited-time, highly discounted offer running for 1-on-1 dog behaviour and training sessions. Drop a comment below or send a DM to grab your spot before it fills up!

🐾🔥 NEW DOG WORKSHOP: Simply Searching – Fun Scent Games! 🔥🐾

Want to give your dog an activity they absolutely love AND boost their confidence at the same time?
Come join my Simply Searching workshop — a feel‑good intro to scentwork that will get your dog's nose working and tail wagging.

The workshop is fun and EASY! We will cover :
- Simple "find it" games
- Adding in decoys and distractions
- And how to progress to other scent items

The workshop is perfect for:
- high-energy dogs needing a job to do
- dogs that need a little boost of confidence
- owners looking for something to do with their dogs when it's just too hot to walk them 🌞

📍 Location: Mapowders Dog Exercise Field
🕒 Date & Time: Sunday 9th August @ 10am
💷 Price: £25
🎟️ Booking: email [email protected] or whatsapp 07702 961249

✨ LIFE SKILLS PUPPY CLASS ✨

Did someone say School ?! 🎓 Life Skills for Puppies is designed to provide your puppy with a solid foundation through positive reinforcement & consistent training- helping to shape them into a well rounded family companion 🐾 with fully qualified IMDT trainer 🙌🏻

Where? Mapowders Secure Training field in Stratton!

When? Every Wednesday 5-6pm for 4 consecutive weeks!

Start Date? 12th August

How Do I Join?! Just send me a message!

What Age? Under 20 Weeks of Age & vaccinated ☑️

What Do We Learn?

• Recall
• Loose Leash Walking
• Controlled & Safe Socialising
• Focus
• Settle & so much more!

📞 07460583474
📧 [email protected]

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Recall struggles? Adolescent dogs are well known for their selective hearing, but recall can wobble at any age. Often, it's simply because:

• The cue wasn’t fully conditioned before being put into practise
• It was used too soon, before being proofed around distractions
• The dog has rehearsed ignoring it, which weakens the cue over time

But rest assured, you can absolutely fix this. With the right steps, recall can become reliable again.

I’m running a Recall Workshop on 26th July, where we take it back to basics and build up from there.

Drop me a message to book your spot or register interest for future workshops.

www.budek9services.co.uk

Another great resource for our clients 🐾🐾🙂

Coast to Coast Animal Behaviourist | Behaviourist | Cornwall and Devon Coast to Coast Animal Behaviourist is a BSc Honours graduate who specialises in dogs in Cornwall and North Devon. She uses positive reinforcement techniques and knowledge supported by science.

✨ LIFE SKILLS PUPPY CLASS ✨

Did someone say School ?! 🎓 Life Skills for Puppies is designed to provide your puppy with a solid foundation through positive reinforcement & consistent training- helping to shape them into a well rounded family companion 🐾 with fully qualified IMDT trainer 🙌🏻

Where? Mapowders Secure Training field in Stratton!

When? Every Wednesday 5-6pm for 4 consecutive weeks!

Start Date? 17th June

How Do I Join?! Just send me a message!

What Age? Under 20 Weeks of Age & vaccinated ☑️

What Do We Learn?

• Recall
• Loose Leash Walking
• Controlled & Safe Socialising
• Focus
• Settle & so much more!

📞 07460583474
📧 [email protected]

Another group of Grace Davenport’s Dog Training Life Skills complete!! Well done to you all, so proud and impressed by how far you all came over the last 5 weeks 👊🏼👊🏼 lovely wet and windy graduation day!!

All different shapes and sizes in this course, they absolutely smashed it ! Keep an eye out if you’d like to join the next one 👊🏼

✨ LIFE SKILLS PUPPY CLASS ✨

Did someone say School ?! 🎓 Life Skills for Puppies is designed to provide your puppy with a solid foundation through positive reinforcement & consistent training- helping to shape them into a well rounded family companion 🐾

Where? Mapowders Secure Training field in Stratton!

When? Every Saturday starting 5th April 9am - 10am for 5 weeks

How Do I Join?! Just send me a message!

What Age? Under 20 Weeks of Age

What Do We Learn?

• Recall
• Loose Leash Walking
• Controlled & Safe Socialising
• Focus
• Settle & so much more!

📞 07460583474
📧 [email protected]