www.wowdogs.co.uk
Play to Train
I’m Susan, and am an accredited Pro Dog (games based/ force free trainer). I have experience owning and working with dogs of all shapes and sizes. My current dog is a gorgeous wee cavapoo called Tiggy. I have recently given up my dietetic post in the NHS, to focus full time on my long term desire to work with dogs and owners. I have a big interest in all things dog behaviour, nutrition and puppies. I have experience walking dogs at a local dog rescue and am a mum of an animal daft teenager and very passionate about how animals can can enrich families.
My Training:
Absolute Dogs :
School of Canine Science
Genius K9
Behavet - Veterinary Behaviourist Group Teaching
I continue to keep up to date on the Help my Dog hub, alongside the above training providers
I would love to help you with any struggles your dog may have, whether just scared of life or pulling on lead, barking, to general training or preventative advice for puppies, adolescents, senior, or rescue dogs. If you just want ideas for enrichment, games I can help with this too. Please scroll down for info on options and pricing.
Additionally, I also offer adhoc local dog walking in the EH13/EH14 areas, covering when regular walkers on holiday) or walk and train, puppy coaching at my home, puppy, cat, rodent home visits. I am first aid trained and fully insured.
Recall booster - Stepwise approach to improving recall with you dog using games to power this up. Includes help with reward strategy and supporting plan & resources.
Loose lead - Simple games and techniques to really improve your dog’s skills on a lead. Includes info on how your dog perceives the walk and how this piece of the puzzle is crucial to getting loose lead walking nailed.
Creating a foodie dog and interactive play- This session covers how t0 improve your dogs motivation to train for food or a toy. Reward strategy is huge for dogs to help overcome struggles and for general training which becomes so much easier if they desire a certain reward.
Games fest - Games are amazing enrichment for your dog, they can replace walks, boost your relationship (value around you), are super fun whilst teaching your dogs skills too.
Calmness and dimmer switch - The ability to be calm is an amazing skill for your dog and leads to less undesirable behaviours (barking, reactivity etc), a calmer house and better life skills. If your dog is a 0 or 100 in terms of arousal, we can help grow a dimmer switch so they react more appropriately to the things the environment throws at them. Learn about the dog’s bucket, which can be the missing link in reactivity.
Confidence - The biggest skill you can give your dog is confidence or optimism, grow early as a puppy if able. Confident in dogs reduces other struggles and teaches dogs to look for opportunities rather than worrying about where is the threat is all the time. We can grow this through confidence boosting games.
Reactivity on walks - I can give you games/power poses to work through with your dog at home then to take out on walks. Simple games/techniques can improve things when out and about. This initially is a session to make walks better as reactivity is a bigger struggle to tackle so would require much more input.
All things puppy- A masterclass in covering the main puppy skills, through games which all feed into recall, loose lead, manners, confidence etc. Supported by many resources and game cards.
Brain booster - Primarily for senior dogs to help brain flexibility, general fitness, nutrition all which can prevent brain/fitness deterioration. Research shows we should be proactive with our senior dogs, not reducing their world.
Barking - Can be a real pain point and can spread like wildfire. Learn how to massively improve this by some management strategies and games. Supported with resources.
What I offer:
With all packages I offer a 15 min free phonecall to see if I can help/good fit and how games based training might help. Please contact me via form below or via facebook page wowdogs_edinburgh or whats app.
New client package
Puppy Package - 1 to 1 support
Adolescent Package
Enrichment/Brain Boost/Confidence
Package/Rescue or rehome support
Other Options
What to expect:
During our session, I will provide explanation to why your dog is behaving that way, how we can transform it., I will show you games to play with your dog for a few minutes a day (of course life gets busy). Some management strategies will be discussed too. It is important to remember we are training outwith the situation to skill up your dog in the situation. I don’t necessarily need to see how the dog behaves in certain situations if it is stressful to your dog, but you might want to send me videos etc.
For puppy coaching, I will work with you and your puppy to grow their skills, teach them life skills, confidence and basic obedience.
The really cool thing about games-based dog training is that it’s small, consistent daily actions and input that make the most significant difference over time. Little by little and day by day, you can reshape your dog’s brain and grow your dog the direction you
want and achieve your dog owning dream.
What is Concept Training?
The fundamental difference between concept training and other more traditional forms of dog training is the understanding that you cannot change the behaviour or outcome in the moment. Every dog behaviour is linked to an emotion eg fear, excitement and we aim to address the emotion driving the behaviour, instead of focussing on just suppressing the behaviour.
Instead, you need to reshape your dog’s brain outside of the situation, so that the next time your dog is presented with that same situation, their brain is better equipped to make an appropriate choice ie not chasing the jogger/squirrel or lunging at a dog.
This is powerful, because it goes way beyond training behaviours eg sit, down, or stay. Those behaviours alone do not transfer to success in day to day life. The great thing is that all of these concepts are dynamic, but you need to step into the picture and actively build and grow the concepts your dog needs, otherwise you will find that the environment does it for you. There is a focus on what you do want rather than what you don’t want.
Every dog has a brain, which is shaped in a particular way with different strengths and weaknesses.
Your dog’s personality is made up of concepts aka building blocks. When put in a situation, that brain will give an ‘outcome’ (the dog will behave in a certain way), based on that individual dog’s particular strengths and weaknesses. This is the basically the behaviour the dog has picked to deal with the emotion they are feeling. However, this outcome may not be appropriate but your dog is not displaying a ‘problem’ behaviour – they are just displaying ‘dog’ behaviour. Behaviour is always linked to an emotion eg a lunging dog could be labelled as aggressive but alternatively be excited, scared, or worried. We are working to address the emotion the dog experiences alongside the behaviour offered.
.
This is where concept training comes in as I identify the concepts that you and your dog need to work on to help with the struggles and make better choices.
Aversive training (inflicting pain or discomfort) may look like it gives quick fixes but this is behaviour suppression not modification and the underlying emotions are still there eg if the dog is lunging because he is scared and has now stopped as wearing a prong or ecollar, he is still scared but now can’t communicate that and increases the likelihood of redirecting into a bite. Aversive training does not result in long term behaviour change. Games based training can happily pair with positive based training methods but not aversives.
Thank you WOWdogs Edinburgh - they had a blast. Fabulous service - would highly recommend. I know the dogs are well looked after and cared for with you. 🐾
Rhiannion James
My first training session with Susan @wowdogs_edinburgh yesterday
Susan is a wonderful teacher and I can't recommend her highly enough if you are an Edinburgh pup looking for fun based training
_uptown_frank_
I have known Susan nearly all my life and I have never met someone so dedicated to animals especially dogs. With years of experience and now fully qualified, I can’t recommend highly enough. If you are in need of advice, training assistance or support look no further.
Lesley Brander
Susan has done incredible work with my dog. My dog had a challenging experience last year, having been bitten, and it left him wary of interacting with other dogs.
Susan employs a unique games-based training technique that not only showcases her deep understanding of canine behaviour but also reshapes their brains in a way that fosters positive choices. The results have been remarkable. He has not only regained confidence but has also developed the skills to make wise decisions in social situations.
The tools she provided have not only repaired the aftermath of a traumatic event but have also empowered me as a dog owner.
Thank you, Susan!
Angela Verity
Susan is absolutely amazing! My anxious dog loves her! And I've learnt loads from her already!
Mhairi Shewan
Susan has a wonderful way with dogs, and our golden retriever Corrie absolutely loves her! Susan has walked Corrie for us as a friend on a couple of occasions, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend her dog caring skills in any situation.
Fiona Cohen
Susan is great with my puppy, really caring, reliable.
Sent me updates about puppy and videos how they got on. Gave me advice when I needed. Highly recommend her dog services.
Bea Zelman
Terms & Conditions
Please ensure you have read and understood these Terms and Conditions.
Definitions
General Terms & Conditions
Booking Procedure & Cancellation Rights
Group Classes -( Not running these at present)
Puppy Classes or sessions.
Individual Training Sessions
General Data Protection (UKGDPR)