Oli's Lifestyle Blogs...
Find all of my Lifestyle Blogs, from the best dog-friendly coffee shops & Dog outing ideas
to dog food recommendations and Kong Recipes.
Are you like me, trying to think up fun ways to help keep our dogs cool in this increasingly hot weather?
You may remember a few years back a lovely client called Jeremy shared with me his recipes for making lovely Bobby some dog friendly Ice Cream.
We have put it together for you to have a go yourself. Look out for another blog with a different flavour! and don’t forget to tag me on instagram with your creations @olijustedogtrainer. I love to see what you’re up to with your furry friends.
Well we only went and won Most Inspiring TV Programme at the 2019 National Reality Television Awards.
A huge thank you to everyone that voted for us, we are truly beaming. Thank you to Red Sky Productions and Channel 4 for an amazing journey and helping to bring positive reinforcement into the UK’s homes. I met some incredible people and puppies along…
HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT !
We are so excited to announce that Channel 4’s Puppy School has been nominated for a National Reality TV Award in the Most Inspiring TV Show category.
We need your help to make it o the final. please click the link below to register and vote for us….
I'm so excited to be able to share this news with you!
Throughout this new series of 4 episodes we will look at how everyone gets a puppy or dog for a reason. This can bring challenges when training your dog to reach goals that you set.
With Chatsworth House in Derbyshire as a backdrop, new dog owners learn how to navigate puppy parenthood, with the…
If you and your dog have ever worked with me you’ll know I like to train our dogs so they have tools to sometimes make up their own decisions.
However, as we are in charge of their welfare and environment, there are a few steps all dog owners should take to protect our friends, and one of them is to make sure that they cannot be in contact with harmful substances….
I have written about Mayhew before and supported their work throughout the years, but this Tuesday we were exposed to first hand experiences of how amazing their work truly is. I am amazed and humbled by their work and vision. Let me tell you more…
Mayhew has partnered with internationally acclaimed production company Iconoclast to challenge public perceptions of homelessness and animal welfare.
I was going to call this Blog; The Challenges Of Training Urban Puppies. Then I realised it should simply be called; Training Urban Puppies, because I think calling it a challenge is unfair. Young dogs, like us, are brilliant at adapting to their environment- we just have to support them along the way. We can use smart training techniques...
Is your child always keen to go and say hi to every dog? A few tips and things to think about when you have young children and dogs/puppies together, whether it be visiting people, out and about in the big wide world or even your own pets in your own home...
Yaena, one of my clients, called me a few months ago as she wanted to learn more about dogs' behaviour in order to communicate better with her dog Marley, a gorgeous and lively Toy Poodle. We quickly approached the subject of the Kong, and with Yaena being extremely focused on food and the effect it has on humans and dogs alike, she started experimenting with Kong filler recipes. I asked Yaena if she would share some of her delicious, healthy and seasonal recipes with us, she said yes!...
Why keeping fit is just as important for your canine companion.
We all know that we should keep on top of our fitness regimes to reap the many health and wellbeing benefits of exercise, but did you know that there are just as many perks for your pet pooch?
Not only do regular walkies help with weight control and socialisation, but exercising your dog also offers a plethora of behavioural rewards, like building trust and preventing destructive and attention-seeking tendencies.
Want to branch out a bit and try some more creative canine activities?...
One of our lovely clients has been at it again with a wonderful Kong recipe for the summer months. Take it away Jeremy:
Out of all the seasons summer is the one I love the most. On a sunny day nothing beats getting a gaggle of friends together (both two and four legged) for some al fresco dining. Bobbie, my Rottweiler puppy, has been enjoying some summer food and I wanted to share with you one of her favourite recipes....
Easter Weekend is a wonderful time to spend some quality moments with your family and friends, but when planning your weekend why not include your furry friend. Go for a walk in your nearest dog friendly park, chose a pub where dogs are welcome and and take some extra time for a good play of fetch or tug of war, maybe that could be their...
As some of you have asked, we are going to start trying out the other branded products we sell online so you can see what we think. These products will then get the "Oli & Bernard Approved" Stamp. See our latest video below to see how Bernard got on with The Odin.....
So as many of you already know (if you are following us on Social Media) we've trialled the food prepared and delivered by Butternut Box (sounds like a fashionable Californian trend diet) for a few weeks and we loved it. So we though who else would be best to ask but you guys...
Machine is not a coffee shop (well that’s a good start), It's a coffee shop and a bike shop. Now, I agree this is not a new concept (Look Mum No Hands opened in 2010 and a few others since), but this coffee/bike-repair/anything-bike-related shop is one of my favourite spots to grab a coffee on-the-go or to stay...
Sarah Whitehead is probably one of the most qualified Dog (and cat) Behaviourists in Europe; and the UK’s most respected Behaviourist. Sarah wrote a few books, however my favourite one is Clever Dog. Clever Dog is the compilation of some of the Behavioural Cases Sarah’s dealt with over her 25 years of experience.
There are a few things I like about this book; firstly, it’s very accessible to everyone (very little Dog Training and Behavioural jargon). Secondly...
Sometimes it feels like london isn't such a dog friendly city, especially when it comes to doing everyday things such as shopping, but here are a few shops that welcome our best friends as long as they are on their best behaviour, and why wouldn't they be?! Over time I'll let you know about other dog friendly places but here are 5 to start us off...
We care for them, play with them, feed them the best food we can afford, train them, hug them, make them feel safe, take them to the vet when they are poorly. We have dog-sitters, dog-walkers, dog trainers; the list goes on......
I know it’s still only September, but now is a good time to start thinking about how you can help your dog if he is scared of fireworks.
The Do’s:
Allow your dog to find a safe space around your home, if your dog is happy in his crate, that’s a good place to start. If it’s under the sofa, so be it. Dogs like small spaces. Make sure...
Uggie from the wonderful 2011 Black & White, silent movie The Artist died early August. This was very sad news indeed, but it made me want to have another look at some old pictures of Hollywood stars and their dogs from as early as 1916 to the 20s, 30s and up to the 60’s. I have, on one of my shelves at home, a wonderful book called Hollywood Dogs; here are a few...
Believe it or not, dog mess is also damaging to local wildlife and the environment. I asked my friend Henry Glynn, Government Ecologist/Environmental Warden why and how. He says: “The high levels of nitrogen in dog mess can physically damage and kill plants causing “nitrogen burn” and ...
So a heat wave is about to hit London with some incredible highs of 30° to 33°. Most of us humans love the heat, but if you have a dog, you will want to take extra care him or her. Because dogs are smaller then us, the risk of heatstroke for them is very high. You must remember that if you feel hot, and in need to go in the shade and drink something refreshing, your dog feels....
Socialising your puppy is vital, and the only place you can really do that effectively is the Dog Park. One hour a week during puppy class is not enough, you have to get out there. I am still coming across cases where the dogs amount of socialisation and exercise is a key factor in moving forward with any behavioural problems they may have.
Ideally, the park would be...
There is one thing that all my clients, and myself have in common: we all want our dogs to be happy. However, sometimes life simply takes over, and we need to stop and remind ourselves the promises we've made to our dogs the day we let them into our lives.
We owe it to our dogs to help them:
..........
Frankie Lymon was wondering: "Why do fools fall in love?"
Well Frankie... I don't rightly know, but when it comes to our mutual love and bond between humans and dogs, it seams that a team of Japanese scientists have found the answer for us.
They found that cuddling, or gazing into your dog's eyes triggers a...
Family dogs help children display better social skills and boost their self-esteem.
Research shows that children with family dogs have higher self-esteem. Living and looking after a dog allows children to experience love and compassion; feeding and caring for a dog encourages childhood responsibility....
Dog owners are less likely to suffer from depression than those without pets
Dog walking increases social interaction. You’ll make new friends in your neighbourhood
Heart attack patients with dogs survive longer than.......
Here is another fun recipe to try for your dogs during this hot weather.
You may remember a few years back a lovely client called Jeremy shared with me his recipes for making lovely Bobby some dog friendly Ice Cream.
We have put it together for you to have a go yourself. Don’t forget to tag me on instagram with your creations @olijustedogtrainer. I love to see what you’re up to with your furry friends.