Big thanks to @Stephanie Zikmann for inviting me in for a chat tonight. For anyone wanting to get started with ACE Free Work please download my free guide - https://go.puptalk.co.uk/how-to-get-started-with-ace-free-work-landing-page/ For anything else, you can find it via www.puptalk.co.uk

This is a quick video and could be better, I thought I’d do a chin rest and used a yoga block but it got covered in slobber 😂 when his head is on the block he’s happy for me to clean and stop if he comes off. Aim is to build up duration and the yoga block and practice different grooming/handling/husbandry things.

Video is sped up a bit because it was long :) This is me teaching chin off a tripod I was using it on the table but that wasn’t working so moved it to the floor. Lenny wasn’t quite understanding what I was looking for so helped him out with touch to a target then put that on the tripod, if it was flat upright like a hand he could of just touched his nose against it but general if a flat surface he will chin rest. You can put it on Que but generally just wait or say are you ready and see what he does. I was trying to increase duration by leaving it a second longer and if he lifts his head to see if he went back and marked that. The little pieces of paper that was a target fell of a couple of time but when he had the hang of it left it off. I have done a second one with handling paws on the chin rest but I’ll upload it separately.

Over the past few years, I’ve been on quite a journey. I had the top of my ear ripped off and nerve damage in my finger from a dog bite while clipping nails. The dog was later found to be in pain with a sore toe. People assumed the worst and asked if he’d be put to sleep, but I said no, he was in pain, and that was his way of communicating it. After surgery and recovery, I struggled with flashbacks but was determined to keep going. There were also years of stress behind the scenes, which thankfully are now behind me. I’ve always wanted to combine dog training with grooming, and that vision has only grown stronger. This is Lenny, my 3 year old Rottie. He used to love coming to work with me, mantrailing, seeing people until he had an accident about 18months old. After initial treatment, his behaviour changed he started growling at people he’d previously been fine with. A second opinion confirmed he was in pain. Since then, we’ve been on our own journey with The Renew Centre a pain rehabilitation centre, pain trials, sedation for visits, CT scans, chiropractors, and ongoing medication and introducing physio and hydrotherapy following his latest results. We’re also working on his confidence around new people, as pain played a big role in his behaviour changes. He currently needs sedation for centre visits, so I’m doing everything I can at home to build his confidence. Treadmill work will be introduced before hydrotherapy, as even seeing unfamiliar people can overwhelm him. Every small step counts. I’m deeply passionate about the link between pain, discomfort and behaviour. Going through everything with Lenny, alongside what I’ve seen over the years grooming different dogs, has reinforced just how connected the two are. Although Lenny saw other people I was the one that handled him a lot so wasn’t used to other people doing it and wasn’t unwell so didn’t really visit the vets. From this that’s why later in the year I’m starting cooperative care training classes so a dog’s first experience of being handled/ groomed by someone else is positive and empowering, not when they’re already in pain or feeling uncomfortable, relates to grooming and vet visits so much