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Reactive To Responsive
Barking, Lunging, Reactive Dog? Support Is Here
If your dog is barking or reactive on walks, they may be stressful, and you may even not want to walk your dog or be able to for fear of their reactions or other people's judgements. I get it, I have been there too with my reactive Whippet Marley.
It can be difficult to know what to start with to help your dog. You may have even already tried techniques but not seen the results you were looking for and feel deflated.
However, it does not have to be this way.
With the right techniques, my walks transformed from a daily chore into enjoyable with Marley. I have supported and helped hundreds of reactive dogs since that time 14 years ago.
Being reactive doesn't mean your dog can't change, they just need the RIGHT support.
You CAN make changes to create calmer walks and have a happier Whippet.
The Reactive To Responsive Package
Scout and Hugo - Online Reactive To responsive Clients walking by 2 dogs calmly
For Dogs Who Bark and Lunge
Stop dreading your walks with this tailored 3 session package.
This 121 package of sessions via zoom is designed to get to the root of your dogs problems, create a plan and empower you to carry out the practical tasks within that plan.
With a 1.5 hour initial consult we will deep dive into the issues your having via a questionnaire and discussion. Once I have an understanding of your dogs issues we will create a plan to change your dogs reactions and give you the skills to manage those real life everyday tricky situations.
With 2x 45 min session follow ups to progress your training, as reactivity isn't a quick fix but one that requires building on skills and creating new ones.
We work together to create a happier life for you and your dog(s) with more relaxing walks. Giving you the knowledge of what to do and when.
Don't think they will just "grow out of it"; most dogs get worse with practice of the wrong behaviours.
Get support now and guide your Whippet down the right path.
Whether it is an established behaviour of several years, or has just popped up.
No longer have to panic upon seeing another dog or person when out. Instead, you will be equipped with a toolbox of skills to help you and your Whippet navigate the real world, from anywhere in the world with sessions via zoom video call.
With non judgemental coaching from Whippet Wonders you'll understand how to create success and return to a less stressed lifestyle.
Boosting your confidence and giving you structured, straightforward steps to creating an enjoyable walk with your Whippet, changing their feeling and reactions to the world around them.
Empowering Training
Whippets and similar breeds or mixes can be quick to react, sensitive, and struggle with high pressure approaches.
This is why they thrive with training that empowers & motivates them . Working at a pace they can handle - not pushing them and distressing them. Using kind, effective & modern training techniques.
It can be isolating for us as owners and confusing to gather the right information with a world of conflicting tips everywhere online and chatting with friends or colleagues.
Get Support from a Breed Expert, understand your Whippet and get back on track whether in the uk, or worldwide.
Review- Ellie Judd
We had a great 121 zoom session with Zara. She put so much time and effort into really understanding what was going on with our pup and her training advice is working so much better than anything else we have tried. We have a far more engaged, confident and just all round happier dog. Thank you so much.
Reactive To Responsive Package
Enjoy Your Walks Again
The #1 choice for reactive dog owners
Here's what you get:
1 x 1.5 Hour behavioural consult via zoom
2 x 45 Min follow Up Sessions
A Report, Notes, sheets & videos
Ongoing support between sessions
All Tailored to you and your dog
To be used within 6 months of booking
Only £130 One Off Payment
"I really feel well supported"
"Zara was really helpful, actively listening and giving clear and useful advice." Isabel R
Why Whippet Wonders for Reactivity?
Whippet Wonders is experienced with working with hundreds of whippets, sighthounds and lurchers over the past 14 years, in person and around the world.
I have experienced Reactivity and teenage frustrations with my own whippets, with emotions varying from fear, frustration or conflict.
It is one thing knowing the skills for others, but living with complex behaviour cases gives me the unique insight to quickly understand how to improve your day to day life, for BOTH you and your whippet.
Having a multi dog household I also fully understand the complexities of trying to train multi dogs and creating a routine and calm with them.
Whether you are in the uk or international, you can get support for you and your whippet.
Training My reactive Whippet Arkle who became reactive after being attacked.
How Does It Work?
Step 1 - Book the Session
Using the booking calendar book in your preferred date/time. You will receive your zoom link and a questionnaire to fill in regarding your dog. You can book from anywhere in the world!
Step 2 - The Session
During the session we will discuss the problem you are having and create a personalized plan with tasks to help you and your dog. I will demo activities with my own Whippet Arkle.
Step 3 - Follow Up
After the session you will receive follow up notes, report (for behavioural sessions), videos and sheets relevant to the session. As well as ongoing support via whatsapp / Email.
"Really feel well supported"
I contacted Zara at Whippet Wonders for advice regarding Joy who had become reactive to other dogs. We signed up for Zoom 121 and had our initial session. Zara was really helpful, actively listening and giving clear and useful advice. Following the initial call we received a full report, work sheets and videos, which are great to follow. Joy is certainly showing signs of improvement and I really feel well supported knowing I’m able to contact Zara for advice in between sessions when needed.
- Isabel R
" I've learnt a lot of techniques to help handle situations"
I decided to sign up to Zara's reactive to responsive course, as my boy can be reactive to other dogs and animals. In the 4 week course I've learnt a lot of techniques to help handle situations, that previously I'd have struggled to manage. I know we've got a way to go, but Zara's techniques are definitely helping. If anyone is struggling and needs help, please reach out to Zara. She's lovely and has a lot of experience and knowledge about our pointy nose buddies.
Natalie H
"Zara is always there to answer any questions "
Zara definitely knows her whippets. I did a 1-2-1 with her over zoom & her advice, tips and support has been invaluable to help reduce Milo’s reactivity. We are still work in progress but 4 weeks in I can already see results. Just knowing Zara is always there to answer any questions I have or offer support is priceless. I recommend her 100%
Susan G
121 Behavioural Consult
1 x90 Min Zoom - £80
Get On Track with a guided plan for your Whippet with this one off Initial consultation lasting 1.5 hours for your Whippets Reactive Behaviour.
This is a tailored 121 directly aimed at YOUR Whippets issues. Perfect for tailored one off support with follow Up consults available too.
Includes:
Behaviour Report
Notes
Sheets
Training Videos
Follow Up Support
Self Paced Reactivity Course
Self paced online course -£60
The wait is finally over, get access to our new online course for transforming your walks from calm to relaxed.
Over 5 modules, including 40 lessons, updated regularly with real life clips to add to the collection. Learn why your Whippet is reactive and teach those skills from home, in your own time at a pace you and your whippet can manage.
With support available via facebook group or whatsapp this course brings years of expertise and practical skills to your email box, ready for you to login and learn from video demos, sheets and ebooks.
Live Zoom Group Course
Tues 3rd Feb at 6.30pm
The 5 star rated group zoom course with reviews worldwide is back for february.
With live training via zoom, train your whippet the skills they need to manage their walks. In this 4 week course limited to just 5 places you can teach your dog the skills needed to handle real walks., as well as learning to handle your own stress. With 3 live training activities each week as well as theory.
With follow up emails, session recording, videos of training exercise, sheets and more.
Adventures of The Everyday Kind
Adventures of the everyday Kind
As I started a new site and new blog, I thought it would be a good opportunity to start blogging again. I did this years ago with Marley as we journeyed through his intense fears.
14 years on and life has taken a similar turn to where we began. Marley was my first whippet and he was originally added to the home as a companion for me to help me with my recent diagnosis of m.e. Marley ended up developing a lot of behaviour problems that would lead me down the path of becoming a dog trainer & Behaviourist.
The first photo of Marley I took!
Being a whippet he was the perfect companion for my physical symptoms, able to walk when I can manage and happy to nap when I needed to rest. He helped me out enormously as my health began to improve and life became a bit more straight forward in that respect.
After spending 12 years with 4 dogs in total, adding Ollie, Womble , Arthur life suddenly looks a bit quieter.
Left to right - Womble, Arthur, Marley & Ollie
These days it's just me and Arkle. Arkle is my 4yo whippet and my chronic illness buddy at this point, he also has some pretty complex behaviour problems in addition. I've had Arkle from a puppy, but having a dog from a puppy doesn't prevent issues unfortunately!
Arkle suffers with LTV1, start of spondylosis, a protruding disc, osteoarthritis and a history of Immune mediated polyarthritis and relapses of this. The pain associated has caused him to have a lot of very strong feelings about dogs. He is cautious, confrontational and emotional around dogs, as he has been jumped on, harassed and attacked. This has caused some reactivity issues that we continue to manage.
The link between pain and behaviour continues to grow and dogs like Arkle are the living epitome of it. A bad pain day creates an Arkle who is unrecognisable in behaviour to a no pain day.
Arkle has spent much of his life in and out of vets with me fighting to get diagnosis', in our experience unfortunately vets are unfortunately very inexperienced with sighthounds and don't understand their shut down at vets and are poor at reading their gait, it's a story for another day! But it has taken 4 years to get many answers, and I still suspect we don't have them all. We have started to acccept and deal with what he has for now though.
At the start of the year I ended up hospitalised due to a diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis. During this time I became very weak and had to close my local business, Wagging Wonders. Life feels very much like where it was with Marley originally, me being weak, unwell and looking after a complex little Whippet with it.
Arkle likes to be the centre of attention!
Since being in hospital, life has been quieter, as we get back to some normality. Arkle has needed his exercise rebuilt as much as mine, he's found me being ill quite stressful too. If I return from a frequent hospital drs or hospital visit with bloods taken it distresses him and he'll stalk me with concern for hours.
As he's spent much of his life in and out of vets and off and on restricted exercise, there will be much focus on the average stuff pups and teens deal with, as much as the more complex reactivity and fears.
He was put on immunosuppressives young and had impa for a long period before diagnosed, which seems to have effected him mentally with maturity. Unlike my other whippets at the same age he's often mistaken for a puppy with his mannerisms and conduct and he's not particularly mature at all!
So what are we blogging about? Well I'm taking a slower pace at life and work, and focusing on my health and Arkles, so I have the time to post more about Arkle and his “everyday adventures”.
I'll be posting about his progress with his Reactivity, his general training and enjoyment of the world around him. As well as what lead Arkle to some of his behaviours and how we manage or modify them ( and why we might decide to manage Vs modify some of them) I'll also post about the realities of living with dogs with anxieties, reactivities, pain and such, as I believe there's alot of silence on the topic and how it effects us humans as well as the rough journey it can be for us to handle.
I'll try and update this regularly , I hope you enjoy the blog 🐾
Arkle offering some eye contact on our walk!
Learn facts from fiction with this facebook live recording
of common reactivity myths from the Whippet Wonders facebook group.
Support For You and Your Whippet
121's include video demo's, skill sheets, and ebooks that are relevant to your dogs training.
Along with this ongoing email and Whatsapp support to help you problem solve and stay on track.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers To Frequently Asked Questions
I live in another country, can you work with me?
Whippet Wonders has worked with clients around the world. Everywhere from USA, Australia, Denmark, Italy, Spain, France and more! Zooms can take place from anywhere in the world and you can buy courses from anywhere too.
Don't you need to see my dogs "bad behaviour" In person?
During a zoom I don't need to see your dog doing the wrong behaviour, our goal is to set your dog up for success. This would be the same as if I were in person. If you have any relevant video clips, that is handy, but our focus is on solutions and moving forward!
Do you work with other Breeds?
I work with Whippets, Whippet mixes, Italian Greyhounds, Lurchers, Bedlington Whippets - anything that is a bit "sighthound-y". I can be persuaded to work with other breeds in some circumstances.
Do you charge extra for multi dog households?
There is NO extra charge for households with multiple dogs. We can cover the most pressing issues for your multidog household in each session.
What if my dog is not food motivated?
If your dog is not a super foodie, don't worry! Motivation is a tricky topic, but very often it is about how we use food and we will cover strategies during your 121 zoom session.
Would a course or 121 suit me best?
Self paced courses or the School For Whippets are ideal if you are motivated and able to work on your own. Perfect if you are pressed for time. While 121's can be ideal if you need a plan, structure or help with a specific problem. Get in touch if you are unsure.
