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MARCIA AND BRISTOL DOG DAYS
I used to work in Social Care but struggled with the lack of balance between care and profit making organisations. Eventually I decided that it wasn't for me and embarked on a career close to my heart - dog walking.​
During the last four years as a dog walker I have noticed there is often a lack of engagement between owners and their dogs. This inspired me to be more so, I began taking small groups of dogs on adventures that included games to keep them engaged. Sausage hunts, Parkour, Scent work etc., My motto became engage the nose and tire the brain as well as the body. From experience I know this develops a well rounded dog that is happy to return home and sleep whilst waiting for its owner's return.​
I also became aware that dogs with any sort of reactivity to their environment also benefitted greatly from the same kinds of activity. ​​
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I know all too well that ownership of a reactive dog can be isolating and challenging and it takes a lot of trust to relinquish these dogs into the care of someone else. Owning a challenged dog myself, I have learned how to desensitise, train and help him overcome his anxieties surrounding other dogs. By changing his emotional response to the things that worry him, he is now very rarely reactive. For this reason, I now focus on walking dogs that prefer to walk solo and engage with their handler. This keeps the challenges they usually react to in their environment at bay. I found quieter places than dog parks to walk and used these quieter environments to meet the needs of the dog. ​
Over time, my interest in how to improve the lives of these anxious, behaviourally challenged dogs grew and I now use many of the principles of behaviourism (classical and operant conditioning), desensitisation and habituation etc in my training. I train with the Dog Training College and have a diploma in Canine Behaviour and Body Language. My degree in Psychology also provides a great foundation in behaviourism. Plus I am trained in canine first aid and DBS checked.
My aim is to support all owners of dogs from puppies through to adolescent and adult dogs using my skills and expertise through obedience classes. However my particular focus and passion lies in helping anxious dogs to feel more relaxed in their environment. It is a great thing to be able to say “my dog is no longer reactive” and to be able to walk them in a way you have only ever dreamt of before.
And finally my last mission in is life is to spread the word about what it really means to be a responsible owner. Dog Law is often overlooked by many and it would benefit all of us greatly, owner and dog alike, if we made ourselves aware of the fundamental responsibilities that we have, by law, as dog owners.​
Marcia
Bristol Dog Days Founder
