It's All About The Dog

It's All About The Dog Qualified & Accredited Dog Trainers | 3 Best Rated 2022-2026 | Science-Led Training for Focused, Happy Dogs & Unrivalled Support For All Dog Guardians

We offer Private & Group Training sessions, Behavioural Modification, Workshops, Events, Talks & Secure Field Hire.

🌡️ Why does today feel SO much hotter than the rest of the week?The interesting thing is...It isn't really the temperatu...
26/06/2026

🌡️ Why does today feel SO much hotter than the rest of the week?

The interesting thing is...

It isn't really the temperature.

Today's forecast is around 30°C, which isn't much different to the last few days.

The big difference is something called the dew point.

The dew point tells us how much moisture is actually in the air.

Today, the dew point has reached 22°C.

To put that into context:

🌿 10–12°C feels comfortable.

🙂 13–16°C starts to feel a little humid.

🥵 17–19°C feels sticky.

🌴 20°C+ feels tropical and oppressive.

Today's air contains almost as much moisture as you'd expect in some tropical climates. That's why simply standing outside feels uncomfortable, even in the shade.

For us, that means sweating becomes less effective.

For our dogs, it means panting becomes less effective too.

This week I've become a little fascinated by just how much difference humidity makes. We've been keeping three senior dogs comfortable at home, and I've learned that it's not just the thermometer that's important.

Temperature, humidity, airflow and the dew point all work together.

That's why today's 30°C feels so much more uncomfortable than the same temperature on a drier day.

So if your dog seems happy to spend today snoozing in the coolest room in the house...

They're probably making a very sensible decision. ❤️🐾

Sometimes doing very little is exactly the right thing to do.

🐾 "My dog doesn't want to say hello."Good.Let's normalise that.Over the last few days we've talked about heat, humidity,...
26/06/2026

🐾 "My dog doesn't want to say hello."

Good.

Let's normalise that.

Over the last few days we've talked about heat, humidity, recovery, behaviour changes and how the weather can affect our dogs in ways that aren't always obvious.

One thing we haven't touched on yet is social interaction.

Many dogs are simply less tolerant when they're hot, tired or uncomfortable.

Just like people.

That doesn't make them unfriendly.

It doesn't make them badly behaved.

It doesn't mean they need more training.

It may simply mean they're not feeling their best.

This week, if your dog chooses to:

🐾 Watch rather than interact
🐾 Keep their distance
🐾 Move away from another dog
🐾 Seek shade instead of socialising
🐾 Walk past rather than stop and greet

consider listening to them.

One of the kindest things we can do for our dogs is recognise when they're asking for a little more space.

Not every walk has to be a social event.

Not every dog needs to greet every dog.

And not every invitation needs to be accepted.

As the weather begins to cool over the weekend, remember that giving our dogs choice isn't just important during a heatwave.

It's important all year round.

Sometimes the most valuable thing we can offer our dogs isn't a cue, a treat or a training exercise.

It's the freedom to say:

"Not today, thank you."

❤️

NOSE TARGETINGTeaching your dog to target your hand and other objects with their nose is great for keeping your dogs att...
25/06/2026

NOSE TARGETING

Teaching your dog to target your hand and other objects with their nose is great for keeping your dogs attention around distractions, and building more advanced behaviours later.

To start with, present a flat hand towards your dog and wait for them to investigate. Mark and reward as soon as their nose makes contact with your hand.

If your dog struggles initially, you can always rub a treat on your hand to get them interested and help them succeed.

After a few repetitions, hold your hand further away, so that your dog has to take a step in order to make contact. Practice in all directions and with both hands so your dog understands all the variations.

From here you can start to create a moving target, by continuing to move your hand as your dog is approaching. This is a really important step if you want to use hand targeting to teach your dog new behaviours in the future.

When your dog has mastered the art of nose targeting, you will be able to teach so many follow-on behaviours, including peekaboo, stand and paws up.

Training Video Link: https://youtu.be/5QR1_qLSybA

🐾 A few people have asked what we're doing with our own dogs during this week's heatwave...With three elderly dogs (aged...
25/06/2026

🐾 A few people have asked what we're doing with our own dogs during this week's heatwave...

With three elderly dogs (aged 12, 12 and 16), keeping them comfortable has become this week's priority.

Here's what our days have looked like:

🌅 A very early morning walk while it's still cool.

🚽 Garden toilet breaks only for the rest of the day.

😴 Lots of uninterrupted sleep. There are no expectations this week - they don't need to be entertained, they just need to be comfortable.

💨 Keeping plenty of air moving with fans.

🏡 Closing blinds and shutting the house up before the sun reaches the windows.

💧 Fresh water always available.

👀 Most importantly... watching the dogs, not just the thermometer.

One thing this week has taught me is that it's not just the temperature that matters. Humidity, airflow and even something called the dew point all play a part in how well our dogs can cool themselves.

We've also realised just how valuable our portable air conditioners have been. We bought them a few years ago, and honestly, they've become one of the best investments we've made for our senior dogs. They're certainly not essential, but if our summers continue to get hotter, they're something I think many dog owners may find worth considering in the future.

Our three have spent most of the week exactly as we'd hoped...

🐾 Eating normally.

🐾 Pottering into the garden when they need to.

🐾 Sleeping peacefully.

🐾 Waking up for cuddles... and meals!

Sometimes the kindest thing we can do isn't finding another activity.

It's creating an environment where our dogs can simply rest comfortably until the weather becomes kinder again. ❤️

🚶‍♂️ Does every dog need a walk today?Possibly not.Before anyone panics, this isn't a post about never walking your dog....
25/06/2026

🚶‍♂️ Does every dog need a walk today?

Possibly not.

Before anyone panics, this isn't a post about never walking your dog.

It's also not a post about judging people who are out walking theirs.

Every dog, every household and every situation is different.

Some dogs won't toilet in the garden.

Some people don't have a garden.

Some guardians are simply doing the best they can with the options available.

But for those who do have a choice...

This week's weather may be a good opportunity to ask:

"Does my dog need a walk today, or do they simply need their needs meeting?"

Because those aren't always the same thing.

Many dogs would happily swap a longer walk in hot, humid conditions for:

🐾 A short early-morning stroll
🐾 A sniff around the garden
🐾 A scatter feed
🐾 A chew
🐾 A scent game
🐾 A nap in a cool room

We often worry that missing a walk will somehow harm our dogs.

The reality is that a few quieter days are unlikely to cause any lasting problems.

In fact, many dogs cope remarkably well when given the opportunity to rest, recover and simply be.

So if you're heading out for a walk this week, no judgement here.

If you're choosing to skip one, no judgement there either.

The goal isn't to tick a box.

The goal is to help our dogs navigate the weather safely and comfortably.

Tomorrow we'll talk about why this may not be the week to expect our dogs to be their most sociable selves...

WHERE’S MY FACE?Focus is an important skill to develop with adolescent dogs. Making it worthwhile for your dog to check ...
24/06/2026

WHERE’S MY FACE?

Focus is an important skill to develop with adolescent dogs. Making it worthwhile for your dog to check in with you will make a huge difference when it comes to everyday life. One game which is excellent for this is ‘where’s my face’?!

To start with, get some of your dog's favourite rewards and wait for them to make eye contact with you. Mark and reward them, before turning away and waiting again.

Let your dog figure out what to do next… Because it worked before your dog is likely to move in front of you to make eye contact again.

Every time your dog successfully looks at you, mark, reward and rotate again.

When your dog is getting really good at this you will see they respond much quicker when you turn away.

Practice turning in both directions.

Soon your dog will be rapidly checking in with you no matter which way you turn. Building up this skill in a quiet location before working around more distractions will help set your dog up to succeed and make it more likely they will be able to focus on you in the wider world.

Training Video Link: https://youtu.be/qfc3L0S04ok

🌡️ Everyone's talking about temperature...But have you heard of the dew point?At around 10:30am this morning, my weather...
24/06/2026

🌡️ Everyone's talking about temperature...

But have you heard of the dew point?

At around 10:30am this morning, my weather app was showing:

🌡️ Temperature: 25°C

💧 Humidity: 70%

🌫️ Dew Point: 19°C

Most people understand temperature and humidity, but dew point is often overlooked.

In simple terms, the dew point tells us how much moisture is in the air.

As a rough guide:

✅ 10–12°C = Comfortable

🙂 13–16°C = A little humid

🥵 17–19°C = Starting to feel sticky

💦 20°C+ = Decidedly muggy

Today's current dew point of 19°C is right at the top end of the "sticky" range.

Why does that matter?

Dogs cool themselves primarily by panting.

When the air is already carrying lots of moisture, it becomes harder for that cooling system to work efficiently.

It's a bit like trying to dry your washing on a damp, muggy day compared to a fresh, breezy one. The temperature might be the same, but the conditions feel completely different.

That's why:

🐾 25°C on a dry, breezy day can feel very different to

🐾 25°C on a warm, humid day.

It's also why shade, woodland and early morning walks don't always provide as much relief as we'd expect if the air is already holding lots of moisture.

This week, don't just look at the temperature.

Think about:

💨 Airflow

💦 Humidity

🌫️ Dew Point

🐾 Most importantly... your dog.

Are they happily pottering about?

Or are they telling you they'd rather find a cool spot and snooze until the weather passes?

Sometimes the kindest thing we can do is listen. ❤️

🐾 "My dog just isn't themselves..."By now, we've had a few days of warmer temperatures, high humidity and sticky nights....
24/06/2026

🐾 "My dog just isn't themselves..."

By now, we've had a few days of warmer temperatures, high humidity and sticky nights.

And some dogs may be feeling it.

Not because they're overheating.

Not because they're unwell.

But because they're working harder than usual to stay comfortable.

One of the first things I often notice during hot weather isn't a physical change.

It's a behavioural one.

You might see your dog:

🐾 Less interested in food
🐾 Less interested in training
🐾 More easily frustrated
🐾 More reactive
🐾 Less interested in playing
🐾 More restless at home
🐾 Sleeping more than usual
🐾 Choosing shade, cool surfaces or quiet places

Just as we can feel tired, grumpy and lacking in motivation when we're hot and haven't slept well, our dogs can be affected too.

This is where it pays to lower expectations.

Perhaps this isn't the week to:
❌ Perfect your recall
❌ Visit busy places
❌ Attend every social event
❌ Expect your dog to cope with more than usual

Instead, focus on:
✅ Rest
✅ Recovery
✅ Choice
✅ Sniffing
✅ Keeping cool

Sometimes the kindest thing we can do is recognise that our dogs are coping with more than we realise.

And remember...

A dog doesn't need to be visibly overheating before the weather starts affecting how they feel and behave. ❤️

Tomorrow we'll talk about why missing a few walks is unlikely to harm your dog nearly as much as people fear.

SCAVENGER HUNT SCENTWORKDogs have the most phenomenal sense of smell. Searching using their nose is immensely rewarding....
23/06/2026

SCAVENGER HUNT SCENTWORK

Dogs have the most phenomenal sense of smell. Searching using their nose is immensely rewarding. One activity you can set up for your dog to enjoy is a scavenger hunt. Start by hiding treats around your home or garden and letting your dog sniff them out. Have some in plain sight to get your dog started, and others hidden out of view. Make sure to hide them at different heights too.

When your dog is doing well with this you can make it more of a challenge by hiding the treats in cups around the search area. This will change the scent pattern and get your dog working harder to locate their food.

Eventually you can even hide the food inside containers with small openings to allow the scent to escape. Your dog will now get to figure out how to open the containers in order to access the food when they find it.

Scavenger hunts are a great way to exercise your dog’s brain, build confidence and boost your relationship. You can even create different themes for your searches, like setting up an Easter egg hunt in the spring!

Training Video Link: https://youtu.be/Hg3co1Wf9Xg

Address

Unit 2 Worth Enterprise Park, Valley Road
Keighley
BD214LN

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 7:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 7:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 7:30pm
Thursday 9am - 7:30pm
Friday 9am - 7:30pm
Saturday 9am - 7:30pm
Sunday 10am - 7:30pm

Telephone

+447539323069

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when It's All About The Dog posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share