I was also guided to include in the sacred space some Rose Quartz and a Blosem essence Cell Energie. This essnece is to help return us to our intitial cellular blue print we first incarnated with. These things were all left in place  near  the essence bowl while I went to fetch the horses. They had seen me go past carrying the bowl and I’d already connected to them to let them know we were making the essnece and asking for their participation. Imagine my surprise when I went to fetch them and found them like this.

They allowed me to sit quietly with them for a good 15 minutes or so while I sat and meditated, calling in the Co creative team and elements that were all part of the making of the essence.  When the horses had awoken from this deep healing space I took them to the field where they grazed near the  bowl over night.

The Pink Full Moon was also very poignant for being included in the process. The Pink Full Moon in Native American Indian Culture was given the name due to the mass emergence of pink phlox flowers. Spiritually, the Pink Moon always signifies rebirth and renewal. After a long, cold, grey and miserable winter, the resurgence of the color pink is a revitalizing dose of beauty and joy. It serves as a reminder that life is a set of ups and downs, a cycle of hibernation and reawakening.  How that relates to the healing of horses I think is on a heart level and long winter being the trials of life through the ages as mans servant, in war and conflict, neglect and abuse.  Now we are hoping for a shift which already exists for many in that their relationships with humans are just that, relationships that honour them as sentient beings with huge hearts and capacity for great love and forgiveness.

May the horses re connect with their overlighting herd and experience harmony and balance with love and peace.  May they be facilitators of Co creating a new world where horses and humans have a deep connection and relationship with their species specific needs met on all levels to promote health and wellness. May the traumas of their past including those of their ancestors be healed. With much gratitude to horses and their service to humanity.

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The association is dedicated to making life better and raising the status for non ridden horses and has a has a large group that has been set up for the non-ridden horse, pony, mule, donkey and people who choose not to ride. There are a lot of pressures that face the non-ridden equine. The non-ridden horse is often over looked and under-valued and treated in some cases as a second class citizen. Equines that cannot be ridden are often physically and or emotionally damaged. Many have suffered at the hand of man. The horse world can be a cruel place. There is also a lot of social pressure folk face who own non-ridden equines or choose not to ride.

Their association and social media group has been set up to celebrate the many joys non-ridden equines can bring to us. It is a place people can exchange ideas and experiences of enjoyment of the non-ridden equine. Plus show off their beautiful equines. People who love horses and do not own one and riders are also welcome to join the association and group.  Non ridden activities are wonderful for all equines.  The association is not ant riding, but is there to support all non ridden equines. Their website has a library that members can access and many other resources.

The therapies I offer support all equines and much of the training workshops I host by others have been suited for non ridden equines focussing on ground work for improved posture, Horsemanship, clicker training and horse agility days.

you can find the Non Ridden Equine Association here: https://www.thenonriddenequineassociationuk.org/

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So you have your new puppy home and hopefully he’s settled in his new surroundings, he’s comfortable with all the family members and you’ve established some basic routines of feeding, sleep, play and beginnings of toilet training. Perhaps you’ve visited the vets hopefully for nothing more than his first vaccinations, advice on worming, flea control etc and wonderful if you managed to take him to a puppy party for socialisation with other puppies his age. So assuming you can now take your puppy out you may be considering some puppy training classes. Even if you are not intending to want to train your puppy for a specific role and really just want to enjoy trouble free walks with your new four legged companion it’s important to get the basics well trained.  Most puppy training classes are held in village halls or similar and it is a great way to get them used to other puppies of similar age, some a little older, people and all sorts of stimulus. You meet like minded people and you can start to teach your puppy basic cues for things like sit, down and walk with you. This is all great and I’d make sure you ask the person doing the training what their methods entail. There is a big movement towards reward based training and it has been scientifically shown that all animals and ourselves learn much better and are more likely to repeat the desired activity with reward based training. Trained with positive reinforcement will help your puppy be more attentive, focussed and will be fun rather than training that focuses on deterring behaviours you don’t want with aversive methods.   Good training classes can be invaluable and I’d recommend you do attend some classes.

But what about the nervous puppy and what about allowing your puppy to experience other things he’s going to need to do in life, like meeting older dogs, seeing  other animals and livestock, walking in the open and going off lead. Some puppies can find the large group classes a bit overwhelming although a good trainer would acknowledge that and help you gain the puppies confidence by letting only similar natured and sized puppies in small numbers loose to investigate and using food rewards to encourage the puppy to interact.  Some of the challenges you might encounter when you first start taking your puppy out can be a bit overwhelming and frightening for some puppies. We were very lucky that the puppy training school we attended with our Barley held regular group walks which was great and I’d encourage you to look for a trainer that offers that.  Above all you want your puppy to have good experiences and for you to feel confident too. Arranging to walk with a friend with a well behaved older dog can also be really beneficial when you take those first steps out in the big wide world.

I decided to offer people the opportunity to let their puppy socialise and learn some basic firsts steps with reward based training in much smaller groups. I wanted to create an experience for new puppy owners and their precious babies that would be more of a stepping stone from just being at home in the garden to getting out and about in the wider environment, perhaps before attending classes in a hall or even to run along side that but offering a different experience.

We are very lucky to be on our farm which is secure and stock fenced all round the 20 acres with safe walking areas. I wanted to offer puppy owners a unique experience to be able to bring their puppy to an hour and a half session in very small groups of no more than 6 puppies ranging from 12 weeks just after their second vaccine to around 20 weeks. Part of the session would be out doors on the grass practicing some basic training and would incorporate a short lead walk where they could see safely from the other side of the fence horses and our pet sheep. Early introductions to livestock could be invaluable to how they might react if they see these animals out and about in future. They could see our chickens from a distance too who will be safely in their enclosure. Seeing if your puppy seems just curious, fearful or totally fixated as if they want to chase them could give owners valuable insights into their puppy’s natural instincts. Some breeds of dogs and individuals may have a very high chase drive. Introducing to different animals at a young age can be very helpful.

After our walk and out door activities we will return to one of our barns where owners can get themselves a tea or coffee or cold drink. Hopefully the pups will find it easier to settle after the activity and it will be good practice to encourage calmness while I give a short talk about common issues and introduce some natural products for dogs. Each participant will receive a puppy pack with useful information, samples and some vouchers.

I will be offering a few of these sessions throughout the summer and it would be fine to come more than once. In fact I would encourage it and hopefully we might progress to some off lead play and socialisation as the puppies become familiar and confident with each other. My aim is that they have very positive associations with other dogs and people and with seeing livestock for the first time.

You can read about my back ground with working with dogs and my qualifications here.

https://naturalanswer.co.uk/about-jane/

I hope that you will see value in this offer and join me soon.  Details below for the first session.

https://naturalanswer.co.uk/storefront/workshops-and-courses/puppy-socialising-and-early-learning-workshop/

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The most crucial stage is actually before most people bring their new puppy home or at least before they have finished their initial inocululations. These early weeks are incredibly important and the most formative in how that puppy will relate to the world.  Puppies that have been born outside and kept caged and shut off with little interaction with the outside world which frequently happens with puppy farms and unscrupulous breeders, will have great difficulty forming appropriate relationships with humans and other dogs and animals, often being fearful and anxious. Puppies weaned too young or those that have had a lack of proper maternal bonding will often carry a deep anxiety that may present as separation anxiety, over attachment, nervousness and fear based aggression.

When considering having a puppy it’s really important to do your home work beforehand. Are your circumstances really suited to having a puppy? Are you out at work for long hours, are their children in your home and if so how old are they? What time and commitment do you have? Does the breed and type of dog you want suit your lifestyle. Assuming you are sure having a puppy come into your home as a family member is what you want and you know you can meet that puppy’s needs for life then it’s time to look for a reputable breeder. One of the best ways is through recommendation. You need to do your home work here too. A good breeder will want to do their homework about you too, making sure their puppy will be well matched to your home life and personality. A good breeder would want to do their best to ensure their puppies have loving homes for life and will probably grill you over your circumstances and motivations to have one of their puppies. Speaking to them on the phone you should get a feel for them and they you.

When visiting the litter of puppies for the first time it’s important to note how they are kept. The bitch should look in good healthy condition and have a nice temperament. If at all possible see if you can see the stud dog. If he’s from another kennel ask about him and see if they have photos, see if they have any related adults you can meet so you can assess their temperaments. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Ideally the puppies would be in doors, but for practical reasons especially with larger breeds they may be in kennels or an out building. Either way their living space should be clean and dry, with plenty of toys and things for the puppies to interact with. The Whelping box if they are still in that should allow the bitch to get in and out easily so she can have some time out and get a drink. Even if they are kennelled outside they should be brought in doors to habituate them to indoor things. Once old enough they should be able to go in a play pen outside regularly. The more experiences they are habituated to gently with positive fun outcomes and not over faced and frightened the more well balanced they will be and retain their curiosity, confidence and seeking behaviour.

If you are able to see the puppies more than once that can be good so you see how their individual characters are developing. A good breeder will provide you with a puppy pack to take home with your new puppy. Usually with guidance notes on helping them settle in the early days, notes on worming and when to vaccinate, some of their usual food and often a free cover note for a months insurance which you then have the option of continuing. If this isn’t something they include it’s advisable to insure your pup as soon as possible.

Being as that crucial period for habituation and socialisation where puppies associations and how they will relate to the big wide world are fairly set by age 12 weeks and in reality the vaccines usually start at 9 or 10 weeks with the 2nd one at 12 weeks it makes it difficult to give your puppy the life experiences you might want if you can’t take them out due to the vaccine course not being finished. However there is still much you can do at home. Many vets practices hold puppy parties for puppies between 9 and 12 weeks where the floors will have been specially disinfected. These are great ways to let your puppy meet other puppies, people probably to travel by car. Usually the nurse running the party will advise new owners about worming, flea treatments, diet and other useful information. At home maybe invite some visitors, establish where the puppy will be sleeping and establish a feeding routine, teach him or her about being groomed, interact and play with your puppy, introduce children and other pets carefully, hoovers, TV other noises, the garden etc. If small enough maybe carry them so you can take them for short trips outside. You can introduce a daily routine of brushing and get him used to wearing a soft collar. Try to get your puppy used to new experiences gently and carefully without over facing them and causing anxiety and fear. Make things fun and hopefully you will be building a loving foundation for a great relationship with a Happy well adjusted dog.

Flower Essences can help a great deal when you first bring a puppy home. Bach Flower Rescue Remedy, Alaskan Soul Support or Animal Care are a good choice as to might be Aspen and Mimulus if the puppy is fearful and Walnut for helping with change. Honeysuckle for home sickness and missing the litter mates and mum. Alaskan Fireweed is for changes from the Alaskan system.

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