Our new YouTube channel is ready and the first videos are on now! House training your cat or dog and basic training for puppies and dogs. Lots more to come, watch the channel! Here’s just one to wet your appetite…
See our channel for all the videos on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/safepets
Rescue is a funny world. One minute you wave an animal off to its new home, the next there’s someone wanting rid of a pet they “love very much” and they’ve “tried everything” but can’t keep it. Question them and often their version of tried everything is to have not bothered to neuter, no training, no behaviourist and blame the animal. Sad cruelty cases, a few genuine owners in difficult circumstances, and the dogs who stick for a long time and nobody looks at them. Continue reading
If you read the Press Release here, you’ll see I will be at the Mayhew on Thursday 14th April from 2 to 5pm. My aim is to give advice to anyone wanting to rehome a Rottie or Bull Breed. These breeds spend too long in rescue because of the terrible stories we all read about them. This behaviour is not normal for them, it is purely people who create aggressive, dangerous dogs and they’d do it with any dog, these just happen to be their weapons of choice.
This is important to me as I also see the other end of this problem. The dogs who have made it to rescues like the Mayhew are the lucky ones. Many hundreds of Staffie types are destroyed each month as so few are adopted and so many are being indiscriminately bred. there simply isn’t room for every dog to get a rescue place and so, many die. If I can help by showing people there is more to them and their many good points, I will be a happy behaviourist!
There are many gorgeous bull breeds, Rotties and others who are as safe and loving as any other dog. If you are considering adopting one and want some advice about them, the best way to introduce them, to train them and have a loving, safe dog, come to the Mayhew on Thursday and speak to me, and the wonderful staff there and lets home some dogs.
http://www.mayhewanimalhome.org/
Please contact them if you would like to come and chat so they can book you into one of the sessions.
My sincere thanks to The Mayhew for giving me the opportunity to talk about behaviour with their staff and to help rehome some dogs. I will also be getting introduced to a rather feisty cat who might also need my help. I will be taking bandages.
Debbie Connolly
Having spent the last 2 months supporting clients in Hertfordshire against a Housing organisation and the council who wanted to remove someone’s 3 dogs despite only one allegedly having bitten, I wonder about councils and dogs.
Thankfully we have just been told that they can keep their dogs, but it has taken media, reports and arguments that I think were unneccessary. A simple meeting, assessment and discussion could have sorted this. We are still awaiting the result of an investigation into why a council workman was at the property with no appointment, resulting in a dog bite when there was an express agreement with the council this wouldn’t happen due to extremely vulnerable children living there. The council “expert” told the housing people that as one dog was aggressive they all would be (had never met them) and that therefore they all had to go. This is utter rubbish. They told me the expert is the dog warden, not a behaviourist and my fear is that others have been forced to rehome/put down dogs on the strength of this. Continue reading
Brilliant video of a cat caught unawares by the dog. Cat panics and decided to “train” the dog with a few well timed punches! And the dog, yes, a lovely Staffie cross, showing the real side of them. Still wants to be friends with the mad cat!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE4JbrwXp6w&feature=player_embedded
Stuck for something to do Easter Weekend? Then come meet us at All About Dogs show at Suffolk Showground 24th and 25th April. Bring your pet questions for Debbie Connolly, buy a signed copy of her book “Better Dog Behaviour” and have fun with your dog at the many attractions.
Debbie will be speaking about dog aggression, the Dangerous Dogs Act and pet/child safety
Animal behaviourist, Debbie Connolly, has campaigned for many years to improve dog breeding practices and the responsibilities of pet ownership and is currently doing talks and seminars at UK shows about pet and child safety.
As consultant to several animal rescues, she is very aware of the problems facing the bull breeds and rotties due to over breeding from back yard breeders – resulting in a large number being put down on a daily basis.
Media stories quite rightly feature the tragic and truly terrible stories of these breeds injuring and even killing children, but Debbie believes that the public misconception to tar them all with the same brush is unfair. Continue reading
Welcome old and new customers, friends and colleagues. In this blog, Debbie Connolly, our founder, will chat, pass on comments and stories and the rest of us staff and helpers will tell you all about our work and what we can do to help you.
Learn about our work, DogLine covers CPD courses, Petline covers courses for pet owners and our new HOUNDUCATION education company cover all aspects of dog and pet ownership. (updated October 2026)
Accredited CPD training for dog professionals.
Handling Dangerous Dogs
Intro to Identifying Banned Breeds
Dog Law
Safety in Veterinary Practices
Online self study courses for separation anxiety, responsible pet ownership, reactive dogs and more.
Use our ASK PETLINE app to ask free cat and dog behaviour questions.
Hounducation offers free online courses on dog and child safety and pet welfare. Suited to KS2 and KS3 age group, there are lots of free games and fun to make learning the best experience.
Debbie Connolly is also an expert witness and gives evidence in court after assessing dogs involved in bite incidents. Initial free advice is available just contact us.
See our dedicated “My Dog Has Bitten” website HERE
Follow @Debbie_Connolly follow us on Twitter or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/mydoghasbitten/
South East number 0208 1445799
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You can email us on dogexpert@outlook.com
