Rachel, owner of Nose to Trail explaining how the muzzle training session will work to the Pawprints Team
On Friday, October 11th, Nantwich-based dog training team Nose to Trail spent an afternoon giving back to the local rescue community, providing free training to the dogs at Pawprints to Freedom, a rescue charity dedicated to helping dogs find their forever homes. Led by clinical animal behaviourist Rachel Rodgers, the team worked alongside the kennel staff, focusing on the long-stay rescue dogs, many of whom have come from Romania and are facing behavioural challenges that make it difficult for them to find homes.
Beautfiul Anne one of dogs looking for a home in the kennels near Nantwich
Rachel teamed up with Pawprints to Freedom’s Kelda North to design a training plan tailored specifically for these dogs. These long-term residents often struggle with behavioural issues that arise from spending extended periods in kennels. The goal of the day was to help the dogs overcome some of these challenges, making them more adoptable and ready to settle into new homes.
Dog trainer Mell Powers joined Rachel to lead sessions on “Free Work,” an enrichment activity designed to encourage natural behaviours like sniffing and foraging. Free Work provides mental stimulation for the dogs, which helps alleviate some of the behavioural problems that can stem from boredom in kennels. Mell and Rachel also demonstrated the technique to the Pawprints staff so they could continue using it in their daily routine, giving the dogs ongoing benefits even after the training session.
Freya enjoying one of the stations in her free work session
Meanwhile, Hannah Billington, a registered veterinary nurse and Nose to Trail team member, worked with five of the long-stay residents and their handlers. Specializing in reactivity issues, Hannah observed the dogs’ behaviour around other dogs and gave the kennel team tailored advice to help each dog become more comfortable in social situations. By reducing excessive barking and reactivity, the hope is that these dogs will have an easier time finding homes.
Hannah with Dottie after her muzzle training session
The afternoon wrapped up with a muzzle training demonstration. For dogs that are nervous or reactive, muzzle training can be a useful tool to increase safety when they’re introduced to new environments. Teaching dogs to wear a muzzle properly can reduce bite risks, giving adopters more confidence in bringing a new pet home.
In a generous gesture, Nose to Trail didn’t just stop at providing free training. They’ve also given the team at Pawprints to Freedom complimentary access to their dog training membership. This ongoing support will allow the kennel staff to receive expert advice and guidance from Nose to Trail, helping them continue to support these dogs as they work toward finding their forever homes.
Rachel Rodgers summed up the day’s efforts, saying, “We want to give these dogs the best possible chance to find homes. By sharing our training techniques and working closely with the staff at Pawprints to Freedom, we hope we can make a real difference for these dogs.”
a Pawprints staff member helps Nala to understand Free Work
This collaboration highlights how local businesses and charities can work together to create a lasting impact, improving the welfare of dogs in need and helping them find the loving homes they deserve.
If you’d like to help us to help the Pawprints team more then there are some things that could help! Firstly some of the Lick Mats that have suction cups would help us with some training we have planned, any “nervous” yellow dog sashes, leads, etc would be a great help or why not even donate a training session to one of the long stay dogs?
To help email info@nosetotrail.co.uk