Welcoming 2026 – A Gentle Start to the Year

Pauline | Alba Dogs
Jan 26
3 min read

As January draws to a close, I wanted to take a moment to wish you and your dogs a very happy and gentle start to 2026.

The year didn’t quite begin as planned for me - or for many of you. Where I live, we didn’t just experience a week of heavy snowfall. Once the snow finally cleared, there was only a short pause before high winds and persistent rain arrived, with flooding affecting some areas. It was a challenging start to the year, and one that was unsettling not just for dogs, but for their people too.

Strong winds, relentless rain, disrupted routines, and reduced opportunities to get outside can have a real impact on emotional wellbeing. Dogs felt it in their bodies and behaviour, and guardians felt it too - the worry, the frustration, the sense of being a little bit stuck.

During this time, my Alba Dogs – Walking Together Membership became a real place of connection and support. Virtually, we shared experiences, talked honestly about how the weather was affecting both dogs and handlers, and gently explored ways to be kinder to ourselves and to each other. It was a powerful reminder that support doesn’t always come from “doing more,” but often from being understood, listened to, and held within a community that truly gets it.

Alongside the challenging weather, heavy snowfall also meant that getting straight back into work wasn’t possible for me, as we were completely snowed in for a time. While that was frustrating initially, it offered an unexpected gift - extra, unhurried time with my family before they returned overseas. Those quiet, shared moments are something I’ll always be grateful for, and they set the tone for how I’d like this year to feel: slower, more intentional, and deeply connected.

A Continued Commitment to ACE

Those of you who know me will know how central Animal Centred Education (ACE) is to my work. ACE Free Work remains at the heart of everything I do, supporting dogs and their people through choice, observation, and compassion.

Through ACE Free Work, I support:

Sensitive dogs as they grow in confidence
Dogs and their guardians by offering space to relax and decompress
Puppies exploring novelty and the world around them
The foundations of communication that build true partnerships
Adolescent dogs when self-regulation feels challenging
Adult dogs who benefit from enrichment and autonomy
Senior dogs, supporting gentle movement, comfort, and cognitive wellbeing
Skills such as recall and lead walking, learned together in harmony

ACE allows us to meet dogs where they are — emotionally and physically — and to support learning without pressure or force.

With Gratitude

My ACE journey was shaped by the teachings of the late Sarah Fisher, whose influence continues to be felt throughout the ACE community. Sarah always reminded us that dogs are our tutors, and her wisdom lives on through the work being carried forward by those she taught. With respect and gratitude, her legacy remains quietly woven into how many of us continue to support dogs with care, kindness, and curiosity.