Hi! I’m Magdalena, founder of the WonderWoofs Club. Thats me in the photo, alongside my two miniature poodles, Kitka and Tilly.

My adventure into dog ownership kicked off midsummer 2022 at a chaotic, aroma-filled fish market in Swanage. Ben my then fiance and now husband, ever the conversationalist, struck up a chat with a middle-aged couple waiting for their crab rolls. “Hey! Your dog is super cute! Where did you get it from?” he said with a big grin on his face. Then one thing led to another, and a week later, we found ourselves driving back from Birmingham with a ten-week-old black miniature poodle curled up in my lap.

But my story with Kitka didn’t unfold the way I had hoped. While there were a few joyful moments, playful fights and chewed-up bunny toys, most days were a struggle. During our first week together, I often found myself sat on my bedroom floor in tears, unable to leave Kitka’s side even for five minutes because she wouldn’t sleep without me there. She didn’t scamper around the house or chase leaves in the garden. She was anxious and sad, and I felt lost.

Heres Kitka sometime back then

Desperate for advice, I called Kitka’s breeder, who recommended a book (which I’ll share more about another time). I read it cover to cover, again and again, soaking up every word and slowly putting its lessons into place. I realized that building a relationship required effort from both of us.

I began introducing structure into our daily routine and focused on developing Kitka’s essential life skills, such as self-control, healthy fear responses, and impulse control. Gradually, I noticed positive changes in Kitka’s behavior—small but meaningful signs of improvement. We spent long evenings playing engaging games together, which eventually became a toolkit that helped us confidently navigate real-world situations

Yet, I still felt there was more to learn. I signed up Kitka for one-to-one training and then group classes, driven by a need to understand why my experience with dog ownership was nothing like the fairy tale I’d imagined. I delved into research on dog behavior, hoping to find answers.