Category Archives: Training

Scent work for dogs

Reasons why you should look at scent work for your dog: Sniffing helps release dopamine from their brain, providing a happy good feeling Provides calm mental activity (Brain workout!) Keeps your dog in a lower emotional state Helps your dog learn and refine their nose power Provides the opportunity of independence Helps build up confidence…

Using secure dog walking fields help to: Provide security while off lead Outdoor low distraction envrioment Avoid any triggers for your dog New experiences for your dog Sometimes agility equipment, woodland or ponds to play in! This means you can: Practice training Provide more freedom Meet dog friends to have group play Have one-one time…

Dogs can shake off to remove water from their coats. However, why do they shake off when they are dry? Shaking off when their coat is dry, is a type of stress response. Have you ever been in a stressful event or been unsure of your surroundings, then when it's finished you notice all your…

I often hear in my consultations: "I let him on the sofa, which I know I shouldn’t" or "I don’t let him on the bed, as the last trainer said he is dominant" News breaker: Being on the sofa or bed, doesn’t make your dog dominant! Dominance theory has been proven to be an incorrect…

How long does it take to fix a behaviour problem?

Unfortunately, behaviour changes are not quick to resolve, they take time and patience. Often these behaviours have emotions, motivations and reinforcers attached to the presentation of the behaviour. They can take months or years to get to the end result. It doesn’t necessary mean you need support for the full time, I will be giving…

Does at one fit’s all approach work for pets?

Imagine going to your doctors for three different medical problems and each time you get given a blue pill to resolve your issue with no medical assessment. The first time you take the pill, it has no affect. The second time you take it, it works brilliantly within one day. The third time you take…

You might have seen a lot in the social media around muzzles explaining the reasons muzzles are needed in the dog world. There can be a range of necessary reasons for a dog to wear a muzzle. Whatever the reason a dog might need a muzzle, what is important is that we ensure dogs are…

When we think about training, we normally think about dogs. However, cats can learn just as well as dogs too! Although cats have not been shown to benefit from social learning (watching others do an activity first), they have been shown to learn very well with directed and problem-solving learning. This means we can teach…

Let Long Lines Drag!

Do you or have you used longlines before? When working on recall or behaviour modifications, they can be used as brilliant devices to bridge the gap from on or off the lead. Once you have established a recall or wanted behaviour and you are now working on distractions or busier areas, long lines can be…

Why don’t they listen?

Have you ever had to shout and shout your dog, and only after the fifth time, they look at you really puzzled? Dogs can have selective hearing when they focus on one sense, however it is not always their fault. Have you ever been reading a book, on your phone or watching TV and someone…