"How to live in harmony with your pet"


My training methods with you will follow the same pattern as my work with guide dogs -

  • assess each situation
  • the home and family needs
  • the family parameters required

I then tailor each training session to tackle both the needs of your dog and to give you the confidence and the ability to work and train your dog.

The key secret to my work is teaching you to use your voice in a certain way, so that your dog clearly understands between 'play time' and 'control time'. We all have different sounding voices. You will learn that it is nothing to do with loudness but tone. Ladies often have more problems with this aspect than men - as their voices sometimes go too high, but we will work through that problem together.

I want your dog to respond to that special control voice and then to be seeking tactile and vocal praise.

There are some occasions when I use titbits as a reward, but for me my trademark secret is 'The Quiet voice and the gentle touch'. Food reward has its place particularly when there are problems with your dog's recall.

Do some of the following problems sound familiar?
Does your dog:
  • not 'sit' or lie 'down' when you ask?
  • not come back in the park when you call?
  • pull you down the road?
  • constantly stop and sniff on a walk?
  • jump on you and/or your guests?
  • continuously bark in the car or in the home?
  • growl at strangers or friends when they call or approach your car?
  • chase the neighbours cat / squirrels / deer / cars / bicycle / joggers?
  • dictate where he will sit and on which chair?
  • bark at the postman or even worse chase him/her?
  • growl when you take his food or toys away?
  • is a lovely character but just a hooligan to control? So you dread people coming to stay and you shut your dog away each time.
  • not settle in the home and constantly seeks attention?
  • show signs of separation anxiety when left?
  • steal food off the table or shelf?
All of these problems either individually or collectively are symptomatic of a general lack of control. We can change these above problems and put harmony back into your relationship with your dog.

So don't wait any longer.... it is easier than you think and in one session we will completely change the way you handle and control your dog, provided that you and your family are consistent with the training after I leave.

Believe me the saying "a well trained dog is a happy dog" is so very true. The thousands of dogs that I have trained since 1998 are testimony to that fact!

"...the dog who meets with a good master is the happier of the two"
- Maurice Maeterlink (1862- 1949). Belgian poet and playwright

As well as my core work which is training clients on a one to one basis, I also train small groups ( 2 or more people ) together saving travel costs - perhaps making the traIning fee more realistic for you.
 

- Easter egg warning -

human chocolate will kill your dog
Keep those tempting eggs away from your dog!

  



"In full flow at a Veterinary Practice's open day, summer Salisbury 1999"


"Be consistent with your rules - K. is..... but you can confuse your dog by being inconsistent"

A funny tail
A client phones me re. her 10 month old boxer dog... who is proving to be more than a handful... arranged appointment... just before she rang off she said "please help me with my bunkers boxer because I have a bad back and I cannot hold him in the harness and I may have to re-home him"

... a bunkers boxer???... really had me thinking... asked a few more knowledgeable friends... is it a particular strain etc... no-one knew... all gave me strange looks!!!

Arrived at clients house... greeted by the liveliest, wildest beast on four legs... leapt up over my head in his enthusiasm to say 'hallo'... so went to work... 10 minutes later in the street as I handed the lead to the young girl who was watching me... "tell me exactly what is a bunkers boxer??" I asked...

peels of laughter... girl collapses on pavement... Oscar looks puzzled and quizzical? Wiping her eyes she says... NO! I did not say bunkers... I said he is such a BONKERS boxer... I have a head cold.

The harness has been thrown into the bin and mother and daughter walk this great young dog quietly to heel. End of back problems... enter well behaved dog loving the new confident approach from his family.

"Bonkers Brother
Cirencester Show - July 2003"

"It is a rare dog who does not like to be stroked, patted, scratched or lovingly touched!"
- Unknown Source


 

Any loud bangs expected this year?

Either consult your veterinary surgeon for help or speak to a dog trainer like myself for advice - do not leave it too late!


Milly
Whitstable, Kent

2 vets said
"Destroy Me!!"

"HEY GUYS LISTEN UP"

SEE WHAT MY CLIENTS SAY


Remote training collars: I occasionally use one of these aids in my work, especially for recall work.

Imagine a Springer Spaniel off on a runner with his nose glued to the ground or a Jack Russell with her head in a rabbit hole......you know how frustrating these distance situations are!! Possibly using the right remote collar at the correct time we might retrieve the dog's attention back to us. There are 3 types currently available in the UK:

  • the remote spray collar - this type of collar is now water proof, so if your Golden Retriever is retrieving in a pond and ignoring you, this collar could help you get him back to you for praise and reward.
  • the remote vibrating collar - has both a buzzer and a vibration effect.
  • the Spray Commander Collar - similar action to the Masterplus but it has the added benefit of a buzzer to alert your dog before the spray is activated.
In the right hands and in the right training environment, one of these collars might be the final link in the training puzzle. BUT they should go hand in hand with assessment of your dog's needs with a trainer such as myself. Overuse can upset some dogs or teach other dogs to continue their bad habits. Let me come and work with you and assess your dog's individual needs.Once we have found the correct collar, sometimes you will only need to use the collar for a few weeks. If that is the case, I will always buy the collar back at a secondhand price, provided it is not damaged in any way.

Please do not confuse the above training collars with a remote electric shock collar, which can be used by anyone without any training as they are freely available via the web and retail outlets can and cause lasting training problems.

 
 

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