Treats, Rewards & Reinforcement: What's The Difference?
Lots of people now train their dog or puppy using positive reinforcement – hurrah! – and food tends to be our go-to item. However, there…
The Canine Ladder of Aggression
Question: What might the following dog movements have in common? Ears back, lip licking, yawning, head turns, paw lift, backing away. Answer: They are all…
How's Your Dog's "Bounce" Action?
Do certain things in your dog’s environment cause him to become over-excited, frustrated or anxious? Do you struggle to get Fido’s attention…
7 Things To Know About Your Dog's Nose ...
Dogs put their noses to work every second of the day but this can be troubling to humans – particularly when dogs sniff places and…
Get Your Dog Focussed on YOU!
Teaching your dog to focus on you is the mother of all behaviours. You need that before you can teach anything else, otherwise your words…
Speak Less … Let Your BODY Do The Talking
Humans LOVE talking to their dogs! But are words the most effective way to communicate? It may seem a glib point but your dog doesn…
Dog Training: It's All About Timing & Placement ....
Training your dog is a bit like learning a musical instrument. Your timing needs to be good and how and where you place your hands…
Be Your Dog's "Choice Architect"
Training your dog is really about teaching him or her to make the ‘right’ choices in life. The term ‘Choice Architect’ was coined by Behavioural…
The Perils of ‘Puppy Socialisation’
Ask just about anyone and they’ll tell you to “socialise” your puppy.” But what does that mean? Socialisation is a deceptively simple concept and…
Recall Is About Giving Up!
Most people think that ‘recall’ is about training your fur-ball to run to you; its NOT. Your dog already knows how to do that…
Arrgh! My Dog Keeps 'Stealing' Things ...
Does your dog run off with the remote or your slippers? Do you wonder why? Wish you could get Fido to ‘give up’ the…
The Problem With "NO!"
Humans are verbal beings; we use words to communicate our thoughts. And we use the word “NO!” to indicate we want a behaviour to stop…
Get Better Focus From Your Dog
But how? As a Trainer, I often get asked for help to improve a dog’s behaviour. Whatever you’re trying to teach your dog…
Can Your Dog Tell The Time?
How is it that dogs just seem to ‘know’ when their human is returning? Is it a sixth sense? In her brilliant book “Being A…
My Dog Wont Listen!
Have you ever watched a dog owner in the park saying to her dog (with increasing angst): “Fido Sit; Sit Fido; SIT … SIT ……
The High & Woes Of Puppy Parenting: What They Don't Tell You!
So you’re getting a new puppy! More exciting than all your birthdays put together; such cuteness that your insides turn to warm caramel; a…
The Secret To Training Your Dog?
Let me start by asking you a question… Have you ever moved house and found yourself opening the (new) kitchen cupboard only to remember the…
Why Do Dogs Scratch The Ground After Pooping?
Picture the scene: your dog has just ‘performed’ but before you’ve been able to grab a poop bag, Fido is furiously scratching long, deep…
Festive Food Do's (and Dont's) For Your Dog
Does your pooch have a tendency to snaffle Christmas goodies? This handy little chart – courtesy of www.dfordog.co.uk – tells you what festive foods…
Adolescent Dog?
Welcome To The Age Of Objection! As adolescence hits and hormones take hold, your adorable pup begins to morph into the hound from hell! Recall…
Stop Jumping Up!
If your dog is an ‘eager greeter’ and jumps all over people, here’s a nifty training game to keep Fido’s paws firmly on…
So, What Are The 3D's Of Dog Training?
If you want your dog’s training to really improve, think about how you use “The 3Ds” – Distance, Duration, Distraction. The 3 D’s come…
“Calming Signals" - What Is Your Dog Really Telling You?
Turid Rugaas, a Norwegian Dog Trainer and Behaviour expert studied dog body language and noted that dogs often display ‘calming signals’ to deal with situations…
Wag-ipedia: What's In A Tail Wag?
Question: When a dog wags its tail, does it mean the dog is: Happy? Anxious? Ready to attack? On the alert? Answer: It depends! It…
5 Myths About Dog Training – Busted!
Some Dogs Are Incapable Of Learning. What twaddle! If a dog isn’t learning a behaviour the likelihood is we haven’t communicated the task…
"Bowl & Recall"
Bowl & Recall is the perfect way to train your dog to come racing back when you call! It taps into your dog’s natural chase…
All Dogs Can Bite ...
But they’d prefer not to! Here are 10 tips to help prevent you or your children being bitten by a dog. Read the signs…
Get Your Dog Walking On A Loose Lead!
As a dog trainer, I’m often asked “how do I get my dog to walk on-lead without pulling?” Loose-lead walking is a…
Why Do Dogs… ‘Curve’ When They Approach Another Dog?
If you watch two dogs meet for the first time, you’ll often see them walk towards each other in a slight arc, curving towards…
Is Your Dog More Comfortable Around WOMEN Than Men?
In general, it seems dogs are more accepting of unfamiliar women than unfamiliar men. But why? It might be tempting to think it’s because…
Why Do Dogs… Love Sniffing Bottoms?!
Well, it’s all about how dogs take in their environment. As humans we see the world through our eyes… but our dogs ‘see’ the…
Keep Ticks At Bay The NATURAL way!
If you’re concerned about the chemicals in conventional ticks, flea and worming treatments then here are 2 NATURAL remedies that work! Billy No Mates…