So many people go to puppy training classes, some have 1-2-1 trainers and some just go it alone, it doesn’t matter which path you choose to train your pup, what matters is that the training should NOT stop after a few months.

Dog training is ongoing, I still train my 10 year old Rottie! Yes that’s right, it keeps her stimulated, gives her a purpose and she loves it.

Your dog goes through many stages, the young pup that never leaves your side, the older pup who has now found some confidence and is pushing boundaries, then there is the adolescent dogs that push your buttons of patience, the young adult dog that still loves to party, then we have the adult dog that is starting to settle down being much calmer and chilled, then finally the senior years which can cause unwanted behaviours because of frustration or pain and can no longer do the things they used to. YES just like our life cycle!

Time and time again I hear people tell me they have owned dogs all their life and they do not need educating about dogs.  Wrong!  I have owned cars all my life, but I still do not know how to fix them, I can put fuel, water and oil in it, even change a wheel but that is it.  Plus, they have developed and got more complicated so I have even a less understanding, mechanics have adapted and enhanced their knowledge so they can keep fixing them.  This is the same for dogs, they have developed, the environment has changed, it’s busier, plus many other factors and scientists have proven facts of how dogs learn, think, cope, emotional reactions etc etc, therefore we need to adapt and broaden our knowledge.

EXCITING NEWS!!!

We are are expanding to the area of Cheddar Gorge and cannot wait to start.  What a gorgeous part of the world and so much to explore.

Why Cheddar?  Well the boss is getting married and moving there to be with her partner and why not as it is a lovely area to walk the dogs.

Training doesn’t have to be regimental and structured but it sure needs to be fun.  Ever wondered why your dog runs over to other dogs or people?  Or chases rabbits, birds or squirrels?  Because it is fun, interactive and unpredictable. 

Standing in front of your dog telling them to sit luring with a treat does challenge their brain for a while but if you run a few steps and then tell them to sit you are more likely to get speedier results because it’s fun.

Do you remember the schoolteacher that made learning fun and different?  You always seem to listen to them and learn but the teacher that stands in front of a class droning on you mostly switched off.

Often, I see posts about taking food away from dogs’, ‘so they know who the boss is’ and ‘when I take food away from my dog it gets aggressive’, plus many more.  The answer is NO!

By doing this you are creating Resource guarding not stopping it.  There is no Alpha, there is no boss, there is no pack leader.  Dogs are family.  When they are taken away from their mum to be in a new household, you become their new mum.  They look to you now to teach them the ways of the world like their birth mother started.  When you have a child, you don’t start doing things like taking away their food to prove you are the leader of the pack, you nurture, teach, you lead by example.  You affectively become the one that they look up to.

Puppy school…………..Puppy socialisation

Yes, it is important to socialise your pup, however it is also important to manage the interactions to meet up with other pups and adult dogs. Why?
Puppies are like kids if we didn’t lay out the rules they would be feral. Dogs have no natural self control, so it is our job to teach them the house rules. The reason dogs have become so popular in our lives is because they are smart, they quickly learn commands and behaviours that we want either in our homes or for work purposes. Dogs are adaptable and dogs love to please, all they want is your love and kindness in return.
So we need to lay down those rules when meeting other dogs because if we don’t then they will get a lot of negative experiences which could lead to anxieties and aggression in adulthood.