My dog is un-trainable can you help?
If you have been told your dog is un-trainable then please give me a call. I relish challenges and have successfully helped many people to train dogs which have previously been deemed un-trainable! I haven't yet come across a single dog which I couldn't help to train!
My puppy is well behaved, why would I want to come to classes?
If you have a well behaved puppy and don't plan to take him to training classes, just wait until he's 7-8 months old! This is the time when most problems develop when no training and insufficient socialisation has been given and is much harder to resolve! A small amount of time invested up front is really valuable and is such great fun! Why would you want to miss out?
Actually the main reason for coming to puppy classes is socialisation and not so much the training which most people can manage at home to some degree. Poor socialisation is one of the most common reasons for dog destruction! There is a critical period for socialisation and this has pretty much finished by 16 weeks in most dogs.
I already have another dog so my puppy is socialised.
You would be surprised how frequently I see dogs for behaviour counselling which live with another dog, and the problem is aggression towards other dogs. This is because the dog has only socialised with one other dog. There are over 500 different breeds of dogs out there and more breeds are cropping up all the time. You need to mix your puppy with as many different types of dogs and people as possible.
Will you train my dog for me?
I have often been asked if I will train someone's dog for them. I do not do this as usually, the issue with training is due to the owner being unable to find the "right buttons to press" for their dog. If I find the right buttons but the owner still does not, the dog will revert to the old behaviour within one month or so. In fact, I often see people who have already done this, spent an enornous amount of money, and yet they still have problems with their dog. I aim to show you how to press those buttons correctly so that you can get your dog to do anything for you. If you feel you need regular one to one training sessions in order to get you there, contact me as we can agree a set price. Discounts are available for people who book multiple one to one training sessions.
Having said that I have been asked regularly if I will train a dog to walk to heel for the owners. If this is the only problem, I do now offer this service. Often it is not possible for the owner to do this themselves due to illness or injury. Please see services and prices for full details of this. I only offer this service within a 6 miles radius of Ferndown.
How can I become a dog trainer and behaviourist?
This is now quite a competitive industry and many new trainers are arriving all the time. It is important to get qualifications as well as experience. You need to research well where you want to get your training. There are some courses which last three days, or based on internet study and then you are able to say you are "qualified" and take on behaviour counselling. However, this is a very complex subject, and in fact, it is illegal to take on behaviour counselling without a veterinary referral. Vets will only recommend you if you are qualified. You will need to be insured as this is a risky profession, not just from a personal safety perspective, but also from litigation arising from poor advice. A good insurance company will not insure you unless they are satisfied that you are fully qualfied. Usually this means at least a diploma standard. However, with recent dog attacks getting such high visibility  you can be sure this profession will be likely to become more regulated. Qualifications alone are not enough and experience alone is not enough. You need to do both and ensure you are up to date with recent information about this science.
To be a dog behaviourist you will be faced with aggressive dogs. Some people refuse to see aggressive dogs. You have to question how helpful you are going to be if this is the case. However, if you do decide this you need to be aware that you will encounter aggressive dogs as not everyone is up front with the full extent of their dog's behviour problems. There is no room for "dog" people who are not also "people" people. In order to help people with their problem dog you need to be understanding and supportive. You will need to be able to explain why the dog is doing the behaviour and explain the theory behind the advice you give in order for your advice to be helpful. For further advice please feel free to call me.

Why must I have a veterinary referral for a behaviour consultation?                                                                       

There are many medical causes of behaviour problems and the only party who is legally allowed to make that diagnosis is a vet. Therefore, a behaviourist who takes on a behaviour consultation without veterinary referral is breaking the law. From the client's point of view, if you have a referral form your vet you should be assured that the behaviourist you are being referred to is qualified. There are many people acting as dog behaviourists who do not have qualifications or the experience to do this. This can cause serious problems and distress to both the animal and the owner. If a vet has referred you to a behaviourist then you should be able to recouperate some of the costs from your insurance provider if the policy covers behaviour counselling.