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!

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. There is a second sensitive period at between 6-8 months so continuing broad socialisation is necessary right throughout that period, if not, the socialisation that did take place earlier can "wear off". You would not be aware of the damage done until about 8-9 months old by which time it is too late.
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.Having said that I have been asked regularly if I will train a dog to walk to heel for the owners.

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. In fact, CAWG (Centre for Animal Welfare Group) is a government run body which has proposed that dog training be regulated and academic qualifications will be required. Behaviour counselling may only be undertaken by suitably qualified people who will need to be educated to at least  degree level. They will also be required to present behavioural case reports for peer review before entry to ASAB (Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour) or APBC (Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors) 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 from 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 (which is why the industry is under scrutiny for regulation at last!). 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.   

What do you think of TV dog trainers?

Some are good, I love Victoria Stillwell as she uses kind techniques. She has moved on from pack theory and is active in dog welfare. However, I really get upset about celebrity trainers who use harsh techniques, and even more so when they try to cover the harsh techniques they use as "what dogs do in the pack". Hmm, a dog knows the difference between a human and a dog and if a human performs dog behaviour then it is VERY scary as we are much bigger. Also dogs have evolved with humans for approximately 100,000 years and have evolved to have a good nose for human physical cues. Therefore, they do not expect us to behave as dogs and if we do we freak them out. So, I'm not a fan of Cesar Millan as he uses some nasty techniques (e- collars, the illusion collar and prong collars, alpha rolls) disguised as acceptable techniques. Although he does make some very good points about being calm and assertive and respects that dogs were bred for specific purposes. But it is not necessary to train using punishment, not even a water spray. Many scientific studies now support the fact that positive reinforcement techniques applied consistently are the most effective and it's disappointing that Millan appears to be putting back rewards based dog training progress by about 15 years. In addition, aversive techniques are proven to result in behaviour problems such as increased aggression many studies support this fact. Positive reinforcenent techniques, whilst sometimes may appear to make slower progress do not run the risk of creating aggression and result in more permanent improvements.

Can you recommend a dog walker/pet sitter?

On my links page I have some people who I personally know and feel confident to pass on their details. It may be that they do not cover your area though so here are some tips. If you are looking for a dog walker/ dog sitter do check credentials. ANYONE can set up in this area and there are some trying to convince prospective clients that they are more than dog walkers, that they trainand do dog psychology too. So some general tips are: If  they are legitimate they will be CRB checked, insured and can prove it (all members of an organisation who may go into your home unsupervised should be CRB checked). Don't just accept their word, ask to see the certificate. Many will be registered with a supervisory body which means you can make complaints and get support. NARP (National Association of Registered Pet Sitters) is such an organisation. CHeck if your vet knowns about them and ask for previous customer feedback. If they tell you they have dog psychology qualifications check what they are and that they mean something. If someone is doing dog sitting and practising dog psychology on your dog you need to be aware of what this involves. Remember that there is no law which states you must be qualified to be a dog psychologist/behaviouralist. However, there are professional memberships which exact very high standards from their members and as sich you can be assured they are qualified to provide this service. They are COAPE, APBC and CCAB (Certified Clinical Applied Animal Behaviourist). Some dog walkers tell you they will train your dog too. Check that they are a member of the APDT as again, I'm afraid there are no laws to protect you in this area. However, if a provider is a member of an organisation you will have the ability to make complaints etc and will have some recourse with resolving disputes.   Fleur Broderick on my links page does do walk and train and she is also one of the Paws In Hand trainers.