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Tails from a Dog Trainer

This is my positive dog training blog page.
Dog training tips, dog training ideas, latest dog training methods and my thoughts on them, you’ll find them all here.

Can’t I just come to a training class?

Post pandemic, I have been frequently contacted by owners looking for help with their dogs.  In many instances, the behaviours they are experiencing - barking at other dogs, barking at strangers coming into the home, anxiety when being left or being overly keen to...

What does ‘positive’ dog training mean?

What does ‘positive’ dog training mean?

Positive dog training is a popular and effective method of training dogs that focuses on rewarding desired behavior rather than punishing undesirable behavior. This form of training is becoming increasingly popular among dog owners, trainers, and behaviorists who...

Top Tips for Halloween

Top Tips for Halloween

  From late October, all manner of Halloween decorations will begin to appear on lawns and around homes. Puppies and older dogs can be easily spooked by new things appearing on their normal walk route. Here are some tips to help. 1) Listen to your dog and watch their...

What reward should you use for training?

What reward should you use for training?

What’s your reinforcement (reward) scoring against the environment you’re training in? It’s a question I often ask owners when they’re training skills such as recall, stay etc. Every dog is different, some will work for food, some for praise/interaction and others for...

How to make your dog’s life better

How to make your dog’s life better

There are so many ways your dog’s health and wellbeing can be improved, here are just a few ideas… Know their body – Examining your dog’s body, coat colour, walking speed, teeth & gums, along with their normal temperature and breathing rate is so important to help...

Hot weather?  What to do to keep them busy

Hot weather? What to do to keep them busy

Here's a brain dump of some fun things to do with your dog whilst the weather is hot:       Create a "tasting platter" - cut strawberries, watermelon, blueberries, cucumber, apple, banana and carrot and place them in small piles on a tray. Watch if your dog "chooses"...

Why “getting them done” may not be the answer

Why “getting them done” may not be the answer

Neutering your dog can often be suggested as the “cure all” for many behavioural and training issues. In reality, there are very few unwanted behaviours that are likely to disappear simply as a result of de-sexing your dog. Note - For the purposes of clarity in this...

Want an Easy Peasy Puppy? – THE book you need to get!

Want an Easy Peasy Puppy? – THE book you need to get!

The first thing you realise when you're planning to welcome a new puppy is just how much "advice" is out there.  Family, neighbours, Google, celebrity "dog experts", the guy down the pub or the lady down the road who's had dogs for 30 years.  But who do you listen to?...

Canine Enrichment – Get that brain trained!

Canine Enrichment – Get that brain trained!

  Canine Enrichment is all about provide mental stimulation for our dogs. Whilst physical exercise is an important part of our dog’s health, regular enrichment activities ensure that their brains also get a good workout, which leads to a longer, happier life for your...

Leaving Lockdown – Is your dog ready?

  After six weeks, it appears the UK “lockdown” in respect of Coronavirus is likely to be lifted soon. For many people, this will come as a welcome return to reality but what will the impact be on the nation’s dogs that have become accustomed to a new routine and not...

Toilet Training Tips

Toilet Training Tips

This guide has been written for young dogs, but is also ideal for those owners who may of adopted a rescue dog that may have been in kennels a long time or those adopting street dogs from overseas. Toilet training is about routine and habit. Your puppy has...

Coronavirus – Puppy socialisation tips

Coronavirus – Puppy socialisation tips

Coronavirus has changed our lives completely. As soon as the social distancing restrictions were put in place I knew that suspending puppy training classes was going to place a huge additional burden on owners when it came to socialisation Of course, outside of the...

Barking dogs – Is a training class the answer?

Barking dogs – Is a training class the answer?

My dog barks at other dogs, would a class help him?Sadly, the answer is not straightforward. The most important question to find the answer to is “why does your dog bark at other dogs?”…Possible reasons include:My puppy is excited when he sees other dogs....

New Puppy – The Ultimate Toolkit

New Puppy – The Ultimate Toolkit

Whether your new puppy has already arrived or you're patiently waiting for them to reach 8 weeks, this is the ultimate toolkit to get you off to a great start! Firstly, there is one book which is invaluable to any new puppy owner - Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy by IMDT...

Here comes Santa Paws – what to get your best friend for Christmas

Here comes Santa Paws – what to get your best friend for Christmas

Dogs simply love enrichment toys and it’s thought that fifteen minutes of one of these activities is the same as an hour’s walk for your dog’s brain. Listed below are a few tried and tested toys I can recommend to keep your dog quiet and entertained...

Help – My puppy is so naughty!

Help – My puppy is so naughty!

“They won’t do what I tell them to”, “They just ignore me” or “They just don’t listen”, three of the most common complaints I hear from new puppy owners. We place a lot of expectation on dogs generally, possibly because we take them with us into society...

Tails from a Dog Trainer – Winter is coming

Tails from a Dog Trainer – Winter is coming

As a dog owner, you’re no doubt used to being out in all weather. Whilst last year’s heatwave gave us a challenge not faced for many years (how to cope with 60 days of continuous heat) winter is also worth preparing for. Dark nights and mornings are coming...

Tails from a Dog Trainer – Jumping Puppies

Tails from a Dog Trainer – Jumping Puppies

One of the most common questions I'm asked (particularly from puppy owners) is “how do I stop them jumping up at me?” It’s a behaviour that becomes more difficult to address the longer it is rehearsed, however the answer often lies at the hands (quite...

Tails from a Dog Trainer – It’s that time again…

Tails from a Dog Trainer – It’s that time again…

As the nights draw in, the Christmas adverts start appearing and before you know it it’s December and the countdown to Christmas begins. A dog’s first Christmas is a wonderful memory, is there anything cuter than a tiny nose sniffing a bauble and being...

Tails from a Dog Trainer – Things that go bang!

Tails from a Dog Trainer – Things that go bang!

We’re fast approaching “Fireworks Season” which can be very difficult for dogs. Whilst a noise sensitivity training plan can help some dogs, this can take time to implement, so here are some top tips with helping your dog though the next few months of celebrations....

Tails from a Dog Trainer – Barking!

Tails from a Dog Trainer – Barking!

People often talk to me about barking dogs. Most people acknowledge that dogs don’t bark without good reason, but what are those reasons? Simply put, when a dog is barking he is trying to communicate. Dogs have different pitches, the same as we have, which...

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