The Human Side

The Human Side

This week I have an excellent example I want to share with you of just how important it is to be confident in our own training mechanics when it comes to transforming the behaviour of our dogs. In theory, we all know that we can improve on our training skills, but the...
Begin With a Plan

Begin With a Plan

When we are training our dogs (especially when we’re working on the things they struggle with most) we often rush through the training without first setting a goal and thinking how we’re going to achieve that goal. The goal you set doesn’t...
Useful Tips for Long Leads/Long Lines

Useful Tips for Long Leads/Long Lines

I always recommend long leads to any of my clients who are experiencing struggles with teaching their dogs to recall. A long lead allows you to progress from giving your dog very little freedom, to being able to give them enough freedom to learn great skills before...
Tips for Pet Shop Visits

Tips for Pet Shop Visits

I looove training in pet shops because they are a fairly quiet environment, giving you time to breathe and think while training. It’s been a year since Bonnie made her first visit to our locally owned pet store, Head to Tail Pets. Here are some tips for a...
NO WALKS Today – It’s Okay!

NO WALKS Today – It’s Okay!

I’m giving you permission to consider doing things differently… There are many dogs who have a meltdown at the sight of another dog (or person), get WAY over the top excited when they see you pick up their lead, or get nervous and shut down around things in the...
Training Your Reactive Dog

Training Your Reactive Dog

This week I had a stunning example of something I tell all of my clients with reactive or anxious dogs who bark, lunge or snap at other dogs or people. I always say: “If a training session with a reactive dog looks boring, you’re doing the right thing.” Below is a...
How to STOP Puppy Biting. Help!

How to STOP Puppy Biting. Help!

If you’re anything like me, there’s nothing worse than getting sharp little needle teeth all over you when all you want is to have a lovely play session with your gorgeous new puppy. Your puppy seems to just looove to latch onto your clothes, shoes and skin, rather...
How Do I Choose My Puppy?

How Do I Choose My Puppy?

So you’ve picked the breed you’d just loooove to own, and the litter has been born, and it’s just a matter of choosing the right puppy for you. But how do you know which puppy is right? You dream of a puppy that will one-day fit into your family life just perfectly,...
Excitement and Calmness

Excitement and Calmness

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Every time your dog does something ‘wrong’ it’s a training opportunity about to happen! Here’s an example… Cleon the German Shepherd was so excited on his one-on-one Accelerate...
Enrichment Series – #3 Junk Jumble

Enrichment Series – #3 Junk Jumble

Sometimes you get to a point in our day when we just don’t feel like worrying about the dog right now. Maybe you’re wanting to put your feet up and your puppy wants to play. Maybe you’d like more brain space, but if you put them outside,...
Enrichment Series – #2 Ways to Walk Your Dog

Enrichment Series – #2 Ways to Walk Your Dog

You probably walk your dog on a regular basis and maybe you experience frustration when your dog pulls you along, or when they seem to have to see and smell everything all at once. This makes walking them a job and not a way for you to relax. Here are two easy tips...
See the World Through Your Dog’s Eyes

See the World Through Your Dog’s Eyes

As owners, we are responsible for making decisions for our dogs based on what we perceive is best for them. As a result, it is essential that we educate ourselves to endeavour to understand them as carefully as possible. (Visit my post on Body Language for more on...
Help! My Dog Is Ignoring Me!

Help! My Dog Is Ignoring Me!

What do you do if your dog just refuses to listen to you? This is such a frustrating thing, but so many people struggle with it. As a result, I’ve decided to create a list of three things you can do to keep your dog’s attention! This is by no means exhaustive, but is...
5 Do’s and Don’ts for Puppy Owners

5 Do’s and Don’ts for Puppy Owners

Raising a puppy is a huge responsibility and can be very challenging, especially for a first-time owner, but at times even for an experienced owner! We need to be able to find the balance between suppressing a puppy’s personality and providing the puppy with set rules...