As most of the things our dogs learn are based on associations, I am sure you would agree that developing positive ones would be everyone’s first choice – whether you want your dog to start liking the postman, make friends with the next-door neighbour, or stop chasing that crow… You can, and unfortunately are often … read more
Each person asking this question sincerely believes their situation is so unique, that it requires if not the Nobel Prize and a mention in London Times, then at least a consultation with the top behaviourist or an individual session with a known trainer who will hopefully be able to understand where the problem is coming … read more
Reward that we so religiously offer our trainees does not necessarily carry some value. It usually does, but only when the dog behaves in an attentive and sensitive manner and asks for permission or instruction to pull away. If a dog willingly follows and independently makes a decision to maintain contact, it values the outcomes … read more
At times I begin to wonder whether those morons bringing more and more restrictions on looking after a number of dogs compared to an individually owned pet have a point. What if such a thing exists? And dogs being one step away from turning wild and ripping us to shreds just because they are in … read more
For any animal to respond to given sign stimuli it must be behaviourally significant, and the discrimination in this test must be meaningful to warrant measurable behaviour response… (Shettleworth, 2010). What this means for dog training is this: If a handler that has her dog restrained does not react to her dog’s unwanted behaviour (such … read more