One-to-One Training

Training sessions are tailored to your specific needs, ensuring you receive individual attention in a familiar environment  (normally your own home and/or the parks you walk in).  Common questions include:  pulling on the lead, jumping up, recall problems, over exuberance with other dogs, inappropriate chasing, and handling problems e.g. during grooming or veterinary examinations.  A training visit may also be suitable if you have recently taken on a rescue dog or have concerns over the introduction of a new pet into the household.  Even if there is no evidence of problems, advice about the best approach to the situation or whether it is appropriate, may help to ensure that the right decisions are made.

I understand how daunting getting a dog can be, and you may just want a confidence booster session to check that you’re setting off, or keeping on, on the right track or if you want to nip any potential issues in the bud.

Phone and email back up are part of the overall session. I also love to arrange social walks with other like-minded people and dogs for a safe, and calm walk allowing the dogs to get to know each other slowly.

Puppy Sessions

Getting a puppy is very exciting but also a little scary, especially when there is so much information and conflicting advice on offer.  I can provide advice on how to help your puppy develop into a confident and sociable adult.  We can discuss the family’s current circumstances and future plans, look at the necessary lifestyle changes to ensure that all the important processes are in place and work with all the family on understanding dogs better.  Visits can be arranged soon after you collect your puppy to deal with any concerns and ensure you get off to the right start with the basics such as giving your house training, recall, road safety, stay, wait, leave, walking nicely in a harness, and how to deal with mouthing and jumping up.  We also discuss the importance of suitable socialisation with dogs and humans, building confidence, puppy classes, play & mental stimulation, learning to settle by themselves, exercise, and equipment and general care.  We will not be walking long distances or over-practicing any exercises as puppies’ joints are delicate at this stage in their growth.

The puppy advice also covers common circumstances, such as puppies who are introduced into households where there is an older dog.  This often works very well and gives the older dog a new ‘lease of life’, however the puppy may be too much for the older dog and management advice may be required.  Puppies also tend to become reliant on the presence of the older dog and problems can arise when the older dog passes away.  Ensuring the puppy is independent and habituated to being left alone is therefore essential.

Phone and email back up are part of the overall session.

Similarly, once your rescue has arrived, as time goes by and they settle in, they may show different aspects of their personality which you weren’t expecting, and it’s very helpful to have an behavioural trainer on hand to check in with to prevent unwanted behaviours taking over.  It is not unusual for rescue dogs to be alarmed by situations which we take for granted and to show reactive behaviour – even if they didn’t when they first arrived.  Sometimes, just a couple of sessions are perfect for getting you and your rescue back on even ground.

Phone and email back up are part of the overall session.  It can be a huge benefit to a rescue to walk safely with other well-behaved dogs when they are feeling at home in their new environment and to progress to increased confidence.