PROBLEM PREVENTION, SOLVING PROBLEM BEHAVIOURS, PRIVATE LESSONS

Some dogs have problem behaviours that need to be addressed in the home or individually outdoors. Individual Sessions & Home Visits are available, and we welcome phone enquiries to discuss the best strategy. We have never turned a dog away! Please call or email (A phone call is often the best way as we can go into more detail.) Recommendations are always available.

 

This section could be never ending, but the majority of the problems we deal with come under the following headings, and below we give an idea of how we’d approach them.

 

Poor recall

Guarding
Aggression towards dogs and or humans
Fears and phobias
Excessively boisterous behaviour
Pulling on the lead
Eating the house!
Relationships with family members
Toileting problems
Barking
Problems with other pets and/or livestock
Grooming/handling issues
Geriatric issues
Overcoming owner-fear of other dogs

Dogs, being dogs and not humans, can develop a range of behaviours that are not desirable, and are even dangerous, when they are trying to live in a (to them) very confusing and crowded human society. The problems and their causes are very varied, and the solutions need to reflect the individual dog’s character, history, and relationships within the family. The solutions invariably involve seeing the problem from the dog’s point of view and addressing the root cause, knowing how to communicate clearly and consistently with the dog, instead of trying to simply prevent or circumvent the behaviour.

While we are very careful to say we have no magic wand to cure a dog instantly (as seen on TV!), we are confident that we can make inroads into most intractable problems, given the commitment of the owner to put in time, thought and understanding. Often, one home visit will be sufficient to explain why the dog is ‘being a pain’, and showing how, by changing human behaviour, we can amend and ‘manipulate’ what the dog does, and help the dog relax and understand the boundaries of behaviour. Longer standing or more complex problems may well take more time and need a structured programme, to move the dog steadily to a new understanding.
It is not rocket science; by us giving guidance and support, and setting up situations where the dog can gain experience in a controlled and structured way, we have had great successes in helping with all sorts of problems.

We have excellent contacts with other professionals with whom we will work to ensure the best outcome for the dog.

1:1 sessions are structured for the individual, and can range from a simple training session to a full blown behaviourist home visit; from a walk in the park to a structured set-up session in a private field introducing other dogs, live-stock, bicycles, joggers etc as needed.

Additionally, we regularly use the opportunity of the outside lessons to gradually introduce dogs to group training at their own pace, so that on week 1 they may work at 100 yards away, moving closer to other participants at the speed the dog can assimilate. This has had excellent and speedy results in raising the confidence and/or self control of dogs who are wary or over boisterous around other dogs.