'But we've always done it this way!'

There can be a real sense when talking to some dog people that they are digging in their heels when talking about the ways in which we handle and train dogs. "We've always trained this way. My grandfather learned from his grandfather!" and so on. 

Punishments and Aversives - No, They're Not 'Needed'

A question I see frequently when perusing forums and social media etc. concerns the use of aversive training methods, and wondering why people think they are fine to use on dogs they say they love.

I still remember the first time I saw a picture of a prong collar, designed to be fitted and used around the neck of a dog. I remember that sense of disbelief, that prompted me to ask if this chain of metal prongs designed to sit around a dog's neck and dig in when a 'correction' is applied was real or if it was some kind of lingering warped April Fool's joke. Sadly, I discovered they are all too real, as are many other unpleasant devices used on dogs.

You Can't Always Get What You Want: Breed Traits & Individuality

It's a well-known fact that different dog breeds have different traits, usually connected with the purpose for which humans developed that particular breed. Labradors are friendly and like to carry things. Terriers like to dig and many also like to terrify small furry creatures. Border Collies are very intelligent, herd everything, and need 4 hours of walks a day to stop them doing a wall of death around the living room.

I write that last sentence with a wry smile (and in the case of the last part, a chunk of mildly sarcastic exaggeration) as I look at my own Border Collie Finn, who flatly refuses to set a paw outside the door if it's raining and is usually found upside down and snoring. He is indeed very bright, will herd a football if kicked to one side of him and, while he enjoys his walks, isn't overly fussed how long he's walked for, so long as he gets a few minutes of sniffing time.

My Reactive Dog - The Best Thing That's Ever Happened To Me

(I should note before I start that I do not regard my dog as a 'thing'! Thing in this instance refers to the whole bundle of events that happened after he joined our family.)

I know, that title sounds insane. I've written many times of the emotions that can run rife as the guardian of one of these complex, complicated, sensitive dogs. Of how hard it can be on us, as well as them, to drift through a sea of stress and fear, or spending a large proportion of our time outside both in a state of hypervigilance constantly on the look out for triggers and problems on the horizon. And yes, I still struggle with that at times. The tears come much less frequently now, but I remember that raw, embarrassed and humiliated feeling as yet another person sneered at me and my 'bad' dog.

Counter-conditioning or Desensitisation?

These are two terms that are often seen when discussing behaviour modification, particularly surrounding fearful and reactive dogs. As with many technical terms, the definition and usage of these can seem confusing when they are first encountered. This is not helped by the fact that often people will begin to describe what they think counter-conditioning (often abbreviated as CC) is but also include elements of systematic desensitisation (DS). So what then is each of these, how do they differ, and how do they work together?

To understand fully, it's necessary to go through a bit of learning theory. It might be worth getting a cuppa before getting going on this next part!

Confidence - it works both ways!

I talk a lot about how we need to increase the confidence of a fearful or anxious dog who struggles in their relationship with the world around them. What isn't so often talked about (with the exception of a few excellent examples like Janet Finlay's Canine Confidence Academy) is the fact that the human half of the partnership needs to feel confident as well.

Absolutes in Dog Training and Reflections on an Unusual Year

10 steps to dog training success!

The 5 things you MUST train your dog to do!

The things you must NEVER do with your dog!

We see these kinds of headlines all over the place in relation to our dogs. So many rules and advice that, if we don’t follow them, means we’re the worst kind of dog owners/guardians ever. Even that, the owners vs guardians title dilemma can cause bitter argument (for my part I’m not that bothered what you call yourself – professor of the world or emperor of canine kind if that floats your boat, just so long as you treat the dogs in your care as they should be treated). The thing is that dogs don't come with a training rule book!